CHAPTER SEVEN

Samantha felt for sure that she had gotten home free and clear. Grandmary, the Admiral, and Elsa, all seemed to know nothing.

"What on earth was Eddie Ryland doing in the lilac hedge so late at night?" Nellie asked, they were up in Samantha's bedroom.

"Who knows? I think he was trying to have a smoke," Samantha shrugged. "It was so embarrassing. I don't think he'll say anything though. It would be awfully juvenile if he did." She changed to a brighter topic, her secret admirer.

"Did you figure it out who it is?" Nellie asked.

"I'm not sure," Samantha replied. "I don't understand how he gets them inside of here." She buried her nose deep into the posy of tea roses that Nellie had left on Samantha's dresser that morning. "Do you think he's going through Hawkins?"

Nellie shrugged.

"I don't know," she replied.

"Well I asked Hawkins, and he didn't seem to know anything," Samantha said. "It isn't you he's going through?"

Nellie put on her poker face. Personally she wished that Eugene would just hurry up, declare his love for Samantha, and whisk her away, before she got too caught up in this Peyton nonsense. However if Eugene still wanted to remain anonymous, she was going to respect his wishes.

"No way," she gasped. "I know nothing."

"I think it might be Stu," said Samantha. "I feel so bad because I lead him on a little, and I certainly don't like Stu that way. He's fun, but he's not for me. Oh Nellie, I am so in love with Peyton. I'd marry him in a minute."

"Just like the boy you kept seeing at the ice cream parlor last fall back in New York?" Nellie asked. If Samantha had had her way, she would have been married seven times already. A devilish grin spread on Samantha's face. She batted Nellie with a pillow. Nellie picked up a pillow and batted back. Pretty soon the girls were going on it back and forth, giggling with laughter.

"I swear since your grandmother sent you to New York to live you become way less mature than you were back when you were eight!" Elsa bellowed. Samantha and Nellie froze immediately, Nellie holding a pillow in midair. Feathers were floating everywhere, some were caught in Samantha's hair.

"Look at this mess!" Elsa yelled. "Who do you think picks this up?"

"We'll clean it up, promise." Said Samantha.

Elsa turned and scowled at Nellie.

"I guess since you're not a servant anymore you don't really care," she scoffed.

Nellie just looked down shamefully at the ground.

"Your grandmother wishes to speak with you Samantha," said Elsa. "It is serious. Hopefully she'll talk some decent behavior out of you."

Samantha's face went white.

"Oh god," she muttered. "She must know. I'm going to kill Eddie!"

"Not if she kills you first," Nellie joked. "Perhaps it has nothing to do with last night," Nellie said, though she knew that it was a rather dumb thing to say. Why else would it be urgent? If something had happened back at home in New York wouldn't Grandmary want both girls?

Samantha combed the feathers out of her hair, dress, and stockings, freshened herself up and made her way down to the parlor.

"If I don't come out of there," Samantha said to Nellie. "You can have my strand of pearls."

Samantha gently knocked on the parlor door.

"Come in," she heard Grandmary respond in a cold, distant, and sharp manner.

"I guess you're not joking," Nellie whispered to Samantha right before she let herself in.

"Good afternoon Grandmary," Samantha said in her sweetest and most innocent voice, flashing her a sugary smile. Grandmary was not charmed.

"That is not going to work with me Samantha," she replied flatly. "I'm not one of your disillusioned rakes."

"I don't understand Grandmary," said Samantha. "Here, let me pour you some tea."

"Absolutely not!" Grandmary shrieked. "Sit down." She pointed to the chair, and Samantha followed her command like a puppy.

"Eddie Ryland came to see me this morning," Grandmary announced.

"You can't believe a thing that boy says," Samantha immediately defended. "He has always had it in for me."

"Silence!" Screamed Grandmary. "Hold your tongue. It got enough exercise last night!"

Samantha immediately fell silence, her hands were folded, put her palms were sweating. She knew this was going to be bad. She'd never get to see Peyton again, her dreams of being Mrs. Denardo danced away. It was also humiliating as well. Grandmary was the last person she wanted to know about this.

"I am repulsed, shocked, and simply ashamed at your behavior. I should have known when you girls didn't obey my curfew at that first party you went to, that you were out of hand."

"Grandmary it was nothing," Samantha argued.

"Nothing!" Grandmary yelled. "Not only were you caught making on like some trollop, but you also disobeyed your grandfather and I, and snuck out of the house to go to a party. Is this how Gard and Cornelia have raised you? I am beginning to think I should keep you here, and not let you go back to New York in the fall. You obviously have not been disciplined adequately."

"Uncle Gard and Aunt Cornelia are fantastic, compassionate, and very decent parents," Samantha defended. "Do not put my actions on them. I know it was wrong to go behind your back and go to a party, but I am a young lady. Don't you remember being young and in love?"

"There is a difference between being in love and being an absolute trollop!" Grandmary snapped. "Your mother would be absolutely ashamed. I bet she is turning over in her grave right now as we speak!"

The icy words hung in the air. The tension in the room was so high it was electric. Samantha had never had something so hurtful said to her.

"My mother wouldn't have dumped me off to live with someone else just because they decided they wanted to get married and take a world wide cruise," Samantha replied hotly. "As far as I'm concerned you took care of me as long as it was convenient for you."

Grandmary slapped Samantha across the face, but she seemed surprised and sorry at the same time that she did it.

"I'm sorry Samantha," she said in a much kinder voice. Tears began to form in Samantha's eyes. Her cheek was burning.

"You are not to see Mr. Denardo or any more young gentlemen for the rest of the summer. You have dignity to try and retain. The Ryland's are a prominent family here in Mount Bedford and it's bad enough they know what a hussy you are. You also are not going to anymore parties or dances, even if I have to hire someone to guard the house at night. I never thought it would come to this. As for Nellie, she can go to parties as long as she is accompanied by a friend. I think it is you that needs the proper guidance, and she can continue seeing the O'Reilly boy. If you had just acted like a proper lady I would have tried to get Archie to give your Peyton another chance. I understand what a fine catch a Denardo would be, but your dignity is much more valuable Samantha, and without your dignity you will never find a husband. That is all I have to say to you."

Ashamed, upset, hurt, and disheartened Samantha turned to leave the parlor.

My mother can't be ashamed of me. She thought. She was Samantha. Everyone loved Samantha. She had more beaux than any other girl in New York City. Where had she gone wrong?

Eddie Ryland was where she had gone wrong. How could he? Why she had been gone for seven years. She hadn't done anything to him. This was far more different than spiking ice cream with salt, and calling her pig face. Eddie had cost her the man she loved, her grandmother's respect, and her spot in one of the most prestigious families in the country. She barged into Nellie's room. Nellie was over at the desk writing.

"Jiminy Samantha!" Nellie exclaimed. "You nearly gave me a heart attack. How was Grandmary?"

"Nellie," Samantha said as she began to tear through her armoire. "This is war and we are going to win. We are going to win!"

"War?" Nellie asked. "What war?"

"The war for justice against Eddie Ryland," Samantha ranted. Tears began to stupidly stream down her face as she talked.

"He has cost me the man I love. I am going to cost him what he loves."

"You're going to steal his cigarettes?" Nellie asked.

Sometimes Samantha couldn't believe that Nellie was planning on going to college to be a teacher.

"Much worse," Samantha replied. "I am going to steal you!"

"Me?" Nellie exclaimed. "I don't think Eddie Ryland and I share much love for each other."

"Not yet," Samantha replied. "But you will."