CHAPTER NINE
This is incredibly nuts. Nellie thought to herself as she settled herself in the lilac hedge. She hoped that she didn't have to wait long. Her feet ached in those shoes, and sitting on the ground in an evening gown wasn't exactly Nellie's idea of comfort.
I should be studying for my school entrance exams, she said to herself. Not caught up in another one of Samantha's ridiculous charades!
It was blistering hot, and even in the evening dress, and even in the shade of the bush Nellie began to sweat a little, mostly under her armpits, some of it due to her nerves. The last time she had seen Eddie Ryland she had still been a servant at the VanSicklen's. Both of her parents were gravely ill, and she had to take on more of the responsibilities. Each day at school if she even went she looked shabbier and shabbier, scrawnier and scrawnier. She never wanted to go back to that point in her life again. Nellie knew she had to stop thinking, she was just upsetting herself. She opened up her book and began to write. That was one nice thing about being cooped up in the lilac hedge. She got some private and quiet time to work on the story she was writing. Only Samantha, Bridgette, and Jenny, had ever read her stories. The one she was writing now only Samantha had read because it was much too mature for her little sisters. Samantha was always trying to get her to send them in, but Nellie never did. For her, writing was a haven. Back when she was a servant she had no extra money for paper, but she wrote stories in her head, and her stories and characters were with her throughout the day as she fulfilled her duties. Now she could write for real, on paper, and with each composition book she filled was another sense of accomplishment. Though she never could get up the courage to send one in, if it were rejected Nellie feared she may never write again, and then that haven would be taken from her.
She wrote for a good forty minutes, not even paying attention to the cramp in her hand, she was used to it, and suspected that when she was an old woman, it would probably be cramped up for life from all of her writing. She was really into her story, miles away from Mount Bedford, and not paying attention to anything around her.
"My," A boyish voice exclaimed. "I see that Eddie's smoke bush has become quite the convention center!"
Nellie looked up at once, and immediately snapped her composition book shut.
"Hey what are you writing that you don't want me to see," Eddie asked.
"Nothing," Nellie replied. Actually Samantha had told her some haughtier phrase to say, but from being startled and surprised at how different Eddie looked, she couldn't remember anything. Eddie still had his short, dark, wavy, hair, but he was much bigger then she remembered him ever being. Eddie was huge. She had always thought that Gard was taller than average, but Eddie looked a good bit taller than he was. He had to be over six feet, and he looked very strong, burly, almost beefy, with a thick neck. Nellie had read stories that took place in Medieval days in England and Scotland about big, strong, burly, men, and they were dreamy, but until now she never thought they existed for real.
He must have a hard time finding clothes that fit. She thought. Quickly she turned her eyes away so he wouldn't think she was staring.
"Doesn't look like nothing," Eddie replied.
"It's a romance story," Nellie said dumbly. She couldn't think of anything else to say but the truth. Her eyes caught sight of his hands. They had to be at least three times as big as hers. Her fingers looked like little porcelain doll fingers compared to his.
"Okay you can stop right there," Eddie said. "I've seen enough slobbering and kissing to last me awhile." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a shiny, silver, cigarette case. "You mind if I smoke?"
Nellie shook her head. Her father used to smoke and since his death Nellie had always taken a bizarre comfort in the smell of smoke. It reminded her of him. Eddie offered Nellie a cigarette.
"You want one?"
"No," Nellie replied.
"I didn't think you would," Eddie said as he lit his cigarette and took a long drag. "You look too fine and mighty to be a smoking girl."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Nellie asked. She was terrible at this.
"Well you are all decked out in that evening gown like you are going to some gala," Eddie remarked. "By the way, nice dress."
"What? This old thing?" Nellie exclaimed finally saying something that Samantha told her to say.
Eddie and Nellie's eyes met and locked. Now Nellie was feeling chills, they started in her upper neck and shivered all the way down her spine. His eyes were green, a deep green, perhaps in some light they looked brown, but as of now with the leaves of the lilac hedge around him, they looked green. He like Nellie, also had a few freckles lightly sprinkled on the bridge of his nose.
Finally, Eddie broke contact, chuckling to himself and puffing on his cigarette. Okay Samantha now what? Nellie thought.
"So what are you doing in the lilac bush?" Eddie asked. "You live around here?"
"Next door," replied Nellie.
"In the Edwards House?"
"Yes. Just for the summer," replied Nellie.
"With Samantha?" asked Eddie.
"She is my friend," Nellie said. "She invited me to stay with her."
"I guess that makes sense," said Eddie. "I'd want a friend along too if I had to spend the summer shut up with a stodgy old lady like that. That lady is always getting on me for leaving cigarette butts in her lilac bush." He smiled as he flicked a few more onto the ground. "So did Samantha get put through the wringer for her antics last night?"
"I don't know," Nellie stammered. Eddie was not to know how angry Samantha really was. "Why did you tell on her?"
"I felt like it," replied Eddie. He tried to stretch out his legs, his whole frame was much too big for the lilac tunnel. "Plus I was sick and tired of hearing about her. Whenever I go down to the saloon that is all the boys talk about is Samantha this, Samantha that. Samantha Parkington is a goddess. She's so pretty. Blah blah blah. They all go to those parties down at the Royal Bedford all of the time. It is girls like Samantha Parkington that keep me away from those parties"
"But she's gorgeous," Nellie snapped.
"So are many other women," said Eddie. "But since you are part of her little posse Samantha Parkington can do no wrong."
"She may not perfect but she is my friend and a kind, caring, person," Nellie defended.
"So are many other women," Eddie said and put out the last little bit of his cigarette. "So you have a name?"
"Helene," Nellie replied deciding that it actually sounded better then she thought it did before. "Helene Fitzgerald from New Orleans."
"New Orleans? Wow. I'm Eddie Ryland," Eddie said.
"Short for Edward?" Asked Nellie. Not because Samantha wanted her to, she was just being nosey. Eddie made a face.
"Nah, it's short for Edmond. Edmond the III."
"Edmond?" Nellie asked.
"We'll just keep that our secret," Eddie said. "That and your racy little romance novel that you're writing."
Nellie's face went red, and fell down to the composition book. Somehow deep down inside she found Eddie to be a little funny.
"Well don't you have some party to go flounce off to?" Eddie asked.
"No, I don't like parties much," said Nellie.
"How can you be friends with Samantha and not like parties? That's all that girl does," Eddie said sardonically.
"That is not true," Nellie said testily. "Yes she does enjoy the company of gentleman, and dancing but she does do more than just attend parties."
"Why don't you like parties?" Eddie replied.
Nellie had fallen way off the beaten path. Helene Fitzgerald from New Orleans loved going to parties.
"Well I like the food," said Nellie, "And music. But I'm not good with young men."
"You are doing with fine with me and I'm a pig of one," Eddie said with amusement making Nellie blush, "Anyways as you can see I enjoy food too."
"You do?" Nellie asked.
"Oh yes. I didn't get this bulky without eating a lot," said Eddie. "What do you like to eat?"
"Everything," Nellie said with conviction.
"You'll eat anything?" Eddie asked surprised.
"Oh yes," said Nellie.
"Honestly?"
"Honestly"
"All right then Miss Fitzgerald. Are you free tomorrow?" Eddie asked. Nellie immediately nodded. Maybe she hadn't done such a bad job after all.
"I'll come call for you around noon. We'll go into town and have lunch at one of my favorite little places."
"That sounds wonderful," Nellie replied. She loved going to restaurants. She had never been in one until she was ten, and she went with Samantha, Gard, and Cornelia. She would much rather go out to a restaurant than a silly dance party.
"Okay," Eddie nodded with a smile. "Noon tomorrow. Just remember. You said that you would anything."
Nellie O'Malley couldn't help but feel pleased with herself as she made her way back to the house. This was the first date she had ever generated in her life, even if it was with Eddie Ryland.