CHAPTER ELEVEN
Nellie had had an exciting and very pleasant afternoon. Finally at around four, she arrived home. When Nellie hadn't been back for tea at three-thirty, Samantha had been worried. Nellie never missed a chance to eat, what if Eddie had done something terrible to her? Samantha had been keeping watch by the front door for her to return.
"Hey Samantha," Nellie greeted as she entered the house.
"Where have you been all afternoon?" Samantha demanded.
"Jiminy! You're worse than Grandmary," Nellie replied as she took off her hat.
"Well you were gone a lot longer than I thought you would be," Samantha explained. "Eddie is a hoodlum. I was worried for you."
"Oh Samantha," Nellie breathed. "I had the most wonderful afternoon."
"Nellie please," said Samantha. "You have been to Paris, Venice, Madrid, Dublin, and London. A restaurant still can't be that exciting anymore."
"Oh the food was grand," Nellie responded. "After lunch we took a walk through the park, and bought ice cream, even though we were still stuffed from eating lunch."
"So making a complete pig out of yourself constitutes a wonderful afternoon?" Samantha laughed.
"That's not all," Nellie said with a smug grin. "Then we went to the racetrack."
"He took you to a racetrack?" Samantha said in shock. "What a dog! I can't believe Eddie Ryland was ever brought up in a civilized neighborhood. He took a lady to the racetrack."
"He asked me if I wanted to go," Nellie shrugged. "It was great fun, much more fun than dancing or parties. We didn't win though."
"You bet on the horses?" Samantha asked.
"Oh yes. There's nothing wrong with it," Nellie replied. "Gard bets on racehorses all of the time."
Samantha just shook her head.
"I didn't quite imagine Helene Fitzgerald going down to the racetrack," she said.
"Samantha," said Nellie. "If you think that Eddie is such an ungentlemanly being, then Eddie is going to need a very unladylike girl to fall in love with."
"I guess you are right," Samantha admitted. Though she thought an afternoon watching horses going round and a round would be rather boring. Her afternoon with Eugene sounded much better.
"Eugene called for you," she said. "He is so sweet Nellie. He even had a present for you."
"For me?" Nellie asked, but then it all registered.
"I'm so happy for you," said Samantha. "We have to make sure that he doesn't see you out with Eddie. Now that you have finally found a man, we need you to keep him."
No wonder Eugene is the one man in Mount Bedford that Samantha hasn't latched onto, thought Nellie. She thinks that he is seeing me.
The next morning things only got worse. Maybe it was his power and wealth, or maybe Samantha's hunger strike accomplished something, but at breakfast Grandmary told Samantha that she could continue seeing the Denardo boy, as long as she was supervised, and maybe she would be allowed to attend parties again.
"Thank you Grandmary, you are the best!" Samantha cried as she sprang up from her chair, and hugged her grandmother. "May I go see Peyton right now?"
"As long as Hawkins escorts you and chaperones," Grandmary answered. Samantha did not make a face. She was just happy that she could see her Peyton again. She began to leave the dining room.
"Where are you going?" Asked Nellie.
"To change my dress," Samantha replied. "I can't go to the Royal Bedford to see the Peyton Denardo in this old thing!"
"You just got that dress before we came here," Nellie called, but Samantha was long gone, humming as she floated upstairs.
Nellie leaving half of her breakfast on the plate sprang up from the table as well.
"And where are you going?" Grandmary asked. "You were out at Maude's long enough yesterday."
It was a good thing that Grandmary had reminded her of the excuse that she had used yesterday or else she would have used it again.
"Library," Nellie replied.
"You just went there," Grandmary barked and took a long sip of juice.
"I finished my books," Nellie said evenly.
"Already?" Grandmary cried. "You are reading way too much."
"Mary, let the girl go," the Admiral cut in. "At least she isn't going off to see some disrespectful, ill-manned, young man."
"But she only ate half of her breakfast," said Grandmary. "Why aren't you girls eating? You usually not only eat everything on your plate, but practically eat the plate too."
Nellie grabbed two muffins out of the basket to take with her, so she wouldn't be hungry. She had to never be hungry, but this was important. She had to find Eugene.
To make her trip go faster, Nellie hopped on the old bicycle that was stored in the shed next to the carriage house. Within seven minutes she was at the front desk of the Royal Bedford asking for Eugene O'Reilly.
"We will have someone call up to him," the front desk clerk replied. Nellie waited patiently in the dark green velvet chairs in the lobby. She was still waiting when she spotted Peyton cruising by dressed for a game of bocce ball. She knew Peyton had seen her as well, but he did not acknowledge her. That was not what bothered her though. It was the woman strutting next to Peyton with her arm linked in his. Why it was Edith Edelton. Samantha had only been banned from seeing Peyton for two days. He moved on very quickly. He and Edith were laughing and joking as they met up with some other big shot people in the lobby. Nellie watched as he tenderly kissed Edith's forehead, and left with a couple of other young men, to go out on the lawn and play bocce ball. Edith had met up with some ladies. She opened her parasol, and went out onto the veranda.
As much as Nellie despised the idea of Samantha with Peyton, she didn't want to see Samantha get hurt. Samantha was going to come looking for Peyton today. She couldn't see him kissing Edith Edelton. Just then Eugene approached her.
"Hi Nellie," he said. "You called for me?"
"Did you know that Peyton is seeing Edith Edelton?" Nellie asked.
"Her, and about half the other female population of Mount Bedford," Eugene replied.
"No," Nellie gasped.
"Oh yes," Eugene nodded and sat down in the chair next to her. "I think he fancies Edith the most though. Yesterday he had something lined up with Ruth Adams."
"Is this since he hasn't been allowed to see Samantha?" Nellie asked.
"No Nellie," Eugene shook his head. "I'm afraid not. I don't want it is, but Peyton sure is a favorite among the ladies, everywhere we go. Why that day when we came over for lunch, he went and saw Edith right afterwards, and he likes Ida Dean, but only when she is tipsy."
"Samantha thinks she is in love with him," said Nellie. "She'll be hurt. She is coming here today. Grandmary said that they could see each other again."
Eugene's heart sank, and Nellie could see it in his face.
"Well Edith is going to be at that bocce ball game that is taking place out on the lawn. If Samantha sees them together, perhaps she will get angry and come to me."
"No. She will be hurt. Very hurt," said Nellie. "I have a better idea. You're not participating in the bocce ball game are you?"
"I loathe bocce ball," said Eugene. "It's a stupid game. I much prefer baseball and football."
"Perfect," said Nellie. Eddie plays football and baseball. She felt embarrassed at herself for thinking about Eddie Ryland. She turned her attention back to Samantha. "I think you should go to her house. You might be able to catch her before she leaves. She has to change her clothes a million times before she can go anywhere."
"What good would going to her house do?' Eugene thought, "That's another big mistake I made. She thinks that we are seeing each other."
"I know," said Nellie. "We can't let her think that. We need her to think that you are an available catch. I think you need to talk to the Admiral Eugene. He is your best ally in this. He really likes you, and he doesn't care for Peyton at all. I think you should tell him how you feel about Samantha."
"But even the Admiral thinks that we are a couple," said Eugene. "He'll think I am awfully fickle if I just show up and proclaim my love for Samantha."
"Not if I defend you," Nellie answered. "Please go over there. I really don't want her over here seeing Peyton with Edith of all people. Even a mystery woman would have been better."
"You aren't mad are you?" Asked Eugene. "You don't feel jealous about me visiting with you, but loving Samantha."
"Of course not," Nellie said.
"You sure it's not because you feel indebted to her?" Eugene asked. "I didn't want to lead you on either, and I care about your feelings. I sure feel indebted to Peyton."
"Samantha has always been very fair," said Nellie. "She has never held anything against me, and has always treated me like an equal sister. And even if she were the most unselfish and generous person in the world I guess sometimes I do feel indebted a little, but it's because of nothing that she has done. However, we can't let ourselves be walked on for the rest of our lives just because of what someone has done for us. You have always been very upfront about your feelings for Samantha. You have never lead me on. But as for you in Peyton, you can't let him walk all over you."
"I know," Eugene nodded glumly. "But it's hard. Samantha has shown no interest in me. Of course she thinks that I'm with you."
"Let's go straighten it out then," said Nellie. "You way deserve Samantha more than Peyton does. I can't believe that he went behind her back with Edith and Ruth.
"And many others," Eugene said sourly. "He doesn't even realize how wonderful Samantha is."
"Come on. Let's go see if she hasn't left yet. If she has, you go on in and talk to the Admiral, and I'll try and find her. I just don't want her to see Peyton with Edith. I know it would really hurt her."
Nellie really hoped this plan worked. Perhaps if Samantha was happy with
Eugene she would stop the charade with Eddie Ryland, Nellie could go back to being
Nellie O'Malley, and make she would get to fall in love herself.