CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

"Samantha dearest you look absolutely stunning," Grandmary complimented the next afternoon. "You should wear those earrings to the Independence Bal."

"Oh I will," Samantha replied.

Samantha, Nellie, and Grandmary were in drawing room before supper. Samantha had been out with Peyton the whole day at the jeweler's buying the most outrageous, extravagant, and fabulous, set of diamond earrings that money could buy. She was examining them in the mirror.

"You don't think they are too much?" She asked.

"Well they do look a little heavy," Grandmary admitted. "But when it comes to diamonds, nothing is too much."

Nellie tried to hide back laughter. A little heavy was putting it lightly. Nellie thought that poor Samantha's ears would have to get tired soon. Tired from being weighted down practically to her shoulders by four caret diamonds. They looked like appendages that grew from her ears. However they were sparkly appendages that would glisten when the sun hit them.

"Nellie what do you think?" Samantha asked.

"At night when it is dark I will be able to do my homework next to them," Nellie replied.

"Funny," Samantha snapped. "I just adore them. Peyton was so sweet. He let me pick them out, and then he took me for lunch at the most quaint little tearoom."

"How was the food?" Asked Nellie.

"I'm telling you about the most romantic man on earth and you are asking me about food?" Samantha exclaimed.

"Well was it good?"

Samantha sighed and took off her earrings. She carefully placed them back in their box and gave them to Grandmary to put away in the safe.

"Bet you could buy an amusement park for the price of those," Nellie whistled.

"You probably could," Samantha agreed. "Wait till I show Cornelia she will be begging me to let her borrow them."

"Well since you borrow two of her hats. Three of her broaches, one of her parasols, a shawl, and two of her blouses, I think she is entitled," replied Nellie.

"I guess you're right," Samantha agreed. "You can borrow them too Nellie, whenever you wish."

Nellie couldn't even imagine wearing earrings that big. At least Samantha was tall and could somewhat pull it off, but Nellie was so short. Why those diamonds hanging off of her ears would make her look like she had three heads.

"I'd rather have the amusement park," Nellie said. "Tell your boy to buy you that next, and I'll go on the rides with you."

With all the fuss and ruckus over the Independence Ball, Samantha didn't have a chance to practice piano. Eugene's gift sat untouched and unnoticed, buried in her sheets of music.

Nellie and Samantha got to be on thin ice with each other again. Both wanted to remain cordial because the girls needed each other to function, it was a bond that they shared, but Samantha had crafted her master plan. A masterpiece to put Eddie Ryland to shame for all the horrid things he did to her. This was for all the times he had called her pig face, ugly, and dumb. This was for the time he told Grandmary that she climbed trees, and was attempting to play baseball with a bunch of young boys once. For the time he ruined her lavish and intricately planned tenth birthday bash by putting salt in her peppermint ice cream, For the time he had poked fun at her and Nellie because they were friends, and for how rotten he treated Nellie when she was in his class, and of course for him telling on her and Peyton. Even if she was allowed to see Peyton, Samantha had lost dignity. It was one thing for Grandmary to know that Samantha had snuck off to a party, but to know that she had been making out under a bush with some boy at night, was too embarrassing for anyone even Gard and Cornelia to know about it. She was sure that Grandmary had probably written them all about it.

To Samantha her plan to lead Eddie to shame, begging for her mercy was as important and profound as War and Peace and she was not going to let Nellie who had formed some childish infatuation with him stand in her way.

However Nellie loved Eddie, and she would rather die than hurt him. The issue of Samantha's Grand Plan was a touchy one, that usually led to an argument, so for the most part the subject was avoided and the girls walked on eggshells around each other. Nellie did resent Samantha a bit. This was the first ball she ever cared about because she was going with a boy she finally truly cared for, and instead of being able to enjoy completely Samantha would make her feel guilty for not carrying out her big scheme.

The week was filled with trips to the fashion shops. Though the girls already had beautiful gowns Samantha wanted even some more trimmings to add to it, and a new pair of shoes because her old ones hurt her feet while dancing. Samantha bought a set of gorgeous combs for her hair with dried silk flowers and pearls on them, and Nellie bought a beautiful black jeweled hair clip for her hair, as well as a pair of black silk gloves that went to her elbows. Nellie was planning on wearing a red and black gown to the ball. The dress was a little fall or winter like. She had been planning on wearing the light blue gown that Samantha had her wear when she first met Eddie Ryland, however since she had already worn that dress around Eddie and Samantha insisted a girl couldn't wear the same dress around the same man twice, she couldn't wear it. For Samantha who had more men than dresses, it might be an easy rule to follow, but for Nellie it wasn't so easy. At least red seemed like an appropriate color for Fourth of July, and she had exquisite matching red satin shoes, a black choker, and her new fabulous gloves to wear.

Samantha was planning on wearing a gold number. The dress was heavenly with many layers of silk and frills. The dress had a portrait neckline, trimmed with silk flowers that looked like magnolias. Even though Samantha had had this rule of never letting a man see you in the same dress twice, she decided she could at least show Peyton her dress.

He had come to see her, the day before the ball. Samantha couldn't contain herself anymore so she said that she was going to run and get her dress to show him.

Peyton sighed as she left the parlor

"She couldn't get my hint," he said to Nellie.

For a reply Nellie just glared at him. All afternoon all Peyton did was insult them. He had commented that he didn't like the taste of the sherry he had been served, he had told Samantha that reading The Count of Monte Cristo was a waste of time, and had commented on how all Nellie did was eat at tea, and never say anything.

"Oh yes that's right," said Peyton. "You only speak to Eugene. Figures, since you two are both disorganized dolts."

"I don't like you," Nellie said firmly.

"That is your misfortune," said Peyton. He got up to stroll around the room. "I don't like you either."

"I know about you and Edith, everybody knows," Nellie hissed.

"Except Samantha, and except Edith," Peyton replied. "I guess that means I'm home free. Money talks Nellie. Money and power. Especially to a foolish coquette like Samantha."

"Don't call her that," spat Nellie.

"I offended the poor ex servant girl," Peyton hissed. "You and Eugene are just the same, always trying to be all self righteous and preachy to people. Well I don't have to listen to you lecture to me. No ex scullery maid is going to tell me what to do."

. "You can bully me all you want to, but I am not afraid of you." Said Nellie.

"I'm not afraid of you either because I could smack you silly," Peyton barked. "I should. I should smack you, so you know where your place is. Women these days are getting way too ballsy with all this suffrage nonsense. Pity you are so mouthy, because you have a pretty face. Even if you weren't mouthy I still wouldn't take up with you. I wouldn't want your peasant germs on me, it's bad enough having Eugene around."

"Eugene and I are twice the person that you are," Nellie hissed.

"You are classless and know nothing," Peyton snapped. "You are so stupid. You and Eugene come from the same kind. Dumb, lazy, uninspired, trashy people who can hardly afford to feed themselves yet they can't stop having more children."

"Get out of here!" Nellie roared. "Out of my house!"

"It's not your house," Peyton replied innocently. "It's Samantha's." He began to go through the Admiral's box of fine Cuban cigars. He stuffed one into his pocket.

"You can't have that," Nellie spat.

"You are really inhospitable," Peyton replied.

"Here it is! Isn't it breathtaking?" Samantha burst into the parlor holding her lovely gold ball gown with all of its flowers, beads, and layers of silk.

Peyton glanced at it, and then immediately put one of those looks on his face as if he had smelled something bad.

"You're wearing that contraption?" He scoffed.

"Peyton this dress is from New York City," Samantha said.

"Oh my gosh! Wow! New York City," Peyton said with sarcasm. "What's with all this junk on it?" He asked as he looked at one of the dried flowers. "Oh well, they always say that clothes look better on the person than on the hanger."

"I think you will like it once you see me in it," said Samantha.

"Hope so," replied Peyton. "Well I am going to be on my way. Your friend Nellie has let me know that I am not welcome here."

"Peyton whatever are you talking about?" Samantha asked eyeing Nellie.

"She said that she doesn't like me," Peyton shrugged, gave Samantha a quick kiss, and left.

"What was that about?" Samantha said to Nellie. "You didn't really tell him that you didn't like him?"

"So what if I did?" Said Nellie. "That man is rude and offensive. Plus you don't like Eddie Ryland."

"Is that what this is about?" Snapped Samantha. "You are trying to ruin Peyton and me because I'm making you follow through on your promise to me? You can't be happy so I can't be happy!"

"I don't need this!" Nellie snapped. "All my life I have taken the backseat to you when it came to you and men, and now I want my time to shine and have the man I want," and Nellie stormed past her, slamming the parlor door shut on her day off.

Samantha plopped down at the piano.

It's not my fault that she is as meek and shy as a mouse. Samantha thought. It has always been her choice not to get involved with any gentlemen, not mine.

Out of frustration Samantha threw her hands down on the piano, taking solace in the clashing clusters of notes. She was angry with Nellie and Peyton as well. Her lovely dress deserved a better reaction. A cream colored piece of paper sticking out of her French music caught her eye.

"What's this junk," she muttered as she pulled it out. It was music. A handwritten manuscript. A Debussy manuscript to his prelude The Sunken Cathedral.

At the end of the music was a note written.

Dear Samantha,

Though I dream of you constantly I have accepted that the dream will never become a reality. I will forever keep you in my heart, and never forget you.

Love,

Your Secret Admirer

Only he was now no longer so secret. Samantha put her head down on the piano keys in her hands and cried.