CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Nellie almost slid off of the porch railing and fell in a heap at Eddie's feet. Her heart was racing faster, and faster, uncontrollably. The ring was absolute perfect for Nellie, Eddie had put much thought into choosing a ring for it. It was an Irish Claddagh ring, gold, with the crown and two hands. An impressive, yet not so big that it would overwhelm Nellie's hand diamond was cut in the shape of the heart. Nellie wanted more than anything to be able to slide the ring onto her finger.
"I would," she whispered. Eddie was about to jump up and throw his arms around her, but Nellie quickly went on.
"But I can't. I cannot marry you Eddie," she whispered softly. Though there was no point. By now Samantha, Eugene, Ida, Maude, The Admiral, Grandmary, Edith, Peyton, and a slew of other socialites who had wandered out after Samantha, were all standing right there.
"I know I haven't asked your father's permission," said Eddie. "I promise when he picks you up at the end of the summer I will ask him properly. I meant to save the ring until then, but once I got it I just couldn't keep it a secret anymore. I know I should have asked your father first. I don't see why he shouldn't say yes. I will have my law degree after this term, I will be able to provide well for you, anything you want, and I love you. I love everything about you."
Eddie's speech of love only made Nellie feel sicker, she hung her head in shame.
"Eddie I cannot marry you because I am not Helene Fitzgerald," Nellie said taking a deep breath.
"Whatever are you talking about?" Eddie asked confused.
"I'm-" But Nellie was interrupted by Samantha who chose that moment to cut in.
"Eddie, let me explain," she said. "After you decided to shoot off your big mouth to Grandmary about my after hours liaison, I decided to get back at you, so I concocted this plan to have Nellie pose as Helene Fitzgerald, and have you fall in love with her. I never thought you would actually propose to her though. I've never seen a man move so fast."
"Nellie?" Eddie asked. "Who's Nellie?"
"You remember Nellie O'Malley?" Said Samantha. "She used to work for your family, you went to school with her. You called her ragbag and dummy."
"O'Malley," Eddie muttered half dazed.
He looked over at Nellie, who lifted her head long enough to nod at him, and then quickly shift her gaze back down. There was no way that the beautiful, elegant, lady before him could have once been Nellie O'Malley. Nellie had stringy hair that had been cropped off unevenly at her chin, not long, shiny, strawberry-blonde hair pulled up in the latest style. Nellie was rag doll thin with arms and legs that resembled that of a chicken, not the curvaceous and healthy being sitting on the porch rail in the classic red and black gown, with her black silk elbow length gloves.
"Samantha concocted a plan like that?" Clarisse VanSicklen shrieked to Edith. "Why she is even wickeder and sicker than I imagined."
"I'm still amazed that Eddie asked the servant girl to marry him," Edith laughed. "Just think if it had actually happened. Their children would be half gutter rat!"
Eddie glared at Samantha who looked desperate. Only a half hour ago Samantha would have been relishing in the moment of having Eddie baffled and humiliated in front of all the old Mount Bedford families. But when she had seen the way he looked at Nellie when he proposed, how sweet he went about doing it, and the way that Nellie looked back, she could tell they were a couple in love. Samantha had been a woman in love many times and she knew the signs, and she had seen them. She had always thought that she would be the first to get married, after all, Nellie was planning on going to university and teaching, but Nellie had subtly beaten her to it, well almost.
"What kind of a monster are you?" Eddie asked, he snapped the ring box shut, and thrust it deep into his back pocket. He turned to Nellie. "And you too!"
"Eddie," said Samantha. "There is no reason why you can't marry Nellie. Why it's perfect! You attend Columbia, she lives in New York City, Uncle Gard is a lawyer he can help you start your own firm someday. The only thing different is that her name isn't Helene Fitzgerald."
"I'm not marrying anybody!" Eddie bellowed. "I don't even know who you are."
He stomped off ashamed. He rarely went to those stuffy social parties, so now what had gone on tonight would be the only impression that the high society of Mount Bedford would have of Eddie Ryland. He headed to the gentleman's lounge, with Eugene trailing behind him.
Samantha ran and threw her arms around a rather subdued Nellie, who seemed to be staring off into outer space, her hands were cold to the touch.
"I am so sorry," was all that Samantha could say.
"You are a real piece of work Samantha," Ida said as she walked by. "Doing that to young Eddie and your sister. A pity. I always thought Eddie was kind of a cute, in that burly sort of way."
"I have summoned Hawkins to hitch up the carriage," said The Admiral. "Your Grandmother is ashamed and mortified over both of you girls, and your disturbing conduct this evening. We are going back home immediately."
Samantha did not fight. She didn't want to stay at the ball, or see the silly fireworks show. She wanted to go home. Actually she wanted to go as far from Mount Bedford as possible. The next morning she got her wish.
"I have telephoned Gardner and though he is extremely busy right now, he and Cornelia are dropping everything to pick you girls up," said Grandmary. "I don't know if it's the world we live in today, or something that I have done drastically wrong, but I just cannot handle you girls. I can't believe all the sneaking, scheming, and lying, that has been going on around here behind my back."
Going back to New York City would be good for everybody, even though there was another two months of summer left. Samantha couldn't bear to see Peyton and Edith together, or anyone of her old friends who had seen her spectacle at the ball, and she knew that Eddie certainly did not want to see her or Nellie. The Ryland house was quiet the next day with no sign of life or activity, even the draperies were closed shut.
As soon as they got back to their home in New York City Samantha had a long talk and cry with Cornelia. A long heart to heart concerning matters of the heart, hers and the hearts of other people.
Nellie still had Eddie Ryland's coat. The coat he had put around her the night he had proposed to her when she was cold. He had stomped off, and she didn't even realize she still had it around her shoulders until she had gotten back to Grandmary's house. She felt strange asking Hawkins to drop it by Eddie's house so she kept it, tucked away in the trunk where she kept all of her writing manuscripts. After all, Eddie had kept her romance novel.