XI
The Sacramento winter was becoming harsh and building was slowing down but they had a new job on the table. Adam and Jess looked over the new set of plans for the mansion they were designing for one of the wealthy cattle barons in Sacramento City.
"A bit garish, isn't it?" Adam said. "Looks more like a lurid, upscale whorehouse."
"He wants garish," Jess said. "I bet when I show him this sketch, he'll want fancier columns out front and his wife will want more wrought iron."
"Well, no one said that having money meant having taste. But I tell you, Jess, I'm beginning to be embarrassed to have my name attached to this one."
"Too embarrassed to take the fee?" Jess said grinning. The client was paying them well.
"Oh, no. I'm not yet humiliated!" Adam and Jess laughed. Their first big commission, the one that made their name, had been to design a home of the city's mayor. It was so popular, the grand Georgian manor, that their business had grown exponentially, especially since it was rumored that Sacramento would soon become the state capital, replacing San Jose and many businesses, counting on the veracity behind it, decided to set up shop there as well as many politicians, those already established and those who aspired to be so. Sacramento City was becoming a thriving city and the excitement thrummed through the air.
They heard the bell jangle at the door of their shop and women's voices raised in greeting. Without looking up through the glass and wood partition to see who it was, Adam knew. One voice was Bee Spence who hid her burgeoning pregnancy behind the front desk but it was Nell's musical voice as she asked Bee about her health that made Adam's heartbeat step up and his blood run hotter. It took a moment for Adam to identify the third; it was Abby's and he hadn't seen her much of late. Nell said that Abby, after an aborted romance with Vincent Marquand, had taken a trip with her mother to visit her married sister in Utah and had stayed a few months. Apparently she was home.
Adam pulled the garters off his sleeves and went out to the front office, followed by Jess, and Nell smiled and went to him. Adam took her outstretched hands and kissed her lightly. "Hello, beautiful. What mischief are you up to today?"
"No mischief at all, you'll be pleased to know." Nell looked past Adam. "Hello, Jess. Good to see you. You remember my friend, Abby Weems."
"Of course. How are you Miss Weems?" Abby replied that she was fine.
"Abby and I went to pick up my dress for the gala—I needed her opinion at the last fitting, and then we had a light lunch," Nell said, "and since we were so close, we came to see you," Nell said to Adam.
"Well, I'm glad you did. Hello, Abby. I'm glad you're back. Did you have a nice trip?" Adam kissed Abby's cheek.
"Hello, Adam, and yes, I had a wonderful trip. It was lovely to see my sister and my two nephews. They grow so quickly." Abby smiled.
Adam turned his attention back to Nell. "So how many houses am I going to have to design to pay for your new ball gown?"
"Oh, Adam, don't tease me. Wait until you see it; I promise that you'll think its money well-spent."
"That's yet to be seen; perhaps the money should have been part of the charitable donations instead"
"Now, Adam, don't chastise me. I only want to look beautiful so that you won't be ashamed of me. Besides, I promise that the dress won't be wasted. After I've worn it a few times, I'll ask Margery if she wants it—or Abby. It's the perfect rose color for anyone."
Adam noticed Abby's look; she was offended but Nell hadn't realized it. He would have to tell Nell that evening not to be so offhand as to clump Margery and Abby in the same category—ones to receive cast-offs.
"Well, I'm sure you'll look beautiful. Now off with you," Adam said giving Nell a playful swat on her posterior. "I have work to do and with you here, well, you're all I see—I can't focus."
"Very well. As you say, lord and master. Abby and I are going to the house and see which jewelry looks best with my new gown. Goodbye, Bee, Jess." The two women went out, their heads together as they discussed the upcoming gala.
As Nell and Abby sat on the bed looking through the open caskets of pearls, gems and coral jewelry, Abby suddenly said, "Is everything all right with you and Adam?"
"Of course. What makes you think it might not be?"
"Oh, nothing in particular except that you never talk about him anymore, at least not the way you used to. You used to always have something to say about how wonderful he is—about wanting him and such but since you married, you say nothing. I was just worried that things weren't going well."
"Oh, well, before we were married, that was different. Now…it's just that…well, the things between Adam and me are…private. But sometimes I get upset about some things but he won't argue with me—just lets me go on and then thinks that holding me or taking me to bed will settle things but it doesn't. But what's worse is when he laughs at me as I'm ranting—calls me a spoiled child. I feel he doesn't take me seriously…and then, well, I'm not with child yet. Adam doesn't care—has told me so but I can't help but think that he must be disappointed in me. But, Abby, I don't think he'd want me to talk about some of those things." Nell ran her string of pearls through her fingers; they were so cool and smooth. She considered that Adam called her erect nipples little pink pearls.
"I know you said that Adam wouldn't like you talking about certain things—is there anything else?" Abby looked concerned. Nell's face had changed.
"Now if I told you, I'd be talking about them, wouldn't I?" Nell gave a slight grin.
"I suppose you would be. I just wondered because, well, it's not like you to be so close-lipped. I mean you told me about all your crushes and about Vincent and I always shared with you…" Abby looked down. "Wear the pearls. You need something soft with the dress. Those or the amethysts."
Nell took Abby's hands in hers. "Come to the gala with us. Adam would find it amusing to have a woman on each arm. Besides, he likes you. He's said before how beautiful you are." It was true. Adam had once said when Nell was pouting, that Abby was lovely and if Nell hadn't been so flirtatious as to raise her skirts and promise him a better look up them later, he might just as easily be married to Abby. And, he had said as he pulled her to him, that if she remained in such a poor humor, he just might go seek Abby out.
"No—I can't—I wouldn't go as your chaperone," Abby chuckled. "Besides I haven't a new gown."
"Wear the blue one; the color looks lovely with your hair and eyes. Here," Nell opened a box and pulled out a gold necklace that had a five carat Ceylon sapphire as its focus with smaller sapphires and diamonds around it. "Wear this with it. It will draw attention to your beauty. Come with us tomorrow night. Oh, do, Abby."
Abby smiled and leaned over to kiss Nell. "You're wonderful to ask me and I do believe that Adam would welcome me, if for no other reason than that you love me but no." Abby stood up and picked up her hat from the vanity and put it on. Nell stood up as well and then held Abby's arm.
"But I want to cheer you up. You said that I seemed a little dour but that's you, my love. I tell you what," Nell said, "if you won't join us for the gala, why don't you come to dinner next week? Adam has made acquaintances and we could invite one of them as well. What do you say?"
Abby hugged Nell. "Maybe. I'll let you know. Now, you need to get this mess straightened up before Adam gets home and sees all your jewels and clothes on the bed. Come walk me out." The two women walked together, arm and arm down the stairs and out onto the sidewalk where Nell's driver was still waiting. They kissed each other goodbye and Nell watched the buggy leave down the cobblestoned street. I have to think of a way to cheer her up. I'll ask Adam about a man we can introduce to her—later. Next week sometime. I may meet someone at the gala to introduce. And Nell smiled to herself. Yes, she would find some way to make Abby happy.