“I think we should continue with the meal,” Mrs. Vanderslice said quite sensibly. “The soup is getting cold.”
The four of them began to eat, but the soup was like acid in Gideon’s stomach. He had to do something. He couldn’t let Elizabeth ruin her life by marrying David Vanderslice. He couldn’t let Elizabeth ruin his own life by marrying someone else.
“I’m afraid that in all the excitement, we haven’t congratulated you, David,” his mother said. “I’m sure we all wish you and Elizabeth much happiness.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Bates. I can’t imagine it would be otherwise.”
“And I have to agree with you,” Gideon said, although the words wanted to stick in his throat. “You’re a lucky man.”
“I am indeed.” David grinned and Gideon wanted to punch him.
Instead he said, “Have you set a date for the wedding?”
“Not until after Christmas at least, and of course we need to discuss it with our families.”
“Will you be married here or at Elizabeth’s home?” his mother asked.
“Oh, here surely,” Mrs. Vanderslice said.
“We’re thinking it will be here, yes,” David said.
So, Gideon had at least a month to figure out a plan. His mind was racing, but he was too angry to really think straight at the moment. And how was he supposed to disrupt this engagement with Elizabeth living right here under David’s roof and . . .
That’s when it came to him.
The maid cleared the soup course and then brought out the turkey and all the side dishes. Mrs. Vanderslice had ordered a traditional meal with chestnut stuffing, cranberry jelly, mashed potatoes and gravy, creamed onions, squash and chicken pie. They were still passing around the dishes when Elizabeth returned.
Gideon and David stood up, and Gideon pulled out her chair before David could think of it. She hurried in and sat. “I’m so glad you didn’t wait for me. She’s fine, really. We had a little talk, and she’s very happy for us, David.” She gave him a fleeting smile. “She’s sorry for becoming emotional, though, and is too embarrassed to come back down. She wants us to enjoy our dinner without her.”
“Are you sure she’s all right, Elizabeth?” Mrs. Vanderslice said. “Do you think I should send for the doctor again?”
“I think she would be mortified if you did. Thank you,” she added as Gideon passed her the meat platter. “I promised her that she and I would have an outing tomorrow, just the two of us.” She smiled at David again, which Gideon found extremely annoying. “She may be a tad jealous, so I want to reassure her that our friendship won’t suffer.”
“I should think you would become closer,” Mrs. Vanderslice said. “You’ll be sisters, after all.”
“Which is what I plan to impress upon her. Now let’s change the subject, shall we? I’m sure Anna would hate to know we talked about her all during our dinner.”
“We were wishing David happy while you were gone, my dear,” his mother said. “So we must wish you the same.”
“You’re very kind.”
“I hardly know what to think,” Mrs. Vanderslice said. “I never even suspected . . . Well, how could I have? But Hazel speaks so highly of your character, Miss Miles, that I must feel honored to have you as my daughter-in-law. You have obviously made David very happy, and we look forward to welcoming you to our little family.”
Elizabeth murmured some clichéd reply that Gideon didn’t believe for a minute. Then she looked at him expectantly. Did she think he’d congratulate her for marrying another man?
He picked up his wineglass. “Let me propose a toast to David and Elizabeth. May you have all the happiness you deserve.”
Elizabeth picked up her glass and allowed him to clink his against it, but her eyes told him she understood his toast better than the others. What she didn’t tell him was what she thought of it.
David clinked his glass with so much enthusiasm, Gideon was surprised it didn’t break. He didn’t dare meet his mother’s eye when he touched her glass with his, and Mrs. Vanderslice was gazing fondly at her son, so she didn’t even look at Gideon.
Mrs. Vanderslice had a lot of questions for Elizabeth about the wedding plans. Elizabeth answered them very patiently while they proceeded to pass the serving dishes and eat their meal. By the time they had devoured the mince and apple pies, they all knew that Elizabeth felt a long engagement was in order, so she and David could get to know each other better, and she agreed with Mrs. Vanderslice that a New York wedding made perfect sense.
Gideon waited for a lull in the conversation while they passed around the fruit, nuts and raisins and sipped their after-dinner coffee to make his comment.
“It just occurred to me, David, that since you and Miss Miles are now engaged, it’s no longer proper for her to be living under your roof.”
“Why, you’re right, old man. I never thought of it, but it’s decidedly improper.”
“It certainly is,” Mrs. Vanderslice said in dismay, “but what can we do? We don’t want to send Elizabeth home to South Dakota, do we?”
Gideon glanced at Elizabeth, expecting to see surprise or perhaps even a spark of understanding because she’d guessed at his intention. Instead he saw an absolute terror in the instant before she dropped her gaze. He’d hardly registered it before his mother said what he had fully expected her to say.
“Sending Elizabeth home would hardly accomplish her goal of getting to know her intended better, but I’m sure we’d be happy to have her come and stay with us, wouldn’t we, Gideon?”
He tried to look surprised. “Of course we would.”
Elizabeth looked up at that, and this time he did see understanding. And a hint of anger before she said, “How very kind of you, Mrs. Bates. I’m not familiar with New York customs, I’m afraid, so I had no idea this would be a problem. I wouldn’t want to cause a scandal.”
“We’re happy to help,” his mother said, “and believe me, I’m being selfish. I’d like nothing better than to have your company for the next few months.”
“I would enjoy that, too,” Elizabeth said with all the warmth Gideon could have wanted.
She didn’t show any of that warmth to him, though. The ladies retired so David and Gideon could enjoy some brandy, but David was in a hurry to rejoin his beloved, so they didn’t linger. In the parlor, Mrs. Vanderslice had set up a card table with four places. Since there were five of them without Anna, Gideon wondered who would sit out until Elizabeth excused herself to pack her things. The ladies had apparently decided she should leave that very night. She’d take just one bag this evening and they’d send the rest of her things over in the morning.
She must have spent some time with Anna, too, because she didn’t return until it was time to leave. Even then, she refused to meet his eye, and he sensed her anger, even though she took pains to hide it from everyone else.
“I’m so sorry to see you go,” Mrs. Vanderslice said as Elizabeth kissed her cheek. “But I suppose we’ll see you tomorrow in any case.”
“Oh, yes. Anna and I have our outing all planned.”