Read Online A March to Remember by Anna Loan-Wilsey - Free Book Online Page A

dine with the Smiths, Simeon Harper wasn’t among them.
    â€œSir, may I—?”
    â€œHere’s my boy!” Mrs. Smith said, interrupting me. A brown, wavy-haired puppy with eager, intelligent eyes loped into the room, wagging its long tail. It scrambled into Mrs. Smith’s arms and panted happily in her lap as it took in the room.
    â€œIsn’t he a good boy,” Mrs. Smith said, hugging the dog to her chest. “This is my Chessie, Spencer. The Chesapeake Bay retriever I was telling you about, Sir Arthur.” The dog, drool hanging from his jowls, jumped down to greet the men.
    â€œFine dog, Mrs. Smith. Just fine,” Sir Arthur said, patting the dog firmly on its head. “Known to be more protective of their owners than other retrievers, you said?” Mrs. Smith nodded while Senator Smith stood to pour himself another drink, giving the dog a wide berth.
    â€œI’m sorry, Miss Davish,” Mrs. Smith said, smiling at her puppy. “You were saying?”
    â€œI wondered if I could speak to you privately, sir?” I said.
    â€œOf course,” Sir Arthur said, heartily rubbing the dog’s ears. “May we use your study, Smith?”
    â€œOf course, of course,” the senator said. “Second door on the left.”
    â€œBy the way, how is your visit to Washington going, Miss Davish?” Mrs. Smith said without looking at me. She continued to smile at her dog. “Have you visited any of the sights yet?”
    â€œAs you know, I have been to the President’s Executive Mansion, and the Capitol, of course. But that’s all.”
    â€œYou have a notebook, don’t you?”
    â€œYes, of course.” I always carried my notebook.
    â€œThen write these down,” Mrs. Smith said, as she patted her knee. Spencer gleefully loped across the room, into her lap again. “These shouldn’t be missed.”
    I looked to Sir Arthur, who nodded indulgently. I got out my notebook and pencil from my bag and jotted down the list as she ticked them off her fingers.
    Â 
    1. Smithsonian Institution
    2. Medical Museum
    3. Corcoran Gallery
    4. National Museum
    5. Washington Monument
    6. Ford’s Theatre and the house where Lincoln died
    7. Patent Office
    8. Zoological Park
    9. Naval Observatory
    10. Agricultural Department
    Â 
    â€œAnything to add, Mr. Smith?” his wife said.
    â€œNo, no,” the senator grumbled. He pulled his spectacles from his face, breathed on them until they fogged over, and wiped them with his handkerchief. “You’ve been quite thorough.”
    â€œThank you, Mrs. Smith. I’ll certainly try to visit as many as my time allows. Sir?” I said, reminding Sir Arthur of my request.
    â€œYes, if you’ll excuse us,” Sir Arthur said.
    I followed him out of the room and down the hall in silence. Staring at his rigid back, I suddenly wondered how I was going to tell him I planned to marry Walter, and leave his service. What if he doesn’t approve? What if he doesn’t give us his blessing? What if he dismisses me on the spot?
    â€œLike hell you will!” Sir Arthur had his hand on the study room door when a voice from within shouted. “Damn you, Harper! Why can’t you leave it alone?”
    â€œHey, I’m a reporter. And you, my friend, are news. So answer the question, Chester. Did you or did you not—?”
    â€œYou disgust me, Harper.”
    â€œI’m just doing my job, Chester.”
    â€œWhy the hell did Father let you in his house in the first place?”
    â€œBecause he’s a friend of mine,” Sir Arthur said, swinging the door open.
    â€œThen you answer his question,” Chester Smith sneered as he pushed past Sir Arthur. “Get out of my way,” he barked as he passed me.
    I watched as he stomped down the hall and then flung himself, two steps at a time, up the stairs. I turned back toward Sir Arthur and Simeon Harper when I