go, but it was an important show and she felt it her responsibility to take the Hilltop Farm Show Team. She also took Czar and collected two blue ribbons herself in the Open Jumper classes.
She got home at five o’clock, in time to eat something, bathe, pack a suitcase—they were staying overnight in the New York apartment—and change into her gown. Gil and Jennifer had spent the day at home, lazing around the pool, and Gil had given Jennifer a tennis lesson. The little girl told Cecelia all about it as she sat on Cecelia’s bed and watched her dress. They appeared to have had a very pleasant day together and Cecelia felt badly that she had not been at home. They needed time together as a family, and they seemed to get it so seldom. Whenever Gil managed to be home, she was out.
“You look super, Cecelia,” Jenny said, staring in awe at her young stepmother.
Cecelia regarded her own reflection with some satisfaction. The simple halter-top white gown looked very dramatic against the golden tan of her bare arms and shoulders. She had swept her hair back into a style she had seen and admired in a magazine in the dentist’s office the previous week when she had taken Jennifer for a checkup. She thought it looked elegant and sophisticated. The diamonds that circled her long slender neck helped immeasurably, she thought. “Thanks,” she answered Jenny now. “It’s a pretty dress, isn’t it?”
“You’ll be the prettiest lady there,” Jenny assured her, and Cecelia laughed and kissed her good-bye.
“You’re prejudiced,” she said, “but I appreciate the compliment.”
Frank was driving them to the Plaza. He was then going to drop off their suitcases and some groceries at the apartment and return to Connecticut. Gil had said they would get a cab after the party.
Gil didn’t say anything when she appeared downstairs; he just escorted her out to the waiting car and held the door for her to get in. Then he got in next to her, Frank slid into the driver’s seat, and they were off.
They drove in silence for a little way and then Cecelia said, “Daddy gets home on Tuesday. He’s feeling very well, he says. And the doctors say he can take up his teaching schedule again, as long as he doesn’t overdo it.” It was the only way she could think of to apologize for being away all during the day.
“That’s good news,” he replied easily.
“Yes.” She glanced at him slantwise, thinking how very handsome he looked in his formal evening clothes and wondering whether or not to mention a problem that was bothering her.
“You’re going to have to get a woman to come in to cook and clean for him,” Gil said, bringing up the subject that had been weighing on her for a week or so. He turned to look at her directly. “I didn’t mind your helping out this last month while he’s been sick, but I don’t want you over there cleaning the house and making his dinner. Find someone reliable to come in and I’ll pay her.”
She bit her lip. It was the solution she had thought of as well, but somehow, the way he had put it ... “All right,” she said in a low voice. “I’ll see if I can find someone.”
“No ifs,” he said firmly. “Find someone. And find someone as well to help out in the barn. This business of your getting up every morning before six to go feed the horses can’t continue. You’re gone before I even get up. Before Jennifer gets up,” he added forcefully. “I don’t like it.”
“It isn’t easy to get someone reliable to come in every morning,” she said in a low voice.
“Someone did while you were away in Nassau,” he pointed out reasonably.
“Yes, that was Marie Rice. But she’s a teacher—she only did that as a favor. And the kids all have to be in school. And Daddy definitely should not be forking hay.”
“Cecelia,” he said very quietly, very pleasantly, “either you find someone to feed those horses or I will.”
He had never spoken to her like that before.
She
She got home at five o’clock, in time to eat something, bathe, pack a suitcase—they were staying overnight in the New York apartment—and change into her gown. Gil and Jennifer had spent the day at home, lazing around the pool, and Gil had given Jennifer a tennis lesson. The little girl told Cecelia all about it as she sat on Cecelia’s bed and watched her dress. They appeared to have had a very pleasant day together and Cecelia felt badly that she had not been at home. They needed time together as a family, and they seemed to get it so seldom. Whenever Gil managed to be home, she was out.
“You look super, Cecelia,” Jenny said, staring in awe at her young stepmother.
Cecelia regarded her own reflection with some satisfaction. The simple halter-top white gown looked very dramatic against the golden tan of her bare arms and shoulders. She had swept her hair back into a style she had seen and admired in a magazine in the dentist’s office the previous week when she had taken Jennifer for a checkup. She thought it looked elegant and sophisticated. The diamonds that circled her long slender neck helped immeasurably, she thought. “Thanks,” she answered Jenny now. “It’s a pretty dress, isn’t it?”
“You’ll be the prettiest lady there,” Jenny assured her, and Cecelia laughed and kissed her good-bye.
“You’re prejudiced,” she said, “but I appreciate the compliment.”
Frank was driving them to the Plaza. He was then going to drop off their suitcases and some groceries at the apartment and return to Connecticut. Gil had said they would get a cab after the party.
Gil didn’t say anything when she appeared downstairs; he just escorted her out to the waiting car and held the door for her to get in. Then he got in next to her, Frank slid into the driver’s seat, and they were off.
They drove in silence for a little way and then Cecelia said, “Daddy gets home on Tuesday. He’s feeling very well, he says. And the doctors say he can take up his teaching schedule again, as long as he doesn’t overdo it.” It was the only way she could think of to apologize for being away all during the day.
“That’s good news,” he replied easily.
“Yes.” She glanced at him slantwise, thinking how very handsome he looked in his formal evening clothes and wondering whether or not to mention a problem that was bothering her.
“You’re going to have to get a woman to come in to cook and clean for him,” Gil said, bringing up the subject that had been weighing on her for a week or so. He turned to look at her directly. “I didn’t mind your helping out this last month while he’s been sick, but I don’t want you over there cleaning the house and making his dinner. Find someone reliable to come in and I’ll pay her.”
She bit her lip. It was the solution she had thought of as well, but somehow, the way he had put it ... “All right,” she said in a low voice. “I’ll see if I can find someone.”
“No ifs,” he said firmly. “Find someone. And find someone as well to help out in the barn. This business of your getting up every morning before six to go feed the horses can’t continue. You’re gone before I even get up. Before Jennifer gets up,” he added forcefully. “I don’t like it.”
“It isn’t easy to get someone reliable to come in every morning,” she said in a low voice.
“Someone did while you were away in Nassau,” he pointed out reasonably.
“Yes, that was Marie Rice. But she’s a teacher—she only did that as a favor. And the kids all have to be in school. And Daddy definitely should not be forking hay.”
“Cecelia,” he said very quietly, very pleasantly, “either you find someone to feed those horses or I will.”
He had never spoken to her like that before.
She
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