Madeira and badgering the management to upgrade its stock."
Kevin cocked his head and looked at Andy with curious eyes.
"How do you know that?"
"I know it because that's how she spends every Wednesday night. I'm joining her for dinner in fifteen minutes, and you're coming with me."
CHAPTER 12: MAUDE
Maude Duvalier, 35, sat at her usual table at the usual time and sipped a glass of Madeira. She had done so every Wednesday evening since her bastard of a husband had died of a stroke in the company of his 19-year-old secretary on the evening of Wednesday, January 22, 1908.
She viewed her midweek ritual less as an obsession than as a way of proving that English poet George Herbert was onto something when he'd said that living well was the best revenge. She had lived well on Marcus Duvalier's assets. The wine on Wednesdays was merely for show.
Maude looked around the room and saw faces that she knew as well as her own. The boy mayor was here, as were three merchants, a mine owner, two brokers, and a banker who reminded Maude of her bastard husband's brother. Most had brought their wives or girlfriends, but a few came with other men to discuss the matters that important men discussed.
Andy was late, of course, but Maude didn't hold it against him. Her friend and sole boarder for the past six months had a life that went beyond amusing a woman ten years his senior. He would move on soon enough and she was determined to enjoy him for as long as she could.
When she finally saw him enter the banquet room about five after six, she lifted her head and motioned for him to join her. When she saw another young man follow him into the room, she sat up straight in her chair and ran a hand through her thick red hair.
"Sorry I'm late, Maude," Andy said as he approached her table. "I had to finish the city council article and then wash it down with two of Charlie's specials."
"That's quite all right. Who's your friend?"
"This is Kevin Johnson. He's a college man from Seattle who wants to teach in the area."
"I'm pleased to meet you, Mr. Johnson."
"Kevin, this is Maude Duvalier, the richest woman in town."
Kevin chuckled as he shook Maude's hand.
"I'm sure he exaggerates. He's been a laugh a minute since I met him."
"Andrew is a comedian," Maude said, "but in this case he doesn't exaggerate. I am the richest woman in town. Please take a seat, gentlemen."
Maude summoned a waiter to the table to fill two more glasses of wine and then turned her attention to her newest acquaintance. She liked what she saw. Handsome, tidy, and polite, Kevin Johnson already had a leg up on ninety-five percent of the men she knew.
"So you're looking for work?"
"I am," Kevin said.
"Then you've come to the right place. There are ample opportunities to educate our urchins, though I'm sure Andrew has told you that the schools here don't hire until the spring."
"He has. I'm here mostly to take a look around. I may or may not be back in June."
"Have you seen anything you like?"
"I have. I like the scenery. I like the people. For a small town, Wallace has everything I need," Kevin said. "I do plan to visit other communities, but I'm in no hurry. I like it here."
"Kevin intends to stay in town another week," Andy said. "He's looking for accommodations that are a step up from the Panhandle. I told him you might be able to help."
Maude smiled at Andy and then Kevin.
"Did Andrew tell you that I prefer to rent rooms to handsome young men?"
Kevin laughed.
"He did."
"Please don't take that the wrong way, Mr. Johnson. I prefer to rent to men, particularly educated men, because they pay their bills and tend to be more interesting. I have yet to go wrong in two years, though few have measured up to Andrew."
"Do you rent by the week?"
"Indeed, I do. For three dollars you can have a room and your run of the house. I live on the north end of King Street."
"Then I think we have a deal. I'm getting tired of bedbugs," Kevin said. "How many boarders do
Kevin cocked his head and looked at Andy with curious eyes.
"How do you know that?"
"I know it because that's how she spends every Wednesday night. I'm joining her for dinner in fifteen minutes, and you're coming with me."
CHAPTER 12: MAUDE
Maude Duvalier, 35, sat at her usual table at the usual time and sipped a glass of Madeira. She had done so every Wednesday evening since her bastard of a husband had died of a stroke in the company of his 19-year-old secretary on the evening of Wednesday, January 22, 1908.
She viewed her midweek ritual less as an obsession than as a way of proving that English poet George Herbert was onto something when he'd said that living well was the best revenge. She had lived well on Marcus Duvalier's assets. The wine on Wednesdays was merely for show.
Maude looked around the room and saw faces that she knew as well as her own. The boy mayor was here, as were three merchants, a mine owner, two brokers, and a banker who reminded Maude of her bastard husband's brother. Most had brought their wives or girlfriends, but a few came with other men to discuss the matters that important men discussed.
Andy was late, of course, but Maude didn't hold it against him. Her friend and sole boarder for the past six months had a life that went beyond amusing a woman ten years his senior. He would move on soon enough and she was determined to enjoy him for as long as she could.
When she finally saw him enter the banquet room about five after six, she lifted her head and motioned for him to join her. When she saw another young man follow him into the room, she sat up straight in her chair and ran a hand through her thick red hair.
"Sorry I'm late, Maude," Andy said as he approached her table. "I had to finish the city council article and then wash it down with two of Charlie's specials."
"That's quite all right. Who's your friend?"
"This is Kevin Johnson. He's a college man from Seattle who wants to teach in the area."
"I'm pleased to meet you, Mr. Johnson."
"Kevin, this is Maude Duvalier, the richest woman in town."
Kevin chuckled as he shook Maude's hand.
"I'm sure he exaggerates. He's been a laugh a minute since I met him."
"Andrew is a comedian," Maude said, "but in this case he doesn't exaggerate. I am the richest woman in town. Please take a seat, gentlemen."
Maude summoned a waiter to the table to fill two more glasses of wine and then turned her attention to her newest acquaintance. She liked what she saw. Handsome, tidy, and polite, Kevin Johnson already had a leg up on ninety-five percent of the men she knew.
"So you're looking for work?"
"I am," Kevin said.
"Then you've come to the right place. There are ample opportunities to educate our urchins, though I'm sure Andrew has told you that the schools here don't hire until the spring."
"He has. I'm here mostly to take a look around. I may or may not be back in June."
"Have you seen anything you like?"
"I have. I like the scenery. I like the people. For a small town, Wallace has everything I need," Kevin said. "I do plan to visit other communities, but I'm in no hurry. I like it here."
"Kevin intends to stay in town another week," Andy said. "He's looking for accommodations that are a step up from the Panhandle. I told him you might be able to help."
Maude smiled at Andy and then Kevin.
"Did Andrew tell you that I prefer to rent rooms to handsome young men?"
Kevin laughed.
"He did."
"Please don't take that the wrong way, Mr. Johnson. I prefer to rent to men, particularly educated men, because they pay their bills and tend to be more interesting. I have yet to go wrong in two years, though few have measured up to Andrew."
"Do you rent by the week?"
"Indeed, I do. For three dollars you can have a room and your run of the house. I live on the north end of King Street."
"Then I think we have a deal. I'm getting tired of bedbugs," Kevin said. "How many boarders do
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