Read Online Summer of Dreams by Elizabeth Camden - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Camden
Ads: Link
fancy orchids.
During his entire three years at West Point, Clyde had avoided the cotillion parties because he tended to be tongue-tied and clumsy around girls. That wasn’t the case with Evelyn, but he still didn’t know how to overcome her instinctive reaction against men who served in the army. There was no point in mincing words, and as soon as their fertilizer was loaded into the back of the wagon, Clyde cut straight to the point. “What is the best way to help Evelyn get over her aversion to a man in uniform?” he asked bluntly.
If Romulus was surprised, it didn’t show as he casually flicked the reins to prod the horse along faster. The cart bumped andjolted over the craters in the unpaved road, and Clyde clenched his fists, awaiting the answer.
“Hopeless case there,” Romulus said without looking at him. “She’d rather court her backyard lemon tree than a man in the army. Sorry, Clyde.”
Clyde had expected a little resistance and was prepared to keep digging. “What about if I helped persuade her father to let her go to college? Would any of that gratitude rub off on me?”
“Nope. Try again.”
“Money. What if my patent goes through and I make a ton of money from it? Will she look at me then?” Evelyn didn’t strike him as a girl overly impressed by money, but that was probably because she’d always had it. She’d surely want to marry a man with money, as well.
“Will you still be in the army?” Romulus asked.
“Probably.”
“Then probably not.” With a gentle tug on the reins, Romulus guided the cart toward the side of the road and stopped the horse. “Look,” he said, not unkindly, “Evelyn had a tough time growing up. Even now, she still has to go from house to house because her father won’t let her live alone. As soon as I go back to school, she’ll be moving into our Aunt Bess’s house. Do you know what it’s like to always be a guest in someone else’s home? Never have a place of your own?”
He did, actually. The last few years while his father had been alive had been spent moving in and out of increasingly seedy boardinghouses. It wasn’t until he’d landed at a dormitory in West Point that he’d slept in a place where he could breathe easy.
“I’m not interested in all the reasons I can’t court Evelyn. I only want to know how I can .”
Romulus glanced at him. “You might start by not wearingthat awful uniform all the time. It’s a constant reminder of the sad fate that awaits you after graduation.”
“You mean work? Actual work for which I will be duly compensated?”
Romulus flicked the reins and eased the cart back onto the street. “Work.” He sighed. “Such an unfortunate concept. Yes, I mean work in the army, which will ship you off to Timbuktu or wherever they need engineers. Given General White’s position, Evelyn has had a front-row seat for what awaits an army engineer. So that uniform is a constant reminder.”
Clyde looked away. He wore his uniform all the time because he didn’t have any other clothes. His roommate his plebe year had been so appalled at the grubby clothes Clyde had arrived in that they’d held a bonfire to send the threadbare clothes to their eternal rest. He loved wearing all the various pieces of his uniform because they were well-made and tailored in a way that made him look like a man of consequence.
“Evelyn also likes gifts,” Romulus said. “She was overlooked as a child. People never remembered her birthday and at Christmas she only got a token gift. It doesn’t have to be much. Any simple gesture means a lot to her.”
They rode along in silence. Clyde had a little spare money from working odd jobs over the summers, but most of that was funneled to Smitty to help cover expenses, but he’d think of some way to get a gift or two—or ten—for Evelyn.
“Next week we’ll be closing up the house before I go back to Harvard. I’m supposed to drive Evelyn and her belongings to our Aunt Bess’s
During his entire three years at West Point, Clyde had avoided the cotillion parties because he tended to be tongue-tied and clumsy around girls. That wasn’t the case with Evelyn, but he still didn’t know how to overcome her instinctive reaction against men who served in the army. There was no point in mincing words, and as soon as their fertilizer was loaded into the back of the wagon, Clyde cut straight to the point. “What is the best way to help Evelyn get over her aversion to a man in uniform?” he asked bluntly.
If Romulus was surprised, it didn’t show as he casually flicked the reins to prod the horse along faster. The cart bumped andjolted over the craters in the unpaved road, and Clyde clenched his fists, awaiting the answer.
“Hopeless case there,” Romulus said without looking at him. “She’d rather court her backyard lemon tree than a man in the army. Sorry, Clyde.”
Clyde had expected a little resistance and was prepared to keep digging. “What about if I helped persuade her father to let her go to college? Would any of that gratitude rub off on me?”
“Nope. Try again.”
“Money. What if my patent goes through and I make a ton of money from it? Will she look at me then?” Evelyn didn’t strike him as a girl overly impressed by money, but that was probably because she’d always had it. She’d surely want to marry a man with money, as well.
“Will you still be in the army?” Romulus asked.
“Probably.”
“Then probably not.” With a gentle tug on the reins, Romulus guided the cart toward the side of the road and stopped the horse. “Look,” he said, not unkindly, “Evelyn had a tough time growing up. Even now, she still has to go from house to house because her father won’t let her live alone. As soon as I go back to school, she’ll be moving into our Aunt Bess’s house. Do you know what it’s like to always be a guest in someone else’s home? Never have a place of your own?”
He did, actually. The last few years while his father had been alive had been spent moving in and out of increasingly seedy boardinghouses. It wasn’t until he’d landed at a dormitory in West Point that he’d slept in a place where he could breathe easy.
“I’m not interested in all the reasons I can’t court Evelyn. I only want to know how I can .”
Romulus glanced at him. “You might start by not wearingthat awful uniform all the time. It’s a constant reminder of the sad fate that awaits you after graduation.”
“You mean work? Actual work for which I will be duly compensated?”
Romulus flicked the reins and eased the cart back onto the street. “Work.” He sighed. “Such an unfortunate concept. Yes, I mean work in the army, which will ship you off to Timbuktu or wherever they need engineers. Given General White’s position, Evelyn has had a front-row seat for what awaits an army engineer. So that uniform is a constant reminder.”
Clyde looked away. He wore his uniform all the time because he didn’t have any other clothes. His roommate his plebe year had been so appalled at the grubby clothes Clyde had arrived in that they’d held a bonfire to send the threadbare clothes to their eternal rest. He loved wearing all the various pieces of his uniform because they were well-made and tailored in a way that made him look like a man of consequence.
“Evelyn also likes gifts,” Romulus said. “She was overlooked as a child. People never remembered her birthday and at Christmas she only got a token gift. It doesn’t have to be much. Any simple gesture means a lot to her.”
They rode along in silence. Clyde had a little spare money from working odd jobs over the summers, but most of that was funneled to Smitty to help cover expenses, but he’d think of some way to get a gift or two—or ten—for Evelyn.
“Next week we’ll be closing up the house before I go back to Harvard. I’m supposed to drive Evelyn and her belongings to our Aunt Bess’s
Similar Books
