Read Online Suzanne Robinson by Just Before Midnight - Free Book Online Page B

success had come only with more long hours of work. But Marcus Bright had been clever. By the time Mattie turned fourteen, they were rich. No more living on nothing but potatoes so there’d be more savings for the business. No moregoing barefoot in summer like they did in Texas. Papa had succeeded beyond imagination.
    But what Mattie remembered about becoming rich was what it meant to her father. The day he got that first big contract with the steel company, Papa had come home with his arms full of packages and tears in his eyes. He’d thrown the packages on the settee, produced a small box from his pocket and held it out to Mama.
    “Here, Elsa Jane. It’s what I promised you when we got married. I kept my promise, honey. Just like I always said I would.”
    In that box had been Mama’s first diamond ring. Papa gave everyone in the family presents—Mattie’s older brother Jimmy, her younger sister Pearl, and Mattie, of course. He even bought presents to send to his relatives in Ohio even though they never visited. That was Papa, always thrilled to buy things for folks and never buying anything for himself.
    “Mattie!”
    She jumped, startled at the sound of her name.
    Narcissa hurried into the hall and sank down beside her.
    “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
    “I had to rest my feet.”
    “I know. I saw you with that clumsy man. Everyone saw you. That’s what I’ve come to tell you.”
    Mattie put her hands on her hips. “Don’t you think I know the whole ballroom was staring at me, Narcissa Potter?”
    “No, no. I’ve been hearing talk.” Narcissa scooted closer and looked around the room as if fearing the statues were listening. “I was sipping a cup of punch and overheard that silly Lancelot Gordon talking to Cheyne Tennant. Mr. Tennant had just asked Lady Hortense Nash to favor him with a dance.”
    Mattie frowned and said, “I’m not interested in anything that no-account had to say, not by a jugful.”
    “You’ll be interested in this,” Narcissa whispered.
    “From what I could hear, it appears that Tennant has been arranging for you to dance with the most odious partners he could find all evening so that you’d end up a spectacle.”
    Mattie’s heart began to race as Narcissa continued.
    “It was he who asked that clumsy Baron Haywhithy to partner you, and he found that young man who sneezed all over the place, and the one who was so rude about Americans.”
    Now Mattie was as red as the carpet on which she sat. “Confounded, mangy skunk. Land sakes, why couldn’t he leave things be?”
    “I’m afraid several people overheard Mr. Gordon,” Narcissa said with a rueful look. “The story will be all over the place.”
    “Faster than a prairie fire in a hot wind.”
    Mattie chewed her lower lip, her face hot with misery at the thought of these highfalutin blue bloods laughing at her. There were plenty of jealous debutantes and irritated mamas who would enjoy her embarrassment, embellish the story, and make sure it was all over London by the end of the week.She had to give them something else to talk about. Mattie put her slippers on and stood.
    Narcissa stood up, too. “What are you going to do?”
    “Do you think Mr. Tennant has danced with Lady Hortense yet?”
    “No, they’re engaged for the next galop.”
    “Good,” Mattie said. “I never did like Lady Hortense. She dismissed her lady’s maid for burning a gown with an iron. I know how heavy irons are, and a second’s inattention can get you a bad burn. It can happen to anyone. Fussy old cow.”
    Mattie lifted her skirt and withdrew a small packet of brown paper from where she’d lodged it in her garter.
    “What’s that?”
    “Boot blacking.” Feeling guilty, Mattie went on, “I kinda suspected I might need it.” Giving in to her devilish streak, she grinned. “You ever notice how Mr. Tennant always stands real straight and stiff, like he was a soldier in a parade? Never looks at himself, like he’s sure