Decorum by Kaaren Christopherson

Author:Kaaren Christopherson [Christopherson, Kaaren]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2015-02-13T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 28

Intending to Be Absent

When you are going abroad, intending to be absent for some time, you enclose your card in an envelope, having, first, written p.p.c. upon it;—they are the initials of the French phrase, “pour prendre conge”—to take leave, and may with equal propriety stand for presents parting compliments.

—Decorum, page 74

Mrs. Lawrence was plumping the cushions on the black horsehair settee when the sound of a cab pulling up outside arrested her attention and drew her to the window.

“Who is it, Mama?” Vinnie asked.

“Francesca, dear.”

A moment later, Vinnie, Anne, and Mrs. Lawrence were greeting her.

“What a relief to see you up and about, dear,” said Mrs. Lawrence. “A little pale perhaps,” she said, holding Francesca’s chin and examining her face, “but it looks like you’re on the mend. Brava. I’ve been telling the girls we don’t see as much of you as we’d like. Do come and warm yourself. Such a bitter day. You must be frozen through. Violet, bring some tea, would you please?”

“Don’t trouble, Mrs. Lawrence.” The maid took away Francesca’s coat and muff.

“Nonsense, dear, it’s no trouble. It’ll give you something warm to put your hands around.” The ladies sat and Mrs. Lawrence recounted the callers for the day. Vinnie hinted at gorier details before reproof in her mother’s eyes checked her. After a short interval Mrs. Lawrence excused herself to see to the family’s dinner. “You will stay, dear, won’t you?” she asked as she paused in the doorway. “We’d so love to have you.” She departed.

Vinnie might have had an electric current running through her, so alive was she to every word Francesca uttered, to every look and gesture. Francesca politely redirected Anne’s artless questions about the wedding back to Anne herself, who chattered with enthusiasm. Minutes ticked away until Michael breezed through the front door, home from work, and Anne led him by the arm in search of Mrs. Lawrence.

“I wanted to talk to you,” Francesca said when the parlor doors were closed.

“I thought maybe you did. Is everything all right? You do look so pale.”

“I’ve been thinking a great deal over the last few days,” she began. “I must get away for a while, and I hoped you would consider joining me.”

Vinnie was not shocked by this proposal. She half-expected it. Perhaps some fresh intelligence had come to Francesca, that she knew about Edmund and the Jet Woman after all. If Francesca knew, however, this sudden desire to leave New York betrayed nothing. Vinnie probed gingerly.

“Get away. What do you mean? Like when Agnes went away for her rest cure?”

“Not exactly. I just can’t seem to think about anything clearly anymore. Not here. Not now. Everywhere I turn I encounter someone or something that causes me to doubt myself, my actions, my reasons for my actions.”

“Have you spoken to anyone else about this?”

“No.”

“Not even to Edmund?” Vinnie held her breath and waited.

“Especially not to Edmund. In fact, Edmund is one of the reasons I must get away.”

Vinnie could have burst for joy, but bridled her tongue with heroic self-control.

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