Deep Summer by Gwen Bristow

Author:Gwen Bristow [Bristow, Gwen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Historical, Sagas, Romance, General
ISBN: 9781480485150
Google: AphxAwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2014-05-20T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

But her own life was so full and rich, Judith told herself proudly as she looked down her dinner-table. In spite of the storms that had raged around and within her Ardeith had reached a triumph of serenity, and she herself had created it.

The long windows were open to the floor so that what air there was might cross the room. The pickaninny at the side of the table pulled the fan of turkey feathers with lazy rhythm, while the servants moved about with plates of rice, roasted poultry stuffed with corn-meal and pecans, hot breads and vegetables cooked with spices, figs and peaches and oranges preserved in syrup, lettuces dressed with olive oil, and flasks of imported wine. They talked merrily, for the diners were all good friends—the Purcells with four of their five children, for the oldest girl was married and Gervaise, who was now thirty-six, had been a grandmother four years; the St. Clairs, with two of their crop of blooming daughters; Alan and Sylvie Durham with the two oldest of their children, and Caleb Sheramy with his son. Mark had died four years ago of a swamp-fever, and freed of his dislike for fashionable furbelows, Silverwood was blooming with porcelains and velvets that Roger Sheramy might have as elegant a background as any young gentleman on the bluff. Judith wondered if she should tell Caleb about her visit to Dolores, and decided not to. He had nothing to offer her except material support; that he was willing to give, but Dolores would not take it, and Judith had a grudging respect for her desire to be left in peace.

They sat at table three hours. No wonder they had the habit, which had struck her as so odd at first, for referring to any time after the midday meal as “evening.” By the time a dinner of any importance was over it generally was evening. When they left the table the servants brought out the horses of those who had to go furthest. David asked for his.

“May I speak to you a minute, David?” she asked as he went out.

“Why yes,” he said, and she followed him to the room across the hall. David waited for her. “What is it, mother?”

She laughed softly, not because there was anything to laugh at but because her pride in him welled up so that she could not help it. “Where are you going?”

He chuckled. “Where do you think?”

“Courting?”

“Don’t I look like it?” asked David. He had a gardenia in his coat, and wore his riding-gloves with the embroidered cuffs. Judith tried to believe that all her children had an equal place in her affections, but there were times when she could not help knowing that she loved David best. He was so like Philip that everything she had learned to understand in Philip she could recognize in David without effort, and his place in her heart was already prepared before he grew up. “What did you want to see me about?” he asked.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.