After Anne by Logan Steiner

Author:Logan Steiner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2023-05-30T00:00:00+00:00

“I never knew Ewan had family in Massachusetts,” Stella said as she settled against the crushed red velvet booth in the train’s dining car. After brushing a few crumbs off the seat, Stella kicked her feet up to rest on the opposing booth, moving the tablecloth a little to cover her legs. She sighed.

Maud scooted a few inches away from Stella’s legs and their characteristic bounce.

“Ewan’s half sister, Flora, lives in East Braintree,” Maud said, signaling for the waiter. “Along with her husband. Nice folks. Ewan hasn’t seen her in quite some time.” Maud was sure she’d mentioned Flora in her letters.

“That’s right.” Stella leaned in and pinched Maud’s forearm, with no indication that she actually remembered. “Say, remember that grand time we had in Boston back before the war, when the fancy publisher invited you for a visit and you agreed to let your old cousin Stell tag along? ’Course you never would have done it if you hadn’t gotten so guilty about all that money you spent on Frede’s degree.” She chuckled. “Guilt or no guilt, that publisher just about spoiled us silly—I’ll never forget watching a taxicab pull up for us. And that meal you had after the Harvard-Yale game; I was almost green with envy to hear about it.”

Maud smiled. Different as Stella was from Frede, they still shared a history. “You’re right—I lived so much in those few weeks. I would never trade them.”

“And to think, your soon-to-be husband had family right there. Of course, you were still putting him off back then. How long after that was it that you finally decided to marry him?”

“It wasn’t as simple as that, Stella.” Maud gave a pointed look, the kind that Stella often made necessary.

“Now, I didn’t mean anything,” Stella said, adjusting a hair clip that had started to slide out of place. “Touchy today,” she added in a loud whisper, her head tilted like she was talking to someone beside her.

Maud turned her attention to the tea that had just arrived. When she finished stirring in milk, she picked up her purse and weeded through it, pulling out a novel. She smiled at Stella as though the silence had come on naturally and opened her book.

The minute the food came and Maud put her book down to eat, Stella spoke again. “So I trek all this way by train for my first visit in years, and Ewan heads off for his own summer holiday, does he? Not that I’m taking it personally,” she said. “Seems he could use it,” she added under her breath.

So Stella had noticed the change in Ewan. Of course she had.

“A holiday on doctor’s orders,” Maud said. “Ewan’s been suffering from some terrible headaches that have been keeping him up at night. He’s not quite himself. It’s lack of sleep that’s most to blame, I think. So we’re following orders—a few weeks off from work and a trip away to new surroundings, staying with Flora. It should be just the thing. He’ll see a specialist in Boston, too, and hopefully get some medications.

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