Honeysuckle Season by Mary Ellen Taylor

Honeysuckle Season by Mary Ellen Taylor

Author:Mary Ellen Taylor [Taylor, Mary Ellen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2020-08-31T23:00:00+00:00


CHAPTER FOURTEEN

OLIVIA

Thursday, March 5, 1942

The Woodmont Estate

“I want to learn how to drive,” Olivia said from the back seat.

It had been two days since Olivia and Sadie had visited the hospital, and Olivia could still not shake the memory of the wailing woman being dragged inside. Edward had asked her to trust him, and of course she did, but as they now approached Woodmont she realized she needed more independence from him at this place.

“We’ve been through this. I could lose my job,” Sadie said.

“I know. And I appreciate your concern, but I’ll not tell Edward. I know he wouldn’t approve. He’s quite protective. I would hope in the last few weeks that I have gained your trust.”

“I trust you just fine,” she said. “But if someone sees us, then it will get back to Dr. Carter.”

“I feel helpless,” she said. “I’m as trapped in my house as I was in that rubble.”

“What are you talking about? It’s the biggest house I’ve ever seen.”

Olivia smoothed out a wrinkle in her skirt. “It can feel very small. So can this county.”

Sadie could not argue with her on that score. “I don’t know.”

Olivia scooted to the middle of the seat and leaned forward. “My mother says that it’s good for marriages if they have a few tiny secrets. She, for instance, used to go to the movies every Friday with her friend. She never told Father about it because she said details like that bored him. She said the movies made her a better wife.”

“You think driving will make you a better wife?”

“Yes.” She would not feel so trapped or lost or useless. When she had worked at the hospital in London, she had felt alive and excited about each day.

“Don’t you have all those plants and trees coming to the greenhouse soon? Won’t that make you feel better?”

The greenhouse was Edward’s idea of what she needed. And though she was touched by the gesture, she realized now that plants in a greenhouse were more of an excuse to keep her on the property.

“There are times when I feel like that girl we saw at the hospital,” she said.

Sadie frowned. “You aren’t like her.”

“I’m trapped in my life. Please. I’ll never tell Edward.”

Sadie slowed the car and turned into the estate’s driveway, and as Olivia stared down the long dirt entryway, she thought she might cry.

Instead of pressing forward, Sadie stopped the car. As the car idled, she twisted around in her seat. “This is our secret from Dr. Carter?”

“Of course. I won’t breathe a word.”

“What about Mrs. Fritz? She might see.”

“I’ll speak to her.”

“I’m going to be sorry I did this.”

Olivia clapped her hands. “Then you’ll do it!”

“I suppose.” Sadie slowly shook her head and shut off the engine. “It ain’t as easy as it looks. There’s a trick to working the clutch and the accelerator. You don’t get do-overs.”

“Nothing I can’t master.”

“All right, then; get out of the car, and come around.”

Olivia bounded out the back seat as Sadie climbed out from behind the wheel and waited for her to sit.



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.