Sister's Choice (11 page)

No wonder she worried that Maggie’s wedding day might come before hers. It didn’t help to know that Mama had reservations, too. Mama was mostly concerned about Zack’s being able to support a family by Christmas. Who else had doubts? Obviously someone had been saying things to Zack to make him doubt.

Ellie welcomed the distraction from her thoughts when Maggie came in later. Ellie quickly tried to hide the work in her hand. She wanted the quilt to be a surprise.

“What’s that?” Maggie, ever perceptive, asked.

“Oh, nothing.”

“Looks like something new.”

Ellie had to smile. “Time was you never noticed stitching. You are changing, sis.” When Maggie came over to take a closer look, Ellie decided to be honest. “You can’t see this,” she said, tucking it under the hexagons in the basket. “It’s a surprise for you, and that’s all I’m going to tell you.”

“For me? A quilt?”

“A wedding quilt.”

Maggie chuckled. “You have a lot more confidence in my prospects than I do.”

“You might beat me, Maggie.”

Maggie blinked, then her brow creased. “Don’t tell me you and Zack had your first fight. I thought he left kind of early this evening.”

“It wasn’t exactly a fight. He’s worried about his future prospects and his ability to support me.”

“Well, a girl’s gotta eat,” Maggie said flippantly. Then, when Ellie gave her a frown in response, she added, “You two will be fine because you are meant to be. You are perfect for each other. I don’t care what Mama says.”

“What did Mama say?”

“Oh, nothing . . . well, I overheard her talking to Grandma the other day. She worries about your having to struggle. But all mothers worry about such things.”

“I suppose . . .” Ellie wanted to believe this. It was important that her parents supported her choice. She thought of something else. “Maggie, I wouldn’t care if you married before me. Some have the notion the elder sister has to marry first, but I don’t hold with that. You have my blessing—”

“Whoa!” Maggie exclaimed. “Let’s not get the cart before the horse. First I have to snag the man, and that won’t be so easy. Which reminds me, I spoke to Evan today, and he’s going to help me—you know, he wants Tamara, so if we join forces, we each might have half a chance.”

Ellie listened as Maggie chattered about her big plans to win Colby. She had reservations about all this maneuvering, but Ellie was also happy to immerse herself in her sister’s love life so as not to fret so much over her own.

NINE

The next day Maggie made Ellie go with her to the Stoddards’. She remembered accompanying Ellie on a few visits to “Reverend Locklin” back when they were trying to woo the minister. So Ellie owed Maggie, though Ellie was happy to help anyway.

Maggie wasn’t exactly certain what she expected from this visit. She was starting to feel a little uncomfortable about it.

“Evan Parker seems like a nice fellow, doesn’t he?” Ellie said as they walked down the road on their way to the Stoddards’.

“Yes, he is. We had a nice talk.” She had told Ellie all about their conversation.

“I’m still surprised he agreed to help in breaking up Colby and Tamara—”

“They are not even together!” Maggie broke in defensively. “They are not engaged or even courting. So there is nothing to break up. I wish you would support me for once!”

“I was supporting you before it got so complicated.” Ellie paused.

Maggie wanted to say something to interrupt her train of thought, but just as she opened her mouth, Ellie went on.

“Maggie, I won’t be a party to deception.”

“Now you are going to be Miss Goody-Two-Shoes!” Maggie said disdainfully.

“I would hope you would have some moral fiber in this matter, as well.”

Oh, how Maggie hated it when her sister got so high and mighty. She hated it more when Ellie was right. “I am not going to be deceptive,” Maggie assured her sister, her ire dampened by her own conscience. “It is only natural that we pay a visit to welcome Tamara. Mama even suggested it.”

“After you brought it up.”

“Still, it is the neighborly thing to do.”

“I don’t want you to pretend to be friends with Tamara just to undermine her.”

That statement, spoken with a superior tone, as if Ellie was her mother, sent Maggie’s ire soaring once more. “If you don’t have the stomach for this, then you can go back home!”

“Maggie . . .” Ellie beseeched.

As usual, Maggie needed her big sister’s approval. And she truly did not want to be deceptive. “I’m not going to pretend,” she appeased. “She seems like a nice girl that I could easily be friends with.”

“I think you should tell her right off about your interest in Colby.”

Maggie gasped. “I couldn’t!”

“What would it hurt? Maybe she would put aside any designs she might have on Colby.”

“Why would she do that?” Maggie argued. “And what of Mrs. Stoddard’s designs? Once she learns of my interest in her son, she will think me a brazen hussy.”

“Hardly. She might even like the idea of Colby matching with a local girl.”

Maggie replied with a skeptical sidelong look.

“Okay,” Ellie conceded. “You might not want it to get back to Mrs. Stoddard, but couldn’t you get Tamara alone and tell her in confidence? Even if she chooses not to step aside, you will have been honest.”

“This is not one of those times when honesty is the best policy,” Maggie insisted. She knew Ellie’s intractable moral sensibilities might have a difficult time with that idea, but Maggie believed you could be quiet about something and not be deceptive. “I don’t care if Tamara steps aside or not. My main intent is merely to present Evan in a good light to her. That wouldn’t be deceptive because I think he is a fine person. She just needs to realize that the brotherly affection she felt for him is more than that, like how Grandma realized it about Grandpa.”

“Okay, Maggie, I’ll go along,” Ellie said. “And if I see things get out of hand, I will say something.”

“I can always count on you to be my conscience,” Maggie said sarcastically.

They reached the Stoddards’, and Sarah welcomed them at the door. They weren’t expected, but visits were always welcome in the little community. Mrs. Stoddard, Sarah, and Tamara were busy at work in the kitchen. Three bushels of apples were sitting on the floor, and Sarah and Tamara were paring and coring them while Mrs. Stoddard was slicing them up to place on drying racks. Ellie and Maggie offered their help and were immediately given paring knives.

“We haven’t got our apples yet,” Ellie said, “but Mama warned us we will be busy next week.”

“Soon as this batch is done,” Mrs. Stoddard suggested, “we will do some apple butter.”

“You do make the best apple butter, Mrs. Stoddard,” Maggie put in. She didn’t care if it was shameless flattery. No one but Ellie would guess.

“I have so enjoyed all the domestic chores since I’ve come here,” Tamara said. “I have never dried an apple or cooked hardly anything.”

“Never cooked?” Maggie asked, clearly astonished. “What do you do with yourself all day in Portland?”

“Maggie, don’t be rude,” reproved Mrs. Stoddard, as if she were Maggie’s mother.

“That’s all right,” Tamara replied. “She has a right to be surprised. It does sound terribly lazy, and I am rather ashamed.”

“You have many other talents, my dear,” Mrs. Stoddard said.

“Tamara is an accomplished pianist,” Sarah put in meekly. “She is also an excellent violinist.”

“Really?” Maggie knew she couldn’t compete with that because she could barely carry a tune much less play a musical instrument. “Do you stitch?” Maggie held her breath waiting for the dreaded answer.

“I do a little needlepoint. My mother says all refined ladies should be handy with a needle. I don’t make quilts like Mrs. Stoddard and Sarah. They have shown me some of their work, and I am simply in awe. I practice my music all the time, so there is little left for other pleasures.”

Maggie searched Tamara’s tone for signs of bragging or arrogance but found none. “My grandmother is helping me refine my stitching,” she said. It was time she sang her own praises, though they be few, just so Mrs. Stoddard would know what she was up to.

“Sarah began learning to stitch when she was five and was quite accomplished by age nine,” boasted Mrs. Stoddard.

Maggie shrank down in her chair. Maybe her grandmother was right, and it was impossible to please some people.

“Maybe I could learn with you,” Tamara said enthusiastically. Then she added quickly, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be presumptuous.”

“Maggie, isn’t that a wonderful idea?” Ellie agreed, much to Maggie’s surprise. “I’m sure Grandma wouldn’t mind.”

Part of Maggie thought this would play into her scheme perfectly, but another part, taking her by surprise, was reluctant to share her time with Grandmother. Also, her stitching, such as it was, appeared to be her only edge over Tamara. If Tamara learned to sew, and no doubt she would excel at it, Maggie’s hopes would be diminished that much more. What had Ellie been thinking in encouraging this? Surely she wasn’t trying to sabotage Maggie. But now that the subject was raised, Maggie would appear ungracious if she rejected Tamara’s request.

“I’ll mention it to my grandmother,” Maggie said, but she couldn’t quite match Ellie’s enthusiasm.

Mrs. Stoddard actually offered, though unwittingly, a reprieve for Maggie. “If I had known you were interested in learning to stitch, Tamara, I would have offered to teach you myself.”

“That is kind of you, Mrs. Stoddard, but you have done so much for me already. And you are so busy with your household duties, especially with Mr. Stoddard taken ill lately. I wouldn’t want to impose further. I thought since Maggie’s grandmother was already teaching and might have more time on her hands while she is visiting . . . but maybe it is a bad idea.”

“My feelings would not be wounded if you sought out Mrs. Spooner’s expertise. She is quite an adept stitcher and could teach you much,” Mrs. Stoddard said.

Groaning inwardly, Maggie didn’t think the afternoon could get worse after that, but it did when Mrs. Stoddard sorted through a bowl of sliced apples both Ellie and Maggie had filled.

“Girls, I don’t know how your mother likes it,” she scolded, “but I like my apples sliced thinner, please.” She was holding in her hand several that Maggie had done. And Maggie had the feeling they all knew it was she and not Ellie who had cut those apples.

When the apples were done, Mrs. Stoddard suggested the girls go into the parlor and listen to Tamara play her violin. Colby came in just then from working outside, and Mrs. Stod-dard herded him into the parlor, as well. Tamara acted embarrassed at being on display like this, but once she started playing, she seemed to forget that and became caught up in the music. She cajoled Sarah to accompany her on the piano so that she wouldn’t be the lone performer.

Maggie was bored with it and glanced over at Colby. She was gratified to see a very bored look on his face, too.

When Tamara finished, Maggie patted the divan where she was seated with Ellie. “Colby, come sit. You must be dog-tired after working all day.”

“I’m too dirty to sit on Mother’s good furniture,” he said.

He looked rather rakish and certainly handsome standing with an arm propped up on the mantel. Even in patched dungarees he took Maggie’s breath away.

“In any case,” he went on, “I must leave you ladies to your visiting. I came in for only a moment to bring Mother some potatoes for supper. Tamara, thank you for the entertainment.”

“You are so welcome, Colby,” Tamara said. “But you have no doubt gotten your fill of music these last few days.”

“We can use more culture around here,” he said.

“Tamara,” Sarah asked, “can you show me once more how to hold the bow?” Apparently Tamara was teaching Sarah to play. Sarah was already an excellent pianist, but she loved music and Maggie guessed it was a kind of escape for her, as books often were for Maggie.

“Good afternoon, ladies,” Colby said as he exited. A chorus of parting words followed him.

While Sarah and Tamara were engaged in examining the violin, with Ellie observing them, Maggie waited a few moments and then slipped out of the parlor. She exited the house by the front door so Mrs. Stoddard wouldn’t see her and found Colby striding across the yard.

“Colby!” she called. Hurrying over to him, she racked her brain to think of a reason for waylaying him. It had been purely an impulsive action, and she only knew she had to use any chance she could to get near him.

He turned and her heart fluttered. This must be love!

“Hi, Maggie,” he said with a dazzling smile. “Did you have to escape the boredom?”

“Yes, sort of,” she replied. “What do people see in that kind of music? Give me a guitar and fiddle anytime.”

“Toe-tapping music!”

She grinned, knowing in her heart that she and Colby were meant to be. “You must be bored to distraction having Tamara and her music around all the time.”

“Mother has talked about buying a violin so Tamara and Sarah can play all the time. Where she’ll find the money for it, I don’t know.” His expression dimmed momentarily. “But Tamara isn’t such a bad sort to be around when you get rid of the music.”

“Really?” Maggie’s heart began to sink.

“Don’t you like her?”

“I hardly know her, but she seems nice.” Not liking the direction of their conversation and having come up with a reason for following him, she added, “I’ll bet even Tamara would enjoy the kind of music we had at the quilting party last week.”

“I sure did.”

Was he thinking about how he and Maggie had danced together? Encouraged, she went on, “We are going to have another party next Saturday. I wanted to make sure you knew.”

“I’ll be there. But you have to promise me a dance.”

She was ready to promise him her life, but with as much aplomb as she could muster, she replied, “Of course I will, Colby.”

TEN

Maggie was hard pressed at supper that night to talk her mother into holding another quilting party. She mentioned that Kendra had quilts to be quilted before her wedding.

“Two parties in one month!” Mama had exclaimed. “You’d think this was some big city.”