All the Blue of Heaven by Virginia Carmichael

and for a moment considered letting the comment pass, but instead
she said, “And where did you see them?”
               
“Mr. James Young sat for you in ‘05 and moved his business from San Francisco
to Chicago last year. It hangs in the meeting room in The Metropolitan Bank,
which he owns. Also, Miss Adelaide Summers, my cousin,  traveled to
California just to have her portrait done before her wedding a year ago. You
captured her red hair and fiery personality perfectly,” he said.
               
“I remember her,” Janey piped up, spilling peanuts out of the bag as she
attempted to shake one into her hand.
               
Allie turned, surprised. “You do?” She didn’t remember Janey meeting Miss
Summers.
               
“Sure. She had that little dog with the bow in its hair. He barked all the time
and she thought he was adorable but he was mean and had bad breath,” she said,
focused on removing the shell from her
treat.               
               
Thomas made a sound that could have been laughter but when Allie glanced at
him, he was looking over her head at the horizon.
               
“That is indeed Adelaide and Mr. Tubbs,” Mr. Garnett said, laughing.
               
“How was it that you were in Mr. Young’s bank?” her mother asked, in a tone
Allie felt was transparently hopeful.
               
“I trained at the Metropolitan Bank before I came here and joined Boyer Bank,”
he said, turning to Mrs. Leeds, his tall frame stooping a bit in her direction.
“I manage the building loans provided by the interstate railway programs.”
               
“Do you count all the pennies?” Janey asked, her eyes wide.
               
Mr. Garnett chuckled, winked at Allie. “Yes, that’s just what I do.”
               
Allie felt a flash of irritation and wished he had tried harder to explain his
profession. because Janey was clever enough to understand. How did anyone think
children would learn if they only gave them silly answers?
               
“I hope to see you at all the social occasions this winter, Miss Hathaway.”
               
“She is very much looking forward to it.” Mrs. Leeds fanned herself, looking
pleased.
               
Allie cringed inside and tried to look as if this was as wonderful as it
sounded. She glanced at Thomas and was surprised to see him grinning. She
didn’t remember him expressing any interest in dances, only activities of the
equine variety. But they were just children then, she reminded herself for the
tenth time. He is ready to marry and raise a family, to be a father.
               
Her heart gave a sudden lurch and her breath caught in her throat.
               
“Miss Hathaway?” Thomas’s voice brought her back to the present. “Are you
well?”
               
Allie cleared her throat, desperately rearranging her features into something
more like a young woman on the verge of an exciting social season. “Yes, thank
you. It’s a bit warm, isn’t it?” Allie flitted the silk fan near her cheeks.
               
“And I believe Janey is ready for a rest,” she said, smiling apologetically.
Allie’s gaze flicked up to meet Thomas’s quizzical expression and she mustered
her brightest smile.
               
“Janey, come now,” Mrs. Gibson called out as Janey scampered off in another
direction. Allie was grateful when Janey came at once.
               
“Alberta, you must rest when we return to the house,” her mother said quietly.
               
Allie knew that she had mistaken her emotion for tiredness, the pain on her
face as exhaustion. Of course she should explain that she was perfectly well,
for Janey’s sake. But as they reached the carriage and she sank gratefully into
the cool interior of the carriage, Allie could not think how to