BLACKWATER:The Mysterious Saga of the Caskey Family

BLACKWATER:The Mysterious Saga of the Caskey Family by Michael McDowell Page B

Book: BLACKWATER:The Mysterious Saga of the Caskey Family by Michael McDowell Read Free Book Online
Authors: Michael McDowell
Ads: Link
straight in front of her. "Not something that would really do. If you got married in February, you'd have to live here with Sister and me."
    "No!" cried Grace. "Miss Elinor said—"
    "Hush, child!" cried Sister in a low voice.
    "I've invited them to live with me, Mary-Love," said James.
    "James, you have less room than I have. And it's not right for newlyweds to share. Newlyweds need time to be alone together."
    There was an iciness in Mary-Love's voice that contradicted the benignity of her words.
    "Well, Mama, waiting a year doesn't solve any of those problems," said Oscar. "We'd still have to go out looking for a place to live."
    "No, you wouldn't," said Mary-Love quickly, looking at her son for the first time since the meal had begun. Oscar blushed and glanced away. Elinor had resumed her place at the table and regarded her future husband in silence.
    "I've already decided what to give you as a wedding gift."
    "What?" said Oscar, looking up.
    "I'm building you a house," said Mary-Love, "right here next door to us, between this house and the town line." She went on quickly, before anyone had the opportunity to express surprise in words. "But even if they start tomorrow—and they won't, because I haven't mentioned this to anybody—it won't be done before April or May, and then we have to get it furnished. Sister and I will take care of that— Miss Elinor, you won't have to do a thing."
    Miss Elinor made no reply.
    "And when the house is done we can plan the wedding. That'll take another couple of months. Oscar is my only boy, and I'm going to see that this thing is done right. Oscar?" she said, demanding his approval of the plan without objection.
    Oscar turned and looked at Elinor Dammert. She said nothing at all, made no motion of her eyes, did not alter her expression. He received no clue as to what she thought his answer ought to be—and it was his masculine opacity that prevented him from understanding that no clue was a very large clue indeed.
    "Mama, does it have to be a whole year?" he asked at last.
    "Yes," said Mary-Love.
    He then nodded acquiescence.
    "Miss Elinor?" said Mary-Love.
    "Whatever Oscar wants," said Miss Elinor, putting a bite of coconut cake into her mouth.
    CHAPTER 6
Oscar's Retaliation
    Winters were mild in Perdido, but there was almost always a cold snap that lasted about a week late in January. Invariably some old colored woman in the country whose ramshackle house had walls made mostly of layers of newspaper would succumb and be found dead by her great-grandchildren who had come to gather her last pecans. The wives and daughters of the millowners would have a few days in which to show off their fur coats. Pipes burst everywhere, and everyone would sit in the kitchen by the stove. But with this single week as an exception, it was possible to sit out on the front porch all year long. And the weather was never so cold that Miss Elinor did not row Bray's little green boat to school. It was a common remark that Miss Elinor didn't feel the cold of that river anymore than did the fish that swam in it.
    During that winter of 1920, Elinor's first in Perdido, the pact between Mary-Love and Oscar became known all over town; and it was a bargain that was seen in its true light. In exchange for Oscar's postponing the wedding for a year (during which time Mary-Love doubtless hoped that the engagement would be severed), she would build her son a fine house next door to her own. Supposing she got her wish and Miss Elinor went back to wherever it was that Miss Elinor came from, Mary-Love would retain her unmarried son, and her only problem would be what to do with the house. But perhaps, it was conjectured by those who liked to think about contingencies, she would move into it herself.
    What Miss Elinor thought of the agreement no one ever learned. Elinor did not complain, though Christmas passed, and the new year came on, and nothing whatever had been done. There were no plans to be looked at. There wasn't

Similar Books

A Very Simple Crime

Grant Jerkins

Husbandry

Allie Ritch

Pushing Send

Ally Derby

Dirty

Kathryn Rose

infinities

Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Scott Nicholson, Garry Kilworth, Eric Brown, John Grant, Anna Tambour, Kaitlin Queen, Iain Rowan, Linda Nagata, Keith Brooke