headed east again. Couldnât a man have a plan turn out in his favor just when heâd strengthened his resolve enough to put it into action? If there was one thing he didnât need tonight, it was to be castingaround at that dance hall without a girl to steady him. Heâd better pull into his own yard and stay put at home.
When he reached the drive, he stopped the mare under the elms and left her there while he went up to the dark house. It was quiet and bleak inside, and he walked through the kitchen into the front room. Silence and darkness greeted him. He stood in the doorway a moment, then wandered to the pantry door that led off the west kitchen wall. The pantry seemed like her special place; she was in it so often. He hooked his thumbs through his belt and stood with his weight on one foot, the other foot slightly forward, relaxed, as a man might stand who surveys all he has. But Aaronâs survey found him lonely and disconsolate. He knew he should stay home, but he wasnât fooling himself one bit that he was going to hang around the gloominess alone. Why hadnât he unhitched the horse and put the buggy away? But he sat down for a minute at the table in the black kitchen. He sighed and propped his elbow on the table. But his hand dropped down, and in the darkness he felt his fingers touch a bit of ointment on the oilcloth. In the darkness around him it seemed that a bright yellow light was reflecting off a dimity dress. He rubbed his fingertips together until the salve was no longer there. Then he went back outside, back to the buggy drawn by that yellow beacon that led him to the Bohemian Hall.
Â
Mary and Jonathan made fast time getting to the hall, in spite of the wagon full of potatoes. She had to laugh at the absurdity of herself alldressed up for the dance but heading there atop a wagonload of spuds. She couldnât laugh, though. There was nothing funny about what had happened back there in the kitchen. She thought how foolish she must have seemed to Aaron, coming downstairs all gussied up for a husband who didnât care enough to compliment her. If it hadnât been for Aaronâs own sudden response, she would have died of mortification at Jonathanâs tepid remark. But now she was being untruthful with herself.
Hadnât she been so overcome by Aaron that it hadnât mattered about her husband? Oh, please, no! What was she thinking? She had to stop this nonsense right now. In light of Jonathanâs plans to leave them alone, she had to get every slightest inkling of these thoughts from her head. Anyway, Aaron was back with Pris again by now, and that was a measure of safety. Heâd be spending his free time with her while Jonathan was away.
The hall was filled with noise and music and vibration. The smell of beer from the taps in the back room was pleasant in a yeasty, heavy way. It seemed as if sheâd never seen a crowd so large jammed into the hall. Folks from a long table by the west wall were waving to them and beckoning them over. Jonathan led the way through the boisterous crowd, and she followed behind his tall back. When theyâd passed several tables, a brown head caught her eye. She thought it was Priscilla. But it couldnât be, for Aaron couldnât have beaten them to the hall. But just then, she saw Willy Michalek come up behind Pris and set a bottle of soda in front of her. Her heart hit herthroat, and she felt her face heat up. But she followed Jonathan and sat down at the place cleared for them as the acquaintances at the table greeted them heartily and hands were shaken all around. The ladies were full of chatter about friends and events they all had in common. The men went off to get a supply of drinks for the newcomers, and Mary joined in the talk as best she could in her present state.
It wasnât long before the subject rolled around to Priscilla, and the ladies plied her with questions about the situation between Pris
When he reached the drive, he stopped the mare under the elms and left her there while he went up to the dark house. It was quiet and bleak inside, and he walked through the kitchen into the front room. Silence and darkness greeted him. He stood in the doorway a moment, then wandered to the pantry door that led off the west kitchen wall. The pantry seemed like her special place; she was in it so often. He hooked his thumbs through his belt and stood with his weight on one foot, the other foot slightly forward, relaxed, as a man might stand who surveys all he has. But Aaronâs survey found him lonely and disconsolate. He knew he should stay home, but he wasnât fooling himself one bit that he was going to hang around the gloominess alone. Why hadnât he unhitched the horse and put the buggy away? But he sat down for a minute at the table in the black kitchen. He sighed and propped his elbow on the table. But his hand dropped down, and in the darkness he felt his fingers touch a bit of ointment on the oilcloth. In the darkness around him it seemed that a bright yellow light was reflecting off a dimity dress. He rubbed his fingertips together until the salve was no longer there. Then he went back outside, back to the buggy drawn by that yellow beacon that led him to the Bohemian Hall.
Â
Mary and Jonathan made fast time getting to the hall, in spite of the wagon full of potatoes. She had to laugh at the absurdity of herself alldressed up for the dance but heading there atop a wagonload of spuds. She couldnât laugh, though. There was nothing funny about what had happened back there in the kitchen. She thought how foolish she must have seemed to Aaron, coming downstairs all gussied up for a husband who didnât care enough to compliment her. If it hadnât been for Aaronâs own sudden response, she would have died of mortification at Jonathanâs tepid remark. But now she was being untruthful with herself.
Hadnât she been so overcome by Aaron that it hadnât mattered about her husband? Oh, please, no! What was she thinking? She had to stop this nonsense right now. In light of Jonathanâs plans to leave them alone, she had to get every slightest inkling of these thoughts from her head. Anyway, Aaron was back with Pris again by now, and that was a measure of safety. Heâd be spending his free time with her while Jonathan was away.
The hall was filled with noise and music and vibration. The smell of beer from the taps in the back room was pleasant in a yeasty, heavy way. It seemed as if sheâd never seen a crowd so large jammed into the hall. Folks from a long table by the west wall were waving to them and beckoning them over. Jonathan led the way through the boisterous crowd, and she followed behind his tall back. When theyâd passed several tables, a brown head caught her eye. She thought it was Priscilla. But it couldnât be, for Aaron couldnât have beaten them to the hall. But just then, she saw Willy Michalek come up behind Pris and set a bottle of soda in front of her. Her heart hit herthroat, and she felt her face heat up. But she followed Jonathan and sat down at the place cleared for them as the acquaintances at the table greeted them heartily and hands were shaken all around. The ladies were full of chatter about friends and events they all had in common. The men went off to get a supply of drinks for the newcomers, and Mary joined in the talk as best she could in her present state.
It wasnât long before the subject rolled around to Priscilla, and the ladies plied her with questions about the situation between Pris
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