Chapter Three: An Unexpected Visitor
One thousand. One thousand and one. One thousand and two. One thousand and..... "And this is where they are going to erect the statue in honor of your father. Isn't it just the most perfect of places?"
Cassandra's count of the number of the raindrops falling upon her umbrella was interrupted by Aunt Alexandria's excited exclamations."Yes. Yes, it's quite wonderful," Cassandra replied distractedly.
"Why are you not excited? Your father was elected to the senate! This is a proud time for him and for your family."
Cassandra felt a twinge of guilt as she plastered a bright placating smile on her face, "Of course. I know that it is.... I'm just—"
Before Cassandra could finish speaking, the wheels of a passing buggy on the cobblestone street splashed through a large puddle, sending water up onto the walkway and splattering the lady's skirts. "Hey!" Cassandra exclaimed. "Why don't you slow down?!"
"Keep your voice down, Cassandra," Aunt Alexandria gasped, but Cassandra was too angry to care about the scene she may cause.
The buggy came to a stop and Cassandra quickly wished she was better at keeping her temper controlled and her mouth silenced. She bit her lip and wished the ground would swallow her up when a senior member of the congress turned to glare at her from atop the buggy.
"Miss Little, I sincerely apologize," he stated coolly. "I am late for a meeting and suppose I was driving just a bit too quickly."
"Uh...no apology necessary," she mumbled pathetically. Why did he have to recognize her?! Her father was going to be more than a little angry and put off by her yelling at a fellow colleague. She was supposed to be a lady. A 'well-bred, spit and polished, never spoke out of turn and never spoke any louder than a whisper' lady.
"Thank you for your understanding," the old man tipped his head and Cassandra found herself marveled by his many chins. "Give your father my best, will you?"
Cassandra could do little more than nod and the man clicked his tongue, flicked the reins and was gone.
"You are going to be in some hot water, Cassandra," Aunt Alexandria warned. "My brother will be very disappointed in the way you acted. Honsetly! Your mother and I taught you better than that."
"I am so very sorry, Aunt Alexandria. I do not know what came over me."
Alexandra waved her hand as the two women went on their way down the wet sidewalk toward the diner where they were meeting some other ladies for luncheon.
"It is those late nights you are spending lost in story books, dear child. Those are not reality and you will do well to remember that. There are no grand adventures in the life of a lady, Cassandra."
Cassandra simply nodded but inside she felt that spark of life fighting to keep from being snuffed out.
***
"Marriage?!" Cassandra shouted in her father's study that evening.
Her mother winced as her father shushed her, "Keep your voice down, Cassandra, and act like the lady you were raised to be," he warned.
YOU ARE READING
To Love A Wild Irishman
Romance***Finnegan Callahan is the son of an Irishman. He loves rye whiskey, women and gambling though he always leaves his women a bit more bitter and his gambling companions much richer. His take on life is that it is meant to be lived and live it he do...
