Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

'Tis One Thing to be Tempted-Part One

Thompson Mansion

The sheet was heavy and stuck to her naked bosom, but not even the stifling heat kept her from reaching her hand out, hoping to touch him, hoping for more before she needed to get up and begin the never ending routine. But instead her hand just drifted across damp percale.

Katy frowned and forced her eyes open. Five in the morning. Why was Owen already up? With a sigh, she shuffled off to wash and dress in her morning uniform. The day was obviously going to be another scorcher, she decided that if she started early she could rest later in the day when the heat and humidity would be unbearable.

These rare moments of solitude in the silent house gave her time to think as she prepared for the day. Katy frowned thinking about the very odd wedding between Mr. Thompson and the uppity Mrs. Schroeder. No doubt she'd be even worse now that she'd convinced the man to make it legal, although Katy knew Margaret Schroeder Thompson was no better than she should be. What had bothered her, though, was Owen. Owen looked pained throughout the ceremony. At first Katy thought it was because he was worried she'd get ideas (and she did have ideas, she didn't plan to spend much more of her twenties stuffed into someone else's attic), but watching his face she began to doubt what was making him anxious.

Over the summer Katy had noticed...things. She didn't like how Owen would let his eyes drift over Margaret, and more than once she'd noticed Margaret looking at Owen for longer than she should have. Finally, she'd asked Owen if there was something between him and their employer's mistress.

There was one tie between the two she knew Katy knew she couldn't compete with, and she feared that was the hold Margaret held over him. Katy was so young when she emigrated from Ireland that she didn't yearn for the rolling green hills in the way she knew Owen did. The way melancholy would roll over him like he was getting lost in a fog, it scared her. It scared her even more that she'd see the same in Margaret Schroeder.

Adding to the strangeness of yesterday was that very odd husband of Clara Thompson's showing up. Imagine having all of Clara's advantages and choosing that for your mate, Katy thought. Katy knew she was prettier than Clara, and also knew that if she'd been handed the advantage of being Enoch Thompson's daughter she'd have landed a much better husband. Still, although at first she thought Clara was a haughty princess when she came to the house, Katy had grown to like her during the time Emily had polio. Clara had attempted to clean the house, and had taken on the dangerous job of burning the children's belongings. Also, Clara listened to her talk about Owen like...like a friend, Katy thought. When Owen returned with Thompson from their trip Clara came up with a ruse so she and Owen could be alone for a few minutes.

It was obvious to anyone with eyes when Clara came to live in the house at the end of June that she was nursing a broken heart. Katy had assumed it was that very nice looking Jimmy Darmody (gossip said he and Clara thought of each other as siblings, but nothing other than blood would have kept her away from that, Katy knew) Clara was heartbroken over. It wasn't until Mr. Harrow showed up and taken Clara right from Mr. Thompson's grasp that Katy realized who she was in love with. The haughty girl all but swooned at the sight of the man standing in her father's foyer. Not that Katy blamed her. If Owen had ever came for her like that, she'd still be recovering.

Katy was almost in the kitchen when she heard the sound of the tea kettle. The new cook, Katy assumed, but then heard familiar footsteps on the linoleum tiles of the kitchen floor. Owen. She froze on the landing, unsure why he'd be down in the kitchen at this hour.

"No, you are going to tell me what is occurring," Margaret whispered loudly enough that Katy could hear, "Richard and Jimmy come bursting in yesterday looking like the world is ending, and Enoch lets them in! Even though he said he had to spend the rest of the day closeted with his attorney Bill Fallon to prepare for the trial, he let them in! And then Mr. Rothstein called late last evening to speak about Clara. Why? You came out of Enoch's office looking like the devil himself and still wouldn't tell me what's going on."