A Good Woman Read Online Free PDF Page A

him, but in a funny way, she felt as though he were standing in for her brother. She liked talking to him, and he teased her in just the way Robert used to, and which she missed so much.
    “I wonder why he didn’t take his houseguest to the party,” Consuelo mused, as she left their glasses and the pitcher of lemonade in the pantry.
    “Maybe they’re unsuitable,” Annabelle teased, “a shocking, unsuitable woman. Maybe he has a mistress,” she said, chortling, as her mother guffawed. Given how well brought up Josiah was, and how polite, it seemed extremely unlikely. And he wouldn’t have mentioned a guest at all if that were the case.
    “You have a most unsuitable imagination,” her mother scolded, and a moment later the two of them went upstairs, chatting amiably about Josiah and how nice he had been to bring them cake from the party. It was the first time Annabelle had actually been sorry she couldn’t go out. All her friends had been there, and it had sounded like quite a celebration, with the fireworks and all. It was going to be a very quiet summer, except for Hortie and Josiah, both of whom were faithful about frequent visits, and a few other friends as well.
    Josiah came back again the next day, and Consuelo invited him for a picnic lunch with Annabelle and Hortie. Josiah seemed perfectly at ease with both girls, even though Hortie giggled a lot and was often silly, and he said that he had a half-sister their age, from his father’s second marriage after he was widowed. Annabelle still couldn’t imagine Hortie as a married woman, which she would be in four months. She was still such a baby, but she was crazy about James, and often when she and Annabelle were alone, she made racy comments about their wedding night and honeymoon, which made Annabelle roll her eyes. Fortunately, Hortie said none of that in front of Josiah, and he commented that his sister had gotten married in April and was expecting a baby. He seemed to be perfectly familiar with the lives, pursuits, and interests of young girls, and they both enjoyed talking to him.
    He mentioned his houseguest to them, and said he was a classmate of his from Harvard, and came up to visit every summer. He said he was a studious, quiet fellow, and usually avoided social events and parties.
    Josiah stayed until the late afternoon, and walked Annabelle back up to the house when Hortie left. Her mother was sitting on the porch, chatting with a friend. It was fun for them there. Lots of people came to visit, and there was a sense of life swirling around them. It was particularly nice for Annabelle, who was dreading going back to the city. She had told Josiah about the hospital work she loved to do, and he had teased her about it.
    “I suppose you want to be a nurse when you grow up,” he said, knowing full well, as she did, that that would never happen. The closest she would ever get to it was volunteer work, but she still did a lot of reading about medical subjects. It was her secret passion.
    “Actually,” she said honestly, not afraid to be candid with him, “I’d rather be a doctor.” She felt as though she could tell him anything, and he wouldn’t laugh at her. He had become a good friend since her father died and he had begun his visits to them. But this time he looked startled. She had surprised him. She was a far more serious person than even he had guessed, and he could see from the look on her face that she meant what she had said.
    “That’s a pretty impressive ambition,” he said, sobered for a minute. “Would you ever do that?”
    “My mother would never let me. But I’d love to if I could. I take medical books and books about anatomy out of the library sometimes. I don’t understand everything they say, but I’ve learned some interesting things. I think medicine is fascinating. And there are a lot more women doctors now than there were.” Women had been getting into medical schools for over sixty years now, but he still couldn’t