Within Reach Read Online Free PDF Page A

couldn’t argue with that. Political pull did wonders, particularly when it came from the top. “I’m surprised Daddy’s never gone for it.”
    “For the presidency?” Eleanor laughed softly and grew more pensive. “No. The risk is too great, I think. Over the years your father has made his share of enemies. Any strong figure is bound to, and William has been known to be unbending at times. But he plays to win. He needs to be in full control, and that’s not possible in a national election. Besides—” she perked up “—he’s enjoying seniority in the Senate.”
    Danica nodded, still trying to assimilate the fact of Blake’s impending political involvement. She should have seen it coming, but she hadn’t. And, for whatever his reasons, Blake hadn’t seen fit to enlighten her.
    “So,” she sighed after having ordered a bowl of summer squash soup and a crabmeat salad, “when does the hoopla begin?”
    “Soon, I’d imagine. You don’t look wild about the idea.”
    Danica made a wavering gesture. “We have plenty of evenings planned as it is. This means there’ll be that many more.”
    “Are there other things you’d rather be doing?” Eleanor asked in surprise. When she was Danica’s age, she was entranced by every aspect of her husband’s nascent political career.
    “There might be.” She was thinking of whimsical things like going to a movie, driving with Blake down to Provincetown for the day or up to Kennebunkport, for that matter. Unfortunately, her mother reached another conclusion.
    “Darling,” she began, eyes widening in excitement, “are you—”
    Danica smiled. “No, Mom. Not yet.”
    “But you’d like to be.”
    “We’ve discussed this before. You know I’d like to be.”
    “Is there a problem?”
    “Of course not!”
    “Don’t get defensive, darling,” Eleanor said softly. “I was just asking. After all, you’ve been married for eight years—”
    “Which is nothing, when you stop to think how young I was way back then. I don’t think I would have made a particularly good mother at twenty or twenty-one or twenty-two. Goodness, you make it sound as though I’m running out of time. I’m only twenty-eight. Nowadays women have babies when they’re forty.”
    “True, but when you’re forty, Blake will be fifty-five, which is exactly the age your father is now, and look at you .”
    “Daddy was young when he married. There’s a difference. If Blake’s first concern had been a family, he’d probably have married a lot earlier.”
    “Still, I’d think he wouldn’t want to wait too long. And besides, think of your father. He’s ready to have a grandchild.”
    “So you’ve told me before,” Danica managed in a dry tone. She didn’t like this discussion, never had, never would. She wanted to have a baby very badly. She wanted to make Blake a father, to make William a grandfather, to be a mother herself. Unfortunately, it was easier said than done.
    “Will you oblige him?”
    “I hope so.”
    “Are you sure there’s no problem?”
    If there was a problem, it was that Blake was either out of town or tired, and there was no way Danica was going to discuss that with her mother. Sad as it was, she didn’t feel close enough.
    “I’m sure,” she said, intent on changing the subject. “And as to what I’d rather be doing than going to political fundraisers, I’d rather be in Maine with Blake. You should see the house. It’s exciting.”
    As they ate, Danica filled her mother in on the details of the remodeling work. It was a fairly safe topic until Eleanor raised the issue of physically getting to Maine and back.
    “I don’t like your driving there alone.”
    “Blake will be with me from now on. At least,” she thought aloud, “he said he would be, but if the Claveling campaign takes much of his time—”
    “It may. You know that. Which means you’ll be making the trip by yourself.”
    Danica wasn’t thrilled with that idea, but her discouragement