had nothing to do with the drive. “It’s not much of a trip…an hour and a half, give or take for traffic.”
“That’s an hour and a half in a small car that could easily be mashed between two trucks on the highway. If Blake isn’t there, Marcus should drive you.”
“What in the world would Marcus do up there while I’m checking over all those little details?”
“He can wait. That’s his job. Better still, he can familiarize himself with the area so he’ll be comfortable when he and his wife go up.”
“They won’t be going.” When her mother stopped midbite to stare at her, Danica explained. “The house is for Blake and me. An escape from the city. A place where we can be alone together. I don’t see the need for having one in help there, let alone two. We can drive ourselves wherever we want to go, and there shouldn’t be any massive cleaning to do, since we won’t be entertaining there.”
“What about food?”
“I can cook, Mother.”
“I know you can , but wouldn’t it be easier if Mrs. Hannah did it?”
Danica’s mind was set. She had yielded on many things in her life. This was one on which she was determined to hold fast. “No. The Hannahs will watch things in Boston while Blake and I are in Maine.” She slanted her mother a grin. “You never can tell. With a little practice, I might just emerge as a competitor to Julia Child. Daddy would love that. You’ll both come up when the house is done, won’t you?”
Before Eleanor had a chance to answer, a friend of Danica’s approached to say a fast hello. Danica graciously made the introductions, then sat back and marveled at the skillful way her mother made conversation. It was as though Eleanor truly cared about this new acquaintance.
“Well?” Danica said softly when they were alone once more.
“She’s lovely, darling. You serve on the hospital board with her?”
“Yes. But I wasn’t asking about that. You and Daddy will come up to Maine to visit, won’t you?” It meant a lot to her; she was hoping to impress her parents with the house, its location and her own abilities to play hostess.
“I thought you weren’t entertaining there.”
“Family’s different.”
Eleanor sighed. “Of course we’ll come. But I wish you wouldn’t be so difficult about things. I still don’t like the idea of your driving up there yourself.”
“Listen to you, Mother,” Danica chided. “You’d think I was sixteen.”
“I know you’re not. But I do worry. At least you could take the Mercedes. It’s bigger and heavier than the coupe.”
“But I love the Audi, and I get so little chance to drive around here. Boston drivers are awful. By comparison, Kennebunkport is a dream.” She took a deep breath and gazed down at the people walking briskly along Arlington Street. “There’s a sense of freedom you get when you drive by yourself on the open road.”
“You sound about sixteen. But you never craved freedom then.”
Danica grew pensive. “Didn’t you ever wonder whether I did things behind your back?”
“What kinds of things?”
“Smoke. Drink. Go places I shouldn’t.”
“You were always well supervised.”
“Not every minute. The housemother at the dorm didn’t know everything that happened.”
“At college I wouldn’t expect—”
“I’m not talking about college. I’m talking about boarding school. Even before I left to live at Armand’s, there was plenty going on.”
“Danica, you were thirteen years old then!”
“Still, I knew what was happening. Some of the girls smuggled stuff into the dorm. Either that or they’d sneak out, and they made it—and back—without being caught. Come on, Mother,” she chided at the look of dismay on Eleanor’s face, “you had to know that kind of thing happened.”
“I suppose, but—” she was slowly shaking her head “—you didn’t do any of that.” She had effectively answered Danica’s question.
Danica smiled. “No. I was too much of a
“That’s an hour and a half in a small car that could easily be mashed between two trucks on the highway. If Blake isn’t there, Marcus should drive you.”
“What in the world would Marcus do up there while I’m checking over all those little details?”
“He can wait. That’s his job. Better still, he can familiarize himself with the area so he’ll be comfortable when he and his wife go up.”
“They won’t be going.” When her mother stopped midbite to stare at her, Danica explained. “The house is for Blake and me. An escape from the city. A place where we can be alone together. I don’t see the need for having one in help there, let alone two. We can drive ourselves wherever we want to go, and there shouldn’t be any massive cleaning to do, since we won’t be entertaining there.”
“What about food?”
“I can cook, Mother.”
“I know you can , but wouldn’t it be easier if Mrs. Hannah did it?”
Danica’s mind was set. She had yielded on many things in her life. This was one on which she was determined to hold fast. “No. The Hannahs will watch things in Boston while Blake and I are in Maine.” She slanted her mother a grin. “You never can tell. With a little practice, I might just emerge as a competitor to Julia Child. Daddy would love that. You’ll both come up when the house is done, won’t you?”
Before Eleanor had a chance to answer, a friend of Danica’s approached to say a fast hello. Danica graciously made the introductions, then sat back and marveled at the skillful way her mother made conversation. It was as though Eleanor truly cared about this new acquaintance.
“Well?” Danica said softly when they were alone once more.
“She’s lovely, darling. You serve on the hospital board with her?”
“Yes. But I wasn’t asking about that. You and Daddy will come up to Maine to visit, won’t you?” It meant a lot to her; she was hoping to impress her parents with the house, its location and her own abilities to play hostess.
“I thought you weren’t entertaining there.”
“Family’s different.”
Eleanor sighed. “Of course we’ll come. But I wish you wouldn’t be so difficult about things. I still don’t like the idea of your driving up there yourself.”
“Listen to you, Mother,” Danica chided. “You’d think I was sixteen.”
“I know you’re not. But I do worry. At least you could take the Mercedes. It’s bigger and heavier than the coupe.”
“But I love the Audi, and I get so little chance to drive around here. Boston drivers are awful. By comparison, Kennebunkport is a dream.” She took a deep breath and gazed down at the people walking briskly along Arlington Street. “There’s a sense of freedom you get when you drive by yourself on the open road.”
“You sound about sixteen. But you never craved freedom then.”
Danica grew pensive. “Didn’t you ever wonder whether I did things behind your back?”
“What kinds of things?”
“Smoke. Drink. Go places I shouldn’t.”
“You were always well supervised.”
“Not every minute. The housemother at the dorm didn’t know everything that happened.”
“At college I wouldn’t expect—”
“I’m not talking about college. I’m talking about boarding school. Even before I left to live at Armand’s, there was plenty going on.”
“Danica, you were thirteen years old then!”
“Still, I knew what was happening. Some of the girls smuggled stuff into the dorm. Either that or they’d sneak out, and they made it—and back—without being caught. Come on, Mother,” she chided at the look of dismay on Eleanor’s face, “you had to know that kind of thing happened.”
“I suppose, but—” she was slowly shaking her head “—you didn’t do any of that.” She had effectively answered Danica’s question.
Danica smiled. “No. I was too much of a
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