Free Wild Swans by Patricia Snodgrass Page A

of wine. Althea turned away in disgust, focusing on her plate. Hank seemed disinterested in his dinner, and instead watched Althea. In fact he was gazing at her so intently that she dropped her fork, wiped her mouth on her napkin and asked, “What?”
    “Nothing,” Hank said, “just enjoying the scenery.”
    “Stop gawping like a fool,” Althea snapped, ignoring the poorly timed joke. “It’s vulgar to stare at a lady that way. Didn’t your nanny teach you manners?”
    Mr. Cathar laughed again.
    Mrs. Cathar agreed saying, “Miss Althea is quite correct Hank. Please don’t stare so hard.”
    “You’ll be seeing plenty of her soon enough. On your wedding night,” Mr. Cathar said, jabbing Hank in the ribs. Mrs. Cathar’s lips twitched into an embarrassed smile as she stomped down hard on her husband’s foot.
    Althea looked up at her mother, but Ruby was in her own world. She picked at her dinner, staring straight forward, not paying any attention to the fracas at the table. Her face was carefully blank, but the slight blush to her cheeks belied an inner fury that Althea was certain to burn out of control once she got her daughter back into the car. And Althea found she didn’t care. If she slaps me again, I’ll slap her back and I’ll keep slapping until I knock some sense into that fool head of hers.
    Althea’s crème brûlée arrived and she bolted it down too. She uttered a very satisfying belch which made Hank laugh, and belch even louder.
    Everyone but Ruby laughed.
    Althea pushed the empty plates aside and sat ramrod straight with her hands in her lap, seething. She glared at her dinner companions. This is the way you want me isn’t it? You want me to be a pretty little lap dog, so here I am sitting here as dainty as you please. God help me if I should actually eat or get a stain on my dress. As long as I look like a little porcelain doll with about the same intelligence then all is well. Well, I won’t have it. I won’t. She slammed her napkin onto the table. I’m not a toy!
    “Althea,” Ruby hissed. “Your manners.”
    “My manners can go to hell,” Althea said. “And you can too.”
    Hank rose. “I think I’ll go out for some air,” he said. Mr. and Mrs. Cathar stared at each other. “Miss Althea, would you care to join me?”
    “I would not.” Althea snapped.
    Hank shrugged and said, “Suit yourself.”
    “Althea,” Ruby warned under her breath.
    “I’m not a lapdog,” Althea snapped. She turned toward the Cathars and said, “Nor a broodmare.”
    “Then quit acting like a bitch,” her mother whispered. “So help me when we leave here tonight...”
    “When we leave here tonight you won’t do a blessed thing, Mother. ”
    “High strung, just like I said,” Cathar boomed. “Hank boy, you’re gonna have your hands full.”
    “And I’m sure you’re more than ready to help out,” Althea growled.
    Bruce Cathar’s mouth slammed shut, Mrs. Cathar looked scandalized. Ruby appeared to be on the verge of a stroke.
    “You know, what, Hank?” Althea said as she tossed her knife into the butter soaked plate. “I do believe I’ll take that walk.”
    Ruby stood. “I’ll chaperone.”
    “You will not. We’re not going far, just out to the car and back. I don’t need a babysitter for that.”
    “Althea,” Ruby warned.
    “Come on Miss Ruby, leave the kids alone. They ain’t gonna do nothing but talk. You know that,” Mr. Cathar said.
    “Well,” Ruby said, easing back down into the chair.
    “I promise I won’t get pregnant before I get back,” Althea scathed, then with a flick of her hair, left the table. Hank stumbled along behind her.
    “Such high spirits.” She heard Mr. Cathar laugh as her mother uttered vague apologies for her daughter’s behavior.
    Althea shut out the rest of the conversation by closing the door a little too loudly.

Chapter Five
     
     
    “My God, what an awful old bat,” Althea grumbled to herself as she exited the building and stopped