Chapter 2

The next morning I was sweeping the yard when Frieda appeared quietly at the gate.

"Well, well. Little sister's already put to work?"

She had on a brand-new floral blouse in crisp cotton, her hair set in big waves, and a pair of shiny little leather shoes.

That outfit alone would have eaten up the better part of a year of Paul's layoff checks.

Without looking up, I said, "How did you find the time to come into town?"

"Paul's just soft on me, that's all."

Frieda made a show of the watch on her wrist. "He said the country's all wind and dust, and insisted on giving me money to come buy a few tins of face cream in the city."

"I couldn't talk him out of it, so I came in to shop and thought I'd look in on you while I was here."

She was practically glowing with spite. "Word is, last night Mr. Gilbert didn't even set foot in the bridal room?"

"Your little tricks aren't working out so well, are they. All that scheming to steal a man, and he won't even spare you a glance."

I curled my fingers tight. "You're well informed, sister."

"But if you've got the energy to fret over me, you'd do better to worry about that leg of Paul's."

"I hear on the wet, gray days it hurts him something awful."

Frieda's face stiffened, but she held her ground. "That's no concern of yours."

"Paul says it himself. Give it a while and he'll be on at the county machinery plant as a key technical man."

"Then he'll take me to the big city hospital to see about the leg."

"And by then I'll be the plant boss's wife."

She leaned in close and dropped her voice. "And you? You can spend the rest of your life scraping by, tied to a broke cripple who could get fired any day!"

Hearing that, I nearly laughed out loud.

In my last life, the only reason Paul ever got into the machinery plant was that I'd burned myself out night after night working that ruined leg with my hands, kneading it back to life.

Only then could he stand and go sit the plant's hiring exam.

Now, with Frieda's kind of care, it would be a miracle if Paul could walk at all.

"Then congratulations in advance, sister."

Seeing me so calm only fed her temper. "Don't you put on that act with me!"

Just then Mildred came back through the gate with her grocery basket.

Frieda's eyes flicked, and she was at her side in an instant.

"Auntie Gilbert, you're back from the market?"

She looped an arm cozily through Mildred's.

Mildred took her hand, pleased. "Frieda, dear, what brings you here?"

"I came to see Eddie."

Frieda sighed. "Auntie, you know how stubborn Eddie can be."

"Back home, she was always hanging around the Post boy next door... ah, never mind, I shouldn't say."

"Now that she's married to Caleb, you'll just have to be patient with her."

At that, Mildred's smile dropped away. "What about her and the Post boy?"

She grabbed Frieda's hand. "Frieda, tell your auntie the truth. Was Eddie loose before she married?"

"Auntie, please don't ask. It's all in the past."

"Eddie got what she wanted, married to Caleb. She won't be carrying on with other men anymore."

Mildred was shaking with rage. She jabbed a finger at me and shouted, "You wicked girl, Eddie! I knew it, I knew there was a reason you clawed your way into our family so shamelessly."

"Turns out you were spoiled goods all along! Today, for Caleb's sake, I'm going to teach you a lesson you shameless little tramp!"

She snatched up the feather duster from the corner and came at me.

"Stop!" Caleb stood at the gate, wheeling his bike, his face like iron.

"Caleb, you're back just in time!"

Mildred brandished the feather duster. "Ask Frieda what filthy business this woman got up to back at her own home!"

Caleb didn't look at me. "Frieda. What exactly did you say?"

Frieda clearly hadn't expected Caleb to come back so suddenly. She stammered, "Caleb, I... I didn't say anything."

"I just mentioned in passing that Eddie had been matched with the Post boy once before."

"Auntie misunderstood."

"I misunderstood?" Mildred's voice rose. "You said plain as day that she was tangled up with that Post boy!"

"I did not!"

Frieda burst into tears. "Caleb, you have to believe me. Why would I make up lies about my own cousin?"

Caleb's face was dark. "Edwina. You say it yourself."

"I've got nothing to say."

My voice stayed even. "Since my cousin says I was tangled up with the Post boy, then let her produce her proof."

"And if she can't produce any, then she's spreading lies to wreck a military marriage."

"Mr. Gilbert, you know better than I do what the penalty is for sabotaging a military marriage, don't you?"