@@@@@"So much so that I'm not going to ask any 505
@@@@@"So much so that I'm
not going to ask any questions or make any unwelcome commentsI
just
hope you know what you're doing Scarlett squirmed inwardly
Then she bridled at the implied criticIsm"I'm not 'doing'
anything!"
She pulled her hand awayEleanor ignored Scarlett's anger"How
are
Eulalie and Pauline?" she asked easily"I haven't seen either of
them to talk to for agesThe Season wears me outThey're trying to make me go to Savannah with them
for
Grandfather's birthday
"Good heavens!"
MrsButler's tone was incredulous"You mean he's not dead yet?"
Scarlett began to laugh again"That was the first thing I thought,
too, but Aunt Pauline would have skinned me alive if I'd said so
He must be about a hundred Eleanor's brow creased in thought and
she
mumbled under her breath as she worked out the arithmetic
"Over ninety for sure," she said at last"I know he was in his late
thirties when he married your grandmother in 1820I had an auntshe's
dead long since-who never got over itShe was mad about him, and
he'd
been quite attentive to herBut then Solange-your grandmotherdecided
to notice him and poor Aunt Alice didn't stand a chanceI was only
ten at the time, but that was old enough to know what was going on
Alice tried to kill herself, and everything was in an uproar
Scarlett felt wide awake now"What did she do?"
"Drank a bottle of paregor
