They arrived at Mrs. Payne’s little two-story house at precisely eleven o’clock, as instructed. Susanna both dreaded and looked forward to the outing. She wanted to get to know the women from the church and gain a sense of belonging. But she knew her mother would make a scene at some point, and she dreaded the very thought. How could she possibly explain?
Mrs. Payne ushered them into the front room. “I want you two to have these chairs so you’ll be able to see everyone. The ladies are quite excited to welcome you to San Marcial, so we thought we might have a pounding.”
“A pounding?” Mother asked.
“Yes.” Mrs. Payne pointed to the corner. “We’ve all brought gifts of food and other things you need to set up decent housekeeping. You won’t have to shop for some time.”
“How wonderful,” Susanna replied. “Mother and I were just discussing getting our cupboards in order.” From the look of the overflowing table, they wouldn’t have to shop for quite a while, except to buy perishables.
“I was discussing hiring a maid,” Mother said, ignoring Susanna. “I hope perhaps someone here might recommend a young woman who can clean, do laundry, and cook.”
“I’m sure we can,” Mrs. Payne replied. She seemed momentarily confused by this interruption in her plans but quickly recovered. “I’ll bring refreshments.”
“Let me help, Sylvia,” one of the other ladies volunteered, jumping to her feet.
It was only a matter of minutes before the dining table was covered with a variety of foods, as well as coffee, tea, and iced lemonade.
Everyone was encouraged to help themselves. Mother seemed put out not to be waited on, so Susanna, hoping to avoid a scene, offered to bring her a plate. This satisfied her mother momentarily but left her alone to tell the women around her whatever she chose to say. The very thought terrified Susanna. Her mother would think nothing of exaggerating and outright lying to make herself appear important.
Susanna brought her a plate with several tasty-looking treats. There were delicate little sandwiches, as well as sweet treats that were sure to please, along with some of the most enticing fruit Susanna had ever seen. Susanna also brought her mother a cup of tea. Mother always declared that nothing was quite so soothing as a good cup of tea. Hopefully, this one would qualify.
“We, of course, come from old money back east,” her mother was saying. “The family lineage is positively abundant with nobility and wealthy financial geniuses like my husband.”
Susanna wanted to turn and walk away. “Mother, here is a cup of tea. I know you’ll enjoy it.”
Mother nodded at the offering and noted the charming china. “This is lovely.”
Mrs. Payne smiled. “It was my mother’s china, passed down to me.”
Mother sampled the tea and smiled. “Very good. I think there is nothing quite like an excellent tea. We get ours from a wonderful shop in Kansas City that specializes in fine teas.”
The women seemed impressed and offered pleasing comments that left Susanna free to exhale and head back to the refreshment table to get her own plate.
Mrs. Payne joined her, refilling a platter of cucumber sandwiches and beaming a smile. “I’m so glad you could come today. We are all so pleased to have a new family in town.”
“Thank you. This was such a sweet surprise. I’m sure once Mother adapts to her new life here, she’ll be ever so grateful for your kindness.”
Mrs. Payne nodded. “It must have been hard to leave such a life as she had in Topeka.” She bit her lip, then shook her head. “I’m sorry if I spoke out of turn. I heard there was a great difficulty.”
“There was, but hopefully it will be dealt with and straightened out.” Susanna tried not to give away too much. She didn’t want to shame her mother, but at the same time she wasn’t one to lie or shy away from the truth.
“And you are a widow?”
“Yes. It’s been a year since my husband died of influenza.”
“Were you married long?” Mrs. Payne asked, her expression sympathetic.
“It felt longer than the three years we enjoyed because we were childhood friends as well.”
“A true love match, then?”
“Definitely.”
“You are such pretty girl. I think all of us are rooting for you and Owen to get together. How like the Good Lord to throw two people into each other’s path in such an unexpected way.”
Susanna looked up from her plate. “I’m not sure I understand.” She finished gathering her treats and started back to her chair. Mrs. Payne followed.
“Well, several of us have been hoping to find a wife for Owen. He’s such a good man. When you two were entangled with the children and their jump rope, it seemed a perfect introduction. Imagine telling your children years from now that you met when you got all tied up at church.”
Several of the other women chuckled, but Susanna’s mother expressed her displeasure. “Hooligans. Children should be better supervised. My daughter is a widow, after all. She’s still in a state of mourning. It’s only been a year.”
“A year is plenty long enough for one so young,” one of the ladies protested. “I think we do our young people a disservice by strapping them with traditions and rules that have nothing to do with them.”
“Well, Queen Victoria doesn’t think that way, and neither do I,” Mother replied. “She’s maintained her mourning for nearly forty years.”
“Yes, and she was much older than Susanna when she became a widow,” Mrs. Payne pointed out. “Also, she had plenty of children to keep her company. Your daughter is quite young and has no children. She needs to be about life and happiness. Owen Turner is a good Christian man, and I think he’d be perfect for her.”
The other ladies quickly agreed, and Susanna felt her face warm. She’d had no idea these ladies were already putting her and Owen together. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the man in question, but she honestly had not had time to consider any such possibilities. Her parents were still too precariously placed to leave them to their own resources.
“Let me introduce everyone, in case you don’t remember from church,” Sylvia Payne declared. She went around the room, letting each woman explain who they were and how they might fit in Susanna’s and her mother’s lives.
When the last woman was introduced and explained that she was married to one of the railroad’s head office workers, Susanna could see that her mother was more than a little bored. As far as she was concerned, none of these women had any place in her life. Susanna, on the other hand, was quite charmed. There were several older ladies who had even encouraged her to join their quilting club.
“I’ve never quilted,” Susanna admitted, “but I would love to learn.”
Her mother looked away from her when she made this statement. At least she had chosen to remain silent and not made known her thoughts on sewing.
A young woman joined the group late. Mrs. Payne brought her to Susanna and her mother. “This is Rosalia Branson. Everyone calls her Lia. Lia, this is Susanna Jenkins and her mother, Mrs. Ragsdale.”
“I saw you at church. I’m pleased to meet you now.” Lia smiled, and there was something about her expression that Susanna immediately liked.