@@@@@"It's a hardship to be such a lady during
@@@@@"It's a hardship to be such a lady during Lent, I'm
sure
"Bite your tongue, woman," said Jamie, "that's your own daughter
you're maligning And who has a better right than her own mother?"
Old James spoke up then
"Maureen has a pointI well remember my own mother's sharp
tongue
He rambled fondly through a series of memories of hisyouth
Scarlett listened intently for mention of her father"Now, Gerald,"
said Old James, and she leaned toward him, "Gerald was always the
apple
of her eye, being the baby and allHe always got off with no more
than a small scoldingIt was just like Pa to be
his mother's favoriteWho could resist the soft heart he tried to hide
under all hisblustering? Oh, how she wished he could be here now
with
all his family"Are we going to Matthew's after supper?" Old James
asked"Or is everyone coming here?"
"We're going to Matt's," Jamie repliedMatt was the one who'd started
the dancing at Patricia's birthday, Scarlett rememberedHer feet
began to tapMaureen smiled at her"I believe there's a readiness
for a reel," she saidShe picked up the spoon by her plate, reached
across Daniel and took his; then, placing their bowls back to back, she
held the tips of the handles loosely together and tapped the spoons
against her palm, against her wrist, her forearm, Daniel's forehead
The rhythm of the beating was like playing the bones, but lighter, and
the sheer silliness of making music with a pair of mismatched
tablespoons was cause for delighted, spontaneous laughter from
Scarlett
Without thinking about it, she began to pound on the table with her
open hands, matching the beat of the spoons"It's time we were
going," Jamie laughed
"We'll bring the chairs," said Mary Kate"Matt and Katie only have
two," Daniel explained to Scarlett"They're the newest O'Haras to
come to Savannah It didn't matter at all that Matt and Katie
O'Hara's double parlors held almost no furni