Wanderlust Read Free Page A

women of her times, as she knew only too well. She would rather have died than settle down and marry Harcourt.
    What makes you think he'll be such a good husband? She smiled mischievously at her grandfather. Just because he's a Republican like you? Audrey teased him and he took the bait.
    Edward Driscoll's eyes darkened and he was about to answer her as they heard a sigh just behind them. It was Annabelle in a cloud of blue silk and cream-colored lace, her hair cascading over her shoulders as she looked at Audrey in despair. She stood almost a foot shorter than her older sister, and she seemed extremely nervous, as her hands fluttered like tiny birds. To Audrey she always seemed so graceful. She was so unlike Audrey in so many ways, and she relied completely on her calm, capable older sister.
    Are you two already talking politics at this hour of the morning? She cast a hand over her eyes as though she were in pain and Audrey laughed. They talked politics much of the time, mostly because they enjoyed it. They even enjoyed their fights, which invigorated them both, and horrified Annabelle, who found the subject of politics boring, and their arguments completely unnerving.
    Franklin D. Roosevelt won the nomination at the Democratic Convention in Chicago last night. You might like to know that. Audrey always thought it important to keep her informed, although she never cared and Annabelle looked up at her blankly.
    Why?
    Because he beat Al Smith and John Garner. Audrey spoke matter-of-factly and Annabelle shook her head, looking petulant and annoyed, but very pretty.
    No ' I mean why would I like to know that?
    Because it's important! Audrey's eyes blazed at her as they did at no one else. She wouldn't tolerate that nonsense from her, although she herself had known for years that it was hopeless. Annabelle didn't give a damn about anything except her face and her wardrobe. He may be the next president of our country, Annie. You have to pay attention to things like that. She tried to be gentle with her, but there was an edge to her voice. She had always wanted her to be more interested in the world, and yet she wasn't. It was amazing to realize how different they were. Sometimes it was hard to believe they came from the same parents. Even their grandfather had said as much.
    Harcourt says that an interest in politics is vulgar in a woman. She shook her golden curls and looked defiantly at them both as Edward Driscoll stared at her in fascination. She was an amazing little creature, and pretty certainly. And she was actually a great deal like her mother ' but Audrey ' Audrey was so like the son he had loved ' if only he hadn't ' but there was no point thinking that now ' damn crazy places ' he had been everywhere from Samoa to Manchuria over the years, and what good had it done him? Besides, Annabelle went on, I think it's disagreeable of you to be talking politics at breakfast. And bad for your digestion.
    Edward Driscoll looked truly stunned and Audrey had to turn away to conceal her smile. And when she turned back again their eyes met over Annie's head. There was a hidden caress there for her, not that he would ever have known the words to put to it. I'll see you both at dinner tonight. And Harcourt. He made good his escape into his library as Audrey watched his retreating back. He was a little more bent than he had been the year before, but barely. He was a proud, strong man, and Audrey felt she owed him a great deal. The rest of her life perhaps ' or at least herself for the rest of his. He needed her to run his house. And as she thought of it, she looked down at her younger sister. She had a great deal to learn about running a home, and she had staunchly refused to learn any of it from her older sister, insisting that Harcourt said all she had to do was look pretty and have a good time and he'd take care of the rest for her. Harcourt thought it was vulgar for a woman to take too much responsibility, Annie said whenever she