Wild Swans Read Free

inherited the plantation, wasn’t one of those stately high columned mansions found in New Orleans or Baton Rouge. It was a practical house, made of shiplap and stone. It sat on land that once knew cotton and rice. The plantation had its own cotton gin, store and later on, gas station. Nearly all of that was gone now, devastated first by the Northern Incursion, and later by the Great Depression. All that remained of the plantation was the house and store, which Ruby and Cally tended.
    The house was built low to the ground, much like its former inhabitants, who were of French and English descent. It once had a small flight of steps, but later a wraparound veranda was installed. It was wide and spacious, filled with chairs and tables where the current inhabitants spent much of their time gossiping about neighbors and the half humorous quandary that was Louisiana politics.
    Someone once stated that Louisiana was half underwater and half under indictment. And in the summer of 1958 the only thing buzzing was the mosquitoes and Governor Long’s rumored dalliance with Blaze Starr, which was whispered about all the way down into the backwaters and bayous.
    Althea pointed out at breakfast the next day that wealth and power were no indicators of morality and uprightness. Ruby, however, ignored her, telling her to mind her manners and pass the grits.
    The house itself was constructed of heavy timbers and wrapped in shiplap. A single flying gable protruded from what had once been an attic. The balcony jutted like a bulldog with an extended under bite just beyond the gable.
    The house had been divided into four apartments; two upstairs and two on the first floor. Mrs. Ramsay, an elderly school teacher originally from Alexandria, had moved into the lower right hand apartment three years ago. Cally lived in the apartment above her. Ruby and Althea lived in the upper left. The apartment across from Mrs. Ramsay was currently unoccupied.
    Ruby was forewarned about a new tenant arriving this morning. A man . Mrs. Bristow assured her that this gentleman was quite elderly and wouldn’t be a bother. Ruby was impressed only of the prospect of getting another commission, but was not thrilled with the idea of having a rooster in the henhouse.
    If Cally moved in with me after Althea moves to Vivian, then her apartment would be vacant and we could rent it out to someone else for the full going price instead of the pittance that Cally pay s, Ruby reasoned. Mrs. Bristow will have another occupant and I would have another month’s commission as matron. She smiled thinly over the rim of her cup. Yes, she thought. That’d do fine .
    “How about moving in with me?” Ruby asked as Cally joined her in the kitchen. “You know Althea’s bedroom will be empty in a few weeks and there’s really no need for us to have two apartments.”
    “You’re not thinking about me,” Cally teased as she poured herself a cup of coffee. You’re thinking about making another commission.”
    “The extra money wouldn’t hurt, especially now that I have to finish paying off Althea’s wedding.”
    “You’re going through a great deal of fuss for nothing,” Cally said. “Althea doesn’t even know that boy from Vivian. And Jake is a good kid. You once said so yourself.”
    “That’s before his balls dropped and he started taking too much interest in my Althea.”
    “You’re wrong to do this to her, Sister.”
    Ruby shot her a vicious glance. “It was your idea.”
    “I said it in jest. I had no idea you’d take me seriously.” She paused, “Besides, I thought you were hell bent on sending her to that convent in Slidell. What made you change your mind?”
    Ruby did not reply. Instead, she grabbed a washrag and scrubbed furiously at a stain on the countertop. Fussing cleaning Cally called it. Ruby hated it when Cally was right.
    “How did you meet this family?” Cally asked, changing the subject. “It’s not like we run in the same social