The Parting Glass (6 page)

“It may have been all an act, to be sure,”
said Mrs. Clairborn, smiling, “but I have a feeling Miss Asher
enjoyed it.”

Phyllis Clairborn leaned over and whispered
to Mrs. Meade under cover of the animated conversation going on
around them. “However
did
you know?” she said. “None of us
would ever have spotted Miss Asher as a confidence trickster, not
in a million years!”

“Well, you and your mother helped, as a
matter of fact,” said Mrs. Meade, unable to entirely conceal a
little half-embarrassed smile at the flattery. “Your mother
remarked upon the fact that there was something a little unnatural
in the way Miss Asher conducted the whole affair. Sheriff Royal
commented on it, too, without realizing its significance. Rather
than trying to hush up a scandal, she practically made a show out
of her indignation, and made sure everyone knew about it. People
do
enjoy talking about scandal, I’m afraid, but only when it
doesn’t concern them or someone they love—
or have responsibility
for
. In a genuine situation Miss Asher ought to have said very
little, and only obtained Miss Powers’ sympathy with a few
plaintive sighs and looks.” Phyllis choked back a giggle, the
description of the two ladies’ interaction was so perfectly
accurate. “But instead she and Mr. Hollister both played their
parts so as to attract plenty of attention—why, he nearly turned
the hotel upside-down with his performance! There was even the
detail of the room number being omitted from Dorene’s note to
Clyde—so he had to inquire at the desk and draw attention to his
presence there. I think,” said Mrs. Meade meditatively, “it was
that feeling of unreality which first gave me the notion that there
was something wrong somewhere. It was in the back of my mind all
the time. Later when I was thinking very hard trying to make sense
of the taps on the wall, all the pieces fell into place.”

“And how did
I
help?” queried
Phyllis.

“Well, you called my attention to another
small but curious thing—that Dorene had seemed unhappy in love,
even though there was every indication that the feeling between her
and Clyde was mutual. She knew and dreaded, you see, what was going
to happen to him.”

“If it had only been a play, some of it would
have been awfully funny,” said Phyllis. “The way Miss Asher and Mr.
Hollister went on, him swaggering around being as loud and
uncivilized as he could, and Miss Asher putting her nose in the air
when she went past and pretending to detest him! But I don’t
suppose Dorene thought it was very funny,” she added, with the
quick change to perceptiveness that was so characteristic of
her.

“No,” agreed Mrs. Meade, “there are many
things that look quite different depending on which side of them
you look from. The important thing, I think, is being able to look
back
on things in such a way that they don’t hurt you too
badly.”

“Do you think Dorene will be able to?” said
Phyllis, with an intent, quizzical glance.

“Yes,” said Mrs. Meade, “I think she
will.”

###

The Silver Shawl: A Mrs. Meade Mystery

In a small town in turn-of-the-century Colorado, a
young woman has disappeared from the boarding-house where she
lives. Her distraught fiancé is certain that she must have been
kidnapped. But the case takes a new turn when a city detective
appears on the scene, looking for a woman who matches the
description of the missing girl. Was Charity really kidnapped, or
did she have a reason to flee? Mrs. Meade, a gentle but shrewd
widow lady who lives across the hall in the boarding-house, feels
that there is something wrong with the story of Charity’s
disappearance…but can she unravel the mystery before it is too
late? The first entry in the Mrs. Meade Mysteries series,
approximately 15,700 words long.

Find it at Smashwords:
www.smashwords.com/books/view/241238

More books by this author:

The Ranch Next Door and Other Stories

"Descriptions of both people and settings are
superbly done and dialogue is believable. I can honestly say there
isn’t a weak story to be found here...I believe that all western
fans will find something to enjoy in this collection." -
Western
Fiction Review

“Wonderfully told short stories that will hold your
attention until the last word…Foley injects a breath of fresh air
into the Western genre.” - Matthew Pizzolato,
The Western
Online

Find it at Smashwords:
www.smashwords.com/books/view/93379

War Memorial: A Short Story

“This was an excellent read, heartfelt, emotional,
and real…If you like historical fiction, pick up
War
Memorial.
It is beautifully written and worth your time.” -
Short Fiction Spotlight

Find it at Smashwords:
www.smashwords.com/books/view/220961

Elisabeth Grace Foley grew up an avid reader and has
always been fascinated with history, so when she turned to writing,
historical fiction was naturally her first choice. Her first
published story, “Disturbing the Peace,” was an honorable mention
in the first annual
Rope and Wire
Western short story
competition, and is now collected with six others that are
appearing for the first time in her debut short story collection,
The Ranch Next Door and Other Stories
. A homeschool
graduate, she chose not to attend college in order to pursue
self-education and her writing career. She also enjoys music,
crocheting and spending time outdoors. She lives at home with her
family and a large stack of writer’s notebooks.

Elisabeth’s Blog:
www.thesecondsentence.blogspot.com

Twitter:
www.twitter.com/ElisabethGFoley