“Well, maybe I was the one uncomfortable, then. Having you in my room was…maybe more challenging for me than for you,” he said as they reached the steps of the house.
She stopped at the top of the stairs and turned to him. “And why would that be, Sam?” She knew she’d been feeling something from him. She wasn’t sure if he even knew what it was, but she did, and if she could get him to say it…
“There you two are.” Mrs. Allen’s bright voice interrupted their moment as she flung the door wide for them to enter.
Sam held Meg’s eyes for a moment longer, a question in them, before he turned and greeted his mother.
“Yes, we just got here. Closed up the shop.”
“Perfect timing. Don’t forget, we’re going to the show tonight. I don’t know what you usually do for supper, but I thought I could take you out to dinner beforehand. Maybe to the Occidental—”
“Oh, that’s kind of you, but we eat at the Occidental all the time.”
Meg squeezed Sam’s arm while she smiled at Mrs. Allen, imagining the disaster that would certainly occur if Sam went into the Occidental on a night he normally would be working. All his customers would be there, and would wonder why he was sitting at a table instead of serving behind the bar.
“Oh, right, right.” Sam cleared his throat and glanced at Meg. “We can go there before you leave, but how about the Crystal Palace? They’re famous for their steaks.”
“Lovely. I have no preference. I will take you anywhere you’d like to go.”
“Thank you, that would be nice. Can I just have a moment to change and freshen up?” Meg glanced in the mirror that hung on the wall next to the door, shaking her head at the mess that her hair had become.
“Of course, dear. After a bit, I’d be happy to come up and help you with your hair. It’s so lovely, and I’d like to show you a current New York style, if you’d like.”
Meg’s hand rushed to her hair. “I know it’s awful,” she said, glancing again in the mirror.
“Not at all, my dear. I just thought you might like to see something new. If you don’t like it, we can take it out.”
Meg thought of all the times her mother had done her hair for her and regretted not paying more attention. “My mother used to do that for me. That would be lovely.”
“Good, it’s settled, then. I’ll be up in a few minutes, and Sam can use the time to get cleaned up as well.”
Meg climbed the staircase and had her hand on the doorknob of her room before she realized that Mrs. Allen would be expecting her in Sam’s room. She couldn’t even imagine what Sam would think when he realized that they were doing her hair in there.
She giggled as she grabbed a dress, her brush and her combs and ran next door, changing as quickly as possible into the green satin dress with peach gores that she’d grabbed in a hurry. It would have to do.
Just as she sat down at the vanity and began to take the pins out of her hair, Mrs. Allen knocked twice and said, “Meg? You ready?”
“Yes, Mrs. Allen, come in.” Her quick breathing was just coming back to normal and she hoped that Mrs. Allen wouldn’t notice.
“What a lovely dress, my dear,” she said as she set some ribbons down on the vanity.
“Thank you. It was one of my mother’s.”
“She had fabulous taste, then.” She eyed Meg for a minute, then said, “And I think I have the perfect thing to go with it. I’ll be but a moment. Oh, and Sam’s on his way up.”
Meg couldn’t wait to see the expression on Sam’s face when he entered his room and saw her there—and she wasn’t disappointed. His face turned scarlet as he opened the door and looked up at her, her “stepping out” dress hanging over the sides of the vanity stool and her hair brushed out, hanging down to the middle of her back. She thought his eyes might pop out of his head, and she was pleased that she could produce such a reaction.
“What…what…”
“Close the door, Sam.”
“No, I…”
She stood and walked past him, closing the door before she turned and stood in front of him, her eyes twinkling.
“I remembered in the nick of time that I wasn’t supposed to be in my room, so I raced over here to get ready. She would have wondered why I wasn’t getting dressed in here.”
“Oh…” he said as he ran his fingers through his hair.
“Yes, it takes quite a bit of energy to stay on top of things.”
Sam looked around his room and then down at Meg. “I’m beginning to feel very fortunate that every other mail order bride said no.”