The Wapshot Chronicle - John Cheever [104]
Later in the morning Moses found Justina in the winter garden—a kind of dome-shaped greenhouse attached to one of the extremities of the castle. Many of the window lights were broken and Giacomo had repaired these by stuffing bed pillows into the frames. There seemed to have been flower beds around the walls in the past and in the center of the room were a fountain and a pool. When Moses entered the room and asked to speak with her, Justina sat down in an iron chair.
“I want to marry Melissa.”
Justina touched that façade of black hair that was like the Cartwright Block and sighed.
“Then why don’t you? Melissa is twenty-eight years old. She can do what she wants.”
“We would like your approval.”
“Melissa has no money and no expectations,” the old woman said. “She owns nothing of value but her beads. The resale value of pearls is very disappointing and they’re almost impossible to insure.”
“That wouldn’t matter.”
“You know very little about her.”
“I only know that I want to marry her.”
“I think there are some things about her past that you should know. Her parents were killed when she was seven. Mr. Scaddon and I were delighted to adopt her—she has such a sweet nature—but we’ve had our troubles. She married Ray Badger. You knew that?”
“She told me.”
“He became an alcoholic through no fault, I think, of Melissa’s. He had some very base ideas about marriage. I hope you don’t entertain any such opinions.”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Mr. Scaddon and I slept in separate rooms whenever this was possible. We always slept in separate beds.”
“I see.”
“Even in Italy and France.”
“It will be some time before we can hope to travel,” Moses said, hoping to change the subject.
“I don’t think Melissa will ever be able to travel,” Justina said. “She’s not left Clear Haven since her divorce.”
“Melissa’s told me this herself.”
“It seemed a confining life for a young woman,” Justina said. “Last year I bought her a ticket to go around the world. She was agreeable, but when all her luggage had been brought aboard and we were drinking some wine in her cabin she decided that she couldn’t go. Her distress was extreme. I brought her back to Clear Haven that afternoon.” She smiled at Moses. “Her hats went around the world.”
“I see,” Moses said. “Melissa’s told me this and I would like to live here until our marriage.”
“That can be arranged. Is your father still alive?”
“Yes.”
“He must be very old. My memories of St. Botolphs are not pleasant. I left there when I was seventeen. When I married Mr. Scaddon I must have received a hundred letters from people in the village, asking for financial help. This did nothing to improve my recollections. I did try to be helpful. For several years I took some child—an artist or a pianist—and gave them an education, but none of them worked out.” She unclasped her hands and gestured sadly as if she had dropped the students from a great height. “I had to let them all go. You lived up the river, didn’t you? I remember the house. I suppose you have some heirlooms.”
“Yes.” Moses was unprepared for this and he answered hesitantly.
“Could you give me some idea of what they are?”
“Cradles, highboys, lowboys, things like that. Cut glass.”
“I wouldn’t be interested in cut glass,” Justina said. “However, I’ve never collected Early American furniture and I’ve always wanted to. Dishes?”
“My brother Coverly would know more about this than I,” Moses said.
“Ah yes,” Justina said. “Well, it does not matter to me whether you and Melissa marry. I think Mrs. Enderby is in her office now and you can ask her to set a date. She