Anything Goes

to feeling so bad in that house that I’d go live with Billy for a while, but that was worse.“
    “You’re married to Billy?“
    “Official-like, but not really. Not in my heart, miss.“
    “Why haven’t you divorced him?“
    “Mainly ‘cause he won’t go along with it. It’s hard enough when both want a divorce, but when only the wife does, she’s got to have a lawyer and all. That’s expensive, you know. Besides, there’s nobody else I want to marry, so it don’t really matter.”
    Mimi paused, and then went on in a rush, “I’m awful grateful to you and Mr. Brewster for taking me in here. I like this big old house. Know every nook and cranny of it. Makes me remember Ma and Miss Flora. And long as you stay and I do my work good, I won’t ever have to live with Billy or my aunts again. They liked Billy and was always inviting him over to dinner, hoping, I guess, that I’d go away with him for good.“
    “Why did you marry him?“ Lily asked. It was an automatic question. In her own mind she was dealing with the fact of Mimi’s gratitude and Lily’s responsibility for her, which she hadn’t realized until now.
    “I dunno. He was real good-looking when we were young. So was I, I figure. Miss Flora had died and Mr. Prinney said Mr. Horatio was coming back here with his own people to take care of the house and all. I didn’t know how to do anything except take care of old ladies and most of the old ladies in town who needed help weren’t near as nice as Miss Flora. Couple of them were really mean old things. So, it was stay with my aunts or marry Billy.”
    Lily was appalled. “But did you love him? Ever?“
    “I guess I thought I did at first. I wanted to be in love. All girls do, I guess. He was handsome and had a lot of get-up-and-go then. Always working real hard. I didn’t know at first that he was working hard at bad things till he started getting arrested fairly regular. He’d always beat me up when he got out of jail, like it was my fault he went to jail. So I moved in with my aunts. Then he’d be real sorry and come fetch me back and be real good to me for a while and before long it would happen all over again.“
    “Mimi, I’m so sorry to hear all this. What a hard life you’ve had.”
    Mimi smiled and took hold of the carpet sweeper handle. “Ain’t your fault, miss. And everything’s copacetic now.“
    “One more thing, Mimi... About the boat accident—”
    Mimi seemed to cave in on herself. “No, miss. I don’t like to think about it much. It was so awful. I’ve never been so scared in my life.“
    “All right, but I hope you’ll change your mind someday. You see, it was my great-uncle who died in the accident and I’d like to know more about it. That boat accident is why I’m here and why you’re here, too. It seems important to me to know how it happened.“
    “All right, Miss Lily. I’ll try to remember and tell you later.“ She stood up abruptly and said rather shrilly, “These floors are a mess, what with all the workmen coming and going and dragging leaves and twigs in. I don’t like to see the house dirty. Ma and Miss Flora would be rolling in their graves.”
    That was all she was going to get out of Mimi for now. Lily stood and said, “Thanks, Mimi, for telling me about yourself.“
    “Weren’t very interesting, miss.”
    Lily laid a hand on Mimi’s arm. “Everybody’s interesting, Mimi. You included.“
    “Yes, Miss Lily,“ Mimi said. “If you say so.”
     
    Robert was determined to take Lily to town to speak to Mr. Prinney.
    “Why don’t we make a courtesy call on the Wins-lows first?“ Lily suggested. “Just to see if the automobile really does work. I’d rather get stranded next door than in town. And I haven’t seen Sissy in ages.“
    “And you’re hoping she’s improved?“ Robert asked.
    “Improved? I don’t see how she could. She was beautiful when we were in school together.”
    “That’s true, but she was a dumb cluck.”
    “You prefer brains to beauty, Robert?“
    “I demand both.”
    I seem to remember that she had quite the crush on you.“
    “And I gave her the icy mitt,“ Robert said. “I hope she remembers that and doesn’t make a beeline for me again. Get your baggage.“
    “I just hope Major Winslow isn’t around,“ Lily said. “You’re not going to like him. At least, Dad didn’t.“
    “Why not?“ Robert asked.
    “Because he was both the richest and stingiest man Dad said he’d ever known.