Web of Dreams (Casteel 5)

Elizabeth Deveroe had thought of her one day at

Farthy and then brought her out here to meet Tony?

Was it good luck or bad luck that he took one look at

her and fell in love? Did Daddy think it had all been

bad luck? Was he thinking that now?

Where was Daddy this very moment? I

wondered. Was he halfway to Florida, perhaps

standing on the bridge of his ship, looking out at the

sea and wondering about us back here at Farthy? Was

he thinking of me?

"Good luck, Momma," I muttered quickly and

she continued on to the back of the line.

We heard "Here Comes the Bride," and the

procession began. As we descended the great

staircase, I looked down at the sea of faces, at all these

elegantly dressed men and women, who were all

gazing up at us, and I felt as if I were part of a great

show. Momma, of course, was the star. Eventually, all

eyes were on her. I was already in my place so when

she made the turn at the foot of the stairway, I could

see her face. She looked beautiful and ecstatic. She

was just where she had always wanted to be, I

thought, at the center of attention.

And all at once, I wanted to shout,

"STOP!" I

wanted to end everything, scream my discomfort and

agony. "How can you all be so gleeful and excited!

How can you all want to be part of this?" I dreamed of

shouting. I wanted to tell all these rich and refined

people the truth. "My mother never told my father the