Now it was my turn to shrug.
"What she does with her life now is no longer important to me," I said. "I've given up."
"She doesn't mean that. She's always saying awful things she doesn't mean," Belinda explained.
Nelson nodded as though he understood.
We were called to dinner and Nelson gallantly stepped up between us and took both our arms to escort us into the dining room. All the while I kept telling myself, a man like this would only be temporarily amused by someone like Belinda. Surely, he wants someone substantial, someone like me.
Daddy had the table arranged so that Nelson sat between Belinda and me. Belinda spent a good deal of the time giggling and whispering in Nelson's ear. Mothe
r tried to reprimand her with stern looks now and then, but Daddy had made the mistake of permitting her to have two glasses of wine. It made her giddy.
The conversation at the table went from politics to fashion. When Nelson spoke, everyone listened. He had a charismatic air about him, a commanding presence and an eloquence of language. I found myself agreeing with most everything he had to say and let him know it. He did seem to appreciate that and for a while, his attention was on me far more than it was on Belinda, who, as I had expected, even hoped, grew bored and restless.
However, she surprised me when the dinner ended and coffee was going to be served.
"I don't want to drink coffee. Why don't we take a walk on the beach instead," she proposed.
Nelson considered.
"Not a bad idea. It is a very warm evening," he said. He glanced at me and I saw he was going to do it.
"It would be nice," I chimed, reluctantly giving Belinda credit for a good suggestion.
We excused ourselves. Daddy looked very pleased. I could see he thought his plan was working. As we started out of the dining room, he leaned over to whisper.
"What a perfect match, huh Olivia? A perfect way to solve our little problem," he said.
I gazed at him and then, in clear, sharp tones replied, "I thought the Colonel was your good friend, Daddy. How could you do this to him?"
The smile left his face as if I had slapped him.
"She's not a bad catch, Olivia. She's the prettiest girl in Provincetown," he said.
I felt my heart close like a small fist had wrapped around it and squeezed so hard, it put a pain in my chest. Tears froze beneath my lids. I swallowed and nodded.
"Right," I said. "I forgot."
I turned and caught up with Belinda and Nelson just outside the door on their way to the path that led down to the beach.
It was a glorious night with so many stars the sky looked like it was filled with thousands and thousands of glass chips glittering down to the edge of the world. The air was warm and more humid than usual, too.
"Look at the stars!" Belinda declared. "Isn't that the Big Dipper?"
"Where?" Nelson stepped up beside her and she pointed, leaning against him. "No, that's the Little Dipper. Over there," he said, physically turning her, "is the Big Dipper."
"I didn't even know there was a Little Dipper, too. Did you, Olivia?"
"Of course," I said.
"Don't you just love the way the stars glitter on the water?" Belinda followed, not even taking note of my response. She seized Nelson's hand and tugged. "Come on, let's take off our shoes and run on the sand."
"What?"
"That's ridiculous, Belinda. He's wearing nice shoes and . . ."
"No, it's all right," Nelson said laughing. "I think I might enjoy it."