and I have to be understanding. One night he snapped at me and said, 'I'm not as lucky as your brother. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth so I would inherit oil-rich land. I've got to work for a
living.'
"I told him Paul works for a living. I don't know
anyone who works harder. He doesn't take anything
for granted, right, Ruby?"
"Paul thinks there are twenty-five hours in
every day, not twenty-four," I said, smiling.
"Yet somehow he manages to keep the romance
in your marriage, doesn't he? A person would just
have to look at you two together and he or she would
see how devoted you are to each other and how much
you care about each other's feelings. No matter how
hard Paul works, he always has time for you, doesn't
he? And you don't mind his being away so much,
right?"
I shifted my eyes away quickly so she couldn't
read the truth in them and then I folded my arms
across my chest in Grandmere Catherine's way and
filled my face with deep thought. She waited
anxiously for my reply, her hands twisting in her lap. "Yes," I finally replied, "but maybe that's
because I'm so involved in my art."
She nodded and sighed.
"That's what James said. He said I should find
something to do so I don't dote upon him so much, but
I wanted to dote on him and our marriage. That's why
I got married!" she exclaimed. "The truth is," she
continued, dabbing at her cheeks with the
handkerchief, "the passion is already gone."
"Oh, Jeanne, I'm sure that's not so."
"We haven't made love for two straight weeks,"