To Sail Beyond The Sunset

The next day I called Jim Rumsey and asked him to take a smear and a blood test each time I sent Priscilla in, as I did not trust her judgement and knew she might be exposed.

He snorted. ‘Do you think I'm not on the ball? I check everybody. Even you, you old bag.'

‘Thanks, dear!' I threw him a kiss through the screen.

It was shortly after that cheerful occasion that George Strong called me.

‘Dear lady, I'm just back in town. I have good news.' He smiled shyly. ‘Delos agrees that you must be on the board. We can't put it to the stockholders until the annual meeting but an interim appointment can be made by the director if a vacancy occurs between stockholders' meetings. It so happens that one of my assistants is about to resign. As a director, not as my assistant. Could you attend a directors' meeting in Denver on Monday the sixth of October?'

‘Yes, indeed. I am enormously pleased, George.'

‘May I pick you up at ten? A company rocketplane will take us to Denver, arriving there at ten, mountain time. The directors' meeting is at ten thirty in the Harriman Building, followed by luncheon at the top of the same building - a private dining-room with a spectacular view.'

‘Delightful! George, are we returning later that day?'

‘We can if you wish, Maureen. But there are some beautiful drives around that area, and I have a car and a driver available. Does that appeal to you?'

‘It does indeed! George, be sure to fetch envelope number three.'

‘I will be sure to do so. Until Monday, then, dear lady.'

I moved around in a happy fog, wishing that I could tell my father about it - how little Maureen Johnson of Muddy Roads, Mizzourah, was about to be named a director of the Harriman empire, through an unlikely concatenation: first, an adulterous love affair with a stranger from the stars; second, because her husband left her for another woman; and third, an autumn affair between an immoral grass widow and a lonely bachelor.

If Brian had kept me, I could never have become a director in my own person. While Brian had not begrudged me any luxury once we were prosperous, aside from my household budget I had actually controlled only ‘egg money' - even that numbered Zurich bank account had only been nominally mine. Brian was a kind and generous husband... but he was not even remotely a proponent of equal rights for women.

Which was one reason I refused George Strong's repeated proposals of marriage. Although George was twenty years younger than I (a fact I never let him suspect), his values were rooted in the nineteenth century. As his mistress I could be his equal; were I to marry him, I would at once became his subordinate - a pampered subordinate, most likely... but subordinate.

Besides, it would be a dirty trick to play on a confirmed old bachelor. His proposals of marriages were gallant compliments, not serious offers of civil contract.

Besides, I had become a confirmed old bachelor myself - even though I found myself unexpectedly rearing one more child and a problem child at that.

My problem child - What to do about Priscilla while I was in Colorado overnight? Or possibly over two nights - if George suggested staying another day, at Estes Park, or Cripple Creek, would I say no?

Were I living alone with only Princess Polly to worry about, I could stuff her into a kennel and ignore her protests. Would that I could do so with a strapping big girl who outweighed me!... but who lacked sense enough to boil water.

What to do? What to do?

‘Priscilla, I am going to be away from home overnight, possibly two nights. What would you prefer to do while I am gone?'

She looked blank. ‘Why are you going away?'

‘Let's stick to the point. There are several possibilities. You can stay overnight or over two nights with a chum from school, if you like. Or you could stay with Aunt Velma -‘

‘She's not my aunt!'

‘True and you need not call her that. It is simply customary among Howards to use such terms among ourselves to remind us of our common membership in the Howard families. Suit yourself. Now please let's get back to the main question: what do you prefer to do while I'm away?'

‘Why do I have to do anything? I can stay right here. I know you think I can't cook... but I can rustle my grub for a couple of days without starving.'

‘I'm sure you can. Staying here was the next possibility that I was about to mention. I can find someone to come stay with you so that you won't have to be alone. Your sister Margaret, for example.'

‘Peggy's a pill!'

‘Priscilla, there is no excuse for your calling Margaret by a derogatory slang name. Is there someone you would like to have here to keep you company?'

‘I don't need any company. I don't need any help. Feed the cat and bring in the Star - what's hard about that?'

‘Have you stayed alone in a house before?'

‘Oh, sure, dozens of times!'

‘Really? What were the occasions?'

‘Oh, all sorts. Papa and Aunt Marian would take the whole family somewhere, and I would decide not to go. Family outings are a bore.'

‘Overnight trips?'

‘Sure. Or more. Nobody in the house but me and Granny Bearpaw.'

‘Oh. Mrs Bearpaw is live-in help?'

‘I just got through saying so.'

‘That isn't quite what you said and your manner is not as polite as it could be. Staying with Mrs Bearpaw in the house is not the same as staying alone... and I have gathered an impression that Granny with a frying-pan could intimidate an intruder.'

‘She wouldn't use a frying pan; she's got a shot-gun:

‘I see. But I can't get her to stay with you... and apparently you have never stayed alone before. Priscilla, I can arrange for a couple to stay here - strangers to you but reliable.'

‘Mother, why can't I simply stay here by myself? You act like I'm a child!'

‘Very well, dear, if that is what you prefer.' (But I'm not going to leave it entirely up to your good judgement. I'm going to hire the Argus Patrol to do more than cruise slowly past three times a night - I'll place the next thing to a stakeout on this house. I shan't leave you vulnerable to some night prowler just because you think you are grown up.)

‘That's what I prefer!'

‘Very well. Everyone has to learn adult responsibility at some time; I simply was reluctant to thrust it on you if you did not want it. I'll be leaving at ten o'clock Monday morning, the sixth, for Colorado -‘

‘Colorado! Why didn't you say so? Take me along!'

‘No, this is a business trip:

‘I won't be any trouble. Can I take the train up to the top of Pikes Peak?'

‘You aren't going; you're going to stay here and go to school.'

‘I think that's mean.'

I was gone two days and I had a wonderful time. Being a director was a bit dazzling the first time, but when it came time to vote, I simply voted the way George did, for the nonce - later I would have opinions.

At lunch Mr Harriman had me placed at his right. I didn't touch the wine and I noticed that he didn't, either. He had been all business at the meeting but was most charming at lunch - no business talk.

‘Mrs Johnson, Mr Strong tells me that you and I share an enthusiasm - space travel.'

‘Oh, yes!' We talked about nothing else then and were last to leave the table; the waiters were clearing it around us.

George and I spent the night at a guesthouse half way between Denver and Colorado Springs, on the inner road, not the highway. We discussed envelope number three in bed:

‘The Douglas-Martin Sunpower Screens will cause the greatest change in the American countryside since the first transcontinental railroad. Moving roadways will be built all over the country, powered by D-M screens. These will follow in general the network of Federal highways now in existence - Highway One down the East Coast, Route Sixty-Six from Chicago to LA, and so forth.