She recovered her strength quickly, which made her restless and eager to be up long before the ten days of bed rest women of her class considered obligatory. She gave Rachel only perfunctory attention. Fedora continued to feed the child; Juanita did everything else required for her care and well-being. Lauretta used words such as “pretty” and “sweet” and “dear,” but the baby did not recognize her mother and was indeed fretful when Lauretta now and then grabbed her up to show her off to company. The child’s response to such whimsical attention was not flattering. Soon, when company arrived, Lauretta would retire to her room. Although certainly willing to take center stage, she had seen quickly enough that people came not because of her but in deference to Sarah and to the Kendrick position.

A room smaller then Lauretta’s bedroom and next to it was cleared of Laura-Lou’s sewing equipment and made into a nursery, with the baby’s cradle, various tables and chests, and a bed for Juanita. Except with those early visitors, Lauretta did not dissemble her feelings about the child. She ignored her, and when reminded of her existence gave her as little time as she could manage without exciting comment. Sarah put it down to the baby’s reminding Lauretta of Douglas Savage and the pain of his desertion. She excused her sister and lavished attention on the child, who very soon began to recognize her and respond to her presence and voice and caresses as an infant usually does only to its mother, whoever’s hands may perform necessary functions when the mother is absent.

Lauretta was regular in her attendance at meals in the dining room, as a result of which meals were more regularly taken there than they had been since Sarah became mistress of Beulah Land. It was not for Lauretta to share the quick meal at a kitchen table with servants. And, Penelope’s arrival put the cap on the old formalities of bell ringing and sitting down and being served and eating with social conversation. Penelope especially enjoyed the ritual of breakfast. She liked her meat and eggs, her grits and gravy and hot biscuits, with coffee and sweets to prolong the meal as a comfortable and agreeable family occasion. The fresh air of a new day, the morning energy and bustle, fresh gossip that had somehow been spawned overnight, gave Penelope a reassurance of life itself that became more important to her every day of her life. She woke with a clear head and a sharp appetite for food and for people, and she kept them the whole day long.