With that, he turned on his heel and left the house, letting the front door bang shut behind him. I sat down on the nearest chair. All the air had gone out of me, like a pierced balloon. I realized I couldn’t keep pushing Aidan on the matter or he would ask me to leave once and for all. I sighed. I should be grateful for this chance I’d been given in Dallas. From now on, I’d be satisfied with educating Lily as best I could and being satisfied with the scraps of time Aidan would see fit to give me.

He’d been growing more and more distant ever since we arrived in Dallas. The morning on the train had raised my hopes that romance could flourish. The truth was that the minute he’d set foot at the house in Dallas and seen Mary’s flowers, Aidan had begun to pull away from me. Her ghost would never leave him alone.

There was a sudden rustle at the door and Mayflower strode in without knocking. She took one look at me and stopped.

“What’s wrong, darlin’?”

“I’m all right, Mayflower. Just a bit disappointed.”

She waited for me to continue.

“It’s just that Aidan won’t let Lily and me come to Shotgun City. I’ve tried telling him it would be good for Lily to see where he spends his days, and that I’d like to learn something about the oil business. But he keeps saying no. He says it’s not safe.”

“He’s right, darlin’. The only women there are hussies. They sure ain’t no ladies, and the men don’t treat them as such.”

I looked at her. “But I really want to see it, Mayflower. I expected Texas to be exciting, and Dallas—well, Dallas . . .”

“You think Dallas is the dullest place in the world.” She laughed. “You’ve no idea how many girls your age growin’ up on ranches and farms ’round here would give their eyeteeth to come to the big city. And here’s you dying to go out to an ole oil patch. Seems to me your thinking is all upside down.”

“I know. I must seem very ungrateful.”

Mayflower gave me a shrewd look. “If I didn’t know better, Delia, I’d say you’re pining more for a certain man’s company than for adventure.”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Don’t you be expectin’ that Aidan knows your feelings. He’s oblivious to these things, like all men. But I can see it in the way you look at him.”

“Wouldn’t matter if he did realize it. He’s still in love with his wife.”