The Virtuous Woman

by Gilbert, Morris

  “Grace and I’ll go find a place to stay,” Francis said. “I’ll pick you up later this afternoon.”

  As the two got into the truck and drove off, Babe walked Kevin out to a Stinson sitting on the tarmac. Babe asked him about the kinds of engines he had worked on, and he gave her the rundown.

  Something about his attitude attracted Babe. He spoke well, and although the left side of his face was a mess, he was handsome enough on the right. “What happened to your face?” she asked.

  “Can of gasoline blew up when I was fourteen.”

  “Can it be fixed?”

  “A few doctors have tried.”

  “Does it bother you?”

  “Yes. Now I want you to teach me everything you know about this aircraft.”

  Babe laughed. “All right. Let’s get started.”

  ****

  “I can let you have it cheap.”

  “I just love it,” Grace said sarcastically. “It’s a palatial mansion.”

  The man who was showing the small rental house to Grace and Francis gave her a quizzical look. “If you want a palatial mansion, you’ve come to the wrong end of town.”

  “It’s okay,” Francis intervened. “How much?”

  “Twenty-three bucks a month. Take it or leave it.”

  “We’ll take it,” he said.

  “Gotta have a month in advance.”

  “Sure.” Key pulled out his slender roll of bills and handed over the cash.

  The owner took it and said, “Don’t burn it down. It ain’t much, but it brings in a little, and I need it these days.”

  “Thanks, Mr. Doucett,” Francis said as the owner pocketed the money and left. He turned to Grace. “I guess I know what we’ll be doing for the next day or so. Cleaning up this place.”

  “It’s filthy.” Grace sniffed. “Pigs must have lived in it.”

  “A little soap and water will make a difference.”

  “Well, you can start cleanin’, but I’m gonna find a job.”

  “You mean today?”

  “I mean right now.”

  “I need to go buy some cleaning supplies and some groceries. A few pots and pans.”

  “We’ll go together, then. I’ll find me a job while you go shopping.”

  As they got back in the truck, Francis said, “What if Kevin can’t fly, like Babe said might happen?”

  “He can do it.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I just know.”

  Francis laughed and got in behind the wheel. “I hope you’re right,” he said. “What did you and Babe talk about when you took her outside?” he asked as he pulled away from the house.

  “She wanted to know if I was your woman.”

  “What’d she say when you told her you weren’t.”

  “I didn’t tell her I wasn’t.”

  Key swiveled his head around. “You didn’t?”

  “No, she thinks we’re an item.”

  “You shouldn’t have told her that!”

  Grace laughed. “I didn’t tell her that, you ninny, but it ain’t none of her business. What I actually said was, if she kicked you out, what does she care? She drew her own conclusions.”

  Key bent over the wheel and shook his head. “Woman, you have a way of creating trouble everywhere you go.”

  “Francis, you love it—I can tell. Now let’s find the sorry part of town with lots of bars.”

  “You’re not going to work at a bar!”

  “You bet your boots I am! Jobs are hard to find, but bars always want a good-lookin’ barmaid.”

  “It’s not right, Grace.”

  “Stop bein’ such a preachy old man. You take care of cleanin’ the house, and I’ll take care of the job. Do you intend to keep that loudmouthed parrot in your room?”

  “Of course. She gets lonesome when I’m not around.”

  “Well, staple her beak when I’m asleep, wouldja?”

  ****

  Francis was amazed at how quickly Grace found a job. The place was a combination restaurant and saloon, and it was clear that the liquor flowed freely in the run-down joint. It was called the Green Lantern, although there were no green lanterns in sight. When Kevin saw it the next day, he disliked it as much as Francis did, but there was nothing the two men could do. They needed money fast.

  “Grace has got this all figured out, Kev,” Francis said with resignation. “First, you and I will clean the house up. After that, I’ll do the cooking, and you do the flying.”

  Francis and Kevin worked hard for two days to get the house more livable while Grace went to work. They were grateful the tiny two-bedroom house wasn’t any bigger. The bathroom took all the effort the men could muster to get it presentable. They couldn’t use the filthy mattresses that were in the house, so they bought cots for the men and a mattress for Grace’s room. The rest of the furniture was worn but useable, and the stove seemed to work fine.

  After the house was cleaned up, Kevin went off early each morning and stayed until late afternoon at the air school. Francis did some work around the house but spent most of his time writing. Since Grace worked until late, she also slept late, usually getting up shortly after noon.

  “You know,” Kevin said to Grace one night when he had waited for her to come in, “this may sound crazy, but this is the best time I’ve ever had in my life. At least since I was fourteen.”

  “You’re easy to please, Kev.” Grace was tired. She had spent the evening fighting off amorous Cajuns and truck drivers, and she was ready for bed. She patted Kevin’s cheek and said, “You’re gonna learn to fly if it kills us all. Good night, brother.”

  “Good night, sis.”

  ****

  Kevin’s flight training included a great deal of book study as well as the actual time in the air. One day he was cleaning one of the old biplanes they had used as a crop duster. He longed to try it, but Babe told him, “That’s the most dangerous kind of flying there is, Kev. You’re a long way from that.”

  He worked carefully as if it were a new plane and stopped when he heard an unfamiliar female voice. “Hi there. You’re new, aren’t you?”

  Kevin started to stand up and bumped his head on the underside of the wing. It smarted, but he turned around to see a young woman there. She was smiling at him, and he waited to see the disgust on her face when she saw his face. But he saw nothing, and he thought, She covers her feelings pretty well. He had given up trying to hide his scars, for there was no point in it. People would see them anyway.

  “Are you a student?” he asked.

  “Me? No, I’m studying to be a nurse. I’m Babe’s sister. My name is Lucy. You must be Kevin Winslow.”

  “That’s me.”

  “Babe told me all about you.” She was not as tall as her sister and was somewhere around twenty, Kevin guessed. She had an abundance of rich brown hair and warm brown eyes, a beautiful complexion, and a trim figure. The woman came closer and smiled up at him. “My, you are a tall fellow. How tall are you?”

  “Five feet fourteen inches.”

  For a moment Lucy looked blank, and then she laughed. “Six-two, I take it.”

  “That’s about right. You say you’re a nurse?”

  “I’m studying to be.”

  “Why do you want to do that?”

  “Why do you want to be a pilot?”

  Kevin grinned. “Fair enough,” he said. “Have you ever flown?”

  “Not me. I let Babe take care of that. Where are you staying?”

  “We rented a house—about five miles from here.”

  Lucy smiled and nodded. “It’s good to have you here, Kevin.”

  “I’m afraid I’m not a very good student. I think your sister’s disappointed.”

  “Oh, she fusses at everybody, but she’s pleased with your progress. She told me.”

  Kevin’s eyes lit up. “She did? Well, she’s kept it from me.”

  “You’ll have to come over sometime—you and your friends. You like Cajun c
ooking?”

  “What I’ve had of it is great.”

  “Good. I’ll look forward to that. See you later.”

  Kevin watched her go and felt a twinge of regret. Pretty girls were never interested in him, he thought. But he went back to washing the plane and found himself whistling in a way he had not done for years.

  ****

  Francis looked up with surprise to see Babe’s Ford Roadster pull up in front of the house. He had been sitting on the porch trying to think his way out of a chapter that wouldn’t work, and when she got out, he rose to greet her. “Hello, Babe. Where’s Kev?”

  “He had some extra work to do. I told him I’d stop by and tell you.”

  “That’s nice of you. Would you like to come in? I just made a pie.”

  They went inside, and Key brought out the fresh apple pie, still hot from the oven, and two plates. He served up two slices and pushed one of them toward Babe, handing her a fork. He poured coffee into two white mugs. “If you don’t like our grub, don’t eat here,” he announced, grinning. “I saw that once on a restaurant sign in El Paso.”

  Babe took a sip of the coffee and slowly took a bite of the pie.

  “How’s Kev doing?” Francis asked.

  “Good. He’s got what it takes.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.”

  “Too bad about his face.”

  “Yes, it is. He’s had a hard time living with it, but he seems to be learning to get along with it now.”

  “Why hasn’t he had it fixed?”

  “He’s been to several doctors, but so far none of them have been able to do all that much. His dad told me once that it used to be worse.”

  “He’s a nice guy on the inside. All the scars are just on the outside.”

  The remark caught Key’s attention. “You always were pretty sharp, Babe. You’re right. Most of the lumps we get on our head don’t hurt as bad as the ones we get inside.”

  When the two finished eating, Key got up and put the dishes in the sink. Babe lit a cigarette and studied him with narrow eyes. Finally she put the cigarette out in an ashtray and said, “I’ve got to get on home. I’m tired.”

  “Thanks for coming by.” The two walked together to the door, but instead of stepping outside Babe suddenly turned, and Francis found himself standing only inches from her. She put her arms around him and drew him close as he watched her nervously.

  “You ever think about when we were together?”

  “I try not to.”

  “We had something, Francis.”

  “Had something! We fought like cats and dogs half the time.”

  “But when we weren’t fighting, it was sweet.” She pulled him closer and kissed him on the lips. She held the pressure against him, and he was aware of the softness of her body against him. But he kept his arms carefully away, and she soon pulled back and laughed.

  “You haven’t forgotten me. I can tell.” She reached out and ruffled his hair. “Good to have you back, sweetheart.”

  At that moment they heard a motorcycle pull up front. “There’s your girlfriend. Is she special to you?”

  “No, not at all. She’s not a girlfriend.”

  “I don’t believe that.”

  They stepped out on the porch, and Grace hopped off the motorcycle. She pulled off her helmet and came forward, and Key said quickly, “Babe came by to tell us that Kev’s working late.”

  “How’s he doin’, Babe?”

  “Fine. He’s going to be a good pilot. Well, good night, you two.”

  Key turned and went inside as Babe drove off, and Grace followed him in. When he turned around, she laughed and cocked her head to one side. “Your lipstick’s on crooked.”

  He quickly wiped his lips with his handkerchief but could think of nothing to say.

  Grace laughed at his confusion. “A few coals still there, Francis?”

  “No!”

  “Why such a big a no? You were in love with her, weren’t you?”

  “I ... thought so at the time.”

  “True love never dies, ya know. There was a song once that said that. I never believed it.”

  “I think I do.”

  “Why, you baby! You haven’t been around enough to know any better.”

  “I’m sorry you feel that way, Grace.”

  “You’re a piece of work, Francis. Good night.” She turned and went to her room, but after her bath, she lay for a long time thinking of what a strange situation she’d fallen into. She was happy for Kevin, but for some reason she was disturbed about Francis Key. She thought of the lipstick on his face and grunted, “That woman’s still got a flame for him. And she’ll eat him alive—just like she did before!”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Grace Gets a Touch

  The Stearman approached the runway, and the wheels touched down as light as a feather, giving Kevin the thrill of making a good landing. He brought the plane to a halt in front of the hangar, then cut the engine.

  “Well, I hate to say it, Winslow, but that was pretty good,” Babe said from the back seat.

  “Thanks, Babe,” Kevin said as they both climbed out of the plane. “That’s the first nice thing you’ve said about my progress.”

  She arched her eyebrow. “I bragged on a student once, and it got me into trouble. He thought I was trying to make a pass at him.”

  “Well, I don’t think that. You’re a good teacher, Babe.”

  “Here comes Lucy,” she said.

  Kevin looked across the field and saw Lucy coming toward them, a smile on her face.

  When she stopped in front of them, she said, “Did the teacher give you an A?”

  “She actually said something complimentary for a change,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it. She must want to borrow some money from me.”

  “I think Kev deserves a reward for all his hard work,” Lucy said to her sister. “Can you spare him long enough for me to buy him a hamburger?”

  “Sure. You can take my car,” she said, pulling out the keys and tossing them to Lucy. “And when you come back, Winslow, sweep the hangar out, will you?”

  “Sure thing.”

  Kevin and Lucy walked to the Roadster. “Why don’t you drive?” she said, handing Kevin the keys.

  “All right.” He quickly went around and opened the door for her.

  “Thank you kindly,” she said with a sweet smile.

  “I always aim to please.” Kevin got in the driver’s seat and started the engine. “Where do you want to go?”

  “Let’s go to the Green Lantern. You can tell Grace about your flight today.”

  “You shouldn’t be going to joints like that.”

  “If Grace can work in one, it won’t kill me to go inside. I don’t think I’ll see or hear anything I haven’t seen or heard before.”

  “All right, if you insist.”

  As Kevin drove at a fast clip toward the Green Lantern, he asked Lucy a number of questions about her studies.

  She answered all his questions, then finally said, “Why do you want to know so much about my coursework?”

  “Because I’m interested. It must be pretty hard work learning to be a nurse.”

  “It is, but I like it.”

  Kevin fell silent and she asked, “What’s the matter? Why so quiet, Kevin?”

  “I guess in the hospital you see some people who are hurt pretty bad, huh?”

  “Mm hmm.”

  “The first time I met you, you know what I thought?”

  “What?”

  “I thought she hides her emotions pretty well. She looks at this scarred face of mine and doesn’t even blink.”

  Lucy did not answer for a moment. “You know what I thought?” she finally said. “I thought what a shame it is. It always makes me sad to see somebody who’s been hurt. But you know it could have been worse, Kevin.”

  “How?” he asked, shaking his head in disbelief. “It couldn’t have been much worse.”

  “Suppose you had lost
your legs. That would have been worse. Or if you had lost your vision, you couldn’t have been a pilot. One of my patients is a young woman who was in a terrible car wreck. It tore both her eyes out.”

  Kevin gripped the wheel until his knuckles were white. “That’s terrible,” he whispered. “You’re right. I can do plenty of things. I can fly.” He turned and smiled at her.

  “That’s better,” she said. “I want you to think like that all the time.”

  They arrived at the Green Lantern a few minutes later, and when they went inside, they noticed that Grace appeared to have an admirer. “That’s Paul Ranier,” Lucy said in a low voice. “He’s quite a ladies’ man.”

  “How do you know? Has he tried out his ways on you?”

  “Well ... yes, he did once, but my friend was with me. She threatened to shoot him if he bothered me again.”

  Kevin grinned. “Sounds like Babe!”

  As they came closer they heard Grace say, “You just want girls to fall for you, Paul. Why don’t you go give one of the others a chance?”

  “Oh, come on. I only want you, Grace.” Ranier was a lean and strong-looking Cajun with olive skin and lustrous dark eyes. He was well dressed and fine looking. According to the local gossip, he was the best zydeco dancer in Louisiana and played a fiddle, which made him popular at all the get-togethers. He was, indeed, a threat to the young women of the town, and more than once he had barely escaped a father’s shotgun or a brother’s beating.

  “Hello, Grace,” Lucy interrupted, seeing that Grace was tired of Ranier’s attention. “Come over and wait on us.”

  “Why, Lucy,” Ranier said as he put his hand on her shoulder. “I haven’t seen you in a while.” She moved away quickly, and Ranier laughed. “You need a man, sweetheart. I could show you a good time. Why don’t you and me go out tonight?”

  When the Cajun tried to grab Lucy’s arm, Kevin intervened, striking the man’s hand away.

  Ranier’s face flushed. “Keep your hands off me!”

  Ignoring him, Kevin said, “Come on, Lucy. Let’s sit down.”

  “Don’t turn your back on me,” Ranier shouted.

  “That’s enough, Paul!” Grace snapped. “You’ve had too much to drink.”

  Ranier ignored her, grabbed Kevin by the arm, and struck him in the chest. Kevin reeled backward, then caught his balance.