Economically Yours

Chapter 46 (cont'd)
In the afternoon, Laeh came by the garage sale. She brought a young man with her. Miss Eliza got up to greet them.
"Laeh, did your father allow you a little break?" Her voice had just the right amount of balanced sarcasm that only the socially quick-witted Laeh caught on to.
She laughed happily, knowing she had an advocate with Miss Eliza. Every woman who had ever bested William Bryony was a true soul-mate of Laeh's.
They hugged and Miss Eliza asked, "Who is this young man you're toting around?"
"Vincent? You know Vincent. He's worked at the Inn since he was sixteen years old."
Miss Eliza took a closer look. "Oh my, you have grown up, young man! I scarcely recognized you. How is your schooling going? What were you working on, again? I'm sorry, I've forgotten."
Vincent stepped forward and smiled his contagious salesmans' smile hoping to woo Miss Eliza with his charm.
Miss Eliza looked him straight in the eyes, noticing a slight hardness mixed with something else... what was the shadow behind the charm?
"Economics, I'm almost done my degree," he spoke with confidence.
"'Economics is the method; the object is to change the soul,'" Miss Eliza quoted.
"What does that mean?" Vincent was a thinker and his sharp mind spun into a sharpened pencil readiness.
"That's a quote by Margaret Thatcher," Miss Eliza stated perfunctorily and gave no other explanation in prophetic style of succinctness. "Did you know that Vincent means prevailing? And possibly even conqueror when you take it from the Latin 'vincere.' Vincere rhymes with sincere, don't you think?"
Before Vincent could put all the possibilities together... Miss Eliza turned and called, "Jayne, where did you put the books?"
She then turned back to Laeh and Vincent. Gently, she put her hands on their elbows, saying, "There are three books over there you might be interested in, Vincent. They all contain business principles. Just tell Jayne I said you don't have to pay for them. They're a gift."
Vincent and Laeh happily went and took the three books from Jayne who slipped them into a bag, whispering, "She's such a sweetie, Miss Eliza, isn't she?"