by Sarah Pawley
“If he likes me, he sure has a funny way of showing it. The few times I’ve seen him, he’s been just awful. That’s what happened the other night, when I wanted to come home so fast. All I did was take a little walk around the back stage, and he jumped all over me for it. He was meaner than a snake.”
Alice sat up just a little, more interested than before. “So that’s what it was. I was wondering what went wrong. Well whatever you do, don’t tell your brother about that. He’ll have a fit, that’s for sure and for certain.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t say a thing, if you won’t. And about Henry liking me…well, I don’t think he likes me the way you think. He probably just looks at me like a new toy he’s found. He’d have his fun and then toss me aside like an old shoe.”
Alice laughed a little. “Maybe you’re right. But you know, some women don’t mind that. Especially with someone who looks like Henry. He’s a sight to see, coming and going.” Then a naughty little glint shined in her eyes. “I like to watch him go, if you know what I mean.”
Realizing what Alice meant, Grace felt her cheeks flush a little. She tried to maintain composure, for she still wasn’t quite used to hearing such talk. But she couldn’t help the slight giggle that escaped her. “You’re a little devil, you know that?”
Alice just grinned, all innocence. “I’m a good little angel. My halo is a little bent and crooked, but it’s still there.”
Smiling but with a slight roll of her eyes, Grace went back to her project.
Alice rose to her feet, coming to stand at her sister-in-law’s side, rubbing her shoulder. “You know, you might want to give him a chance. Personally, I think all that grumbling he does is just an act. Maybe what he needs is someone sweet like you, to bring out his better side.”
A loud snort of disgust was the reply. “He’s a rat, and that’s all there is to it. And I never did like no rats.”
“He did give you a gift. That was a nice gesture, wasn’t it?”
“It was not,” Grace replied. “He probably did it so he wouldn’t feel so guilty. And he gave me that instead of saying he was sorry. An apology was what I wanted. Not some silly book.”
Alice shrugged. “Well, I still think it was nice of him. And I still think he likes you. But if you don’t agree with me, then I won’t push my opinion on you. You have a right to feel however you want to.”
“I do,” Grace replied. “And even if I did feel different, it wouldn’t matter. The last thing in the world I want is to chase after someone else’s man. And I won’t give Victoria a reason to worry about that. That’s all I’ve got to say.”
She now considered the matter closed, and Alice seemed to sense it. She did, however, have one more thing to say.
“I know you won’t like to hear this. But Henry and Victoria will be around tonight, when we have the block party. If you want to stay in the house, I can think up some excuse to give to Jack.”
Grace thought about it, and for one brief moment, she actually considered taking the easy way out. But then, in a flash, her mind was made up.
“I’m no coward. I’m not going to hide in here like some scared rabbit. You’ll be there, won’t you? And Jack will be there. I think between the two of you, I’ll have plenty of protection.”
Alice smiled. “If that’s what you want, that’s what you’ll get. I promise.” She gave her a pat on the shoulder, turning towards the door. “Well, I have to run into town to pick up some fruit for my pies. Jack should be back from his game in a little while.”
Grace nodded and smiled, watching as Alice left.
She sat back in her chair, letting out a little sigh. She looked over at the book, again…and thought about it.
Maybe I should give in and read it. What harm ever came from reading a book? And what is wrong with accepting a present? Taking his gift doesn’t mean I’ve given in to him.
She started to get up and go to it. But then she stopped herself. No, she said to herself. I’m stronger than that. I can fight temptation.
She turned to her work, diving into it with fierce determination.
* * * * *
By early afternoon, she nearly had another dress finished. But by now, she was growing weary of the constant sound of the sewing machine. Her back and legs were beginning to tingle from sitting in one place for so long. She stood up, stretching. A moment later there came a knock on the front door. She started down the stairs to answer it, but as she neared the front door, a sense of trepidation came over her.
Who would be knocking on their door in the middle of the day? Maybe it’s a salesman or something, she thought. But who knew what odd people lurked about? And being alone in the house for the first time, she was reluctant to answer it at all.
I will look first, she thought. Better safe than sorry.
She peeked through the curtains…and saw that it was Henry standing there on the stoop. She let out a loud groan of frustration.
All week long she’d been avoiding him. But suddenly she didn’t feel like hiding anymore. She paused to take a breath, to gather her courage…and opened the door. She didn’t give him the chance to speak before she demanded of him…
“What do you want?”
He raised an eyebrow at her, giving her one of his devilish looks.
“Well now, that’s no way to treat a neighbor. You could at least begin with 'good afternoon', or something like that.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Good afternoon. Now what do you want?”
He clucked his tongue, shaking his head. “That’s cold, Grace Langdon. I just came by to borrow a cup of sugar. My housekeeper needs it to bake a cake, and we’re fresh out.”
She flashed a skeptical look. “That’s a whopper of a tale. If that’s what you needed, how come didn’t you just send her over to get it? Or your girlfriend?”
“Oh…them,” he answered. “Well, the little woman is out shopping, and my housekeeper is up to her elbows in work. So I thought I’d save her the trouble.”
Her first impulse was to deny his words. But she couldn’t be for certain that he lied. And if he was telling the truth, she didn’t want to make trouble for a hard working woman. So she sighed in defeat.
“Wait here and I’ll get it.”
She went to the kitchen, finding the cup of sugar. When she came back, he was standing inside the foyer, looking around…and it felt like a total invasion of her personal space. To have him actually standing inside the house…it was too much. She upset with him than ever, she approached him with an angry stride.
"I didn't say you could come in.” She thrust the cup into his hand. "There. You have your sugar, now get on out of here."
His expression lost some of its amusement. "You know something little girl, you can be as pissy with me as you want. I don’t give a damn. Because I know I was right and you were wrong. You didn't belong around that back stage. And you got just what you deserved."
His arrogance was sickening…and not just because he was partly right. He seemed to take pleasure in reprimanding her…treating her like a child. She had the urge to slap his face. Instead, she ordered him away.
"Go on home and take your preaching with you. I don't need it."
"You need something," he said, turning to go. But then he turned back. "You know what? A little while ago, I thought about stealing a kiss from you. But now that I think about it, you might be better off if I put you across my knee."
Her eyes widened slightly…but an answer came to her fast. "One would be as bad as the other.”
He leaned a hand on the doorframe, looking down at her.
“Why don’t you just come at me with a rusty razor blade and some lemon juice?”
She stepped forward and pushed him back from the doorway. "If I had some lemons, maybe I would.” She slammed the door on him.
Marching back to her room, she threw the door closed behind her. She looked at the clothing on the machine, but decided she'd had enough of that for one day. Her mind was too full no
w to think of work. Falling back on the bed, she threw one arm over her eyes, sighing. Animal, she thought. Threatening to beat me like I'm a child. I'd like to see him try.
But then she thought of the other thing he'd said…about wanting to steal a kiss from her. In the heated anger of the moment, she hadn't even given those words a thought. But now, his statement swirled around in her head. It terrified her to imagine his kiss…and thrilled her all the same.
She thought back to that moment in the doorway of the kitchen, when their eyes had met. Their figures had been so close to one another, so near that she could feel the warmth from his body. It threatened, even now, to erase any dislike of him that she had in her mind.
How could one person have such power over another? Was he a magician, the way he could reach out across time and space to steal her senses? She sat up quickly, rising to her feet to pace the room.
How could she escape his torment? He was there, right across the way. There was no way to avoid him. She couldn't hide all the time. Seeing him was inevitable, and there was nothing that she could do about that. If only there was some way to get him out of her head.
She sighed, folded her arms, and stood in one spot for the longest time. Then her eye caught the book lying on top of the dresser. For a moment she hesitated…then she went over and snatched it up.
If he meant to give her this, as his way of making her think of him, then she would just use it against him.
I'll read his book, she thought. And I won't think of him for a moment while I'm reading it.
* * * * *
Jack and Alice came home at the same time that afternoon. When they came in, they found Grace sitting in an armchair in the living room, reading. And weeping. They hurried over to her, their eyes filled with concern.
“Sis, what’s wrong?” asked Jack. “What’s happened?”
She never looked up at him. She just mumbled through her tears. “It’s the saddest thing I’ve ever read.”
Jack looked down at the title. He gave her an odd look, shrugging. “I suppose it’s sad, but I never cried over it.” Then he looked at the cover. “Hey, that’s not my copy. Where did you get this one?”
Grace just waved him away, trying to concentrate on her book. Before he could question her further, Alice stepped forward.
“That was the package that was left the other night. I had a bookseller drop it off.”
Jack looked at her, curious. But she just shrugged.
“I wanted it to be a surprise.”
He raised an eyebrow at her, suspicious.
“Why didn’t you just tell me that before?”
She gave him a teasing smile. “Because, honey, there are lots of things I don’t tell you. That’s what makes us a happy couple.”
Now he smiled, moving to take her in his arms. He narrowed his eyes at her.
“Evil woman.”
Then he whispered something in her ear that made her giggle. But she pushed him back with one hand.
“Not now, you big ox. I have pies to make. Do you want to help?”
He pursed his lips in disgust. “No way. I’ll leave you to your baking, and my sister to her crying. If anyone needs me, I’ll be in the back yard.”
They both left the room, leaving Grace to her book once again.
Chapter 10
“A Summer Night”
Overwhelmed. It was the only word to describe how she felt when she finished the book, less than three hours after opening it. It wasn’t a long story for her. At just over two-hundred pages, it was half the length of the books she usually read. But it wasn’t the length that had sped her along. With its heartbreaking depiction of a dog’s fight for survival…its cold portrayal of human cruelty, it held her in its grip until the very last page.
She finished reading just as the noise outside the living room window started to grow. Merry voices could be heard as people gathered in the streets outside. At last she closed the book, setting it down on the coffee table with a trembling hand. Then she reached for the handkerchief in her pocket, dabbing her swollen eyes as she went to the kitchen to find Alice. She found her standing at the kitchen counter, putting the last touches on a lemon meringue pie. When she looked up and saw Grace’s expression, she smiled.
“Done with your story, are you?”
Grace nodded. “I’m sorry I didn’t help you with all of this. I guess I got so wrapped up I wasn’t minding the time.”
Alice smiled. “Don’t worry about it. I managed just fine on my own. I’ll give you a few minutes here to get yourself together. And then if you wouldn’t mind, could you carry those pies out for me?”
Grace nodded and smiled. Alice took two pies and went out. Turning toward the sink, she ran some cool water and bathed her face, trying her best to make herself more presentable. It would not do to go out among strangers looking like a blubbering fool. And when she saw Henry, which she knew she would too soon, she planned on giving him a piece of her mind. His supposed gift had made an absolute wreck of her, and losing control of herself was not something she liked. Having collected herself, she picked up the pies and headed for the front door.
Outside, it was a warm and soft summer night. Food tables were set up in various yards, including theirs, and she went over to put the pies down among the other food. Looking around at the happy scene before her, she watched with a smile as children ran up and down the street playing games. Some were carrying sparklers…something she’d never seen before, and she stopped one of the small boys to ask him about it. He seemed quite happy to share his knowledge. Running over to a box on the stoop next door, he came back with a handful and put them down on the table. From the large candle in the center of the table he lit a sparkler and handed it to her. She stared at it with child-like wonder.
“How pretty. But is that all you do? Just look at it?”
The boy shook his head. “You have to move it around. Watch me. I can do two at one time.”
He lit two sparklers, dancing around until both sparks went out. Then he threw the used sticks in a bucket by the steps. Picking up two more sparklers he lit them, and took off down the street to catch up with the other kids.
Grace picked up a sparkler. Lighting it, she watched as the white fire jumped and sparked before her eyes. As the boy had told her to do, she moved the wand through the air, delighting in the brief trail of fire that glowed from it. It reminded her of shooting stars that she’d seen in the sky.
She was a bit disappointed when it quickly went out, so she went back to get another, which she watched with the same kind of wonder and fascination. When it went out as well, and she picked up and lighted another, she was so engrossed that she did not see the figure coming up behind her.
“Having fun, little girl?”
Her face fell at the sound of his voice. Why are you tormenting me? She wanted to ask. Instead she rolled her eyes.
“Mind your own beeswax,” she snapped. But even as she said it, she knew he wouldn’t listen. He took a light hold of her wrist, guiding her hand for a moment.
“Try writing your name, like all the kiddies do.”
She knew he was just making fun of her…and she quickly jerked her wrist back.
“Will you go away and leave me be? Go back to your woman. I’m sure she wonders where you’ve gone.” Walking to the step, she sat down…only to find him following, replying in his usual careless way.
“I go where I please.”
He sat down beside her. And for a moment, she thought of getting up to find another resting place.
But where was there to hide, when all these people were around? The idea of running away seemed so silly when she really thought about it. And sitting beside him, she instantly felt the familiar warmth that came from him. It was odd, the kind of comfort his presence suddenly brought. She had never been close to him in this way…not for more than a moment. And for the first time, she found she was not nervous or angry. Not even was she irritated, as she’d been only a moment ago.<
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As they sat there with the warm and pleasant evening all around them, she found her bitterness fading away. The sparkler she was holding had gone out, and she tossed it into the bucket near her feet. They sat quietly for several moments, listening to the sound of the children laughing as they ran past.
He rose and went to the table…and she wondered what game he might be trying to play now. But to her surprise and curiosity he brought back several sparklers with him. He sat down once again, reaching into his pocket to produce a lighter. He used it to light a sparkler that he handed to her.
“Have this as a peace offering,” he said.
She hadn’t intended to show any feeling at all. She wanted to be distant…even cold. But it was impossible, she realized, to stay angry. The mood around them was too bright. The night was just too fine. And the simple gesture, or peace offering as he called it, seemed rather sweet. She took the sparkler from his hand, looking at it. And as she watched it spark, she suddenly thought of her youngest brother…of how he would have loved seeing this.
“Robert would sure enough have a time with this,” she said. “We never had things like this to play with.”
“Who is Robert?”
The sudden question made her realize her error. She didn’t want to speak to him unless it was necessary. Now she had brought up a most tender subject. Talking of family could be an intimate thing, and the last thing she wanted was for the two of them to get to know each other. But it seemed it was too late to retreat, for he was looking at her…awaiting a reply. It seemed all she could do was answer, and hope he didn’t try to take the conversation further.
“My baby brother,” she replied.
After her sparkler went out, she tossed it into the bucket and sat still for a moment, trying not to look at him. But now that she’d brought up the subject of her brother, she felt a strange need to open herself up, if only just a little. She reached into her pocket to take out a picture. She handed it to him.
