Mrs. Pollifax stiffened. She said, turning, “Yes, I’m home again, and how have you been, Miss Hartshorne?”
“As well as can be expected, thank you. You must have had a marvelous trip to stay so long.”
“Yes, marvelous,” agreed Mrs. Pollifax with a faint smile.
“I’ve a package for you, it came this morning and I signed for it.” Miss Hartshorne held up one hand dramatically. “Don’t go away, don’t even move, I’ll be right back.”
Mrs. Pollifax waited, and presently her neighbor reappeared carrying a box wrapped in brown paper and covered with seals. “It came special delivery all the way from Mexico City! I’m giving you last night’s newspaper, too, so you can catch up on our news here.”
“How very kind of you,” said Mrs. Pollifax. “Won’t you come in and have a cup of tea with me?”
Miss Hartshorne looked shocked. “Oh, I wouldn’t dream of bothering you now. As an experienced traveler myself I know how utterly exhausted you must be. But I hope you’ll invite me in soon to see your slides. I trust you don’t mind, I took it upon myself to tell the Lukes and Mrs. Ohrbach that they could see them too. We’re all looking forward to them so much.”
Mrs. Pollifax said quietly, “I’m afraid there’ll be no slides, Miss Hartshorne.”
Her neighbor’s jaw dropped. “No slides? You mean your pictures didn’t come out?” Her glance was stern. “Didn’t you study the lighting charts I gave you?”
You’ve forgotten pi again, Emily.… Mrs. Pollifax smiled and said gently, “I didn’t take any snapshots, I was too busy.”
“Too busy?” Miss Hartshorne looked horrified.
“Yes, too busy. In fact it might surprise you how busy I really was, Miss Hartshorne.” She added firmly, “I believe I’ll insist that you come in for a cup of tea now if you have the time. I don’t believe we’ve ever had a cup of tea together, have we?”
Miss Hartshorne looked shaken. “Why—why, no,” she said in an astonished voice. “No, I don’t believe we have.”
Mrs. Pollifax pushed wide the door and walked inside. “Do sit down, I’ll put some water on to boil and then I’ll join you.” Leaving package and newspaper on the couch she hurried out to the kitchen to fill the tea kettle. “There,” she said, returning, “that won’t take but a minute.” From where she sat she could see the headline on the newspaper that Miss Hartshorne had given her: RESCUED SCIENTIST GAINS STRENGTH, DR. HOWELL TO MEET PRESS TOMORROW. Mrs. Pollifax smiled contentedly.
“Your package,” pointed out Miss Hartshorne.
“I beg your pardon?”
“The package. Aren’t you dying of curiosity or is it something you ordered from Mexico?”
Startled, Mrs. Pollifax turned to eye the box beside her. “No, I didn’t order it and yes, I am curious. Would you hand me the scissors on the table beside you, Miss Hartshorne? I’ll attack this right now.”
Scissors in hand she cut the strings. The box inside bore the label of a very expensive shop near the Hotel Reforma Intercontinental. “What on earth,” she murmured, and eagerly tore it open. “Serapes!” she gasped.
“How beautiful,” said Miss Hartshorne in a hushed voice. “A gift? How many friends you must have made, Mrs. Pollifax.”
Mrs. Pollifax lifted out first one and then another until the couch was aflame with their brilliant colors.
“Six!” cried Miss Hartshorne.
“Why so there are,” beamed Mrs. Pollifax. “One for each grandchild, one for Roger, one for Jane and one for myself. Isn’t that lovely?” Then she saw the card that had been slipped between the folds of the last serape. It read very simply, “With mingled gratitude and apologies, Carstairs.”
Carstairs.… A great warmth filled Mrs. Pollifax at the thoughtfulness of such a busy man. She glanced around her apartment at the familiar furniture, the sunshine striping the rugs, the atmosphere of quiet security, and just for a moment a procession of unusual people trouped through her thoughts: a goatherder and his wife, a Genie who talked of life’s choices being like intersections on a road map, Colonel Nexdhet of the walrus moustache, Lulash, Major Vassovic and a man named John Sebastian Farrell who faced pain with gaiety. She said with a smile, “I met a great many unforgettable people on my trip, Miss Hartshorne. Somewhat eccentric people, perhaps, but extremely unforgettable, all of them.
Simultaneously the tea kettle began to sing and the telephone rang. Mrs. Pollifax said hastily, “Oh, Miss Hartshorne, would you pour the tea? The tea bags are in the cupboard over the stove and so are the cups. Do you mind?”
Miss Hartshorne laughed. It was the first time that Mrs. Pollifax had ever heard her laugh. “How casually you live, Mrs. Pollifax. This takes me back to my college days. No, of course I don’t mind, this is really quite fun.” Over her shoulder she called, “Call me Grace, won’t you?”
But Mrs. Pollifax had already picked up the telephone. “Why Roger!” she exclaimed with pleasure. “How wonderful to hear from you, dear. Yes, I got in only a moment ago.” She listened attentively to her son. “Worried?” she repeated. “You worried about me when I telegraphed I was staying longer? Yes, I fully intended to write but I was so busy.” Mrs. Pollifax laughed suddenly and delightedly. “Roger dear, what possible trouble could I have gotten into at my age and in Mexico of all places.…” Her gaze fell to the serapes lying on the couch. With a small, very private smile Mrs. Pollifax picked up the card that had arrived with them and slipped it into her pocket.
To Dr. Robert Vidor, with thanks
By Dorothy Gilman
Published by Fawcett Books.
UNCERTAIN VOYAGE
A NUN IN THE CLOSET
THE CLAIRVOYANT COUNTESS
THE TIGHTROPE WALKER
INCIDENT AT BADAMY
CARAVAN
THE BELLS OF FREEDOM
THE MAZE IN THE HEART OF THE CASTLE
GIRL IN BUCKSKIN
The Mrs. Pollifax series
THE UNEXPECTED MRS. POLLIFAX
THE AMAZING MRS. POLLIFAX
THE ELUSIVE MRS. POLLIFAX
A PALM FOR MRS. POLLIFAX
MRS. POLLIFAX ON SAFARI
MRS. POLLIFAX ON THE CHINA STATION
MRS. POLLIFAX AND THE HONG KONG BUDDHA
MRS. POLLIFAX AND THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE
MRS. POLLIFAX AND THE WHIRLING DERVISH
MRS. POLLIFAX AND THE SECOND THIEF
MRS. POLLIFAX PURSUED
MRS. POLLIFAX AND THE LION KILLER
Nonfiction
A NEW KIND OF COUNTRY
Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax Page 24
