Arriving at the door to Grace Horton's Unit, Lloyd paused with his
finger not quite pressing the bell. "This won't be pleasant," he
warned. "I've never done anything like this before--getting involved
with you, I mean--and I don't think Grace is going to like it. I can't
much blame her, either."
He stopped as the door opened. Grace Horton stood there, clad only in
a fragile garment of light silk, her up-turned face warm and eager.
Beyond her, Lloyd saw the tray with a bottle, ice, and two glasses.
There was soft music playing from somewhere in the Unit. He felt his
face go red.
"Grace--I want you to meet Andra, Andra Corby."
Grace looked past him for the first time, and saw the other woman.
A tiny spasmodic reaction tightened her face and some of the color
drained away. Then she said, with rigid composure, "Come in. Come in,
won't you?" Unconsciously, she held the folds of her garment tightly at
the throat with one hand, as if to make her covering more substantial,
as she stepped aside to let them pass.
"Excuse me," she blurted suddenly, after shutting the door, and rushed
into her bedroom. The music emanating from there cut off, abruptly, and
then Grace reappeared in the doorway, her lips curled in a smile that
would not quite come off. "I thought--I thought you'd miss the lift,"
she said, in an obvious extemporization that was embarrassing to all
three persons. "That's why I'm--not quite dressed, yet. I thought I'd
be ready after one, when you--" Her eyes fell on the tray, with its
solitary preparation for two, and her voice choked off in the middle
of a syllable.
Then she took a breath, walked into the parlor, and sat down gracefully
on the arm of the sofa. "Well," she said brightly, "_now_ what'll we
lie about?!"
"I'm so very sorry, Grace," Lloyd said contritely. "I ... I would've
_told_ you Andra was coming, if I'd known. We only decided after I'd
hung up--"
Grace's eyebrows rose just a fraction. "Andra was at your home when I
called?" She rose, suddenly. "I think I'd better get another glass from
the kitchen. I have the feeling we're all of us going to need strength."
Lloyd and Andra looked at one another, then sat gloomily down in
armchairs deliberately far apart, and waited for Grace's return. When
she came back with the third glass, she was a bit more composed.
"Now," said Grace, after draining half her glass, "we can talk."
There was a silence, then Lloyd broke it, awkwardly, with, "You
said--You wanted to see me here, right away."
"I called you about the Temple Service last night, Lloyd--I see by your
face that you _do_ know something about it. Good. Maybe you can tell me
what--Don't look so shaken."
"I--Okay. You caught me off-balance, I guess."
"I must have. You look like you were just kicked in the stomach. Well,
then, tell me: What happened last night?"
"How did you know _anything_ happened?" Lloyd asked.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account