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〃He'll still hornswoggle you。 Maureen; the idea was to give you relief from the children。 Especially Woodie。 What in Ned possessed you to take him along?〃
〃We didn't exactly take him along; Father; he was a stowaway。〃 She gave her father an accurate account; save that she left out certain things and did not include a timetable。
Mr。 Johnson shook his head and looked pleased。 〃That boy will go far…if they don't hang him first。 Maureen; you should have …spanked him and fetched him home。 Then you and Ted should have gone on with your ride。〃
〃Oh; fuss; Father; I did have my ride and a very nice one; I made Woodrow sit in the back seat and keep quiet。 Then I had a gay time at the park; a bonus I would not have had if Woodrow had not invited himself along。〃
〃Woodie had some justice on his side;〃 Lazarus admitted。 〃I did promise him an outing at Electric Park; then
… never kept my promise。〃
〃Should have whacked him。〃
〃It's too late for that; Father。 And we did have fun。 We ran into some people from church; too…Lauretta and Clyde Simpson。〃 …
〃That old witch! She'll gossip about you; Maureen。〃
〃I think not。 We chatted while Woodie rode the miniature train。 But you might remember that Sergeant Bronson is your eldest sister's son。〃
Ira Johnson raised his eyebrows; then Chuckled。 〃Samantha would be surprised…if she were still with us。 Ted; my eldest sister was thrown by a horse she was trying to break
?… at eighty…five。 She lingered awhile; then tu?ned her face to the wall and refused to eat。 Very well; I'll remember。 Ted; this is better than blaming my gay…dog brother and still harder to check on;/Samantha lived in illinois; wore out three husbands; and one of them could have been named Bronson for all anyone here would know。 Do you mind? Gives you a family of sorts。〃
〃I don't mind。 Although I like to think of this family as my family。〃
〃And we like to have you think of us that way; Son。 Maureen; is our young lady home?〃
〃Just before you got home; Father。 They are in the kitchen; on the excuse that she wanted to make a sandwich for Jonathan。 Since I'm sure it's an excuse to stay out there and spoon; I suggest that; if you want something from the kitchen; you allow me to fetch it; I'll be noisy enough to let Nancy jump off his lap。 Theodore; Nancy is engaged; we just haven't made a formal announcement。 I think it's best to let them marry now; since he'll be joining the Army almost at once。
… What do you think?〃
〃I'm hardly entitled to an opinion; Mrs。 Smith。 I hope they will be happy。〃
〃They will be;〃 said Mr。 Johnson。 〃He's a fine lad。 I tried to sign him into the Seventh; but he insisted on waiting for his birthday so he could go straight into the Army。 Even though he couldn't be drafted for another three years。 Spirit。 I like him。 Ted; if you need to go to your room; you can go around this other way and avoid the kitchen。〃
A few minutes later the young people came out of the kitchen; thade polite sounds without sitting down; then Nancy stepped out onto the porch to say good…night to her swain;。 came back in; and sat down。
Mr。 Johnson smothered a yawn。 〃Time I hit the hay。 You will too; Ted; if you're smart。 Too noisy around here to sleep late; especially where your room is。〃
Nancy said quickly; 〃I'll keep the young ones quiet; Grandpa; so Uncle Ted can sleep。〃
Lazarus stood up。 〃Thank you; Nancy; but I didn't get much rest on the train last night; I think I'll go right to bed。 Don't orning; I'll wake up at reveille time anyhow。 Habit。〃
Mrs。 Smith stood up。 〃We'll all go to bed。〃
Mr。 Johnson shook hands as he sai。d good…night~ Mrs。
Smith gave Lazarus a symbolic peck on the cheek such as she had gi'sen him on arrival; thanked him for a lovely evening; and urged him to turn over and go back to sleep if the reveille habit wakened him; Nancy hung back and kissed him good…night as her elders started up the stairs。
Lazarus went to his room and on into his bath。 Maureen had told him not to hesitate to draw a tub; it would not wake the children。 He started one; went back and opened his grip; got out the little package; took it into the bath and threw the bolt; there being no key in the bedroom door。 It was a small flat 'box such as garters might e in; he opened it carefully; intending to rewrap it exactly as it had been。
Ah; the garters! Faded; as she … had said; …and clearly not new 。 。 and…Yes!…redolent with her own evocative fragrance。 Would it last long enough for him to get it borne; have the lovely; delicate aroma analyzed; amplified; and fixed? Probably…and with puter help a skilled scentologist could separate out the odors of satin and rubber; and amplify hers selectively。 He would have to go to Secundus for such expert help。 Worth the trip and then some!
Now let's see those 〃naughty〃 mottoes… One read: 〃Open All Hours…Ring Bell for Service!〃…the other: 〃Wele! e in and Stir the Fire。〃 Sweet darling; those aren't 〃naughty。〃 …
A plain envelope under the garters… He laid them aside and opened it。
A plain white card: 〃Best I could do; Beloved。 M。〃 …
A photograph; amateur work but excellent quality for …this
… here…&…now: Maureen herself; outdoors in bright sunlight against a background of thick bushes。 She was standing ~racefully; smiling and looking at the camera…dressed only in her 〃French postcard〃 style。 Lazarus felt a burst of passion。 Why; you generous; trusting darling! Not your only copy? No; Brian would have made more than one print… undoubtedly had one with him。 This pri?t would have been locked somewhere in your bedroom。 Yes; your waist is slender without a corset … 。 and those are not broken down; they jsre lovely…and I'm certain what caused your happy smile。 Thank you;… thank you!
With the photograph was a little flat package in tissue paper。 He opened it gently。 A thick lock of red hair; tied with a green ribbon。 The lock curled in a tight circle。
Lazarus stared at it。 Maureen my beloved; this is the most
precious gilt of all…but I do hope you cut it so carefully that Brian won't notice it's missing。
He looked at each of her gifts again; restored them just as they had been; put the box into the bottom of his grip; locked it; turned off the tub; undressed; and got into the water。 …
Rut a lukewarm tub did not make him sleep。 For a long time he lay in darkness and relived the past few hours。
He now felt that he understood Maureen。 She was relaxed with what she was…〃liked herself〃 as Lazarus thought of it… and liking yourself was the necessary first step toward loving other people。 She had no guilt feelings because she never did anything that could make her feel guilty。 She was unblinkingly honest with herself; was her own self…judge instead of looking to others; did not lie to herself…but lied to others without hesitation when needed for kindness or to get along with rules ~he had not made and did not respect。
Lazarus understood that; he lived the same way…and now knew where he got the trait。 From Maureen 。 。 and through her; from Oramp。 And from Pop; too…reinforced。 He felt very happy; despite an unsatisfied ache in Jiis loins。 Or in part because of it; he corrected; he found that he cherished that ache。
When the doorknob turned; he was instantly alert; out of bed
…and waiting before the door opened。
She was in his arms; warm and fragrant。
She pulled back to shrug off her wrap; let it fall; came back into his arms; body to body; and gave her mouth fully。
When they broke the kiss; she stayed in his arms; clinging。 He Whispeftd huskily; 〃Why did you risk it?〃
She answered softly; 〃I found that I must。 Once I knew that; I realjzed that it was even less risk than our walnut tree。 The children never e downstairs at night when we have a guest。 Father may suspect me 。 。 but that makes it certain tha~t he won't check on me。 Don't worry; darling。 Take me to bed。 Nowf'
He did so。
When they were quiet; she sighed happily and said; lips against his ear; arms and legs around him: 〃Theodore; even
in this you are so much like my husband that I can barely wait till the war is over to tell him all about you。〃
〃You've decided to tell him?〃
〃Beloved Theodore; there was never a doubt that I would。 I softened some of what I told you tonight and left out a little。 Brian does not require me to confess。 But it does not upset him; we settled that fifteen years ago。 He convinced me that he really does trust my judgment and my taste。〃 Very softly but merrily she giggled against his ear。 〃It's a shame that …I so seldom have anything to confess; he enjoys hå my adventures。 He has me tell him about them over and over…like rereading a favorite book。 I wish I could tell him this one tomorrow night。 But I won't; I'll save it。〃
〃He's ing home tomorrow?〃
〃Late。 Quite late。 Which is just as well; as I don't expect to get any sleep once he arrives。〃 She chuckled softly。 〃He told me on the telephone to 'b。 1。 b。 a。 w。 y。 1。 o。' and he would 'w。 y。 t。 b。 w。' That means: Be in bed asleep with my legs open and…he will wake me the best way。 But I just pretend to be asleep as I wake up no matter how quietly he tiptoes in。';
She gave a tiny giggle。 〃Then we have a happy little game。 As he enters me; I pretend to wake up and call him by name…but never his name。 I moan; 'Oh; Albert; darling; I thought you would never e!' or some such。 Then it's his turn。 He says something like; 'This is Buffalo Bill; Mrs。 O'Malley。 Hush up and get busy!' Then I hush up and do the best I know how; not another word until we both ex… plode。〃 …
〃Your best is superb; Mrs。 O'MaIley。 Or was ?hat your best?〃
〃I tried to make it my best…Buffalo Bill。 But I was so dreadfully excited that I got all blurry so it probably was not。 I'd like a chance to do better。 Are you going to give me one?〃 …
〃Only if you promise not to do better。 Darling; if that was not your best; then your best would kill me。〃
〃You not only talk like; my husband and feel like him… especially here…but you even smell like him。〃
〃You smell like Tamara。〃
〃Do I really? Do I make love like her?〃
(Tamara knows a thousand ways; darling; but rarely … uses anything unusual…lovemaking is not technique; dear; it's an attitude。 Wanting to make someone happy; which you do。
But you startled me with your mand of technique; you would fetch a high price on Iskander。)
〃You do。 But that's not what makes you so much …like her。 Uh; it's your attitude。 Tamara knows what is going on in another person's mind and gives him exactly what he needs。 Wants to give it。〃
〃She's a mindreader? Then Fm not like her; after all。〃
〃No; she's not a mindreader。 But she feels a person's emotions and knows what he needs and gives him that。 It might not be sex。 Aren't there times when Brian needs some