Edna Dark was ladylike but her face was too tame.
Then shebegan to shiver in the cool shrewish wind of September
darkness.
This was to be the first night of herlife she could
not sleep at all for pain. Would they never be done taking upthe
collection?
Peter thought the service would never
end.
After she dressed for the dance that night she did
a certain thingin secret.
But he had heard her say she likedcats in their
place.
In her room she looked at herself in the
mirror.
Thegruesome thought of himself lying there alone
dead for weeks wasmore than Penny could endure.
Nobody was watching Donna just then, not dreaming
thatPeter would be in Rose River Church.
When they met, asthey occasionally did, they glared
at each other and passed on insilence. Drowned John wasnt sure sheeven heard him. He
could not bear the thought of looking into her eyes andseeing no laughter in them.
They hadhad a little quarrel after that night when Gay had left Noel andNan on the
steps.
Why did Jacob let out a howl and weepwhen he kissed
Rachel?
If Theklawoke up she would see the lights from her
window.
Perhaps, after all, he had bettermarry before it
was too late. She tried to induce him to take someiron pills and got sworn at for
her pains. Gay knew she had the daintiest ankles in the clan.
Buteven allowing for that, she was sure it must be
nearer twelve thaneleven.
Did Trackley preach as long as this every Sunday
and if so, whydidnt they lynch him. I hear hes going about telling I kicked the dog
in the abdomen,Little Sam would snort.
I did hear Donna was going to be out in RoseRiver
Church next Sunday. Surely she neednt grudge him a fewkisses. So she nodded just as
DrownedJohn turned to see what MacPhee was staring at. Day by day Noel seemed to
drift further away fromher. When they met, asthey occasionally did, they glared at
each other and passed on insilence.
But whata terrible complexion of moth patches.
Taking whatever she had a whim for without caring who suffered.
They were perched on the edge of a tablewhere the
punch-bowl was, eating sandwiches. He didnt realize how cold and frightened she
really wasor how endless had seemed her waiting.
The tall black firs about the gatecame out against
the starlit sky.