could stay up until after dinner. It is now after dinner as far as they're
concerned. Go on without me; I'll get them started on the long road to bed.*
She was trembling. Sabrina watched her go into the house. 'Excuse me,' she said, and followed her through the kitchen door.
Stephanie was already upstairs, and she waited in the kitchen. It was a wonderful old-fashioned room with a high ceiling, maple cabinets and countertops, and a Delft chandelier suspended over a worn sofa and low coffee table where the children often played. There was a large pantry next to a breakfast room with a round maple table and chairs and a maple comer cabinet filled with dishes. The furniture had been old and scarred when Stephanie bought it and restored each piece to its silken, honey-colored finish. *I wouldn't sit anywhere else,' Sabrina said when she first saw the breakfast room. 'I don't' Stephanie answered. *At least, this is where I sit when I have time to sit.'
Sabrina was standing beside the round table when Stephanie came downstairs. She watched her stop in the kitchen to put something in the refrigerator and thought again, with the surprise she had felt when they arrived the week before, that she was not taking care of herself. She was heavier and had a faded look, the edges of her beauty smudged and dulled. Sabrina, slender and vivid in a red Italian peasant skirt and soft white blouse with fiill pleated sleeves, knew she was outshining her sister, but Stephanie seemed unaware of it. Or unconcerned. In her own home, with family and Mends, what was most important to Stephanie?
'Can we sit for a minute?* Sabrina asked. 'I could easily miss another rendition of Treveston history. I'll tell it toyou if you like.'
Stephanie sat down with a little smile. 'Denton's mother told me at your wedding. I thought Denton would like a chance—*
To have people listen to him.'
'He does like it, doesn't he?'
'He does like it.' They smiled together. Sabrina reached out her hand and Stef^anie clasped it. 'I'm sorxy it took us a whole year to get here. I had a terrible time getting Denton
to give up his international playgrounds for a week in an American suburb.'
'And now that he's here, he's bored.'
'Don't blame yourself, Stephanie. It's not your fault.'
'Garth took him through the lab, but—'
'No, science isn't Denton's thing. He likes other kinds of experiments.' Stephanie looked quizzical at the bitter twist in Sabrina's voice, but Sabrina went on. 'Anyway, being apart isn't as bad as it used to be. Do you feel that? Just knowing we can write or call and understand each other after all those years when it seemed we<:ouidn't—' She gave herself a little shake. 'Tell me about you. Is there anything you haven't told me? About you and Garth? And the kids?'
'Nothing important. I've got what I always wanted, a home and a family. Permanence. When did we ever have that for more than the blink of an eye?' They laughed softly, thinking back. 'Are you all right? I've felt all week that something was wrong.'
*Oh, there was something, on the cruise, and we haven't talked about it yet. Denton overloads the schedule and we never have time to talk. I'll work it out. You were pretty upset just now with the kids.'
'Was I awfully shrill? I wish I didn't get so excited. But Garth works day and night in the lab, and I'm alone with them so much my patience wears out. I didn't want them ruining the party for you.'
'How could they ruin it? I'm having a wonderful time. I teased Martin about his awful academic sentences.*
'They are awful, aren't they?'
'Yes, but funny. I like your friends.'
'I'll trade them for your castle and that yacht you've been on.'
'Stephanie, you don't mean that.'
'No, of course not. I wouldn't know what to do with your life; it's so unreal to me. And I have everything I want. Except money; I do get tired of scrimping. No,' she said quickly, seeing Sabrina's face. 'You can't help us; Garth would be hurt. Anyway the real problem
concerned. Go on without me; I'll get them started on the long road to bed.*
She was trembling. Sabrina watched her go into the house. 'Excuse me,' she said, and followed her through the kitchen door.
Stephanie was already upstairs, and she waited in the kitchen. It was a wonderful old-fashioned room with a high ceiling, maple cabinets and countertops, and a Delft chandelier suspended over a worn sofa and low coffee table where the children often played. There was a large pantry next to a breakfast room with a round maple table and chairs and a maple comer cabinet filled with dishes. The furniture had been old and scarred when Stephanie bought it and restored each piece to its silken, honey-colored finish. *I wouldn't sit anywhere else,' Sabrina said when she first saw the breakfast room. 'I don't' Stephanie answered. *At least, this is where I sit when I have time to sit.'
Sabrina was standing beside the round table when Stephanie came downstairs. She watched her stop in the kitchen to put something in the refrigerator and thought again, with the surprise she had felt when they arrived the week before, that she was not taking care of herself. She was heavier and had a faded look, the edges of her beauty smudged and dulled. Sabrina, slender and vivid in a red Italian peasant skirt and soft white blouse with fiill pleated sleeves, knew she was outshining her sister, but Stephanie seemed unaware of it. Or unconcerned. In her own home, with family and Mends, what was most important to Stephanie?
'Can we sit for a minute?* Sabrina asked. 'I could easily miss another rendition of Treveston history. I'll tell it toyou if you like.'
Stephanie sat down with a little smile. 'Denton's mother told me at your wedding. I thought Denton would like a chance—*
To have people listen to him.'
'He does like it, doesn't he?'
'He does like it.' They smiled together. Sabrina reached out her hand and Stef^anie clasped it. 'I'm sorxy it took us a whole year to get here. I had a terrible time getting Denton
to give up his international playgrounds for a week in an American suburb.'
'And now that he's here, he's bored.'
'Don't blame yourself, Stephanie. It's not your fault.'
'Garth took him through the lab, but—'
'No, science isn't Denton's thing. He likes other kinds of experiments.' Stephanie looked quizzical at the bitter twist in Sabrina's voice, but Sabrina went on. 'Anyway, being apart isn't as bad as it used to be. Do you feel that? Just knowing we can write or call and understand each other after all those years when it seemed we<:ouidn't—' She gave herself a little shake. 'Tell me about you. Is there anything you haven't told me? About you and Garth? And the kids?'
'Nothing important. I've got what I always wanted, a home and a family. Permanence. When did we ever have that for more than the blink of an eye?' They laughed softly, thinking back. 'Are you all right? I've felt all week that something was wrong.'
*Oh, there was something, on the cruise, and we haven't talked about it yet. Denton overloads the schedule and we never have time to talk. I'll work it out. You were pretty upset just now with the kids.'
'Was I awfully shrill? I wish I didn't get so excited. But Garth works day and night in the lab, and I'm alone with them so much my patience wears out. I didn't want them ruining the party for you.'
'How could they ruin it? I'm having a wonderful time. I teased Martin about his awful academic sentences.*
'They are awful, aren't they?'
'Yes, but funny. I like your friends.'
'I'll trade them for your castle and that yacht you've been on.'
'Stephanie, you don't mean that.'
'No, of course not. I wouldn't know what to do with your life; it's so unreal to me. And I have everything I want. Except money; I do get tired of scrimping. No,' she said quickly, seeing Sabrina's face. 'You can't help us; Garth would be hurt. Anyway the real problem
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