is that he's not here, helping me. But that's not fair; he works so hard and
everything really is fine. I don't know what's wrong with me tonight.'
My red skirt, Sabrina thought; cruises you don't know an3^ng about; my letters to you from fourteen countries in the last year; the issue of Town and Country on your night table that says Denton spends a hundred thousand dollars a year on clothes for each of us and that I spent half a million dollars furnishing our London house.
But she said none of that aloud. Instead, she let Stephanie know that she understood by saying lightly, 'It's the strain of having Denton as a houseguest. He simply can't remember he has no servants at his beck and call. It's in his genes; I think Garth should study him. I made him hang up his towels this morning, and he called me a revolutionaiy out to overthrow the nobility.'
Stephanie smiled. 'Most of the time he's charming. And he takes care of you; you look marvelous.'
'The Mediterranean sun. You could use some.'
'I know. And I should lose weight. Maybe this summer. Is the sun the only reason you look beautiful and glamorous and happy?'
Sabrina looked thoughtfully at their clasped hands. 'Do you know, in the last year I have met about nine thousand people, give or take a thousand, and haven't had a personal conversation with one of them?' Except, oddly enough, she thought, Alexandra, but she couldn't talk about Alexandra or the cruise to anyone, not even Stephanie. She was ashamed of it, as if she were to blame for the guests and their games. 'I'm not used to talking about whether I'm happy.'
'But you aren't talking. You're evading.'
'I know.' She sighed. 'Remember once I told you I couldn't tell the difference between love and excitement with Denton? I still can't. And I have trouble talking about it.* Because you love your husband, she added silently, and you have a place where you belong. And I can't admit that I envy you. I've only been married a year. I have to try harder. Maybe next year will be different. 'But when I'm ready to talk, the best thing in the world is knowing you're here.'
Stephanie's eyes were bright. 'It is the best thing.' She stood up and peered at her image in the darkened window,
combing her hair with her fingers. Time to hostess again» Sabrina/ she said, leaning down to kiss the top of her sister's head. 'I'm glad we're back.'
Voices murmured on the patio; lanterns flickered over shadowed faces, red wine and black coffee, climbing roses and beds of snapdragons. Sabrina felt she was on a quiet island: a loving, relaxed, uncomplicated life. I have to remember it, she thought, until I come home again. And it did not seem at all strange that she called it home.
At midnight, Stephanie saw the last guest out. She came back to the jumble of food and dishes on the patio and shook her head wiyly. 'Does anyone know the magic words for making elves appear?'
'Those are the words,' Sabrina said, 'And we are your elves. Denton and I will clean up.'
At the expression on Denton's face. Garth grinned. 'There sits a terrified man. Don't worry, Denton; you're unskilled labor. I'll do it.'
'Not by yourself.' Sabrina began to stack plates. 'I have to do something useful.'
'You're unskilled, too,' Garth said.
Stephanie stifled a yawn. 'Well, I'm not. I can do it twice as fast as both of you. Anyway, Sabrina's a guest. Everybody go to bed.'
Sabrina kissed Stephanie on the cheek and gently pushed her towards the door. 'You worked all day; Garth and I will finish up. Go on. You can criticize our efficiency tomorrow. If you have the courage.'
Denton watched with calm interest as Sabrina and Garth silently scraped plates and piled them on trays. He stepped lightly forward and kissed Sabrina's forehead. 'I'll wait for you upstairs, sweets.' She nodded, absorbed in stacking cups.
Garth eyed the pile appraisingly. 'Risky.'
She ignored.him and lifted the tray. At the kitchen door the tall stack bulged in the middle and the cups
everything really is fine. I don't know what's wrong with me tonight.'
My red skirt, Sabrina thought; cruises you don't know an3^ng about; my letters to you from fourteen countries in the last year; the issue of Town and Country on your night table that says Denton spends a hundred thousand dollars a year on clothes for each of us and that I spent half a million dollars furnishing our London house.
But she said none of that aloud. Instead, she let Stephanie know that she understood by saying lightly, 'It's the strain of having Denton as a houseguest. He simply can't remember he has no servants at his beck and call. It's in his genes; I think Garth should study him. I made him hang up his towels this morning, and he called me a revolutionaiy out to overthrow the nobility.'
Stephanie smiled. 'Most of the time he's charming. And he takes care of you; you look marvelous.'
'The Mediterranean sun. You could use some.'
'I know. And I should lose weight. Maybe this summer. Is the sun the only reason you look beautiful and glamorous and happy?'
Sabrina looked thoughtfully at their clasped hands. 'Do you know, in the last year I have met about nine thousand people, give or take a thousand, and haven't had a personal conversation with one of them?' Except, oddly enough, she thought, Alexandra, but she couldn't talk about Alexandra or the cruise to anyone, not even Stephanie. She was ashamed of it, as if she were to blame for the guests and their games. 'I'm not used to talking about whether I'm happy.'
'But you aren't talking. You're evading.'
'I know.' She sighed. 'Remember once I told you I couldn't tell the difference between love and excitement with Denton? I still can't. And I have trouble talking about it.* Because you love your husband, she added silently, and you have a place where you belong. And I can't admit that I envy you. I've only been married a year. I have to try harder. Maybe next year will be different. 'But when I'm ready to talk, the best thing in the world is knowing you're here.'
Stephanie's eyes were bright. 'It is the best thing.' She stood up and peered at her image in the darkened window,
combing her hair with her fingers. Time to hostess again» Sabrina/ she said, leaning down to kiss the top of her sister's head. 'I'm glad we're back.'
Voices murmured on the patio; lanterns flickered over shadowed faces, red wine and black coffee, climbing roses and beds of snapdragons. Sabrina felt she was on a quiet island: a loving, relaxed, uncomplicated life. I have to remember it, she thought, until I come home again. And it did not seem at all strange that she called it home.
At midnight, Stephanie saw the last guest out. She came back to the jumble of food and dishes on the patio and shook her head wiyly. 'Does anyone know the magic words for making elves appear?'
'Those are the words,' Sabrina said, 'And we are your elves. Denton and I will clean up.'
At the expression on Denton's face. Garth grinned. 'There sits a terrified man. Don't worry, Denton; you're unskilled labor. I'll do it.'
'Not by yourself.' Sabrina began to stack plates. 'I have to do something useful.'
'You're unskilled, too,' Garth said.
Stephanie stifled a yawn. 'Well, I'm not. I can do it twice as fast as both of you. Anyway, Sabrina's a guest. Everybody go to bed.'
Sabrina kissed Stephanie on the cheek and gently pushed her towards the door. 'You worked all day; Garth and I will finish up. Go on. You can criticize our efficiency tomorrow. If you have the courage.'
Denton watched with calm interest as Sabrina and Garth silently scraped plates and piled them on trays. He stepped lightly forward and kissed Sabrina's forehead. 'I'll wait for you upstairs, sweets.' She nodded, absorbed in stacking cups.
Garth eyed the pile appraisingly. 'Risky.'
She ignored.him and lifted the tray. At the kitchen door the tall stack bulged in the middle and the cups
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