Sean's attention to her chest by leaning
toward him every few moments. He finally trained his
eyes across the table on his wife, who wouldn't look at
him, and tried valiantly to get through the meal.
There were six other people at the table besides Sadie,
Tansy, Charlie, and himself, but Tansy, who was seated
next to him, had so monopolized the entire conversation
that Sean had no idea how people felt about his presence.
After the meal, which Sean barely tasted, Sadie directed him and Charlie to a small sitting room back by the kitchen. He was thankful that no one else joined
them as they sat down on the long sofa. An uncomfortable silence enveloped them.
"Charlotte," Sean spoke up because he couldn't let
the question wait. "Does Tansy eat lunch here every
Sunday?"
Charlie was so shocked by the question that she didn't
immediately answer. Sean suddenly stood up, his agitation very clear.
"Because if she does," he went on, "I won't be back."
Charlie could do nothing more than stare at him. She
had been so intent on her own misery that she never
once considered how Sean might be feeling.
Tansy's clothing always showed off her full breasts
and tiny waist, and for the first time Charlie had felt like
an old crow in her presence. Tansy's nails were attractively long, and her hands were never rough like those of
a livery owner's. The woman had stood back while Sean
seated her, and then thanked him by leaning close and
whispering something in his ear.
Charlie had not waited for anyone to seat her, and she
felt her face burn as one of the older women at the table
raised a wrinkled brow in her direction. From that point
on, Charlie couldn't watch anything that went on across
the table.
"Does she, Charlotte?"
The question brought Charlie back to earth. "No. She
works at the hotel, and actually she's never here on
Sundays. I think she's been under the weather and taking a few days off work."
Sean relaxed, and Charlie searched for something to
say. She spotted her aunt's paper.
"You didn't get to finish the newspaper. Why don't
you sit down and read Sadie's?"
Sean took up the offer and settled back down on the
sofa. There was probably more they should have said to
each other regarding Tansy's behavior, but Sean watched
Charlie reach for a catalog on a nearby table, so he began
to read the paper.
There was no conversation. The only noise was the
gentle rattle of paper as Sean turned from page to page.
He glanced over a few times to see that Charlie seemed
to be stuck on one page in the catalog. It was a listing of
blacksmith supplies.
"Can't decide which one you like?"
"No, I guess I can't. I hate it when they don't show
pictures of all of them."
"Doesn't it describe the difference next to the prices?"
Charlie hesitated for only a second. "I think it probably does, but I can't read."
Thankful her gaze was on the catalog for a few seconds
longer, Sean was given time to school his features.
"Want me to read it to you?"
"You don't mind?"
"Not at all." His voice was gentle.
Charlie scooted closer and handed the catalog to her
husband. The front brim of her hat was flipped back and
she looked up expectantly as Sean began to read. After
starting to read he glanced down to see if she was listening, and for the first time noticed the beautiful color of
her eyes-a deep hazel.
He read the whole page with an occasional question
from Charlie, and then asked if she wanted him to go on.
"No, you read everything I need to know. I'll just look
at the pictures fora while."
Sean returned the catalog and picked up the newspaper, but he couldn't concentrate. On every page of
print he saw her eyes and the intent way she held her
head as she listened to him read from the catalog. Sean glanced repeatedly out the corner of his eyes to look at
her. He noticed at one point that she was falling asleep.
He shifted and pulled the small pillow from his far
side and put it against his opposite
toward him every few moments. He finally trained his
eyes across the table on his wife, who wouldn't look at
him, and tried valiantly to get through the meal.
There were six other people at the table besides Sadie,
Tansy, Charlie, and himself, but Tansy, who was seated
next to him, had so monopolized the entire conversation
that Sean had no idea how people felt about his presence.
After the meal, which Sean barely tasted, Sadie directed him and Charlie to a small sitting room back by the kitchen. He was thankful that no one else joined
them as they sat down on the long sofa. An uncomfortable silence enveloped them.
"Charlotte," Sean spoke up because he couldn't let
the question wait. "Does Tansy eat lunch here every
Sunday?"
Charlie was so shocked by the question that she didn't
immediately answer. Sean suddenly stood up, his agitation very clear.
"Because if she does," he went on, "I won't be back."
Charlie could do nothing more than stare at him. She
had been so intent on her own misery that she never
once considered how Sean might be feeling.
Tansy's clothing always showed off her full breasts
and tiny waist, and for the first time Charlie had felt like
an old crow in her presence. Tansy's nails were attractively long, and her hands were never rough like those of
a livery owner's. The woman had stood back while Sean
seated her, and then thanked him by leaning close and
whispering something in his ear.
Charlie had not waited for anyone to seat her, and she
felt her face burn as one of the older women at the table
raised a wrinkled brow in her direction. From that point
on, Charlie couldn't watch anything that went on across
the table.
"Does she, Charlotte?"
The question brought Charlie back to earth. "No. She
works at the hotel, and actually she's never here on
Sundays. I think she's been under the weather and taking a few days off work."
Sean relaxed, and Charlie searched for something to
say. She spotted her aunt's paper.
"You didn't get to finish the newspaper. Why don't
you sit down and read Sadie's?"
Sean took up the offer and settled back down on the
sofa. There was probably more they should have said to
each other regarding Tansy's behavior, but Sean watched
Charlie reach for a catalog on a nearby table, so he began
to read the paper.
There was no conversation. The only noise was the
gentle rattle of paper as Sean turned from page to page.
He glanced over a few times to see that Charlie seemed
to be stuck on one page in the catalog. It was a listing of
blacksmith supplies.
"Can't decide which one you like?"
"No, I guess I can't. I hate it when they don't show
pictures of all of them."
"Doesn't it describe the difference next to the prices?"
Charlie hesitated for only a second. "I think it probably does, but I can't read."
Thankful her gaze was on the catalog for a few seconds
longer, Sean was given time to school his features.
"Want me to read it to you?"
"You don't mind?"
"Not at all." His voice was gentle.
Charlie scooted closer and handed the catalog to her
husband. The front brim of her hat was flipped back and
she looked up expectantly as Sean began to read. After
starting to read he glanced down to see if she was listening, and for the first time noticed the beautiful color of
her eyes-a deep hazel.
He read the whole page with an occasional question
from Charlie, and then asked if she wanted him to go on.
"No, you read everything I need to know. I'll just look
at the pictures fora while."
Sean returned the catalog and picked up the newspaper, but he couldn't concentrate. On every page of
print he saw her eyes and the intent way she held her
head as she listened to him read from the catalog. Sean glanced repeatedly out the corner of his eyes to look at
her. He noticed at one point that she was falling asleep.
He shifted and pulled the small pillow from his far
side and put it against his opposite
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