everyone in sight, which, if she is in Mama’s confidence, she will know.”
As they turned into Dorothy Hedge’s driveway to the welcoming chorus of barking dogs, Banny roused herself. Kate opened the car door and let Banny run out toward Dorothy, who was coming from the house to meet them. To Kate’s delight, Banny ran back from Dorothy to her and Reed. Kate swooped the puppy up again, and introduced Reed to Dorothy, who shook his hand and congratulated him on his freedom.
“I know it will be hard to give this little rascal up,” Dorothy said, asking no further questions at the moment. “But you did tell me you weren’t really in a position to have a dog in the city.” Dorothy, Kate was amused to notice, considered keeping a dog in the city comparable to keeping a child in a coal cellar. “Well, come into the kitchen and have a cup of tea.”
She turned toward the kitchen door and Reed and Kate exchanged a glance that meant: she wants to see what we think and what we plan to do. Theirglance confirmed their plan to follow Harriet’s suggestion, and Kate launched into her part as soon as they were seated and Dorothy had put the kettle on.
“Yes, as you see,” Kate said, attempting to sound breathless, “Reed is back and I can return to my former life with all its blessed calmness.” And she reached out to take Reed’s hand, thinking, I’ll be trying out for the Actors Studio next. Then, after a time, she said, “Thank you.” This for the tea when Dorothy had finally made it; they had remained silent until then, watching the preparation of tea, the pouring of tea into the cups, the slicing of a cake. “What I’m really worried about at the moment,” Kate added, “is Banny. Not for her sake, but for mine. I shall miss her.”
“Of course you will,” Dorothy said soothingly. Banny slept at their feet. “Perhaps one day you’ll decide to adopt a puppy, perhaps when you stop working and your life becomes more settled. Or perhaps after you have a child.”
Kate did not exactly look her age, but that any woman might think her capable of childbearing was shocking. Apparently Dorothy realized this. “I’m afraid that sounded like a stupid remark,” she said. “It was a stupid remark, and a conventional one at that. Please let me explain. I’ve seen so many people acquire dogs as substitutes for children. Often they then have a child, and the dog may suffer. I can’t say I approve. But, of course, that is hardly your case. I’m afraid I sometimes go off into one of my speecheswithout thinking about whom I’m addressing. Do forgive me.”
Kate avoided looking at Reed. Dorothy’s explanation of her inane remark had a certain cogency, considering her devotion to the canine species; it was, at the same time, unclear whether her first statement or her last reflected her true feelings. And how did those feelings mesh with what she had earlier told Kate?
Reed put down his cup, and stood up; Banny leaped up against his legs. “I think we’d better go,” he said. “It will be easier for all of us, but especially for Kate, who has known Banny longest, and of course for Banny herself, if we take a rather swift departure.”
Kate too rose to her feet. Dorothy lifted the puppy up, and held her. “You go ahead then,” she said. “I’ll keep Banny here until she’s called for. And try not to worry about her. She’ll have a lovely life living with Marjorie as her very own pet dog, and being trained for dog shows. You haven’t a thing to worry about. Banny is a beautiful animal; yes she is. Say goodbye, Banny.”
Kate and Reed, leaving by the kitchen door, could hear the puppy yelping her protests. They got hastily into the car. “You drive,” Reed said. “It will give you something to occupy your mind.” Kate backed up, turning the car around. As they headed out of the driveway, she knew she was going to cry, and suspected that her tears were not entirely for Banny.
“I feel stupid and
As they turned into Dorothy Hedge’s driveway to the welcoming chorus of barking dogs, Banny roused herself. Kate opened the car door and let Banny run out toward Dorothy, who was coming from the house to meet them. To Kate’s delight, Banny ran back from Dorothy to her and Reed. Kate swooped the puppy up again, and introduced Reed to Dorothy, who shook his hand and congratulated him on his freedom.
“I know it will be hard to give this little rascal up,” Dorothy said, asking no further questions at the moment. “But you did tell me you weren’t really in a position to have a dog in the city.” Dorothy, Kate was amused to notice, considered keeping a dog in the city comparable to keeping a child in a coal cellar. “Well, come into the kitchen and have a cup of tea.”
She turned toward the kitchen door and Reed and Kate exchanged a glance that meant: she wants to see what we think and what we plan to do. Theirglance confirmed their plan to follow Harriet’s suggestion, and Kate launched into her part as soon as they were seated and Dorothy had put the kettle on.
“Yes, as you see,” Kate said, attempting to sound breathless, “Reed is back and I can return to my former life with all its blessed calmness.” And she reached out to take Reed’s hand, thinking, I’ll be trying out for the Actors Studio next. Then, after a time, she said, “Thank you.” This for the tea when Dorothy had finally made it; they had remained silent until then, watching the preparation of tea, the pouring of tea into the cups, the slicing of a cake. “What I’m really worried about at the moment,” Kate added, “is Banny. Not for her sake, but for mine. I shall miss her.”
“Of course you will,” Dorothy said soothingly. Banny slept at their feet. “Perhaps one day you’ll decide to adopt a puppy, perhaps when you stop working and your life becomes more settled. Or perhaps after you have a child.”
Kate did not exactly look her age, but that any woman might think her capable of childbearing was shocking. Apparently Dorothy realized this. “I’m afraid that sounded like a stupid remark,” she said. “It was a stupid remark, and a conventional one at that. Please let me explain. I’ve seen so many people acquire dogs as substitutes for children. Often they then have a child, and the dog may suffer. I can’t say I approve. But, of course, that is hardly your case. I’m afraid I sometimes go off into one of my speecheswithout thinking about whom I’m addressing. Do forgive me.”
Kate avoided looking at Reed. Dorothy’s explanation of her inane remark had a certain cogency, considering her devotion to the canine species; it was, at the same time, unclear whether her first statement or her last reflected her true feelings. And how did those feelings mesh with what she had earlier told Kate?
Reed put down his cup, and stood up; Banny leaped up against his legs. “I think we’d better go,” he said. “It will be easier for all of us, but especially for Kate, who has known Banny longest, and of course for Banny herself, if we take a rather swift departure.”
Kate too rose to her feet. Dorothy lifted the puppy up, and held her. “You go ahead then,” she said. “I’ll keep Banny here until she’s called for. And try not to worry about her. She’ll have a lovely life living with Marjorie as her very own pet dog, and being trained for dog shows. You haven’t a thing to worry about. Banny is a beautiful animal; yes she is. Say goodbye, Banny.”
Kate and Reed, leaving by the kitchen door, could hear the puppy yelping her protests. They got hastily into the car. “You drive,” Reed said. “It will give you something to occupy your mind.” Kate backed up, turning the car around. As they headed out of the driveway, she knew she was going to cry, and suspected that her tears were not entirely for Banny.
“I feel stupid and
Similar Books
