Thursday morning. The week was nearly over, without a break in the heat wave. The golden-guinea sun was already high in the sky, it was going to be another day with soaring temperatures.
Max told Ella to go into the West End and buy the new dress he wanted her to have for the dinner party.
"It'll do you good to get out of the house," he said.
To get away from the telephone was what he meant.
"Get something exciting, glamorous. I want you to be the best-dressed woman there."
As an extension of himself, of course. How much was genuine pride in her and how much his own vanity? Ella was shocked at herself. Never previously had she asked such questions as this.
"I don't think I feel in the mood," she said.
The quick nervy impatience twitched in his face, then was hastily smoothed away.
"I call that a bit ungrateful. Sulking because you're told to buy an expensive dress."
"I'm not sulking. But can you imagine trying on clothes on a day like this? I'll make a mistake and buy something quite wrong."
"Love, you couldn't do that if you tried. You've got good taste.'
Ella shrugged. She felt mean. She knew how hard he was trying for normality, but he couldn't see his face across the breakfast table, sallow and tired and ten years older than it had been a week ago.
If this was the price of becoming export manager, what would it cost to be managing director? Would they have to go through this curious torture again and again, during Max's compulsive climb up the ladder of success?
All the same, even Ella's woolly mind could not be convinced that there wasn't something more sinister than competitiveness over a new job going on. Somehow, they had acquired a bitter enemy.
It was useless to go on asking questions merely to get evasive answers. Very well, she would follow Max's suggestion and have an active, well-filled day. First, take Kitty to school, then make that short detour she had secretly planned before she returned home to change for her trip to London. Later, back in time to collect Kitty, and to invite Booth over for iced tea if he could spare the time.
He had already spared her too much of his time, therefore she wouldn't ask him to accompany her on this swift imperative visit to the old house. After dropping Kitty she would drive on until she found the front gates where the NO TRESPASSING sign hung. Then she would boldly take the car up the front drive, and find out whether the fire still burned on Edith's hearth.
She could not have explained to anyone at all, not even Booth, why she had this overwhelming compulsion to see that all was well at the old house.
The screech owl, the closed window, and now the smoke from the chimney. In some strange way, these things must add up. To what?
had been there and had lighted a fire to
能留下联系方式吗,我后面还有好多,能不能帮我翻译下,灰常感谢了!
追答联系方式?好吧,给你邮箱——[email protected]
(话说还有多少....悬赏有吗?)