Part 24 (1/2)

Then there was the upstairs-five bedrooms, all with large windows and s.h.i.+ning wooden floors covered by rugs in stripes or florals. The room I'd had as a girl, done in roses, opened onto a small terrace; the room that had been Papa's and now was mine and William's fronted the beach and led onto a huge balcony covered with an awning. In the past, we'd often taken our morning coffee there.

I went up to the third floor, where the rooms, tucked under the eaves, were hot even in the early summer and would be sweltering later. Those in the back of the house were the servants' quarters; the front rooms were used for storage and sometimes as extra guest rooms. There were fis.h.i.+ng rods and nets and baskets for gathering sh.e.l.ls, and wardrobes filled with bathing costumes and boots and old summer hats and gloves for gardening.

I stood in the most forward of these and shoved open the window-a hard pound at each corner, because it had shrunk into the frame during the winter-and leaned out and breathed in the fresh air and watched David unload the trunks, and William as he walked out onto the lawn, examining it for flaws, pausing halfway across, putting his hands on his hips to stare out at the ocean and the rocks that jutted from a promontory. He seemed a stranger to me, a man wearing a dark coat and hat where they were so unsuited. I thought of Victor, of when he would come, and I felt both elated and nervous, because I had not yet told William that Victor was coming to stay as a guest for a time-we had not yet determined how long. In my mind I had outlined already the entire summer with him at my side, and though I did not think my husband would protest-many guests had stayed for so long-I did not think he had quite put aside his reservations about Victor's treatment. I was unsure what his reaction would be.

Better not to give him notice at all, I had determined. Better to bring Victor out to play the available bachelor during the summer, the way Lester Hines had done last year with Minnie Stevens, and that writer fellow with Alva Brooks. The ladies loved it. Men to play escort during the week, when husbands were away. Yes, that was what I would pretend.

William glanced up at the window where I stood, and I felt caught by my thoughts. When he waved at me, I could barely lift my fingers in answer. Instead I shut the window and hurried downstairs to the bedroom and began to fumble with the trunks David had brought up, unpacking feverishly. I could not wait to be ensconced, to be permanent.

That night the two of us had supper on the veranda. It was a beautiful night, with the sunset gold and pink and purple and the water deepest blue, with dark, foamy crests, and a breeze that pushed away the heat of the day. Sadie had set an intimate table, with candles that called moths to flitter about the flames. William seemed preoccupied, and I wanted nothing more than for the next day to fly by, to reach Monday again, so we ate in silence. When Sadie took our plates away and brought a final course of pretty strawberry ices, my appet.i.te was gone. I slipped my spoon into the molded pinkness and stirred it into a melted puddle.

”Is something wrong?” William asked.

I glanced up, startled by the sound of his voice. ”No, of course not.”

”You seem especially quiet tonight,” he said. He pointed with his spoon to the mess on my plate. ”And you haven't eaten any of your ice cream.”

”I'm quite full.”

”I see,” he said. He took another spoonful of his own. When he'd swallowed, he said, ”You could have stayed in town, you know, Lucy.”

”Why would I do that?”

”You could keep your appointments.”

”My appointments?”

”With Victor.”

I was conscious suddenly of making a great mistake. I tried to smooth over it; I laughed lightly and said, ”Oh, that. Yes, well, you see, William, we've talked quite a bit about that, and we decided it would be much better if I didn't stop seeing him over the summer. He believes I'm not quite ready to be on my own for so long.”

”Does he?” William spoke wryly. ”Yes, that doesn't surprise me. He's said as much to me before. How long does he expect this to go on?”

I began to feel nervous. ”I don't know. He's never said.”

”A year? Longer than that?”

”I . . . I don't know.”

”Perhaps it would be best if you did take the summer off. We could see then how well you do without him.”

”But you see, he thinks it's too soon to try.”

”Really, Lucy, you can't expect to take the steamer into the city twice a week. You might as well stay at home.”

I fingered the lace edging of the napkin in my lap. ”Of course you're right.”

He was quiet. When I glanced up again, it was to find him staring at me. ”Why do I have the idea that you're not telling me something?”

”It's just that I hadn't the opportunity,” I said, rus.h.i.+ng on. ”I meant to tell you, but there was so much to do to get ready, and I thought you'd disagree-”

”Disagree about what?”

I tried to smile. ”Why, that Victor should come here. It's truly the best plan all around. He doesn't think it's a good idea to end my treatment for the summer, and I had no wish to stay in town, and many of his patients will be summering elsewhere, and so it seemed best for him to come to Newport.”

”He's closing his practice for the summer so he can attend to you?”

”No, that's not it at all.”

”I don't pay him enough to do that.”

”That's not what he's doing. He won't be dancing attendance on me constantly. He'll go into the city occasionally, I'm sure.”

”Occasionally?”

I squirmed. ”Or perhaps more often than that.”

”This is beyond absurd. Who ever heard of a doctor doing such a thing?”

”I've told you, he believes there's still so much work to do.”

”I see. And where will Victor be staying while he attends to you? At the Ocean House?”

”The hotel is falling apart, William, you know it is. Hardly anyone who's anyone goes there anymore, and we've so much room here.”

”You've invited him to Seaward.”

His voice was flat. I said as brightly as I could, ”Why shouldn't I? We have guests here all the time. Last summer you brought James Willard to stay the entire month of July, and left it to me to entertain him.”

William looked thoughtfully at me. ”I suppose you're right,” he said at last, reaching for his gla.s.s. ”I suppose there can be no harm, especially now that Seth is linked to Julia.”

I blinked. ”What?”

”I said: You're right. There's no harm in it, certainly.”

”No, what did you say about Julia? Julia . . . Breckenwood?”

”Didn't you know?” he asked rather smugly. ”I would have thought you'd heard the gossip.”

”No, of course not,” I snapped. ”I'm not about all day, listening to stock messengers and standing at lunch counters.”

”I'm too busy to come home at noon, Lucy, you know that. And I thought you preferred it this way.”

”What gossip have you heard?”

He shrugged. ”John Bradley said he saw them together at Daisy Hadden's country house. I believe Victor was there for the weekend, and Julia had come down the day before.”