Against the Season by Jane Rule

Author:Jane Rule [Rule, Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-1-4804-2962-8
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2013-05-01T16:50:00+00:00

XI

“FELLER WISHES I WOULDN’T be seen by myself at Nick’s. By myself means not with him. Feller wishes I’d find something constructive to do. Other women get themselves involved in church groups or charitable organizations. Rosemary Hopwood won’t let a pregnant girl in the same block with me. Is she jealous? I could at least be a den mother. Cubs! As if my own three didn’t gnaw at my bones enough now. At least, Feller says, I could stay home more often in the evening. To watch him get a hard on over his court cases or dividends and then want to take it out on me? I hate men.”

Grace stamped out a cigarette and looked at Dina, sitting away from her in the armchair.

“Do I have to get myself a drink?”

“No,” Dina said, and she got up and took the glass from Grace.

Grace followed her out into the kitchen.

“You don’t care whether I live or die. That’s what I like about you. I don’t think you even care whether I keep my clothes on and go home, do you?”

“No,” Dina said.

“I don’t either. That’s a fact,”

“You’re getting drunk.” Dina handed Grace a fresh drink.

“That’s right.”

“Why don’t you get something to do?”

“Pardon me?”

“I said…”

“Pardon me? Pardon me?”

Dina shrugged and went back into the living room.

“I have got something to do,” Grace announced to Dina’s back. “Something very interesting.”

Dina didn’t respond.

“But I have to plan it carefully. Take my time about it. I don’t want it just to be uncomfortable for that faggoty bastard. I’m going to see him run out of town.”

“Your own husband?” Dina asked.

“No, sweetheart—that cock sucker, Fallidon.”

“What have you against him?”

“His money-colored eyes.”

“He’s a better man than we’d get again in a long time.”

“Man?”

“Man,” Dina said.

“He’s probably being blackmailed by every sailor off that ship.”

“Why did you tell him you wanted money to invest in my business?”

“Pardon me?”

“I said…”

“Pardon me? Pardon me?”

“Don’t do anything stupid,” Dina said. “There are so many people who could do so much to you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just that.”

“Look, nobody tells Mrs. Feller Hill to bugger off and gets away with it.”

“Anybody can. I can.”

“Baby? You aren’t mad at me?”

“I’m tired of you,” Dina said.

“But you’re not mad at me?”

“I could be.”

“Please don’t be mad at me. Please.”

“Then don’t be stupid. Don’t hurt yourself any more.”

“If I could just have some money. If I could just have a little bit of money …”

“What you need is a little sense.”

“I’m nothing but a bloody slave. Just because Feller knows, just because he can hold it over my head…”

Dina closed her eyes for a moment.

“You don’t have to worry,” Grace said. “You don’t care anyway, do you?”

“No.”

“I could go home right now…”

“This is the last time,” Dina said.

“That’s what I say.”

“And now it’s true.”

“Doesn’t matter to me.”

“I know,” Dina said.

“Or you.”

“No.”

Harriet had imagined that, on the night they went out to dinner, she and Peter would talk about it. Then, out of understanding, she would say it was best for them not to see each other.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.