Rosemary Sutcliff by Dragon Slayer

Author:Dragon Slayer [Slayer, Dragon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-01-15T22:21:10+00:00

Chapter S

In his heart, Thomas was still married to Patricia. She had been gone from his life for three years, but obviously she was not gone from his heart. In every way that mattered to him, she was still his wife. If he made love to Garnet, he was being unfaithful to Patricia.

It had to be as simple as that.

Garnet set the table for supper, even though Thomas wasn t home. It was unusual for her to arrive at the apartment before he did, but tonight she’d had to let herself in with her key. There had been no note or phone call explaining his absence. He simply wasn’t there.

In the week since they’d nearly made love, nothing had ! followed the pattern set in the early weeks of their marriage Thomas had taken pains to avoid her, and when he hadn’t been able to find an excuse to disappear from the apartment, he had drawn into a shell she couldn’t penetrate

After a week of silent questions, of suffering alternately from anger and tortuous self-doubts, Garnet had come to a conclusion. The reason for Thomas’s impotence had to be a commitment, even after death, to Patricia. He was a married man, sorely tempted by an adulteress-never mind that the adulteress was now his wife in the sight of man and God. He must have loved Patricia beyond death, ‘oeyond his own ability to adjust to her passing. Even with the advantage of breath in her body and a beating heart, Garner could never hope to prevaii over Patricia’s memory.

Bested by a dead woman.

Garnet had failed repeatedly in her life, but the last few years had taught her the joys of being a winner. She had grown to like herself, to feel pride in what she had accomplished She had learned to believe that she had much to offer. Now, a memory offered Thomas more than she could.

She bent and turned up the boom box on the floor another notch to discourage more analysis. The station was Spanish-speaking, the music sensuously Latin. She hummed along, forcing herself to concentrate on the words. Her Spanish was as mongrelized as her heritage, but she eventually caught the gist of the musical story. A man had lost his lover, and all he could do was dream of her. He would dream of her until the day he died.

She snapped off the radio and kicked it with her bare toe. Pain shot up her leg.

“Magnavox might design next year’s model to kick back.”

She looked up and saw Thomas leaning against the doorjamb , his arms folded. She wondered how long he had been watching her. “Well, I’ll be ready for it.”

“I thought I’d probably missed dinner.”

“Weren’t there phones where you were? A call would have been appreciated.” ” ” I’m sorry. “

She was in no mood for an apology. “Is that all you’re going to say? You’re sorry? That’s not enough, even for someone as unimportant as a roommate, Thomas. Why were you late? Embroider a little.

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