The Last Summer of the Camperdowns by Kelly Elizabeth

Author:Kelly, Elizabeth [Kelly, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Literary, Fiction
ISBN: 9780871403407
Google: yhPsIht2Z7gC
Amazon: 0871403404
Publisher: Liveright
Published: 2013-06-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

I ALMOST COLLIDED WITH GIN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRCASE, his mouth firmly set as he looked out toward the house’s ocean side, so preoccupied with his own thoughts that he didn’t notice me at all until I was right next to him.

“Where are the others?” I asked him, breathless, touching him lightly on the shoulder. “I want to go home.”

He jumped, startled. “Oh, Jimmy, you scared the heck out of me! How’s Harry doing?” He took a closer look. “Are you all right?” He sniffed the air. “Heavens, have you been drinking? You smell like a distillery.”

“No! I’m fine. Harry’s fine. Can we go now?” I glanced up the stairs, but there was no sign of Harry.

“That’s good. Thank God he’s okay. It could have been so much worse. We can leave when your mother gets back.” He seemed as shaky as I did. For a moment I thought his knees would buckle, or maybe that was just projection. “Your mother and Michael are still down at the stable. I was feeling a little off so I thought I would come up to the house and make some tea.”

He continued staring in the direction of the stable.

“Would you like me to make it for you?” I asked as I eased my way past him and into the hallway. I kept expecting Harry to come bounding down the stairs after me.

“Oh no, thank you. Aren’t you a doll to offer? The housekeeper is taking care of it. Anyway, Jimmy, I really do wish your mother would finish up her visit. I need to get going. I didn’t anticipate an all-day affair.”

He began to fiddle with the open neck of his shirt collar. I noticed that his hand had a slight tremor. Not wanting to stare, I watched out of the corner of my eye as his emotional state continued to degrade.

“Oh no. No,” he said. “Oh dear. Oh my.” Hand at his forehead, he walked briskly toward the living room and took up a spot at the window, where he stood and stared out at the water. Following slowly behind him, wary and wondering, I stopped inside the door.

Spinning suddenly around, his eyes darted furtively from corner to corner. “I can’t stand one more moment in this house.”

“I don’t understand . . .” I said, taking up a spot next to the fireplace, rubbing my hands together though there was no fire burning.

“That poor child. I can practically hear the beating of his heart. Don’t you feel it? It’s terrible. He’s everywhere.”

Now I was really confused. Why was Gin thinking about Charlie? Gin never thought about anyone but Gin. Appearing simultaneously distracted and single-minded, he scanned the room, spotted his keys on an occasional table and, moving quickly, grabbed them and stalked toward the door.

“Tell your mother I had to go.”

“I’ll come with you,” I said, eager to make my escape, but he ignored me.

“Apologize for me, please, Jimmy. Michael will simply have to drive you home or have his driver do it.

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