Third Person Singular by K. J. Erickson

Author:K. J. Erickson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group
Published: 2011-03-10T00:00:00+00:00

Ann lay in bed thinking, her thoughts not much different from those of Owen’s and Bobby’s in the library below. She had come to Charhill with the expectation that she did so as Neville Cook’s prospective wife. And only weeks ago, that was what she wanted. Now she was only sure that she no longer knew what she wanted.

What kept her awake was not only uncertainty but the uncomfortable realization that in the space of less than a year she had allowed herself to descend from being an independent woman into being wholly dependent on Neville Cook. The initial comfort she had taken in his control and authority had outlived any useful purpose in her life. More than that—her dependence on Neville had evolved into a powerful malignant force that had robbed her of emotional, intellectual, and physical freedom. Knowing how that had happened did not justify allowing the dependence to continue. The question became, was a relationship with Neville possible without dependence?

Jocelyn’s reception had forced Ann to think realistically about what a permanent relationship with Neville would be like. And while Neville’s control of her life had for several months been a source of comfort, it was increasingly a source of irritation. She dimly recognized that the irritation represented the return of her old spirit.

Small things—things that had happened only today—were having an impact on how she felt about Neville as well. As she and Owen had started their walk earlier in the afternoon, they had passed through a courtyard at the rear of the house. The area had once been a stable yard, the stables long since converted to garages. As they passed through, Ann noticed a young man and woman standing just inside one of the garages. Ann recognized the young man as William, the boy who drove the estate cars on occasion. The girl she didn’t recognize. What she did recognize—with a force that caused a sharp pain of recognition—was the profound sense of intimacy between the pair. William stood straight above the girl, looking down at her, without touching, but with a tenderness that was visible even at a distance. What caused Ann pain was the realization that the intimacy between this young boy and girl was more intense than anything she had experienced in the whole of her relationship with Neville.

She had talked about Neville with Owen as they’d walked. Of everything that Owen had said about Neville, the thing that rang truest was when Owen said Neville had no soul. How could you marry a man without a soul? Then, as they returned to the house to find Neville back from town and Bobby Fitzgerald arrived, there had been Neville’s response to having their picture taken. She remembered Neville moving—almost imperceptibly—away from her. It was a brief moment, a small gesture, but it was the sort of moment when, in the space of perhaps four or five seconds, lives change.

Deep in those thoughts and finally drifting toward sleep, Ann was startled by a quick knock at the door.

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.