Campbell, Ramsey - Secret Story by Campbell Ramsey

Author:Campbell, Ramsey [Campbell, Ramsey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: A Tom Doherty Associates Book
Published: 2006-06-25T05:00:00+00:00

NINETEEN

Less than half an hour before Dudley was due home from work, Kathy began to dread his arrival. How could she have invaded his room when she knew there was nothing he valued more than his privacy? Suppose he never trusted her or spoke to her again? Suppose he moved out of the house? The idea brought others with it that made her unhappy with herself. Wasn’t she indulging his untidiness to ensure he had no reason to leave? Did she secretly yearn for him not to grow up, or was she using him as her excuse not to find another partner? Perhaps she was as private as he liked to be, in which case her example was to blame. He wouldn’t always have her to look after him, and what would happen to him once he was alone? Should she invite Patricia Martingale for dinner again? She wouldn’t mind knowing the girl better or encouraging Dudley’s friendship with her, but she mustn’t let that distract her now. She had to decide what to do about the story she’d finished for him.

She was in the kitchen, and emptily surrounded by evidence that she hadn’t yet thought about dinner. Shouldn’t she tell him as soon as she saw him how she’d helped? The prospect turned her mouth dry. She could postpone his discovery until she found the best moment to prepare him, she thought suddenly: she had only to rename the file that contained her additions and restore his work untouched under the original name. She hurried out of the kitchen and was almost at the stairs when she heard the clank of the latch of the garden gate.

She dashed to the stairs and halted halfway up as footsteps that she did her best not to recognise arrived at the front door. If they were Dudley’s, could she sprint to his room and somehow keep him downstairs while she used his computer? If she claimed to be naked, might that deter him? She’d seized the banister to impel herself upwards when a key scraped at the lock. Before she could reach the landing, Dudley strode into the house.

Kathy strove to tone down her surprised expression as she turned to him. “You’re early,” she no more than remarked.

“There’s work I need to be doing,” he said and came fast up the stairs.

She didn’t quite block his path, but her hand began to, though only so that she could blurt “How was your day?”

He stared at the hand until it withdrew enough to let him sidle quickly by. “Same as usual. What do you expect?” he said, already with his back to her. “Wasn’t yours?”

“Pretty much the kind of day I’d like.” There was her chance, but she flinched from taking it, not least because he was staring at her comment as if he couldn’t be bothered to grimace. “Except I haven’t made any dinner,” she said.

That stopped him with one foot on the landing. “It doesn’t matter,” he grumbled and made for his room.

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