Silent Heart by Claire McNab

Author:Claire McNab [Claire McNab]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Fiction, Lesbian
ISBN: 9781594930447
Google: NWBKAQAACAAJ
Amazon: 1594930449
Publisher: Bella Books
Published: 1993-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

Zoe dumped the large cardboard box on her kitchen bench. It was dusty and tattered and the printing along the side indicated that it had once held men's riding boots. Oddly reluctant to remove the grimy cardboard lid, I said, "What's in it? Have you had a good look?"

"Just to check it was all stuff for you." Zoe's voice was offhand, but there was an undertone that made me look up.

"Is there something..."

"What? Something what?" Zoe's tone was challenging. It was as though I was reading a script where my part made no sense because I didn't know some vital fact.

I said, "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Of course not." Zoe's reply was as rapid as it was insincere. "Obviously Mum kept some of your parents' papers and photos. She put them away in the back of the wardrobe and forgot about them." She smiled brightly. "Do you want coffee? Tea?"

The box was a time bomb ticking on the bench. I gathered it up under one arm. "Thanks, but I've got to be back at the university by four." This wasn't true, but I had no scruples about a falsehood, as I sensed Zoe was as keen for me to go as I was to leave.

Driving back to the university I kept glancing at the inoffensive cardboard container on the seat beside me. Although I had no more classes, I didn't want to take it back to my house, feeling, in some obscure way, that it would contaminate the peace I'd created there.

Gerald was just unlocking his car as I drew up in the staff car park. He slammed the door and walked over to me. "Can we have that talk now?"

"I am busy..."

"Not too busy to talk about us. You're not going to fob me off."

His determined tone made me feel both angry and guilty. "Gerald, I do want to discuss everything, but..."

He took the cardboard box from me. "Let me carry that. I'll walk up with you."

Before I could protest, he'd turned and was striding towards the entrance of the building. I followed, half impatient, half relieved that he'd delayed my investigation of the box's contents.

In my office, he placed the box precisely in the center of my desk. "What is this?"

I was offhand. "Just some papers my aunt kept for me."

Gerald wasn't really interested. "Can I see you tonight? I'm not pushing, Victoria, but I'm really unhappy about the way things are between us."

For him to say this much was an indication of his strength of feeling. He was usually reticent about his emotions — a characteristic that had initially attracted me to him.

I glanced at the box. "I've got a lot of work to do..."

"Please. It's important to me."

I felt my will power leaking out of me like air from a punctured balloon. "All right, Gerald. Where and when?"

He was buoyed by my acquiescence. "Leave it to me. I'll pick you up about seven."

I waited until he'd walked down the corridor, then locked the door behind him.

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