Ход королевы
Chapter 5
”ShereadittwicebeforeshowingittoMrs.Wheatley.Mrs.Wheatleywasecstatic;shehadreadthearticleintheLexingtonpaperaloudandthensaid,“Wonderful!”Thistimeshereadinsilencebeforesaying,“Thisisnationalrecognition,dear,”inahushedvoice.
Mrs.Wheatleyhadbroughtthemagazinewithher,andtheyspentpartofthetimeontheplanemarkingthetournamentsBethwouldplayoverthenextseveralmonths.Theysettledononeamonth;Mrs.Wheatleywasafraidtheywouldrunoutofdiseasesand,asshesaid,“credibility”ifshewrotemoreexcusesthanthat.Bethwonderedtoherselfiftheyshouldn’tjustaskforpermissioninastraightforwardway—afterall,boyswereallowedtomissclassesforbasketballandfootball—butshewaswiseenoughtosaynothing.Mrs.Wheatleyseemedtotakeimmenseenjoymentindoingitthisway.Itwaslikeaconspiracy.
ShewoninHoustonwithoutanytrouble.Shewas,asMrs.Wheatleysaid,really“gettingthehangofit.”Shewasforcedtodrawherthirdgamebuttookthefinalonebyadazzlingcombination,beatingtheforty-year-oldSouthwestChampionasthoughhewereabeginner.Theystayedovertwodays“forthesun”andvisitedtheMuseumofFineArtsandtheZoologicalGardens.OnthedayafterthetournamentBeth’spicturewasinthepaper,andthistimeitmadeherfeelgoodtoseeit.Thearticlecalledhera“Wunderkind.”Mrs.Wheatleyboughtthreecopies,saying,“Ijustmightstartascrapbook.”
***
InJanuary,Mrs.WheatleycalledtheschooltosaythatBethhadarelapseofmono,andtheywenttoCharleston.
