Ход королевы
Chapter 8
“Youcantakemetooneoftheplacesyouknowabout.”
“Ofcourse,”Mrs.Wheatleysaid.Shesmiledruefully.“Itwasfunwhileitlasted.Hereallyhadapleasantsenseofhumor.”
“That’sgood,”Bethsaid.“Mr.Wheatleydidn’tseemveryamusing.”
“MyGod,”Mrs.Wheatleysaid,“Allstonneverthoughtanythingwasfunny,exceptmaybeEleanorRoosevelt.”
***
Inthistournamenteachplayerplayedonegameaday.Itwouldgoonforsixdays.Beth’sfirsttwogamesweresimpleenoughforher,butthethirdcameasashock.
Shearrivedfiveminutesearlyandwasattheboardwhenheropponentcamewalkingup,abitawkwardly.Helookedabouttwelveyearsold.Bethhadseenhimaroundtheballroom,hadpassedboardswherehewasplaying,butshehadbeendistracted,andhisyouthhadn’treallyregistered.Hehadcurlyblackhairandworeanold-fashionedwhitesportshirt,soneatlyironedthatitscreasesstoodoutfromhisthinarms.Itwasverystrange,andshefeltuncomfortable.Shewassupposedtobetheprodigy.Helookedsodamnedserious.
Sheheldoutherhand.“I’mBethHarmon.”
Hestood,bowedslightly,tookherhandfirmlyandshookitonce.“IamGeorgiPetrovitchGirev,”hesaid.Thenhesmiledshyly,asmallfurtivesmile.“Iamhonored.”
Shefeltflustered.“Thanks.”Theybothsat,andhepressedthebuttondownonherclock.Sheplayedpawntoqueenfour,gladtohavethefirstmoveagainstthisunnervingchild.
ItstartedoutasaroutineQueen’sGambitAccepted;hetooktheofferedbishoppawn,andtheybothdevelopedtowardthecenter.
