Ход королевы
Chapter 2
ShelistenedtoMissLonsdaletalkoninherdeadlyseriouswayabouthowweallhadtobecareful,thatcommunismwaslikeadiseaseandcouldinfectyou.Itwasn’tcleartoBethwhatcommunismwas.Somethingwickedpeoplebelievedin,inothercountries,likebeingNazisandtorturingJewsbythemillions.
IfMrs.Deardorffhadn’ttoldhim,Mr.Shaibelwouldbeexpectingher.Shewantedtobetheretoplaychess,totrytheKing’sGambitagainsthim.MaybeMr.Ganzwouldbebackwithsomeonefromthechessclubforhertoplay.Sheletherselfthinkofthisonlyforamomentandherheartseemedtofill.Shewantedtorun.Shefelthereyessmarting.
SheblinkedandshookherheadandwentonlisteningtoMissLonsdale,whowastalkingnowaboutRussia,aterribleplacetobe.
***
“Youshould’vesawyourself,”Jolenesaid.“Uponthatstool.JustfloatingaroundupthereandDeardorffholleringatyou.”
“Itfeltfunny.”
“Shit,Ibet.Ibetitfeltgood.”Joleneleanedalittlecloser.“Howmanyofthemdownersyoutake,anyhow?”
“Thirty.”
Jolenestaredather.“She-it!”shesaid.
***
Itwasdifficulttosleepwithoutthepills,butnotimpossible.Bethsavedthefewshehadforemergenciesanddecidedthatifshehadtostayawakeforseveralhourseverynight,shewouldspendthetimelearningtheSicilianDefense.Therewerefifty-sevenprintedpagesontheSicilianinModemChessOpenings,withahundredandseventydifferentlinesstemmingfromP—QB4.Shewouldmemorizeandplaythroughthemallinhermindatnight.
