Ход королевы
Chapter 4
Therewerefournamesonthelist.AtthebottomwasHARMON:sheheldherbreathforamomentwhenshesawit.AndatthetopofthelistwasthenameBELTIK.
“You’reHarmon,aren’tyou?”Itwasthehandsomeone.
“Yes.”
“Keepitup,kid,”hesaid,smiling.
JustthentheyoungmanwhohadtriedtoputherintheBeginnersSectionshoutedfromthetable,“Harmon!”
Sheturned.
“Lookslikeyouwereright,Harmon,”hesaid.
***
Mrs.WheatleywaseatingapotroastTVdinnerwithwhippedpotatoeswhenBethcamein.BatMastersonwason,veryloudly.“Yoursisintheoven,”Mrs.Wheatleysaid.Shewasinthechintzchairwiththealuminumplateonatrayinherlap.Herstockingswererolleddowntothetopsofherblackpumps.
Duringthecommercial,whileBethwaseatingthecarrotsfromherTVdinner,Mrs.Wheatleyasked,“Howdidyoudo,honey?”andBethsaid,“Iwonthreegames.”
“That’snice,”Mrs.Wheatleysaid,nottakinghereyesfromtheelderlygentlemanwhowastellingaboutthereliefhehadgottenfromHaley’sM.O.
***
ThateveningBethwasonBoardSixoppositeahomelyyoungmannamedKlein.Hisratingwas1794.SomeofthegamesprintedinChessReviewwerefromplayerswithlowerratingsthanthat.
BethwasWhite,andsheplayedpawntokingfour,hopingfortheSicilian.SheknewtheSicilianbetterthananythingelse.ButKleinplayedpawntokingfourandthenfianchettoedhisking’sbishop,settingitoverinthecornerabovehiscastledking.Shewasn’tquitesurebutthoughtthiswasthekindofopeningcalled“Irregular.
