Поющие в терновнике

           Faroutwasmorewhitespraywheretheoceanbrokeindazzlinglaceontheedgesofthelagoonreef,butwithinthecoral’sembracethewaterwasstillandcalm,apolishedsilvermirrortingedwithbronze.

           "Island’sfourmileswideandeightlong,"herguideexplained.Theydrovepastastragglingwhitebuildingwithadeepverandaandshoplikewindows."Thegeneralstore,"hesaidwithaproprietaryflourish."IlivetherewiththeMissus,andshe’snottoohappyaboutalonewomancominghere,Icantellyou.ThinksI’llbeseducedwashowsheputit.Justaswellthebureausaidyouwantedcompletepeaceandquiet,becauseitsoothedtheMissusabitwhenIputyouinthefarthest-outplacewehave.There’snotasoulinyourdirection;theonlyothercouplehereareontheotherside.Youcanlarkaroundwithoutastitchon—noonewillseeyou.TheMissusisn’tgoingtoletmeoutofhersightwhileyou’rehere.Whenyouneedsomething,justpickupyourphoneandI’llbringitout.Nosensewalkingallthewayin.AndMissusorno,I’llcallinonyouonceadayatsunset,justtomakesureyou’reallright.Bestthatyou’reinthehousethen—andwearaproperdress,incasetheMissuscomesalongfortheride."

           Aone-storystructurewiththreerooms,thecottagehaditsownprivatecurveofwhitebeachbetweentwoprongsofthehilldivingintothesea,andheretheroadended.Insideitwasveryplain,butcomfortable.