Поющие в терновнике

           "TimeslikethisIwishIhadyourgiftforforeignlanguages.ButI’llmanage;I’mverygoodatmimesandcharades."

           "Ihavetwomonths,Jussy,isn’titsuper?SowecantakealookatFranceandSpainandstillhaveamonthonDrogheda.Imisstheoldplace."

           "Doyou?"Sheturnedtolookathim,atthebeautifulhandsguidingthecarexpertlythroughthecrazyRomantraffic."Idon’tmissitatall;London’stoointeresting."

           "Youdon’tfoolme,"hesaid."IknowwhatDroghedaandMummeantoyou."

           Justineclenchedherhandsinherlapbutdidn’tanswerhim.

           "Doyoumindhavingteawithsomefriendsofminethisafternoon?"heaskedwhentheyhadarrived."Iratheranticipatedthingsbyacceptingforyoualready.They’resoanxioustomeetyou,andasI’mnotafreemanuntiltomorrow,Ididn’tliketosayno."

           "Prawn!WhyshouldImind?IfthiswasLondonI’dbeinundatingyouwithmyfriends,sowhyshouldn’tyou?I’mgladyou’regivingmealook-seeattheblokesintheseminary,thoughit’sabitunfairtome,isn’tit?Handsoffthelotofthem."

           Shewalkedtothewindow,lookeddownatashabbylittlesquarewithtwotiredplanetreesinitspavedquadrangle,threetablesstrewnbeneaththem,andtoonesideachurchofnoparticulararchitecturalgraceorbeauty,coveredinpeelingstucco.

           "Dane…"

           "Yes?"

           "Idounderstand,reallyIdo."

           "Yes,Iknow."Hisfacelostitssmile."IwishMumdid,Jus."

           "Mum’sdifferent.