Поющие в терновнике

           "Thanksforlisteningtomeblather."

           MuchtoBob’ssurpriseandconfusion,shekissedhimgoodnight;Jackedgedawaybutwaseasilycaught,whileHughieacceptedthefarewellwithalacrity.Jimsturnedbrightred,endureditdumbly.ForPatsy,ahugaswellasakiss,becausehewasalittlebitofanislandhimself.AndforFranknokissatall,heavertedhishead;yetwhensheputherarmsaroundhimshecouldsenseafaintechoofsomeintensityquitemissingintheothers.PoorFrank.Whywashelikethat?

           Outsidetheirdoor,sheleanedforamomentagainstthewall.Rainlovedher.Butwhenshetriedtophonehisroomtheoperatorinformedherhehadcheckedout,returnedtoBonn.

           Nomatter.ItmightbebettertowaituntilLondontoseehim,anyway.Acontriteapologyviathemail,andaninvitationtodinnernexttimehewasinEngland.Thereweremanythingsshedidn’tknowaboutRain,butofonecharacteristicshehadnodoubtatall;hewouldcome,becausehehadn’tagrudgingboneinhisbody.Sinceforeignaffairshadbecomehisforte,Englandwasoneofhismostregularportsofcall.

           "Youwaitandsee,mylad,"shesaid,staringintohermirrorandseeinghisfaceinsteadofherown."I’mgoingtomakeEnglandyourmostimportantforeignaffair,ormynameisn’tJustineO’Neill."

           IthadnotoccurredtoherthatperhapsasfarasRainwasconcerned,hernamewasindeedthecruxofthematter.Herpatternsofbehaviorwereset,andmarriagewasnopartofthem.