Поющие в терновнике

           Also,foroneotherthingshehadtobeintenselygratefultohim:hehadlaidtheghostofherfearthatsomehowJustinehaddiscoveredthelinkbetweenDaneandRalph.

           AsformarriagetoRain,Meggiedidn’tseewhatshecoulddotopushJustinewhereapparentlyshehadnodesiretogo.Orwasitthatshedidn’twanttosee?ShehadendedinlikingRainverymuch,buthishappinesscouldn’tpossiblymatterasmuchtoherasthewelfareofherdaughter,oftheDroghedapeople,andofDroghedaitself.Thecrucialquestionwas,howvitaltoJustine’sfuturehappinesswasRain?InspiteofhiscontentionthatJustinelovedhim,Meggiecouldn’trememberherdaughtereversayinganythingwhichmightindicatethatRainheldthesamesortofimportanceforherasRalphhaddoneforMeggie.

           "IpresumeyouwillseeJustinesoonerorlater,"MeggiesaidtoRainwhenshedrovehimtotheairport."Whenyoudo,I’dratheryoudidn’tmentionthisvisittoDrogheda."

           "Ifyouprefer,"hesaid."IwouldonlyaskyoutothinkaboutwhatI’vesaid,andtakeyourtime."Butevenashemadehisrequest,hecouldn’thelpfeelingthatMeggiehadreapedfarmorebenefitfromhisvisitthanhehad.

           ***

           Whenthemid-AprilcamethatwastwoandahalfyearsafterDane’sdeath,Justineexperiencedanoverwhelmingdesiretoseesomethingthatwasn’trowsofhouses,toomanysullenpeople.Suddenlyonthisbeautifuldayofsoftspringairandchillysun,urbanLondonwasintolerable.