Поющие в терновнике

           SittinghereeversinceRainercame,hopingIwouldn’tneedtodoanythingatall,hopingthedecisionwouldn’trestwithme.Yethewasright.Intheend,it’sbeenformetodo."

           "Well,youmightconcedeIdidabittoo,"Feeprotested,injured."Thatis,onceyousurrenderedenoughofyourpridetotellmeallaboutit."

           "Yes,youhelped,"saidMeggiegently.

           Theoldclockticked;bothpairsofhandscontinuedtoflashaboutthetortoise-shellstemsoftheirneedles.

           "Tellmesomething,Mum,"saidMeggiesuddenly."WhydidyoubreakoverDanewhenyoudidn’toverDaddyorFrankorStu?"

           "Break?"Fee’shandspaused,laiddowntheneedles:shecouldstillknitaswellasinthedayswhenshecouldseeperfectly."Howdoyoumean,break?"

           "Asthoughitkilledyou."

           "Theyallkilledme,Meggie.ButIwasyoungerforthefirstthree,soIhadtheenergytoconcealitbetter.Morereason,too.Justlikeyounow.ButRalphknewhowIfeltwhenDaddyandStudied.Youweretooyoungtohaveseenit."Shesmiled."IadoredRalph,youknow.Hewas…someonespecial.AwfullylikeDane."

           "Yes,hewas.Ineverrealizedyou’dseenthat,Mum—Imeantheirnatures.Funny.You’reaDarkestAfricatome.TherearesomanythingsaboutyouIdon’tknow."

           "Ishouldhopeso!"saidFeewithasnortoflaughter.Herhandsremainedquiet."Gettingbacktotheoriginalsubject—ifyoucandothisnowforJustine,Meggie,I’dsayyou’vegainedmorefromyourtroublesthanIdidfrommine.