and she knew it, but what did one say to a man who’d saved one’s life and. gotten his reward by being asked at a moment’s notice to escort Miss Mary Smith and her shopping bags back to the project? “You like scotch with a twist and lots of ice, don’t you?”
“Great.” He didn’t seem to know what to say, either.
“My Uncle Jem taught me to bartend when I was six, so I’m quite good at it. How’s that?”
Bittersohn took a sip. “Perfect. Aren’t you going to join me?”
“I certainly am.”
Sarah poured herself a smaller drink, and added water. “You know, when Miss Smith told me yesterday about what happened, I was so taken aback that I don’t think it sank in properly. Then I had dinner to cope with, and Uncle Jem joined us and stayed and stayed as he always does once he gets over the agony of pulling himself together to come. Naturally everybody was egging him on because he really is a marvelous storyteller in a highly censorable sort of way, so it was awfully late by the time I got to bed and I went right to sleep. This morning of course there was breakfast to fix so I honestly hadn’t time to think about what she said till a little while ago. Do you think she could possibly be telling the truth?”
“I might if I knew what you’re talking about”
“But didn’t she tell you?’
“Miss Smith told me a good deal about her one-woman save-the-environment plan but I don’t suppose that’s what you’re referring to. She did mention something when we got to that dump she lives in about being glad I was with her and not having realized what she might be letting herself in for till Mrs. Kelling pointed it out to her, but Mrs. Kelling told her not to say anything to anybody else so she wasn’t about to.”
“But I didn’t mean you. Here, have one of these cheese things while they’re hot. I appear to be in my accustomed state of utter confusion. I expect I ought to start at the beginning, which is the financial mess you know all about. Probably you weren’t surprised to read in the paper that I’d turned this place into a boardinghouse. I couldn’t think of any other way to keep afloat till this business with the High Street Bank gets settled, if it ever does. I couldn’t bear to knuckle under without putting up any kind of struggle, and keeping up appearances on a shoestring is all I’m trained to do.”
“I thought you were a commercial artist.”
“Well, yes, I suppose I am but I’ve never made any real money at it. I do intend to look for work, but so far I haven’t had time to get a portfolio together. I’m always having to rush off and call the plumber or whatever just as I think I’m going to start.”
“Don’t you have any help in the house?”
“Oh yes, I’ve been awfully lucky there. Mariposa, that darling woman who used to clean for us, has come to stay.”
“The one with the dog and the boy friend?”
“You remembered! The dog has gone to live with her brother in the country, I’m happy to say. Rover was the sort that needs lots of roving space. The boy friend is still with us. He’s the Charles I mentioned on the phone. Charles is really an actor but he’s resting, as they say, so he’s keeping his hand in by doing a superb impersonation of a butler. I don’t even have to pay him, except room and board, because he also has a job on some assembly line attaching gadgets to widgets. I must say I dread the day when Charles’s agent finds him another role. Can I fix your drink?”
“I’m fine for the moment, thanks. So where does Miss Smith come in?”
“She showed up out of the blue yesterday about tea-time. Tell me, Mr. Bittersohn, what was your general impression of her? I know one might assume at first glance that she must have a bat or two loose in the belfry, but do you honestly think she does?”
“A crowded subway train isn’t the best place to judge,” he replied, “but my off-the-cuff impression is that Miss Smith is a gallant old
“Great.” He didn’t seem to know what to say, either.
“My Uncle Jem taught me to bartend when I was six, so I’m quite good at it. How’s that?”
Bittersohn took a sip. “Perfect. Aren’t you going to join me?”
“I certainly am.”
Sarah poured herself a smaller drink, and added water. “You know, when Miss Smith told me yesterday about what happened, I was so taken aback that I don’t think it sank in properly. Then I had dinner to cope with, and Uncle Jem joined us and stayed and stayed as he always does once he gets over the agony of pulling himself together to come. Naturally everybody was egging him on because he really is a marvelous storyteller in a highly censorable sort of way, so it was awfully late by the time I got to bed and I went right to sleep. This morning of course there was breakfast to fix so I honestly hadn’t time to think about what she said till a little while ago. Do you think she could possibly be telling the truth?”
“I might if I knew what you’re talking about”
“But didn’t she tell you?’
“Miss Smith told me a good deal about her one-woman save-the-environment plan but I don’t suppose that’s what you’re referring to. She did mention something when we got to that dump she lives in about being glad I was with her and not having realized what she might be letting herself in for till Mrs. Kelling pointed it out to her, but Mrs. Kelling told her not to say anything to anybody else so she wasn’t about to.”
“But I didn’t mean you. Here, have one of these cheese things while they’re hot. I appear to be in my accustomed state of utter confusion. I expect I ought to start at the beginning, which is the financial mess you know all about. Probably you weren’t surprised to read in the paper that I’d turned this place into a boardinghouse. I couldn’t think of any other way to keep afloat till this business with the High Street Bank gets settled, if it ever does. I couldn’t bear to knuckle under without putting up any kind of struggle, and keeping up appearances on a shoestring is all I’m trained to do.”
“I thought you were a commercial artist.”
“Well, yes, I suppose I am but I’ve never made any real money at it. I do intend to look for work, but so far I haven’t had time to get a portfolio together. I’m always having to rush off and call the plumber or whatever just as I think I’m going to start.”
“Don’t you have any help in the house?”
“Oh yes, I’ve been awfully lucky there. Mariposa, that darling woman who used to clean for us, has come to stay.”
“The one with the dog and the boy friend?”
“You remembered! The dog has gone to live with her brother in the country, I’m happy to say. Rover was the sort that needs lots of roving space. The boy friend is still with us. He’s the Charles I mentioned on the phone. Charles is really an actor but he’s resting, as they say, so he’s keeping his hand in by doing a superb impersonation of a butler. I don’t even have to pay him, except room and board, because he also has a job on some assembly line attaching gadgets to widgets. I must say I dread the day when Charles’s agent finds him another role. Can I fix your drink?”
“I’m fine for the moment, thanks. So where does Miss Smith come in?”
“She showed up out of the blue yesterday about tea-time. Tell me, Mr. Bittersohn, what was your general impression of her? I know one might assume at first glance that she must have a bat or two loose in the belfry, but do you honestly think she does?”
“A crowded subway train isn’t the best place to judge,” he replied, “but my off-the-cuff impression is that Miss Smith is a gallant old
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