Shock!. Donald Ph.D. Ladew
of would have a girl your age in such a state."
Grace giggled like a schoolgirl. "You're too smart for me, Grams. I went looking for Rachel and found her next door at the Piers'." She smiled to herself, remembering.
"Oh, do go on, Grace. This isn't a serial to be continued next week. Tell me about him," the diminutive lady demanded.
"Well, you know his mother died recently. I gather that he was overseas somewhere at the time and rushed home. I don't know any of the details of her death, but it must have been strange, I mean I'm sure if everything were normal, you and I would have been invited to the funeral.
"Anyway, Rachel was with him. He feeds her sardines and they've become friends. Do you know he named her Rachel without even knowing her name? He's very sad and tries to hide it. When I got there he was reading to Rachel: So strange, Grams, about torture and electroshock. I was in the garden and he didn't know I was listening. Whatever happened to his mother has affected him deeply."
"Grace, you're going to drive me to drink. What does he look like? Is he presentable? What did you talk about?"
"Oh, Grams, I did something really stupid. I wanted to see him again so I told him he should invite me to dinner. He didn't say anything for the longest time. I was mortified," Grace said.
"You should be. Good Lord, girl, you were taught better than that. I don't care if these are the liberated nineties. You can't go around scaring off every eligible man that comes along. He is a bachelor, I hope, not like that contemptible Grayson Dawes."
Grace had met Grayson four years earlier and they'd had an affair, until she discovered that he was already married, which somehow he'd neglected to mention.
"I don't know." She looked worried. "Oh, I hope not."
"Don't worry, his mother and I had some lovely chats. I shall miss her, such an intelligent woman, always so cheerful. Anyway, she said he never seemed to have any interest in specific women or marriage. She imagined he must have girlfriends, living overseas and all; but quite certain there were no particular ladies he'd taken a fancy to."
"Good!" Grace spoke with such force her grandmother looked at her and broke out laughing.
"My, my, you do have a case, don't you?"
"No, no, Grams. I just think he's very nice: A bit unusual, very intense and passionate. I think he'd be nice to have as a friend."
Now her grandmother really began to laugh. "Grace, it's not like you to be dishonest. You're just trying to avoid being hurt. I do understand. Strong feelings bring the strongest pain."
Grace smiled ruefully. "Well, I think he's a very," she grinned, "attractive man. He's only a few inches taller than me, but he stands erect, like a military man. And he moves very fine, like a dancer. I'm not sure he has that much experience with women. Sometimes he seemed as if he didn't quite know how to deal with me. You know, after I asked him out and he finally answered, that he would like to by the way," She smiled at her grandmother conspiratorially, "he came and sat next to me on the sofa, took my hand and kissed it. He did it so naturally, so intensely, oh, Grams, I'm ashamed to admit it, if he wanted, he could have done anything he desired."
"I do understand. I may be an old gel now, but I do remember what it was like to have strong feelings." Her eyes twinkled. "It appears he didn't press or you wouldn't be here for our tea."
Grace laughed. "No, Grams, he didn't press. In fact, he said I should set the pace of our friendship; that he wasn't at his best yet and was afraid he wouldn't be all I deserve."
"Well, he's apparently a very charming young man. You invite him over to tea soon. I want to have a look at him."
"I don't know about that, you can be pretty overwhelming when you want. I remember that man, the Vice-President or something and you had him tongue-tied," Grace said.
"Don't you worry, my dear, that fella was just a politician, this is not the same thing; not at all."
They sat quietly for a while drinking their tea, each immersed in her own thoughts, one in the present and the other in the past, the subject the same.
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