Stranger at the Door. Victor J. Banis
angered by the account, and full of sympathy.
“No, I couldn’t, don’t you see?” Roger sighed as he remembered the humiliation and the indignation he had suffered. “I couldn’t afford to. He knew who I was, and it might have gotten back to someone here, and caused such a bother. The family’s well known, for one thing. And my mother’s had a bad heart for several years. If there had been only myself to consider, I might have dealt with it differently, but there’s no telling what a scandal of that sort would do to her in her condition. I had no choice but to pay him the money he demanded, but after that I no longer had any desire to stay in New York, or pay another visit. Once burned, as they say.”
“So now you just stay around here, all by yourself, in this big old house?”
“Yes. Oh, I have my occupations, of course, but not that sort of thing, not since then.”
“That’s too bad.” Lenny seemed quite suddenly to have lost interest in the subject. He finished his drink and stood up. “I guess I’d better be going.”
Roger stood also, disconcerted by the abruptness of the change. “Have you thought about the car?” he asked. It occurred to him that they had, after all, not even touched upon the subject of Lenny’s visit.
“I’d like to think about it. Could I come by again tomorrow after I’ve talked to my friend?”
“But of course. I’ve enjoyed our little visit.”
Lenny was smiling as he again clasped Roger’s hand, this time less forcefully. “So have I,” he said.
Roger stood at the door as his guest made his way down the drive. Now that the conversation was ended, he was suffering regrets at having said so much. He had in fact revealed his most embarrassing secret to this stranger, while he in turn knew little about the young man who was just leaving. He was suddenly frightened and anxious.
Lenny reached the end of the drive and paused, turning back to smile and wave. Roger returned the gesture and his fear vanished as quickly as it had come.
He was foolish to worry, he chided himself. There was scant likelihood that Lenny would be mingling with any of the Caldwell’s friends, and in any event, he was such a nice young man, so open and direct, and yet thoughtful, and...he would not let himself think the other adjective that had attempted to creep into his mind...so attractive.
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