“No, I’m not. I have to finish a theme Saturday, and I can’t go rushing off to—”
“Suzie, I’d drive myself, but I’m not allowed to in New York State until I’m eighteen. You can—”
“Ever since my birthday, I’ve become a taxi service to New York,” Suzie said.
“When’s the last time I asked you for a favor?”
There was a long silence on the line.
“I’ll probably fail English,” Suzie said. “The theme is due on Monday.”
“You won’t fail. Two-thirty Saturday. You won’t forget, will you?”
“I won’t forget,” Suzie said wearily.
“Mark it on your calendar.”
“I already did.”
“Okay, hon, thanks a million.”
She was grinning when she hung up. She now knew that David would be in Talmadge on Saturday, that Julia would be leaving for White Plains sometime before lunch and that she would have to remain there until three o’clock. She had arranged for Suzie to pick her up at two-thirty, which gave her at least two hours alone with David. All she needed now was a little co-operation from him.
She was certain she would get it.
The twenty-first of May was a bright cloudless day, somewhat brisk for so late in the month, but a beautiful day with a flawless blue sky and a brilliant sun. She was pleased at first by the splendor of it, and then wondered if the good weather would bring some people to the lake. She did not want anyone at the lake when she and David were there.
She dressed very carefully. Her plan had not taken her beyond the simple premise of adult recognition, but she nonetheless chose her undergarments with the cold precision of a seductress, the most feminine and female she owned. Over these, she put a straight black skirt, a little tight, and a white silk blouse. She wore no stockings. She knew that high heels would have looked absurd for any Saturday afternoon in Talmadge, and she even debated the advisability of wearing a French heel, but she finally settled for it, and then wondered again whether she looked too elegant. She shrugged, polished her nails, applied her lipstick with a brush, and then at eleven-thirty, she called the Regan house. David answered the phone.
“Hello, David,” she said, “this is Kate.”
“Hi, Kate.”
“May I speak to your mother, please?”
“I’m sorry, she left about a half hour ago.” He paused. “Aren’t you supposed to meet her in White Plains?”
“Not until later this afternoon. David, did she mention anything about the key?”
“What key is that, Kate?”
“To the lake house.”
“No. Why?”
“I think I left a bathing suit there, and I wanted to look for it. Your mother said it would be all right.”
“Well, the key is here, if you want it.”
“Oh, good. I’ll stop by for it in a few minutes. Will you be home?”
“Sure.”
“All right, David. Goodbye.” She hung up quickly, her heart pounding. Quietly and unobtrusively, she went out of the house. Parsie looked up when she passed the kitchen, but said nothing. Once outside, she began walking swiftly. The Regan house was a good ten blocks away, but she made it in five minutes. She went around back to the kitchen door and knocked on it. David opened the door. He was wearing a sweat shirt and a pair of khaki pants. There was shaving cream on one half of his face.
“Hi,” he said. “I didn’t expect you so soon.”
“I hope I’m not disturbing you, David,” she said.
“Not at all. I was just shaving. Come on in.”
“I really have to hurry,” she said. “I thought I’d have a car, but I don’t.”
“Just let me get the rest of this off,” he said, “and I’ll find that key for you.”
“All right,” she said, and she followed him into the house. He had not taken the bait, had given no sign that he’d even heard her. She sat in the living room while he finished shaving in the downstairs bathroom. The grandfather clock read ten minutes to twelve. The drive to the lake took at least twenty-five minutes. She wondered suddenly if he’d brought his car up. Suppose he’d taken the train? She tried to remember if she’d seen his car as she passed the garage outside. Nervously, she began tapping her fingers on the arm of the chair.
“When did you arrive, David?” she called to the open bathroom door. “Last night?”
“Yes.”
“Did you come by train?”
“No, I drove.”
She was glad he could not see the relief on her face. “Traffic heavy?” she asked casually.
“No, not too bad.” She heard him turn on the faucet, heard him splashing water onto his face.
“Will you be much longer, David? I may have trouble getting a hitch out to the lake.”
“I’m finished,” he said. He came out of the bathroom drying his face.
She did not want to ask him directly if he would drive her. She wanted the suggestion to come from him. But the suggestion did not seem to be coming. She glanced again at the big clock, rose, and said, “Well, may I have the key? There isn’t a bus running, is there? Would you know?”
“To where, Kate?”
“The lake,” she said. “Daddy promised me the car, and then remembered he had to take it in for a... a greasing.” This was an outright lie, and she wondered if David would notice her father’s car was not in the Talmadge garage.
“I don’t think the buses begin running until after Memorial Day,” David said.
“Well, I’ll get a hitch, I suppose. May I have the key, please?”
He went to the kitchen cupboard and took down a Jar that was half full of tagged keys. He turned the jar over onto the table and began reading the tags, looking for the key to the lake house.
“How long will you be there, Kate?”
“Oh, just until I find the suit. I can’t stay too long. I’m supposed to meet your mother in White Plains.”
“How will you get to White Plains without a car?”
“I’ve already arranged for a lift.”
David found the right key. He handed it to her and said, “This is for the front door. It sticks a little, so pull down on it when you open it.”
“I will. Thank you.”
She turned quickly and started for the door.
“If you like, I can give you a lift there,” David said.
“Oh, thank you, but I couldn’t trouble you, David.” She opened the door.
“No trouble at all, Kate. I haven’t anything planned, anyway.”
She turned and smiled graciously. “That’s very kind of you,” she said. “I’d appreciate it.”
“Just let me get my wallet and my keys,” David answered.
She talked about the trip to Europe all the way out to the lake. She sat on her side of the car with her legs crossed and her skirt demurely pulled below her knees. She didn’t want to seem too excited about the trip because she knew this would appear childish to him. Nor did she wish to seem indifferent to it, because she knew he would detect this as a false attitude. She talked about it enthusiastically, and with a sense of anticipation, but all the while she was thinking, I’m alone with him, I’m alone with him.
The lake was deserted when they got there.
It was twelve-forty, and the sun was directly overhead, shining brightly on the water, giving the lake a curious look, as if it were composed of light beams somehow solidified. He parked the car in the driveway and they walked to the front door together. She didn’t know exactly what she planned to do now that she was here with him, but at least they were alone. David unlocked the door, and they walked into the darkened house. The living room smelled of contained dust and moisture and heat. The furniture was covered with white sheets.
“I’ll open some windows,” he said. “No sense suffocating while you look for that suit.”
She went directly to the small bedroom at the rear of the house, knowing full well she hadn’t left the suit there, but pretending to search through the empty dresser drawers and the empty shelves in the closet. She could hear David opening the windows facing the lake.