"Oh." Wade became aware that Vida was holding a carving-knife. His eyes widened. He pushed back against the wall, away from the bright blade. No doubt, he thought, she will now disembowel me for driving away her ideal husband...
SHE TOOK a step towards him."Vida!" he croaked."Don't ruin your life! That won't help any..."
She stopped."What's the matter?"
"Aren't you going to stab me?"
"Good heavens, no! What made you think such a thing?"
"Well—I thought—with Zdaor gone..."
She burst into laughter. She laughed until she had to sit down, and finally said: "You poor idiot, I' won't miss him; and it's not a question of sex, either. He had his virtues, but you have no idea what a dull bore it gets, living with an ideal person. Now you have faults, but—"
"Me?"
"Well, didn't you mean what you told Zdaor?"
"Of course I did. But after that exhibition..."
"That's all right. The reason I always turned down your proposals in the old days was you were such a stiff little prig, never drinking or—anything. Now... Of course I won't be rushed into anything."
"It'll work out, darling," said Wade, swinging his feet down from the sofa and reaching for his shoes."But what was the knife for?"
"I was going to ask you, if you were conscious, how you liked your steak."
"Real cow-steak?"
"Yes."
"Rare," said Eric Wade."Better yet, let me cook it. I can do a couple of things Rwons can't, and one of them is to broil a steak right." He tied his shoes, rose, and followed Vida into the kitchen.