按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃I'm not a hypocrite； am I？〃 she asked。 A slow smile came to her lips。 She moved and he felt her fingers brush across his thigh。 She looked into his face。 〃Would you like to do it now？〃 she whispered。
〃Now？〃 he said in a stunned voice。 He glanced over his shoulder back to the house。
〃They won't e out；〃 she said quietly。 〃Father is reading his newspaper and Mother is knitting。 I saw them through the doorway。〃
〃But… 〃 he stammered。 〃But… how？〃
She smiled again； her fingers taking the handkerchief from his breast pocket。
Geraldine looked up at the mantel clock。 It was just eight thirty。 She heard the screen door slam and Rina came into the room。 Her daughter's eyes were bright and shining and her face wore a happy smile。 The smile was infectious and Geraldine smiled back at her。
〃Did you have a good time at the movies； dear？〃
Rina nodded。 〃A wonderful time； Mother；〃 she said excitedly。 〃It was such fun。 You don't know how great it is to be able to see a picture without all those brats squalling and running up and down the aisles like they do in the afternoons。〃
Geraldine laughed。 〃It was only yesterday that you were one of those brats。〃
Rina's face suddenly turned serious。 〃But I'm not any more； am I； Mother？〃
Geraldine nodded her head gently。 〃No； darling。 You're quite grown up now。〃
Rina spun around happily。 〃That's right； Mother；〃 she said gaily。 〃I'm quite grown up now。〃
Geraldine laughed。 〃Now up to bed with you； young lady。 You still need your rest。〃
〃O。K。； Mother。〃 Rina bent over her and quickly kissed her cheek。 〃Good night。〃
She crossed the room and kissed her father's cheek。 〃Good night； Father。〃
She ran out of the room and they could hear her feet running up the stairs。 Harrison Marlowe lowered his paper。 〃She seems quite happy。〃
〃Why shouldn't she be？〃 Geraldine said。 〃Her first date。 Every girl is excited after her first date。〃
He put down the paper。 〃What do you say we go out on the porch for a bit of air？〃
They came out into the night。 〃Laddie？〃 she called。
〃Over here； Mother。〃
She turned and saw him rising from the chaise。 〃Did you have a good time？〃
〃All right；〃 he said shortly。
〃Rina wasn't any bother； was she？〃
〃No。〃
〃You don't sound happy about having to take her with you。〃
〃It was O。K。； Mother；〃 he said tensely。
〃Sometimes； son；〃 his father said； 〃we have to do things even if we don't like it。 One of them is looking after your sister。 That's a brother's job。〃
〃I said it was all right； Father；〃 he snapped。
〃Laddie！〃 his mother exclaimed in surprise。
Laddie looked down at the floor。 〃I'm sorry； Father；〃 he said in a low voice。
She moved over and looked into his face。 〃Are you feeling all right； Laddie？〃 she asked with concern。 〃You look flushed and warm to me and your face is all perspired。 Here； let me wipe it for you。〃 Her hand sought his breast…pocket handkerchief。 〃Why； Laddie； what happened to your handkerchief？ I saw it in your pocket when you left。〃
For a moment there was something in his eyes that reminded her of a stricken animal； then it was gone。 〃I… I guess I lost it；〃 he stammered。
She touched his forehead。 〃Are you sure you haven't a fever？〃
〃I think you'd better go up to bed； son；〃 his father said。
〃Yes； Father。〃 He turned to his mother and kissed her。 〃Good night；〃 he said and went quickly into the house。
〃I wonder what's the matter with him？〃
Harrison Marlowe snorted。 〃I know what's the matter with him。〃
〃You do？〃
He nodded。 〃He's spoiled； that's what。 He's so used to having everything the way he wants it； he sulks when he has to do a little thing like chaperon his sister。 He's angry because he couldn't sit over in the Randall's yard and spoon with Tommy's cousin Joan。〃
〃Harry； you're being horrid！〃
〃No I'm not；〃 he said。 〃Take it from me。 I know boys。 What he needs is a little discipline。〃 He began to pack his pipe。 〃And you're doing the same with Rina。 Giving her everything she wants。 She'll be spoiled soon； too。〃
〃I know what's bothering you；〃 she said。 〃You just don't like the idea of them growing up。 You'd like to keep them children forever。〃
〃No。 But you have to admit they are spoiled。〃
〃Maybe they are a little；〃 she admitted。
He smiled。 〃Well； anyway； it's a good thing they'll be going back to school next month。 Barrington's good for Laddie。〃
〃Yes；〃 she agreed。 〃And I'm glad Rina's been accepted at Jane Vincent's school。 They'll make a little lady out of her。〃
For Laddie； it was a summer of pain and torture； of wild physical sensation and excruciating； conscience…stricken agonies。 He couldn't sleep； he couldn't eat； he was afraid to look at her in the mornings and then； when he saw her； he couldn't bear to let her out of his sight。 Jealous tortures flamed inside him when he saw her smiling or talking to other boys。 Visions born of his knowledge of her would fill his mind and he could see them with her the way he had been。 An uneasy； frightened contentment would steal through him when they were together。
And lurking all the while in the deep recesses of his mind was the fear … the fear of discovery； the fear of seeing the hurt and shock and loathing e to the faces of his parents once they knew。
But when she looked at him； smiled at him； touched him； all that was suddenly gone and he would do anything in the world to please her。 He abased himself； groveled before her； wept with the agony of his self…flagellation。 Then the fear would return。 Because there was no escaping the fact。 She was his sister。 It was wrong。
It was with a feeling of relief that he saw the crazy summer e to an end。 It was over； he thought。 Away from her； he would be able to find himself again； to control the fevers that she set raging in his blood。 When they would e again to the beach next summer； it would be different。 He would be different； she would be different。
No more； he would say to her。 No more。 It's wrong。
That was what he believed when he returned to school at the end of that summer。
7
〃I'M PREGNANT；〃 SHE SAID。 〃I'M GOING TO HAVE a baby。〃
Laddie felt a dull ache spread over him。 Somehow； this was the way he'd always known it would turn out。 Ever since that first summer two years ago。 He looked up at her； squinting his eyes against the sun。 〃How do you know？〃
She spoke quietly； as if she were just talking about the weather。 〃I'm late；〃 she said simply。 〃I've never been late before。〃
He looked down at his hands。 They were sun…darkened against the white sand。 〃What are you going to do？〃
〃I don't know；〃 she answered。 Her white…blond hair glittered in the sunlight as she turned and looked out at the ocean。 〃If nothing happens by tomorrow； I guess I'll have to tell Mother。〃
〃Will you… will you tell her about us？〃
〃No；〃 she said swiftly； in a low voice。 She picked the next question from his lips。 〃I'll tell her it was Tommy； or Bill； or Joe；〃 she answered； still not looking at him。
Despite himself； he felt a twinge of jealousy。 〃Did you… with all of them？〃 he asked hesitantly。
Her dark eyes fixed on his own now。 〃No；〃 she said emphatically。 〃Of course not。 Only with you。〃
〃What if she talks to them？ Then she'l