Gender Readings. Top Ten. Ренц Т.Г - 40 стр.

ing to a conversation between them which indicated a long intimacy.
Richard’s mother seemed anxious to please Gwen.
      “Expecting Grace tonight?” Gwen said.
      “No, darling, I thought perhaps not tonight. Was I right?”
      “Oh, of course, yes. Expecting Joanna?”
      “Well, as it’s Trudy’s first visit, I thought perhaps not —”
      “Would you,” Gwen said to Trudy, “lay the table, my dear.
Here are the knives and forks.”
      Trudy bore these knives and forks into the dining-room with a
sense of having been got rid of with a view to being talked about.
      At supper, Mrs Seeton said, “It seems a bit odd, there only
being the three of us. We usually have such jolly Sunday suppers. Next
week, Trudy, you must come and meet the whole crowd — mustn’t
she, Gwen?”
      “Oh yes,” Gwen said, “Trudy must do that.”
      Towards half past ten Richard’s mother said, “I doubt if Rich-
ard will be back in time to run you home. Naughty boy, I daren’t
think what he gets up to.”
      On the way to the bus stop Gwen said, “Are you happy now
that you’ve met Lucy?”
      “Yes, I think so. But I think Richard might have stayed. It would
have been nice. I dare say he wanted me to get to know his mother by
myself. But in fact I felt the need of his support.”
      “Didn’t you have a talk with Lucy?”
      “Well yes, but not much really. Richard probably didn’t realize
you were coming to supper. Richard probably thought his mother and
I could have a heart-to-heart —”
      “I usually go to Lucy’s on Sunday,” Gwen said.
      “Why?”
      “Well, she’s a friend of mine. I know her ways. She amuses me.”
      During the week Trudy saw Richard only once, for a quick drink.
      “Exams,” he said. “I’m rather busy, darling.”
      “Exams in November? I thought they started in December.”
      “Preparation for exams,” he said. “Preliminaries. Lots of work.”
He took her home, kissed her on the cheek and drove off.
      She looked after the car, and for a moment hated his mous-
tache. But she pulled herself together and, recalling her youthfulness,
decided she was too young really to judge the fine shades and moods
of a man like Richard.

                                – 40 –