"Carolyn Ives Gilman - Okanoggan Falls" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gilman Carolyn Ives)

to Susan's nature.

She had been an RN, but had quit, fed up with the bureaucracy rather than the patients. She had the
sturdy physique of a German farm girl, and the competent independence to go with it. Light brown hair,
cropped just above her shoulders, framed her round, cheerful face. Only rarely was she seen in anything
more fancy than a jean skirt and a shirt with rolled-up sleeves. When they had elected Tom, everyone
had known they weren't getting a mayor's wife who would challenge anybody's fashion sense.

That night, Captain Groton arrived precisely on time, in a car with tinted windows, driven by someone
who stayed invisible, waiting. Tom met the guest on the doorstep, looking up and down the street a little
nervously. When they came into the living room, Susan emerged from the kitchen with a bouquet of wine
glasses in one hand and a bottle in the other.

"Wine, Captain?тАЭ she said.
He hesitated. тАЬIf that is customary. I regret I am not familiar with your dietary rituals. I only know they
are complex."

"It's fermented fruit juice, mildly intoxicating,тАЭ she said, pouring a little bit in his glass. тАЬPeople drink it to
relax."

He took the glass gingerly. Susan saw that he had stumpy nubbin fingers. As a nurse, she had had to train
herself to feel compassion even for the least appealing patients, and now she was forced to call on that
skill to disregard his appearance.

"Cheers,тАЭ she said, lifting her glass.

There was a snap as the stem on Captain Groton's glass broke in two. The wine slopped onto his hand
as he tried to catch the pieces. тАЬPardon me,тАЭ he mumbled. тАЬYour vessel is brittle."

"Never mind the glass,тАЭ Susan said, taking it and handing the pieces to Tom. тАЬDid you cut yourself?"

"No, of courseтАФтАЭ he stopped in mid denial, staring at his hand. A thin line of blood bisected the palm.

"Here, I'll take care of that,тАЭ she said. Taking him by the arm, she led him to the bathroom. It was not
until she had dabbed the blood off with a tissue that she realized he was not recoiling at her touch as he
had before. Inwardly, she smiled at small victories. But when she brought out a bottle of spray
disinfectant, he did recoil, demanding suspiciously, тАЬWhat is it?"

"Disinfectant,тАЭ she said. тАЬTo prevent infection. It's alcohol-based."

"Oh,тАЭ he said. тАЬI thought it might be water."

She spritzed his hand lightly, then applied a bandage. He was looking curiously around. тАЬWhat is this
place?"

"It's a bathroom,тАЭ she said. тАЬWe use it toтАФwell, clean ourselves, and groom, and so forth. This is the
toilet.тАЭ She raised the lid, and he drew back, obviously repulsed. She had to laugh. тАЬIt's really very clean.
I swear."

"It has water in it,тАЭ he said with disgust.