"I know you have my aunt's half-board plan or whatever she calls it, but if I get back early enough . . ."
The vivid memory of Ava in the shadows returned as he spoke. If she was there, this budding romance was already on a fatal trajectory. But the look on his face, the desperate hope that I would show at least as much enthusiasm as he was showing, warmed my fearful heart.
"Just call from the road," I said. "I should let Mrs. McGruder know. That's a house filled with little courtesies to be observed."
"Exactly."
He kissed me quickly and hurried away.
To keep myself from thinking of anything dark and treacherous, I went to my work with a furious passion. I nearly worked through lunch and would have if it weren't for Carol Charles, one of the women in accounting, stopping by to get my sandwich order.
