ONE YEAR AS MRS KINGSLEY

it again

er Kingsley said. "One year. No

ed like a number. The second sounded like a man r

ery clear. You sound exactly like som

n did not change, but he did, after a pause just long eno

e said, "practi

ndow,

ow is p

tead he had folded his hands on the ash and was watching her with an attention so complete it felt like being weighed on a

aper. Not that." She pushed the gray

after it. She uncapped the pen and discovered, to her annoyance, that it was th

terms,"

." That wa

t of

ipated t

for jewelry," said Gideon, d

ooked up.

very speci

ight in other circumstances have been a la

re, bookkeeper's hand. She numbered th

e. The first payment goes to the hospital's escrow account, in my mother's name, and

y the structure,

you nothing to

her for a mom

, writing. "Clause 3

me and reads every word. Not yours. His name is Joel Weiss. He's a tenant attorne

ce had acquired a faint, professional stil

wo

e. "I will make the

" said A

had been braced for a fight over every line, and the

ruch. Evening classes, Tuesdays and Thu

d. I will

want you to adjust it. I want y

tters," Alexander said, with car

ared back. The pen sat m

k beside the third line, and did

er is told

ne she had bee

money, the year. She'll sign any confidentiality agreement you like. She's a ret

N

and for the first time som

no," s

the more peo

other is sick, Mr. Kingsley. She might die. If she does, she is not going to die believing her daughter fell in love with a stranger in six weeks and

hed out. The rain

then at the pen, and then at her. And then he

a muscle moved in his jaw, and when he turned back there was something in his face she

nows," he said

already

e signs

sk her,

s not enter the hospital room unless Miss Carter invi

id Gideon,

d out, slowly, t

me. Nothing is said about me, in my name or

cations departmen

have a ne

al history," he countered. "No

the word 'Isa

dered. "

s. "With a lock on

ious

he in

corner of his mouth twitched again, and thi

m writing it

less of you i

d saw him studying the table with exaggerated interest, and understood, with a small shock, that the

ng, because it gave her something to do with her hands, and

n a strictly business relationship. Neither Party shall develop,

aughed, once, a low startled

said A

pen. "No emotional attachment. That's t

s

attached to you if you pa

lowed lasted perhaps

id gravely, "being paid

a sound that might have been the beginning of a cough an

ood," Isabe

told I have

wh

xander said, "in

taller than her and nine billion dollars richer, and for the length of a breath she saw something underne

wn at the pad, bec

e took her a lo

e pen scratched in the quiet. Gideon's gold watch ticked

pad around and slid it down the

All of it, in plain words, as soon as you know. If you lie to me about any

rea

g the small signs of a customer about to lie, and she saw nothing in his, because there was nothing there to see. His face was s

he did

is wrist caught the light. Outside, a sir

y?" Gideon s

xander said. His voice was perfectl

sev

nder said, "we

ed. "What's wr

is wrong

can't yo

beneath her handwriting, and for the firs

ese," said Alexander Kingsley, "t