Is Where the Heart Is” embroidered on them. Lena had felt out of place in the emotional memories of that place, but at Waldgrave she felt like she belonged. She was in a place of impersonal emptiness.
She reached over and clicked off her bedside lamp, listening as the noise echoed in the large space around her, and went to bed.
*****
Chapter 2
As forewarned, the knock on her door came at precisely 10:00 a.m. Lena had set her alarm for eight so that she would have time to unpack her suitcase into the closet, shower (Lena was fond of showering; when traveling, you never knew when your next one would be), dry her hair, and dress. She wasn’t sure what to wear at first, so she decided to wear her black corduroys and a white blouse—nice, but not formal. She hurried to the bathroom and quickly checked her appearance; she ran a hand through her straight dark hair, which always seemed to hang limp, and then hurried back out to answer the knock.
She opened her door to find a woman, perhaps in her late fifties, short and thin with sandy white hair, wearing a dark blue conservative dress. Her pale green eyes widened a little at the sight of Lena, already awake and ready for the day.
“Well, it’s clear you get that from your mother’s side.”
“What?” Lena looked down, examining her clothing for anything out of place.
“Howard Collins couldn’t get himself out of bed to flee a burning house. Dear Lord, when Masters Aaron and Howard were your age, they’d be in their bed clothes morning to night if I let them.”
Lena smiled nervously. “My dad and I traveled a lot. Planes don’t wait for late risers.”
“I see.” The woman smiled politely, her thin lips pursing into a crease reminiscent of the crow's feet around her eyes.
“I’m sorry…who are you?”
The small woman straightened up. “I am Mrs. Ralston. I’ve been taking care of your father’s side for thirty-five years. I believe I’m to guide you down to breakfast this morning? If you’re ready?”
“Oh, yeah. Of course. Let’s go.”
Lena stepped into the hall and closed the door behind her. She followed Mrs. Ralston back to the library, down the stairs, through the living room and kitchen, and into the dining room. Howard was already seated at the far end of a table meant for twenty. To his right, there was a place set for Lena.
“Well, there you are. I’ve got to get to the housework.” Mrs. Ralston excused herself from the room as Lena wandered toward her place at the table.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning, Lena.”
She lifted the cover from her plate to reveal eggs, toast, bacon, sausage, and orange slices. They ate quietly for fifteen minutes.
“Uncle Howard?”
“Hmm.”
“I’m sorry about last night. I was really rude, and I’m sorry.” Lena let her eyes slide up to look at Howard from beneath her brow, but he was entirely engrossed in his food. He didn’t seem too concerned with her prior impoliteness.
“Well, yes. You’re grieving, and it’s to be expected. By the way, this is for you. My number’s in it, if you need to contact me while I’m working.” He slid a rather modern looking cell phone across the table at her, which she caught and picked up for inspection. Howard rose and began making his way to a door different from the one Lena had entered through. She reflected, yet again, on how hotel-like the house was; it was too big to be a dwelling for so few people.
“Uncle Howard?” Lena chimed in, sensing that the air had been cleared between them.
“Yes?” He stopped and looked over his shoulder.
“What do you do for a living?” Lena picked up the cell phone and flipped it open, examining it. She had never had one before, but presumed it was a newer design. It was shiny, small, and had a color screen. The buttons were tiny compared to the ones on hotel room phones.
“I told you already. I work here.” Howard glanced back at her, but then diverted his gaze toward the
She reached over and clicked off her bedside lamp, listening as the noise echoed in the large space around her, and went to bed.
*****
Chapter 2
As forewarned, the knock on her door came at precisely 10:00 a.m. Lena had set her alarm for eight so that she would have time to unpack her suitcase into the closet, shower (Lena was fond of showering; when traveling, you never knew when your next one would be), dry her hair, and dress. She wasn’t sure what to wear at first, so she decided to wear her black corduroys and a white blouse—nice, but not formal. She hurried to the bathroom and quickly checked her appearance; she ran a hand through her straight dark hair, which always seemed to hang limp, and then hurried back out to answer the knock.
She opened her door to find a woman, perhaps in her late fifties, short and thin with sandy white hair, wearing a dark blue conservative dress. Her pale green eyes widened a little at the sight of Lena, already awake and ready for the day.
“Well, it’s clear you get that from your mother’s side.”
“What?” Lena looked down, examining her clothing for anything out of place.
“Howard Collins couldn’t get himself out of bed to flee a burning house. Dear Lord, when Masters Aaron and Howard were your age, they’d be in their bed clothes morning to night if I let them.”
Lena smiled nervously. “My dad and I traveled a lot. Planes don’t wait for late risers.”
“I see.” The woman smiled politely, her thin lips pursing into a crease reminiscent of the crow's feet around her eyes.
“I’m sorry…who are you?”
The small woman straightened up. “I am Mrs. Ralston. I’ve been taking care of your father’s side for thirty-five years. I believe I’m to guide you down to breakfast this morning? If you’re ready?”
“Oh, yeah. Of course. Let’s go.”
Lena stepped into the hall and closed the door behind her. She followed Mrs. Ralston back to the library, down the stairs, through the living room and kitchen, and into the dining room. Howard was already seated at the far end of a table meant for twenty. To his right, there was a place set for Lena.
“Well, there you are. I’ve got to get to the housework.” Mrs. Ralston excused herself from the room as Lena wandered toward her place at the table.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning, Lena.”
She lifted the cover from her plate to reveal eggs, toast, bacon, sausage, and orange slices. They ate quietly for fifteen minutes.
“Uncle Howard?”
“Hmm.”
“I’m sorry about last night. I was really rude, and I’m sorry.” Lena let her eyes slide up to look at Howard from beneath her brow, but he was entirely engrossed in his food. He didn’t seem too concerned with her prior impoliteness.
“Well, yes. You’re grieving, and it’s to be expected. By the way, this is for you. My number’s in it, if you need to contact me while I’m working.” He slid a rather modern looking cell phone across the table at her, which she caught and picked up for inspection. Howard rose and began making his way to a door different from the one Lena had entered through. She reflected, yet again, on how hotel-like the house was; it was too big to be a dwelling for so few people.
“Uncle Howard?” Lena chimed in, sensing that the air had been cleared between them.
“Yes?” He stopped and looked over his shoulder.
“What do you do for a living?” Lena picked up the cell phone and flipped it open, examining it. She had never had one before, but presumed it was a newer design. It was shiny, small, and had a color screen. The buttons were tiny compared to the ones on hotel room phones.
“I told you already. I work here.” Howard glanced back at her, but then diverted his gaze toward the
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