第17节

    【】ughtfulgift,hollyoodforrichardspany.

    “einforalittleihedoorbeforesteppingintothehouse.herendedhollyofheroldthteaaginehieasuritlerulereverynighttoseethattheydidntoutgroherequiredeuropeanstandardlengthfeails,ifsuchathied.

    riileneveroreaahedidittohielf,ahingintothelivingroondplaebeing.

    “no,no,holly,”hesaid,harshsunlightavents.”

    “oh,ofurse.”hollypiinpanicforasuitableplace.akeherfeellikealittlegirl

    “hothatlittletableier,itshouldbesafethere.”

    hollydidasshetosay“goodgirl.”thankfullyhedidnt.

    ri.“yourhouseisvery,”hented.

    “thankyou,ijust,eh...edit.”

    henoddedasifhealreadyknew.

    “tosayno.

    “yes,great,”hesaid,clappinghishandstogether,“teailk,nosugar.”

    hollyretuedfrohekitdorisingfrohegsurderthepoorplant.

    “youjustoonths.”heilltalkingabouttheplant.hollynodded,kherofthosethings.

    “ididntknoosphere.

    “onlypaintihsays,”helaughed,cragararejoke.

    “doyoudochplified.

    “ohyes,ilovetoygardendays,”hesaid,slingintohisgoftea.

    hollyfeltasthoughapletestrangerselffrohefalyeveoldtheoorefaereditheoverfordioannounarrytheflahairedgreeneyeddragon.notthatheenedanyway.

    “so,”sheannoun,“anythingstraartling”likewhyareyouhere

    “no,no,nothingstrange,everythingistial.”hetookasipofteathenaatter.ijustthoughtihearea.”

    “ah,right.itsunusualforyoutobeoverthissideofthecity.”hollylaughed.“bringsyoutothedarkanddangeroushenorthside”

    “oh,youkohielf.“butcarsparkedohersideoftheriverliffeyofurse”

    hollyforcedasle.

    “justjokingofurse,”headded.“itsjustoutsidethehouse...itit”heaskedseriously.

    “ithinkitshouldbeok,”hollysaidsartobeanyonesuspior.“hoilyandtiy,sorry,iantithy”thatistakeforonce.

    richardseyeslitup.“oh,theyregood,holly,verygood.hough.”helookeda.

    “ean”hollyasked,thinkingthatperhapsrichardghtopenuptoher.

    “oh,thereisntohinginparticular,holly.childrenareaofhisglassesuphisnoseandlookedherintheeye.“butisupposeyladyouoallthischildrennonsense,”hesaid,laughing.

    theree.

    hollyfeltlikeshehadbeenkih.

    “sohaveyoufoundajobyet”hentinuedon.

    hollysatfrozenonheranyreaainlyuldheredexplainingtohisnarroindthatshehadntevenbegunlookingforajobyetassheillgrievihofherhusband.“nonsehathehavetoexperienceforanotherfiftyyears.

    “no,”shespatout.

    “sooneyhaveyousighedole”

    “no,riper,“ihaventsighedole,igete.”

    “ah,thatsagreat,handything,isntit”

    “handyisnotquitetheorelikeit.”

    theatsphereotoronsoabacktoandingupandexaggeratingastretchasthoughhehadbeensittingdownforhours.

    “okthen.”hollyor;hetheok.

    “yht;itsstillthere,thankgod.anyoseeyouandthankyouforthetea,”hesaidtoaspotonthewallaboveherhead.

    “youreeandthankyoufortheorarcheddoidolookatthegarden.henoddedhisheaddisapprovinglyandshoutedtoher,“youreall

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