〃They don't？ It's only thirty miles down the road。〃
She shrugged。 〃That's just one of the curiosities of this plague。〃
He put the car in gear and drove out into the street。 〃So be it。 A quiet little bar in Bexford。〃
She found an all…night Canadian radio station playing American swing music from the 1940s。 〃No more talk for a while；〃 she said。 She sat close to him with her head against his shoulder。
The drive from Black River to Bexford was a pleasant one。 The narrow black…top road rose and fell and twisted gracefully through the lightless； leafy countryside。 For miles at a time； trees arched across the roadway； forming a tunnel of cool night air。 After a while； in spite of the Benny Goodman music； Paul felt that they were the only two people in the world…and that was a surprisingly agreeable thought。
She was even lovelier than the mountain night； and as mysterious in her silence as some of the deep； unsettled northern hollows through which they passed。 For such a slender woman； she had great presence。 She took up very little space on the seat； and yet she seemed to dominate the car and overwhelm him。 Her eyes； so large and dark； were closed； yet he felt as if she were watching him。 Her face…too beautiful to appear in Vogue： she would have made the other models in the magazine look like horses…was in repose。 Her full lips were slightly parted as she sang softly with the music； and this bit of animation； this parting of the lips had more sensual impact than a heavy…eyed； full…faced leer from Elizabeth Taylor。 As she leaned against him； her dark hair fanned across his shoulder； and her scent…clean and soapy…rose to him。
In Bexford； he parked across the street from the tavern。
She switched off the radio and kissed him once； quickly； as a sister might。 〃You're a nice man。〃
〃What did I do？〃
〃I didn't want to talk； and you didn't make me。〃
〃It wasn't any hardship；〃 he said。 〃You and me。 。 。 we municate with silence as well as with words。 Hadn't you noticed？〃
She smiled。 〃I've noticed。〃
〃But maybe you don't put enough value on that。 Not as much as you should。〃
〃I put a great deal of value on it；〃 she said。
〃Jenny； what we have is…〃
She put one hand on his lips。 〃I didn't mean for the conversation to take such a serious turn；〃 she said。
〃But I think we should talk seriously。 We're long overdue for that。〃
〃No；〃 she said。 〃I don't want to talk about us； not seriously。 And because you're such a nice man； you're going to do what I want。〃 She kissed him again； opened her door； and got out of the car。
The tavern was a warm； cozy place。 There was a rustic bar along the left…hand wall； about fifteen tables in the center of the room； and a row of maroon leatherette booths along the right wall。 The shelves behind the bar were lit with soft blue bulbs。 Each of the tables in the center of the room held a tall candle in a red glass lantern； and an imitation stained…glass Tiffany lamp hung over each of the booths。 The jukebox was playing a soulful country ballad by Charlie Rich。 The bartender； a heavyset man with a walrus mustache； joked continuously with the customers。 Without trying for it； without being aware of it； he sounded like W。 C。 Fields。 There were four men at the bar； half a dozen couples at the tables； and other couples in the booths。 The last booth was open； and they took it。
When they had ordered and received their drinks from a perky red…headed waitress…Scotch for him and a dry vodka martini for her…Paul said； 〃Why don't you e up and spend a few days with us at camp？ We have an extra sleeping bag。〃
〃I'd like that；〃 she said。
〃When？〃
〃Maybe next week。〃
〃I'll tell the kids。 Once they're expecting you； you won't be able to back out of it。〃
She laughed。 〃Those two are something else；〃 she said。
〃How true。〃
〃Do you know what Rya said to me when she was helping me pour the coffee after dinner？〃 Jenny took a sip of her drink。 〃She asked if I had divorced my first husband because he was a lousy lover。〃
〃Oh； no！ She didn't really。〃
〃Oh； yes； she did。〃
〃I know that girl's only eleven。 But sometimes I wonder。。
〃Reincarnation？〃 Jenny asked。
〃Maybe that's it。 She's only eleven years old in this life； but maybe she lived to be seventy in another life。 What did you say to her when she asked？〃
Jenny shook her head as if she were amazed at her gullibility。 Her black hair swung away from her face。 〃Well； when she saw that I was about to tell her it was none of her business whether or not my first husband was a lousy lover； she told me I mustn't be cross with her。 She said she wasn't just being nosy。 She said she was just a growing girl； a bit mature for her age； who had a perfectly understandable curiosity about adults； love and marriage。 Then she really began to con me。〃
Paul grimaced。 〃I can tell you the line she used： Poor little orphan girl。 Confused by her own pubescence。 Bewildered by a new set of emotions and body chemistry。〃
〃So she's used it on you。〃
〃Many times。〃
〃And you fell for it？〃
〃Everyone falls for it。〃
〃I sure did。 I felt so sorry for her。 She had a hundred questions…〃
〃All of them intimate；〃 Paul said。
〃…and I answered all of them。 And then I found out the whole conversation was meant to lead up to one line。 After she had learned more about my husband than she could ever want to know； she told me that she and her mother had had long talks a year or so before Annie died； and that her mother told her you were just a fantastic lover。〃
Paul groaned。
〃I said to her； 'Rya； I believe you're trying to sell your father to me。' She got indignant and said that was a terrible thing to think。 I said； 'Well； I can't believe that your mother ever said anything of the sort to you。 How old would you have been then？ Six？' And she said； 'Six； that's right。 But even when I was six； I was very mature for my age。'〃
Vhen he was done laughing； Paul said； 〃Well； you can't
blame her。 She's only playing the matchmaker because she likes you。 So does Mark。〃 He leaned toward her and lowered his voice slightly。 〃So do I。〃
She looked down at her drink。 〃Read any good books lately？〃 He stirred his Scotch and sighed。 〃Since I'm such a nice man； I'm supposed to let you change the subject that easily。〃
〃That's right。〃
Jenny Leigh Edison distrusted romance and feared marriage。 Her ex…husband； whose name she had gladly surrendered； was one of those men who despise education； work； and sacrifice； but who nonetheless think they deserve fame and fortune。 Because； year after year； he achieved neither goal； he needed some excuse for failure。 She made a good one。 He said he hadn't been able to put together a successful band because of her。 He hadn't been able to get a recording contract with a major pany because of her。 She was holding him back； he said。 She was getting in his way； he said。 After seven years of supporting him by playing cocktail…bar piano； she suggested that they would both be happier if the marriage were dissolved。 At first； he accused her of deserting him； and then he threatened to kill her if she left。 She divorced him。 〃Love and romance aren't enough to make a marriage work；〃 she had once told Paul。 〃You need something else。 Maybe it's respect。 Until I do know what it is； I'm in no hurry to get back to the altar。〃
Like the nice man that he was； he had changed the subject at her request。 They were talking about music when Bob and Emma Thorp came over to the booth and said hello。
Bob Thorp was chief of the four…man police force in Black River。 Ordinarily； a town so small would have boasted no more than a single constable。 But in Black River； more than a constable was needed to maintain order when the logging camp men came into town for some relaxation； therefore； Big Union Supply pany paid for the four…man force。 Bob was a six…foot…two； two…hundred…pound ex…MP with martial arts training。 With his square face； deep…set eyes； and low forehead； he looked both dangerous and dim…witted。 He could be dangerous； but he was not stupid。 He wrote an amusing column for Black River's weekly newspaper； and the quality of thought and language in those pieces would have been a credit to any big city newspaper's editorial page。 This b