Chapter 5 Chapter Four

"Honey, have you been busy all day?" Aunt Lin asked, unfolding and folding the napkin on her round lap. This is a question that seems reasonable but has no meaning at all. Just as a prelude to dinner, like she's arranging napkins, or flipping with her right leg on the footstool under the table to make up for her short feet.She didn't really expect an answer; or, rather, she didn't notice at all that she asked the question, and certainly couldn't hear his answer. Robert looked at her more softly than usual.Returning home from that unexpected trip to Franchise, seeing Aunt Lin as calm and bright as usual made him feel comforted and comfortable.Today he looked at the short, solid figure in front of him with unusual eyes, with a round pink face supported by a short neck, and silver curly hair held up by a large barrette.Linda Ponet's life is one of cookbooks, movie stars, godchildren and church sales, and she's content to soak it up.

As far as Robert knew, she only read the women's columns in the dailies (how to make boutonnieres out of a child's old gloves, etc.), and occasionally stopped to look at the headlines when he was picking up the papers that Robert had left around for reading, Then comment. ("Somebody ends an eighty-two-day hunger strike"—huh, what a fool! "Oil found in the Bahamas"—did I tell you, darling, that kerosene went up a penny?) But she never felt She really believed that the world reported in the newspapers actually existed.Aunt Lin's world is centered on Robert Blair, and stops at least ten miles away.

"What's keeping you from getting home, dear?" she asked, continuing to finish her soup. Rob learned from experience that this has the same meaning as asking "Did you have a busy day, honey?" It's just a different form of question. "I must go to the Franchise, that house on the Rabelo Road. They need some legal advice. "The weird ones? I didn't know you knew them. " "I don't know. They just want my opinion." "I want them to pay you, dear. You know, they don't have any money. The father of the family used to import—monkey nuts and stuff—and drank to death. Depressed after him, so pathetic .

Old Mrs. Sharp worked as a caretaker of a flat in London, and her daughter took any job that came her way.They were going to auction off the furniture when the old man in Franchise died.Not bad luck!'" "Aunt Lynn, where did you get all the word on the street?" Same street--that's first-hand information. You know I don't go around with unfounded gossip. Is it a nice house? I've often wondered what it's like through the iron gates." "No, very ugly. But they have some nice furniture." "I'm sure it hasn't been maintained as well as we have," she said, looking proudly at the immaculate pantry rack and the group of beautiful chairs that lined the wall.

"The pastor said yesterday that if it weren't for the fact that this building is so much like a home, it would be mistaken for an exhibition hall." The mention of the priesthood reminded her of one thing. "Could you be more patient with Kristina in the next few days? I think she needs to be 'saved' again." "Well, poor Aunt Lynn, she's so boring! I'm worrying. I found a scroll this morning on the saucer of my morning tea saying 'God protect me' on elegant Easter lilies. She Going to change denominations again, eh?" "That's right. She found out that the Methodists were 'Pale Graves,' so she's going to those people in the 'Holy Temple' upstairs at Benson's Bakery. It's time to be 'saved.'" She's been singing hymns all morning."

"But she's always been like that!" "Not the 'Sword of God' kind. I know it's okay if she's just humming 'Pearl Crown' or 'Yellow Road'. But once she starts singing 'Sword of God' I know it won't be long before it's my turn It's time to do the baking." "It's all right, dear, you're as good at your craft as Christina." "Not at all," said Christina, bringing in the meat.It was a tall, lithe woman with loose, straight hair and eyes of indistinguishable color. "There's only one thing your Aunt Lynn does better than I do, Mr. Robert, and that's almond buns, and they only have to be made once a year for the occasion. So, lo and behold! If I'm not welcome here, I'll be Welcome to my place."

"Christina, my dear," said Robert, "you know very well we can't imagine this place without you, and if you leave I'll follow you to the end of the world. Nothing but Delicious brioche for you. By the way, will we have brioche tomorrow?" "Cream pastry is not for unrepentant sinners. Besides, I don't think I have any cream to make. Let's see. Now, Mr. Robert, you should do your soul-searching and stop criticizing." Aunt Lin sighed softly after she closed the door of the second room and left. "Twenty years," she mused. "You don't remember her when she first came from the orphanage. Only fifteen, such a thin, poor little chap. She ate a whole loaf at tea and said she was going to pray to God for me all her life c You know, I'm sure she will."

Miss Bonnet had tears in her eyes. "I wish she'd postpone the work of the savior until she's done with the brioche," said Rob, with materialistic cruelty. "Did you like your movie?" "Well, my dear, I can't forget he had five wives." "Have you?" "There was, my dear, one at a time. Jindaloo. I'd say the little leaflets they give out are informative, but a little disillusioning. You see, he was a student. I I mean it looks from the movie. Very young and romantic. But I keep thinking about the five wives, which really ruined the whole theater. But his face is fascinating to look at. They say he will take the third wife Hanged by the wrist from a fifth-floor window, but I don't believe it. He doesn't look strong enough. The face looks like he had chest problems as a child - clear features and thin wrists. Not strong enough You can hang people, absolutely impossible from the fifth floor!"

The gentle monologue continued until dessert; at last Robert dismissed the story and began to think back to Franchise.Then they got up and left the table.Robert moved to the living room to wait for his coffee. "It's the best dress, if the maid understands it," she was saying. "what? " "The apron. She's a palace maid, you know, in that naive muslin--very fitting. Do people in the Franchise employ maids? No? Well, I'm not surprised! They let That last starving one, you know. Give her..." "Well! Aunt Lin!" "I promise you. She'll only have bread crusts for breakfast. When they have dairy desserts!"

Robert hadn't heard of the evil that went with the dairy dessert.Although he had enjoyed a good dinner, he suddenly felt tired and depressed.If the gentle and innocent Aunt Lynn thinks that repeating these nonsense stories hurts no one, what kind of damage will gossip about Milford Town do? Just make it tonight—and speaking of maids, Cali's little maid is in trouble." "You mean, someone got her in trouble?" "That's right. Arthur Wallis, waiter at the White Hart." "What, it's Wallis again!" "Yeah, that's really over the limit of the joke, isn't it? I don't understand why the man isn't married yet. That would be cheaper."

However, Robert didn't listen.His mind went back to the Franchise drawing room, where he had been fooled because of his legal training background's disapproval of thinking about things in general terms.Back to the old room with the furniture that wasn't cared for properly, the place where things were strewn about the chairs and no one wanted to tidy them up. Moreover, he thought even more, no one would chase after him and hand him the ashtray there.