Eventide (Plainsong #2)(73)

Those are the ones. That’s correct.

I’ve heard of you, she said. About you and your brother. I suppose everybody in Holt heard about two men out in the country taking in a pregnant girl to live with them.

It was kind of hot news for a while, I guess, Raymond said. I didn’t much care for it myself. The way people talked. I couldn’t see how it was much of anybody else’s business.

No, Rose said. She looked at him and touched his arm. And I’m so sorry about your brother. I heard about that too. It must have been very hard.

Yes ma’am, it was. It was pretty bad.

He looked out to the dance floor but couldn’t see Maggie and Guthrie. Finally he said: I wonder what become of that barmaid.

Oh, she’ll be here after a while, Rose said. Wouldn’t you care to dance while we’re waiting?

Ma’am?

I said wouldn’t you care to dance.

Well, no ma’am. I don’t dance any. I never have done any dancing.

I have, she said. I can show you.

I’m afraid I’d step all over your toes.

They’ve been stepped on before. Will you try it?

You don’t think we could just sit here.

Let me show you.

Ma’am, I don’t know. You’d be awful sorry.

Let me worry about that. Let’s try.

Well, he said. He stood up and she slid out of the seat and took his hand and led him onto the floor. People were swirling around in what seemed to Raymond a violent and complicated commotion. The band finished the song to a small scattered applause, then began another in slow four-beat time. Raymond and Rose Tyler stood in the middle of the dance floor, and she drew his hand around the soft silky waist of her dress and set one of her hands on the shoulder of his wool shirt. Now just follow me, she said. She clasped his free hand and stepped back, pulling him toward her. He took a little step. Don’t look at your feet, she said.

What am I supposed to look at?

Look over my shoulder. Or you could look at me.

She moved backward and he followed her. She backed again and he stayed with her, moving slowly. Can you hear the beat? she said.

No ma’am. I can’t think about that and not step on you at the same time.

Listen to the music. Just try it. She began to count softly, looking at his face as she did, and he looked back at her, watching her lips. His face was concentrated, almost as if in pain, and he was holding himself back from her, so as not to press too close. They moved slowly around the floor among the other dancers, Rose still counting. They made a complete circuit. Then the song ended.

All right, thank you, Raymond said. Now I guess we better sit down.

Why? You’re doing fine. Didn’t you enjoy it?

I don’t know if you’d say enjoy exactly.

She smiled. You’re a nice man, she said.

I don’t know about that, either, he said.

The band began to play again. Oh, she said. A waltz. Now this is in three-four time.

The hell it is.

She laughed. Yes, it is.

I wasn’t even getting used to that other kind yet. I don’t know a thing about waltzes. Maybe I better take my seat.

No you don’t. You just have to count it out. Like before. I’ll teach you if you let me.

I suppose I can’t do no worse than I already done.

Put your arm around me again, please.

Like before?

Yes. Exactly like before.

He encircled her waist with his arm and she began to count it out for him. They moved slowly, one step, two steps, sliding around the floor, part of the crowd. Rose kept them moving.



LATER THEY WERE SITTING IN THE BOOTH AGAIN WITH Maggie Jones and Guthrie and they had each taken a second drink and were talking, and then a tall heavy man in a string tie and a brown western suit came up and asked Rose if she would care to dance. Raymond looked at her. All right, she said. He stood up and she slid out of the booth and the man led her onto the floor. Raymond watched them. The man knew how to dance, and was light on his feet despite his weight, and he twirled her around and they disappeared among the crowd of dancers.

I guess I’ll go on home now, Raymond said.

Why ever would you do that? Maggie said.

Because I know how this comes out.

No, you don’t. She’s only dancing with him. She’ll be back.

I don’t know that.

He turned toward the floor again as Rose and the man came swinging past.

Just wait, Maggie said. You’ll see.

Then the music ended and the man brought Rose back to the booth and thanked her. Raymond stood as she slid past him onto the seat and then sat back down beside her. There were little drops of sweat at her temples and her hair was damp at the edges of her face, her cheeks bright red. Would you get me another drink, please? she said.

I believe I can do that, Raymond said. He caught the eye of the barmaid and ordered them each another drink and they all began talking where they’d left off. After a while the big man in the string tie came back again to ask if Rose cared to dance, but she said she would sit this one out, that she was happy where she was.

Then Maggie and Guthrie went over to the bar to see some people they knew. Raymond waited until he saw they were talking with the other people, then turned back to Rose. Can I ask you something?

If you want to, Rose said.

I don’t even know how to ask it.