Free The Bone People by Keri Hulme Page B

limps over to the shelf with the chessboard. From the corner of
    her eye, she watches the limp. Much reduced, indicative of a mild twinge in the heel. Bloody little fraud, she
    thinks, but nods to him when he turns round, questioning with his eyes for permission to take the set down.
    "You were being taught to play... here, show us what you can do, eh." Joe slides forward to lie at the boy's side, picking up chessmen and placing them in the formal double drawn ranks.
    It's the evident familiarity, she tells herself, fingered communion with knight and king and queen. She has a
    sudden longing to talk with someone and play live chess, rather than the mummified games set and dried in
    books.
    Simon, after watching what Joe is doing, sets up his end of the board. He kneels up, shifting a shoulder
    hesitantly, and points to her.
    "Ah sheesh," says Kerewin. "I caught three flounders a day or so back, and I've been keeping them fresh in a water-safe. I'm going to stuff 'em with celery and crushed pineapple. I'll serve them with a salad and baked
    potatoes." She stands, and the little errant vertebrae in her neck and back snick into place. She is looking at the floor now. Or rather, at her boots.
    Kaibabs of cut gold suede, creased and scuffed to bare feet fineness by long wearing. How well shoon you
    are--"Actually, this is an invitation to tea if you haven't already had it, and I can thereby bribe you to have some games of chess with me. It won't take long... unless of course you have something else to do, in which
    case I apologise for being importunate."
    The red tide pours into her face and she shrieks at herself, inside herself, You never meant to say that! You
    meant to get them out of the way--
    The child is begging Can we stay? with his hands.
    Careful. I might end up by liking you, brat, if I'm not careful.
    Joe stands, and places his hands over the child's hands.
    "It doesn't need you to plead it, boy... what can I say, Kerewin? I'd stay here all night and play chess with you if that's what you want, and it doesn't need an offer of tea, either. Because you looked after Himi, and I'd like
    to do that."
    Heap coals of fire upon my head.
    "We didn't have tea," he says. "We came straight here after I got home from work. I didn't even have a shower, or get this one dressed up... which reminds me," shaking Simon gently, "I thought I told you to have a bath, and get Piri or Marama to see to your foot?"
    Simon raises his eyebrows, Did you?
    "Arggh," and shakes him harder. To Kerewin, "That's settled then. Can I give you a hand with the spuds or anything?"
    For seconds she has stood in a state of self-blankness, observant of what's happening but out of contact with
    her body: then the hands shift off the child's shoulders, and in a flood of sensation she is aware of the rustle of
    the man's felted wool coat, the breadth of his shoulders contrasted with the child's bone-thinness; the
    blackness of his long straight hair; the half-wonderment, half-weariness of his face.
    And the fact that he is exactly as tall as herself. Deep brown eyes on the same level as her stone greyblue
    gaze.
    "O yes," she says. "Not so much give me a hand, but if you want to go and have that shower, or wash Simon, you might as well do that now eh? There's plenty of hot water."
    "That would be all right? It'd be no trouble?"
    "Tchaa! What trouble? Your son can show you where the shower is. The first door inside the bathroom is a
    linen cupboard. Help yourself to towels and whatnot. There's first aid gear down here. Somewhere," she says,
    gesturing vaguely around.
    Urchin Gillayley, catching her eye, points to knife-drawer and grog cupboard.
    "Okay, so your memory's good," she mockbows to him.
    His father laughs. "Only when it suits him... my thanks. I'll have that shower, and wash him too, then come
    down and give
    you a hand with tea. Then we'll play a chess marathon, and you can have the pleasure of wiping me out
    piecemeal and tidy every game."
    He grins.