Free On Green Dolphin Street by Sebastian Faulks Page B

Pond,” said Charlie, as Edward drew up on the track alongside.
    “But it has hot water,” said Edward. “Provided the yardman remembered to switch it on.”
    The cabin consisted of a living area dominated by a cavernous fireplace, above which was a moose’s head; the room was divided by a wooden counter, the other side of which was a primitive kitchen. A short passage, snared with nets and fishing tackle, joined the main room to two bedrooms at the back; a narrow stairway rose from an alcove behind the fireplace to a bathroom and a further bedroom in the roof. The cabin was surrounded by a wooden balcony that gave views into the forest; the windows had wire coverings of tight mesh against the ravening insects.
    It was starting to grow dark as they unloaded the station wagon, and Katy showed Mary and Sal up to the bathroom, which, she had decided, the women should use first.
    Mary and Charlie were given the upstairs room, where Mary undressed in preparation for following Sal into the bath. Charlie went through their bag, looking for spare socks.
    “Bloody cold, isn’t it?” he said quietly.
    “It’ll be fine once Eddie’s lit the fire.”
    Charlie put on two pairs of socks and climbed in beneath the eiderdown. He pulled it back on Mary’s side and patted the bed invitingly.Mary pulled a dressing gown over her underclothes and slipped in beside him; she felt Charlie’s hand run up her thigh and curled in closer to him. They could hear Edward’s voice from downstairs.
    “Frank, can you give me a hand with some logs? They’re in the crawl space beneath the cabin.”
    Charlie whispered into Mary’s hair, “Do you think Frank’s ever seen a log before?”
    Mary laughed. “Do you like Sal?”
    “She’s all right. Kinda cute.”
    “Not really your type, though, is she? Not like Katy.” She nudged him in the ribs.
    “I don’t know about that.”
    “I’d better hurry up so I can help with dinner.”
    Charlie squeezed her thigh beneath the dressing gown. “Go on, then. Did you see any wine down there?”
    “Yes, there was a whole case in the corridor. But, darling, please don’t drink too much. Promise me. Remember what Dr. Weissman said.”
    In her bath, Mary caught the scent of woodsmoke from below. She slid back beneath the steaming water and let it run through her hair; the taste of steam in cold bathrooms reduced her always to the condition of childhood, of the world outside banished by the familiar warmth. By the time she went down to help Katy, the fireplace was stacked with flaming logs and Edward was pouring drinks from the wooden counter. Katy had brought a clam chowder, which only needed to be reheated, and had put some potatoes in the oven to go with a honey-glazed ham; on the gas ring she was doing something New England-looking with corn.
    “So you see there’s nothing for you to do, Mary,” she said. “Just relax.”
    Mary did as she was told. Sal came and sat on the sofa with her, next to the fire, while Frank sat opposite them with one foot up on the low table next to a dish of potato chips and tomato dip. Mary noticed that Sal’s behavior toward him was coquettish, and that Frank seemed not to mind.
    “So how are you liking the rustic life?” said Sal.
    “It’s different,” said Frank. “You see a flame like that where I live, you call the fire department.”
    “Do you like New York?”
    “Sure, I like it. But if there was somewhere bigger or with more things happening I’d go there. Why would you want to be second best?”
    “What’s your apartment like?”
    “It’s in the Village. My office is downtown, so it’s kind of convenient.”
    “I’d love to come and see it. I had a boyfriend in the Village once. We used to have such a good time. All those galleries and everything.”
    “You can stop by some day. Just give me a call.”
    Mary found herself irritated by Sal’s disingenuous manner. “Have you finished your article, Frank?” she said.
    “Yeah. Pretty