Free Her Father's House by Belva Plain Page A

than that he appeared to be prosperous and that he wore a wedding band on his left hand.
    Two sets of conversation, each of them three-cornered, crossed the table, one in Italian and the other in English. The Italian one was often interrupted by hilarity, so that Donald had to guess whether they were telling jokes or else recalling some shared past experiences. He thought it must be the latter because Lillian seldom told jokes and she was taking a large part in this conversation. She was, in fact, the center of it.
    Since Donald had nothing else to look at unless he were to stare rudely at strangers, he began to study the little scene at his own table. He thought about the unusual contrast between Lillian as she calmly fitted herself into an evening with his friends from the law office and the Lillian who was now in motion, her eyes flashing, the diamond flashing on her gesturing hand, her head thrown back as her uninhibited loud laughter rang.
    She was at home with these people. He had never seen her quite like this, and he was beginning to wonder how long it would be before her energy would be exhausted, when Bettina suddenly interrupted everything.
    â€œWe are being very impolite to your husband, letting him sit here in silence without understanding a word. I have to tell you, Donald, all of Lillian's friends, all of us here, were dying to meet you. The last thing we ever expected was to see her settled. Lillian settled! You know what I mean? And pregnant, too!”
    It seemed to Donald that the remark, the question, and the facial expression that went with it were all intended as a challenge. And having no intention of meeting it, he answered calmly with a question of his own.
    â€œWhy? Is that so unusual?”
    â€œOh yes, for Lillian it is. But we love her all the same. Everybody loves Lillian.”
    â€œVery intelligent of them.”
    â€œAh, but what is it about you that made her choose you? Besides your intelligence and good looks, of course.”
    The question, delivered with chin in hand and widened eyes, meant to be both innocent and coy, was extremely distasteful to him. What kind of a ridiculous answer did the woman expect?
    â€œYou'll have to ask Lillian,” he replied.
    â€œWell, tomorrow I'll do that. I have a car, and I'm going to take you around in it. I'll show you the outskirts, places too far to walk to, and we'll have a great day.”
    â€œThat's too much trouble for you,” Donald objected, since he did not want this woman's company. “We'll rent a car if we need one.”
    â€œOh, no. Lily and I have it all arranged.”
    Sly, he thought. It may seem far-fetched, but in a certain way, she reminds me of Cindy. Back at the hotel when Lillian asked him what he thought of Bettina, he told her just that.
    â€œMy God, but you can say the most absurd things, Donald. You are so judgmental. A judge, sitting in court and pronouncing sentence.”
    â€œIt's you who are being absurd. That word ‘judgmental'—it's the ‘in' word, isn't it? Don't we make judgments every day, what to get for dinner, what shoes to buy? I'm not interfering with your friendship, am I? You asked for my opinion, and I gave it. That's all. By the way, who is Giorgio?”
    â€œDon't tell me you don't approve of him.”
    â€œI don't know a thing about him. How can I, when I wasn't able to understand a word he said? The only thing I did notice was his wedding ring. He and Bettina aren't married, are they?”
    â€œNo, no, Giorgio has a wife and three children. But he doesn't intend to leave home. Divorce isn't the thing in Italy the way it is with us. Anyway, he doesn't want one. He seems to like things the way they are.”
    â€œSo then Bettina is something like an extra wife, a spare.”
    Lillian laughed. “You should see your face! You really don't have to look so sarcastic. Sometimes you remind me of—”
    â€œOf what?”
    â€œOh, I don't know.