夜雨聆风remained with my head bent over the crossword. Why should I wish tosee a falling star? I had nothing to wish for …Suddenly Boyd Carrington wheeled back into the room.
‘Barbara, you must come out.’
Mrs Franklin said sharply: ‘No, I can’t. I’m too tired.’
‘Nonsense, Babs. You must come and wish!’ He laughed. ‘Now don’tprotest. I’ll carry you.’
And suddenly stooping he picked her up in his arms. She laughed andprotested: ‘Bill, put me down – don’t be so silly.’
‘Little girls have got to come out and wish.’ He carried her through thewindow and set her down on the balcony.
I bent closer over the paper. For I was remembering … A clear tropicalnight, frogs croaking … and a shooting star. I was standing there by thewindow, and I had turned and picked up Cinders and carried her out inmy arms to see the stars and wish …
The lines of my crossword ran and blurred before my eyes.
A figure detached itself from the balcony and came into the room – Ju-dith.
Judith must never catch me with tears in my eyes. It would never do.
Hastily I swung round the bookcase and pretended to be looking for abook. I remembered having seen an old edition of Shakespeare there. Yes,here it was. I looked through Othello.
‘What are you doing, Father?’
I mumbled something about the clue, my fingers turning over the pages.
Yes, it was Iago.
‘O beware, my lord, of jealousy;
It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock
The meat it feeds on.’
Judith went on with some other lines:
‘Not poppy, nor mandragora, nor all the drowsy syrups of the worldShall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep which thou ow’dst yesterday.’