"I'm a pretty self-sufficient lady," she said. "Or hadn't you noticed?"
"I'm not blind."
"Hungry?"
"I could eat. What's cooking?"
"Sandwiches. Cold beef sandwiches and coffee. And if you're nice you can have some montecado à la Skidmore."
"Real ice cream?"
"No. But a reasonable facsimile. Let's go to the kitchen. You can help me carry the tray and stuff."
They ate at the monastery table in the living room. Margaret told Hall the story of how she had supervised the building of the house and then ordered her furniture from a dozen different stores between Houston and San Hermano. She spoke of plumbing and artesian wells and wiring systems with the same detailed knowledge she had displayed of soy-bean culture.
"Do you know San Hermano politics as well as you know soy beans and housing?" he asked.
"Better," she smiled. "I'm closer to it. But we've got plenty of time to talk about San Hermano. I thought we'd saddle up two horses and go for a ride in the backwoods. Do you ride?"