“Is the pool assured?” Theodosia asked, and Albert seemed lost for the moment in some remote shock, seemed dazed as she came back thus into her former relation to the pool, to her interest in it. Her final report of it came through Florence Agnew.
“Oh, yes, it is,” Florence said. “Isn’t it, Albert?”
“Oh, yes, a sure thing now. All set.”
Their eyes were building between them again and their laughter was renewed. They went away laughing over the stories they had told, retelling themselves. Theodosia let them pass beyond the door of the room and then she began to push the chairs into place and to arrange the shutters. She took her instrument from its case and tested a string, but her ear was dead to tone as her limbs were dead to feeling. Then Albert ran back through the doorway and stood beside her.
“You see how it is with me, Theodosia?”
“Yes.”
“I brought her here so’s you’d see. For yourself.”
“I see.”
“She’s out at the gate to wait for me.”