He wanted to smoke but did not care to let her see how his arm movements pained him. He clenched and unclenched one hand, staring at the wall.
"Why haven't men been put to work on the roof of the living room? A rain will come and we'll be flooded." He stood. "I'll see to things."
She gazed past him, at the opposite wall, and saw herself wearing a fur coat, entering the theater.... She smiled and arranged her hair.
"I'll find Manuel," he said.
"Yes, he's around," she answered, the words curt. "Let's have time to talk one of these days. I'd like to plan to leave soon. The quakes, the smoke, the dead ... I don't seem to be much help." She picked at her fingernails. "You'll find time for the house ... for Manuel."
In the game room, Raul got Manuel to change his shoulder dressing. Leaning on the pool table, he fought the pain.
"The carriage ride messed you up."
"I suppose so."
"I'll change the dressing again first thing in the morning. Hold still."
"I'm riding to Colima tomorrow to see the rurales."