“I’m a chemist. I am working on several secret formulas and ideas—all of which are calculated to get the United States deeper in the war, in an indirect sense, and to make America that much more formidable when she fights.”
“I know that. Everybody knows that.” She was half abstracted. “You go right ahead. I’m sure you must be very inventive. What do you think is the best way for me to cheat?”
“Cheat?”
“Cheat my family, you ape. About seeing you. We’ve got to have a system.”
“Do we?”
“I think—well, I think my best plan is to ‘take up’ something. I thought painting, at first. But that needs daylight. So I guess it’ll be music. We’ve got a pretty marvelous pianist over at the High School, and I can take two hours from him, evenings.
Wednesdays and Fridays. Starting at nine. He’s quite a love. He was very fond of me—the way a high school teacher can be of the banker’s daughter, which is a kind of distant and worrying way. I introduced him to Adele—because I knew Adele was just made for him—and they’ve been married for two years. Mother won’t think that’s especially odd, because I’ve been talking for ages about going on with my music. And Dan’s busy all day. That gives us two dates a week—not many, but we can stretch it from nine to midnight, or after. So you meet me at Dan and Adele’s next Wednesday. I’ll send the address along with the diaries—”
“What shall I wear?” he asked with irony.
“Gray slacks, and a reddish brown tweed coat—very woolly. You’ll look nicest in that. Brown shoes, and a greenish tie—maybe about the color of my skirt.”
“I see.”