He bowed politely to Hortense, who tipped her head toward the elderly gray-haired lady beside her, who seemed to be dozing, her head drooping slightly forward. "And this person, you may recall, is my sister Charity, your other great-aunt, who has again dozed off as she so often does. It's her age, you understand."
The little gray head snapped up, and blue eyes popped open, leveling on Hortense in wounded affront. "I'm only little years older than you, Hortense, and it's very mean-spirited of you to go about reminding everyone of it," she cried in a hurt voice; then she saw Ian standing in front of her, and a beatific smile lit her face. "Ian, dear boy, do you remember "
"Certainly, ma'am," Ian began courteously, but Charity interrupted him as she turned a triumphant glance on her sister. "There, you see, Hortense-he remembers , and it is because, though I may be just a trifle older than you, have not aged nearly so much as you in the last years! Have I?" she asked, turning hopefully to Ian.
"If you'll take my advice," his grandfather said dryly, "you won't answer that question.
The little gray head snapped up, and blue eyes popped open, leveling on Hortense in wounded affront. "I'm only little years older than you, Hortense, and it's very mean-spirited of you to go about reminding everyone of it," she cried in a hurt voice; then she saw Ian standing in front of her, and a beatific smile lit her face. "Ian, dear boy, do you remember "
"Certainly, ma'am," Ian began courteously, but Charity interrupted him as she turned a triumphant glance on her sister. "There, you see, Hortense-he remembers , and it is because, though I may be just a trifle older than you, have not aged nearly so much as you in the last years! Have I?" she asked, turning hopefully to Ian.
"If you'll take my advice," his grandfather said dryly, "you won't answer that question.
( Judith McNaught )
[ Almost Heaven ]
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