“I was just making conversation,” Martin Brady said, now losing his sense of humor. He looked at me and then at Mrs. Winston, who could burn through a steel vault with her eyes when she wanted to, I thought. The conversation moved quickly to the food, the weather, and some historical events on the calendar. Before dessert, Naomi leaned over to whisper in my ear.
“I’d be glad to take a walk with you after dinner. I know what it’s like being a young, unattached woman in a place like Quincy, especially one with no family or close friends yet. I’m sure there are some things you need and haven’t had a chance to get. I could drive you, of course, but it’s not that far to the small strip mall, where you’ll find a nice drugstore.”
“Thank you,” I said. “But it will have to be a short walk. I want to get to bed early tonight. With my traveling, starting a new job, and a new place to live and all, I’m a little tired.”
“Oh, of course. Would you rather I drove you?”
“No. A little walking will help me sleep better.”
She sat back and smiled at Mrs. Winston. “This was a wonderful dinner, Mrs. McGruder,” she told her the moment she returned from the kitchen. Everyone agreed. “I will certainly miss your fine cooking when I leave.”
“And have we gotten any closer to knowing when that would be?” Mrs. Winston asked.
“Oh, I’m not in any big rush,” Naomi said. “I want everything just right before I leave your wonderful, hospitable rooming house.”
I thought I heard Mrs. Winston grunt. Mrs. McGruder looked at her and then started to clear the table. All the while, I watched Jim Lamb out of the corner of my eye. He didn’t say much, but he looked at me as much as he could without being too obvious about it.
When we all rose, Jim also offered to take a walk with me.
“Oh, I’m going with her, Mr. Lamb,” Naomi told him. “I’m sure you have papers to grade.”
He looked at me with disappointment. Mr. Brady left for the den to watch television.
“You’ll both need a little jacket or wrap tonight,” Mrs. Winston told us. “We have a cold front starting.”
I realized all I had was my light jacket. I would have to do some serious shopping soon. When I stepped out of my room wearing it, Naomi, who was wearing a fur-lined black leather jacket, suggested I wear something warmer.
“It’s all I have right now,” I said.
“Oh. Just a moment. I have something for you,” she told me. “Come in, come in.”
Her room was similar to mine, a little narrower but with similar furnishings. She had a large trunk on the floor to the right. The closet was so full her clothes were crushed together. She plucked out a very nice white leather jacket with a black mink collar.
“That’s so nice,” I said.
She held it out, and I took off my light cotton jacket and slipped it on.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Why don’t you hold on to it until you get a proper jacket?” she said.
“Oh, I’ll go shopping this weekend and—”
“You don’t have to wait for the weekend. The stores I’ll take you to are open until eight at night. I’ll pick you up at the end of your workday tomorrow, and we’ll go directly to the mall.”
“That’s very kind of you, Naomi.”
“Not at all. Let’s take our walk.”
Mrs. Winston was in the living-room doorway when we descended. I had the feeling she had been waiting to see what I would be wearing, and she nodded to herself when she saw that I was wearing one of Naomi Addison’s jackets.
“Is there anything we can get for you, Mrs. Winston?” Naomi asked.
“My youth,” she replied.
Naomi laughed, and we walked out before anyone else could appear and make a comment or offer to join us. She was obviously in a rush to get me away from the others.
“That woman,” she said when the door was closed behind us and we were starting down the walkway, “must have been breast-fed on sour milk.”