page37 (1/2)
When he spoke, he did not have Nick’s voice He had the war words and through words, using people
“Well done, Gerald!” he said, giving due credit to his lieutenant, but he did not glance Gerald’s way
His big, black-maned head was thrown back to survey his prize, and his wintry wolf’s eyes were fastened on Nick They were shining with possessive pride
Nick folded his arlared as Black Arthur prowled around the circle of i over every detail of Nick’s face and body as if he was an art dealer exa a picture
“Say so”
“Let o,” said Nick “Or I’ll cut your heart out”
He did not kno Arthur would react to that — whether he would be angry or laugh at the ehted He had the air of ahad just done a wonderful trick
Arthur opened histo say, because the moment before he spoke there was a rap at the door
“Come in,” Arthur said irritably
“Sir, I’ open amid the sound of protests
Mum stood in the doorway
There was abut Mum She had her eyes fixed on Black Arthur and her face hite, white as a fla hot as a star
Nick cursed softly Alan looked ith panic
Arthur said, “Livia!” and held out his hands, and without a moment’s hesitation Mum walked toward him and took both his hands in hers
He stood with his head bowed down to hers, their black hair , and they looked like brother and sister in each other’s arms, like twins Nick saw in that ether, before he was born: twobut themselves and each other, beautiful and brilliant and cruel Mum’s face looked older than Arthur’s now,on her face that looked anything like fear
“Arthur,” she said, running her fingers through his hair Nick had never seen Mum show affection like that to anyone
Arthur smiled down at her “I knew you would come back to me one day,” he said “I knew it” He paused, and when Mum kept her silence, Arthur said, “You have come back to me, Livia, haven’t you?”
“Yes,” Mum said slowly “Yes, I have”
“You’ve forgiven e director to an actress who seeotten her lines
Mu tiiven you”
Arthur caught her hands in his again, pressing them as if Mum’s were cold “But you will,” he said confidently “Everything’s all right now It’s all turned out exactly as I told you it would You should never have run, Livia You should have known you couldn’t change anything”
“I always knew this would happen,” Mum said “I used to sit alone in a hundred different roo face-to-face with you again And then I heard the children talking about going to find icians — and I knew the day had finally come”
Arthur laughed “You never loved him?”
“Who?” Mum asked “Daniel? No, but he was very kind toHe tried No man ever tried as hard as he did”
Her gazein an unconcerned way from the paneled wall to the demon in his flaicians around him and his hands tied, his face a nad plea Mue
Nick was not surprised that Mum never looked at him
“He tried to interfere,” said Arthur “He failed, and you were always ive ive you anything in the world”
“Giveinto his eyes “And I’ll forgive you”
“Anything,” Arthur told her, and kissed the top of her head, tucking her against hi for a picture of the perfect couple
Nick said loudly, “I have a question”
Mu her trick of pretending not to know Nick was in the rooh her whole body was tense with awareness of him She had her eyes turned away, and he could see her schooling her face into blankness in case he spoke to her
Arthur’s gaze fell on Nick and absorbed him to the exclusion of all the world
“Of course,” he said “You only have to ask”
“Are you—” Nick said, and did not look at Alan “Aren’t you going to take her charm?”
Arthur reached to touch Muers, one chain followed by another, as if he was telling rosary beads Magic sye, capable hands, hands Nick had inherited froth to kill At last there was only one char cupped in his palm It was a simple silver disc with a black symbol carved onto it
“This one?” Arthur inquired The chain was taut in his hand If he closed his fingers around it and pulled, it would snap in an instant
>
When he spoke, he did not have Nick’s voice He had the war words and through words, using people
“Well done, Gerald!” he said, giving due credit to his lieutenant, but he did not glance Gerald’s way
His big, black-maned head was thrown back to survey his prize, and his wintry wolf’s eyes were fastened on Nick They were shining with possessive pride
Nick folded his arlared as Black Arthur prowled around the circle of i over every detail of Nick’s face and body as if he was an art dealer exa a picture
“Say so”
“Let o,” said Nick “Or I’ll cut your heart out”
He did not kno Arthur would react to that — whether he would be angry or laugh at the ehted He had the air of ahad just done a wonderful trick
Arthur opened histo say, because the moment before he spoke there was a rap at the door
“Come in,” Arthur said irritably
“Sir, I’ open amid the sound of protests
Mum stood in the doorway
There was abut Mum She had her eyes fixed on Black Arthur and her face hite, white as a fla hot as a star
Nick cursed softly Alan looked ith panic
Arthur said, “Livia!” and held out his hands, and without a moment’s hesitation Mum walked toward him and took both his hands in hers
He stood with his head bowed down to hers, their black hair , and they looked like brother and sister in each other’s arms, like twins Nick saw in that ether, before he was born: twobut themselves and each other, beautiful and brilliant and cruel Mum’s face looked older than Arthur’s now,on her face that looked anything like fear
“Arthur,” she said, running her fingers through his hair Nick had never seen Mum show affection like that to anyone
Arthur smiled down at her “I knew you would come back to me one day,” he said “I knew it” He paused, and when Mum kept her silence, Arthur said, “You have come back to me, Livia, haven’t you?”
“Yes,” Mum said slowly “Yes, I have”
“You’ve forgiven e director to an actress who seeotten her lines