“Maybe you should sit a little longer.” It surprised him that she took his suggestion. Less surprising was the fact that she chose the armchair instead of the rocker. Roen moved their coats and sat on the end of the sofa closest to her.
Lily tilted her head and touched three fingers to her temple. She knew better than to close her eyes. She’d done it once while Roen was in the kitchen and the parlor began to spin alarmingly. “I want to blame you,” she said. “I just don’t know how to make it sound as if I believe it. Did you know how much I was drinking?”
“You sipped,” he said. “It was deceiving.”
“I think Jim kept refilling my glass.”
“Just a little at a time.”
“Fiendish.” When Roen didn’t disagree, she looked sideways at him. “Did you know there was going to be a reception there tonight?”
“An ambush, I think you called it.”
“So you did hear me.”
“I heard you, but it didn’t seem prudent to agree. You warmed to it after a bit, and yes, I had my suspicions that there’d be folks there to wish us happy. I didn’t anticipate there would be so many. Buzz wasn’t even offering free drinks. There are a lot of good people in this town, and most of them care about you.”
“I know. Sometimes their kindness is crushing.”
“Crushing?”
“Because I’ve done nothing to earn it except survive.” The hand that was massaging her temple dropped quickly to her mouth. Drink had loosened her tongue. Made her stupid. She lowered her hand and dared to infinitesimally shake her head. “I didn’t mean that.”
“Whatdidyou mean?”
Lily didn’t answer.
“Perhaps another time,” he said.
He wouldn’t forget, so Lily didn’t ask him to. “I’m ready to go to bed.”
“Do you need help?”
“No.”
“All right. I’ll come up in a bit.” He stayed where he was as she rose and remained there until she climbed the stairs without mishap, then he hung up everyone’s outerwear and went to his workroom to study.
It was hours before he joined Lily in the bedroom. He anticipated that she would be asleep, and she was, but it was arestless, troubled sleep. In spite of the chill in the room, she had thrown off the blankets where they should have covered her feet. One bare calf was also exposed. Before he undressed, he added coals to the stove from the scuttle and prodded the meager fire with a poker.
He scrubbed his face at the basin, brushed his teeth, all the while watching out of the corner of his eye as Lily tossed and turned. He didn’t know if this was a precursor to a nightmare, but he thought he should be prepared. He carried the chair to her side of the bed and sat while he removed his shoes. Leaning back as comfortably as he was able, Roen propped his heels on the bed frame. Every time his eyes drooped, Lily would stir again and he would remain alert for a little while longer.
“Roen?”
He jerked, almost toppling the chair, unaware until he heard his name that he had fallen asleep. His feet landed solidly on the floor as he sat up. The room was dark. The lamp that he had left dimly lit had gone out. He had to squint to make out Lily’s figure. She was also sitting up, covers pulled as high as her shoulders. “What is it? Are you all right?”
“Why are you sleeping in the chair?”
Roen rubbed his face with this palms. “You were moving about so much when I came in that I thought you might be having a nightmare. It seemed wise to stay close.”
“If I was dreaming, I don’t recall it.”
“What woke you?”
“Call of nature,” she whispered. “Do you mind stepping out? The chamber pot’s under the chair you’re sitting in.”
Roen jumped to his feet, jostling the commode’s lid. It was the first time he realized the chair had a dual purpose. “Leaving now,” he said, eliciting a quiet laugh from Lily. “Good to know about the pot, though. Last night I went all the way to the outhouse.” Actually he hadn’t walked that far. He relieved himself off the back porch after Clay confided that sometimes it was what he did. He also cautioned Roen not to tell.
It wasn’t long before Lily called to him. She’d moved the chair close to the window and had returned to bed. What was different than their previous two nights together was she wasnot lying on her back or facing away from him. She was on her side, her head propped on an elbow, and Roen could feel, but not see, her eyes following him.
