One Night Only (32 page)

Sh
e
randoml
y
pulle
d
th
e
ca
r
int
o
a
cobble
d
drivewa
y
and
checke
d
he
r
rea
r
-vie
w
mirro
r
i
n
preparatio
n
fo
r
a
quic
k
spin
bac
k
ou
t
again
.
Th
e
hous
e
ha
d
hangin
g
basket
s
an
d
window
boxe
s
an
d
th
e
garde
n
wa
s
a
s
nea
t
a
s
a
pin
.
Ruth
’
s
eye
s
were
a
blu
r
,
sh
e
wa
s
s
o
determine
d
t
o
ge
t
ou
t
o
f
Ardglas
s
V
illas
wit
h
it
s
wisteria
s
an
d
cherry-blosso
m
trees
.
Bu
t
the
n
she
stopped
.
Becaus
e
the
n
sh
e
sa
w
he
r
.

O
f
al
l
th
e
house
s
an
d
al
l
th
e
driveway
s
t
o
choose
,
she
ha
d
t
o
choos
e
thi
s
one
.
Ruth
’
s
wors
t
nightmar
e
cam
e
to
lif
e
whe
n
sh
e
sa
w
th
e
familia
r
figur
e
o
f
Poll
y
W
oodhead washin
g
he
r
window
s
fro
m
insid
e
th
e
hous
e
i
n
fron
t
of he
r
.
Hol
y
shit
!
I
t
wa
s
to
o
late
.
Sh
e
wa
s
caught
.
Sh
e
had chose
n
t
o
tur
n
he
r
ca
r
,
sh
e
ha
d
chose
n
t
o
mak
e
he
r
escape
b
y
drivin
g
straigh
t
int
o
th
e
lion
’
s
den
!

“
Shit!
”

Poll
y
looke
d
puzzle
d
and
then
wave
d
at
he
r
in
recognitio
n
throug
h
th
e
windo
w
a
s
Rut
h
wrestle
d
with he
r
steerin
g
wheel
,
pretendin
g
sh
e
ha
d
n
o
ide
a
wher
e
she
was
.

“Ruth!
”
sh
e
sa
w
Poll
y
mout
h
throug
h
th
e
glass
.
“Hello!
”

An
d
befor
e
sh
e
kne
w
it
,
Poll
y
wa
s
o
n
he
r
doorste
p
and wa
s
makin
g
he
r
wa
y
toward
s
he
r
.

“Oh
!
Polly
!
I
s
tha
t
you?
”
Rut
h
pu
t
o
n
he
r
bes
t
‘what
a
surprise
’
look
.
“Wha
t
a
coincidence
!
I
wa
s
los
t
.
.
.
”

“
Y
o
u
stopping?
”
aske
d
Poll
y
.
“Com
e
o
n
in.
”

W
ishin
g
sh
e
ha
d
a
n
excus
e
t
o
b
e
drivin
g
aroun
d
Ardglass
V
illa
s
an
d
scramblin
g
t
o
fin
d
one
,
Rut
h
trie
d
t
o
loo
k
casual
a
s
sh
e
parke
d
u
p
th
e
ca
r
.
Sh
e
coul
d
fee
l
he
r
normall
y
pale
cheek
s
flus
h
wit
h
humiliatio
n
a
s
sh
e
scramble
d
ou
t
and walke
d
u
p
th
e
pathwa
y
o
f
Polly
’
s
ver
y
pos
h
detache
d
house
wit
h
it
s
picke
t
fenc
e
an
d
landscape
d
gardens
.

“Wha
t
a
surprise!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
a
s
sh
e
opene
d
th
e
doo
r
.
Rut
h
kne
w
sh
e
ha
d
mad
e
a
terribl
e
mistak
e
i
n
comin
g
to
Ardglas
s
V
illas
.
Sh
e
fel
t
lik
e
a
bunny-boilin
g
psychopath
.

Sh
e
be
t
sh
e
looke
d
lik
e a
bunny-boilin
g
psychopath
.

“Hi
,
Poll
y
,
”
sai
d
Ruth
.
“
I
–
I
didn
’
t
realis
e
thi
s
was you
r
house
.
I
wa
s
jus
t
turnin
g
th
e
ca
r
.
T
oo
k
a
wron
g
turn. Hav
e
I
go
t
yo
u
a
t
a
ba
d
time
?
Y
o
u
reall
y
don
’
t
hav
e
to
invit
e
m
e
in
.
I
wa
s
jus
t
passing.
”

I
wa
s
jus
t
passing
.
Tha
t
ol
d
chestnut!

“E
m
.
.
.
no
,
no
t
reall
y
,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
wit
h
he
r
swee
t
smile
tha
t
wa
s
jus
t
o
h
s
o
Poll
y
.
“I’
m
jus
t
gettin
g
th
e
kid
s
ready t
o
g
o
t
o
thei
r
gran
’
s
fo
r
th
e
morning
.
I
normall
y
catc
h
an hou
r
o
f
Pilate
s
o
n
a
Frida
y
but
,
t
o
b
e
honest
,
I’
m
no
t
that
fusse
d
toda
y
.
Com
e
in.
”