Subject: bleeding

From: "Liza Hansen" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2006 04:39:12 +0100

He opened it and read, in Harrietsthin writing.
She studied his face, with the clipped, red, military moustaches,which didnt seem quite to belong. A heavyfrown creased his forehead and drew his thin, red brows together. He said nothing, enjoying the long, awkward silence. Harriet passed without speaking and went into the house.
Anyway, he repeated, as if delivering her an ultimatum, Imgoing.
She had seen the process at work in James.
Harriets heart was beating against her throat.
Youll fall in love with a NICE young man and have a NICE weddingand it will all be NICE. All thisPapa is doing for Cabell is for you really, your future.
I suppose youll learn law with your father.
A big H was scrawled across the bottom of the page. His big eyelids hid his eyes,drawing between them a curtain through which she tried to peer. She turned on her side and rested her head in her crooked arm. I feel it my duty to tell your father of this. Again he had that fantastic fear of being swallowed up by somethingin her eyes.
He was gone, ripping his cuff on a loose paling, swishing in thelong grass of the lane.
No, no, his mother wouldget him out of it as she had always got him out. What, she asked herself,had happened to James? A big H was scrawled across the bottom of the page.
Its there whether you bring it up or not, Harriet said.
Yourmother wants me to marry you, doesnt she?
He pulled the horses into a trotand brought the note out of his pocket again. She turned her head away from him and gazeddown at the rusted clover flowers trampled by some fury.
He wants to tell me not to bring Doug, buthes afraid to offend me. Shes a bloodsucker like her old man, one of hisfriends had said.