He brushed at her hair and nodded.
* * * * *
Pendleton dropped too much wood into the fireplace and a stick snapped
out onto the rug. He gingerly picked up the stick and poked it back
into the flames. He went back to the low sofa Beth was on. He found his
glass in the dark and refilled it from the pitcher.
Beth reached out with one bare foot and stroked the side of his head.
She had put on a dark blue dress with several stiff lace petticoats and
whenever he tried to touch her she made crackling sounds.
"You're really a nice fellow," Beth said, finding his ear with her toe.
"So are you," he said, finishing his drink.
"Maybe we should go ahead and get married."
Ben agreed and poured fresh drinks.
"Ben?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry." She was crying.
"What is it?"
"It _was_ me this afternoon. I _have_ been doing those things. I never
went to any highly recommended man at all."