"Thank you. Buckwheat cakes and Canadian bacon, sleepy head." She came
over to sit on the edge of his bed. "Ted--I probably worded that badly
last night about the job, but--"
"But let's not talk about it before breakfast," he said quickly. "I'll
be down in a few minutes."
"All right." She rose, and her voice changed. "All _right_." Her back
was stiff, as she marched out.
In his bathroom, Ted studied himself in the mirror. His eyes were
shadowed, his face wan. "You dog," he told his image, and smiled.
* * * * *
_El thought, "I wonder if Ha's had any success. I don't trust him, for
some reason, dear."_
_"Ha's all right," Bee thought. "Inclined to whimsey, but generally
sound. And he wants a body as badly as we do. But only Lust can give
us one."_
_"We gave Ha a body. We projected him successfully."_
_"On Earth, Darling, you don't want to live on Earth."_
_"Why?"_
_"It's all city, like Valdora and Velugia. They have no lover's county,
like this. Would you like that, dearest?"_
_"No, no, no. We'll have to rely on Ha. I wonder what he's done."_
_"Working. And another thing, dearest, I wouldn't want you in any body
but the one I loved."_
_"Sweet."_
_"Beloved."_
* * * * *
Across the breakfast table, Ann's level scrutiny was annoying. Ted
concentrated on the cakes and bacon.
He was just lighting a cigarette to go with his second cup of coffee,
when he said, "What's the matter with you, this morning?"