Sheseemedrelievedandimmediatelybegantalkingcopiously,ignoringrepressive looksfromhergloomierhusband,"Wehaven"tbeentoWashingtonbefore.Sucha s.p.a.cious,graciouscity.We"vebeenheretwodays...weleaveonSundayforNew York.DoyouknowNewYork?WhatshouldoneseeinNewYork?"
IansweredherasbestIcould,payingminimalattention.Herhusbandwas sporadicallydiscussingBrunelleschi"sprospectswithLuccheseasifitwere theirfiftiethreiteration,ratherlikethechorusof.a.greekplaysixweeks intoitsrun.PaoloCencitoldmefivetimeshewasdelightedtoseeme,and Alessiaateaneggbutnothingelse.
Anoceanofcoffeelatertheday"srealbusinessbegan,provingtobeshort interviewswithallthetrainersandjockeysandmanyoftheownersofthe followingday"srunners.Sportswritersaskedquestions.Rickenbackerintroduced thecontestantseffusively,andeveryonelearnedmoreabouttheforeignhorses thanthey"dknownbeforeorwerelikelytorememberafter.
AlessiainterpretedforLucchese,translatingthequestions,slightlyediting theanswers,explaininginonereplythatBrunelleschididn"tactuallymean anything,itwasthenameofthearchitectwho"ddesignedagooddealofthe cityofFlorence;likeWreninLondon,shesaid.Thesportswriterswroteit down.Theywroteeverywordsheuttered,lookingindulgent.
Onherownaccountshesaidstraightforwardlythatthehorseneededtoseewhere hewasgoinginaraceandhatedtobeshutin.
"Whatwasitlikebeingkidnapped?"someoneasked,transferringthethought.
"Horrible."Shesmiled,hesitated,saidfinallythatshefeltgreatsympathyfor MorganFreemantleandhopedsincerelythathewoulds...o...b..free.
Thenshesatdownandsaidabruptly,"WhenIheardaboutMorganFreemantleI thoughtofyou,ofcourse...wonderedifyourfirmwouldbeinvolved.That"swhy you"rehere,isn"t.i.t?Nottoseemerace."
"Both,"Isaid.
Sheshookherhead."One"swork,one"sluck."Shesoundedmerelypractical.
"w.i.l.l.youfindhim,likeDominic?"
"Abitunlikely,"Isaid.
"Itbringsitallback,"shesaid,hereyes"dark.
"Don"t..."
"Ican"thelpit.EversinceIheard...whenwegottothetrackthismorning...
I"vebeenthinkingofhim."
BeatriceGoldoniwastalkingagainlikearollingstream,tellingmeandalso Alessia,whomusthavehearditoftenbefore,whataterribleshockithadbeen whendearAlessiahadbeenkidnapped,andnowthispoorman,andwhatablessing thatIhadbeenabletohelpgetdearAlessiaback...andIthought.i.tcolossally luckyshewa.s.speakinginherowntongue,whichIhopedwouldn"tbeunderstood bythenewspaperearsallaround.
Istoppedherbywishingherfirmlythebestofluckinthebigrace,andby sayingmyfarewellstothewholeparty.Alessiacamewithmeoutofthedining roomandwewalkedslowlyacrossthebrightclubloungetolookoutacrossthe racecourse.
"Tomorrow,"Isaid,"they"llbecheeringyou."
Shelookedapprehensivemorethangratified."Itdepends...o...b..unelleschi"s traveled."
"Isn"thehere?"Iasked,surprised.
"Oh,yes,butnooneknowshowhefeels.Hemightbehomesick...anddon"tlaugh, thetapwaterheretastesviletome,G.o.dknowswhatthehorsethinksofit.
Horseshavetheirownlikesanddislikes,don"tforget,andallsortsof unimaginablefactorscanputthemoff."
Iputmyarmroundhertentatively.
"Nothere,"shesaid.
Iletthearmfallaway,"Anywhere?"Iasked.
"Areyousure...?"
"Don"tbesilly.WhyelsewouldIask?"
Thecurveofherlipswasechoedinhercheekbonesandinhereyes,butshewas lookingatthetrack,notatme.
"I"mstayingatth.e.s.h.erryatt,"Isaid."Whereareyou?"
"TheRegency.We"reallthere...theGoldonis,SilvioLucchese,PapaandI.All guestsoftheracecourse.They"resogenerous,it"samazing."
"Howaboutdinner?"Isaid.
"Ican"t.We"vebeeninvitedbytheItalianamba.s.sador...Papaknowshim...Ihave tobethere."
Inodded.
"Still,"shesaid,"wemightgoforadriveorsomethingthisafternoon.Idon"t truthfullywanttospendalldayhereontheracecourse.Wewerehereyesterday...
alltheforeignriderswereshownwhatwe"llbedoing.Todayisfree."
"I"llwaitforyouhere,then,onthisspot."
Shewenttoexplaintoherfatherbutreturnedimmediatelysayingthateveryone wasabouttogoroundtothebarnsandshecouldn"tgetoutofthateither,but they"dallsaidIwasverywelcometogowiththem,ifI"dlike.
"Barns?"Isaid.
Shelookedatmewithamus.e.m.e.nt."WheretheystablethehorsesonAmerican racecourses."
InconsequenceIshortlyfoundmyself,alongwithhalftheattendancefromthe breakfast,watchingthemorningroutinesontheprivatesideofthetracks;the feeding,themucking-out,thegrooming,thesaddling-upandmounting,the breezes(shortsharpcanters),thehot-walking(forcoolingofffromexercise), thesand-pitrolling,andallaround,butconstantlyshifting,thetiny individualpressconferenceswheretrainersspokeprophecieslikeMoses.
Iheardthetrainerofthehome-basedhorsethatwasfavoritesaying confidently,"We"llhavethespeedallthewaytothewire."
"Whatabouttheforeignhorses?"oneofthereportersasked."Isthereoneto beatyou?"
Thetrainer"seyewanderedandlitonAlessia,bymyside.Heknewher.He smiled.Hesaidgallantly,"Brunelleschiisthedanger."
Brunelleschihimself,inhisstall,seemedunimpressed.SilvioLucchese,it appeared,hadbroughtthechampion"sownfoodfromItalysothatthechoosy appet.i.teshouldbeunimpaired.AndBrunelleschihad,itseemed,"eatenup"the eveningbefore(agoodsign),andhadn"tkickedhisstable-lad,ashedid occasionallyfromdispleasure.Everyonepattedhisheadwithcirc.u.mspection, keepingtheirfingersawayfromhisstrongwhiteteeth.Helookedimperiousto me,likeabad-tempereddespot.Nooneaskedwhathethoughtofthewater.
"He"sn.o.body"sdarling,"Alessiasaidoutoftheowners"earshot."TheGoldonis areafraidofhim,Ioftenthink."
"SoamI,"Isaid.
"Heputsallhismeannessintowinning."Shelookedacrosswithruefulaffection atthedarktossinghead."Itellhimhe"sab.a.s.t.a.r.d,andwegetonfine."
PaoloCenciseemedpleasedthatAlessiawouldbespendingmostofthedaywith me.He,Lucchese,andBrunoGoldoniintendedtostayfortheraces.Beatrice, withasecret,sinfulsmileofpleasure,saidshewasgoingtothehotel"s hairdresser,and,afterthat,shopping.SlightlytomydismayPaoloCenci suggestedAlessiaandIshouldgiveheraliftbacktoWashingtontosavethe limousineservicedoublingthejourney,andaccordinglywepa.s.sedthefirsthour ofourdaywiththevolubleladysayingnothingmuchatgreatlength.Ihadan overallimpressionthatseparation,eventemporary,fromherhusband,hadcaused anexcitedriseinherspirits,andwhenwedroppedherattheRegencyshehad twinspotsofbrightredonhersallowmiddle-agedcheeksandguiltinevery lineofherheavyface.
"PoorBeatrice,you"dalmostthinkshewasmeetingalover,"Alessiasaid smiling,aswedroveaway,"notjustgoingshopping."
"You,ontheotherhand,"Iobserved,"arenotblushingabit."
"Ah,"shesaid."Ihaven"tpromisedathing."
"True."Istoppedthecarpresentlyinasidestreetandunfoldedadetailedmap ofthecity."Anythingyou"dliketosee?"Iasked."LincolnMonument,White House,allthat?"
"Iwasherethreeyearsago,visiting.Didallthetours."
"Good...Doyoumindthen,ifwejustdrivearoundabit?Iwanttoput...faces...
ontosomeofthesestreetnames."
Sheagreedlookingslightlypuzzledbutafterawhilesaid,"You"relookingfor MorganFreemantle."
"Forpossibledistricts,yes."
"Whatarepossible?"
"Well...Notindustrialareas.Notdecayedhousing.Notall-blackneighborhoods.
Notparks,museums,orgovernmentoffices.Notdiplomaticresidentialareas...
emba.s.siesandtheiroffices.Notblocksofflatswithjanitors.Notcentral shoppingareas,norbankingareas,norschoolsorcolleges,nowherewith students."
"What"sleft?"
"Privatehousing.Suburbs.Anywherewithoutpryingneighbors.Andataguess, somewherenorthorwestofthecenter,becausetheRitzCarltonisthere."
Wedroveforagoodlongwhile,methodicallysectioningthesprawlingcity accordingtothemap,butconcentratingmostandfinallyonthenorthandwest.
Therewerebeautiestotheplaceonecouldn"tguessfromthetouristround,and milesandhostsofresidentialstreetswhereMorganFreemantlecouldbe swallowedwithouttrace.
"Iwonderifwe"veactuallybeenpasthim,"Alessiasaidatonepoint."Gives onetheshivers,notknowing.Ican"tbeartothinkofhim.Alone...dreadfully alone...somewhereclose."
"Hemightbefurtherout,"Isaid."Butkidnappersdon"tusuallygofordeserted farmhousesorplaceslikethat.Theychoosemorepopulatedplaces,wheretheir comingsandgoingsaren"tnoticeable."
Thescaleofitall,however,wasdaunting,evenwithintheradiusIthought mostlikely.a.n.a.lysisofrecentrentalswouldn"tcomeupthistimewithjust elevenprobables:therewouldbehundreds,maybeoneortwothousand.Kent Wagner"staskwasimpossible,andwewouldhavetorelyonnegotiation,notona secondmiracle,togetMorganFreemantlesafehome.
WeweredrivingupanddownsomestreetsnearWashingtonCathedral,simply admiringthehousesfortheirarchitecture:largeoldsprawlinghouseswith frostingsofwhiterailings,lived-inhouseswithsignsofyoungfamilies.On everyporch,cl.u.s.tersofHalloweenpumpkins.
"Whatarethose?"Alessiasaid,pointingatthegrinningorangefacesofthe hugeroundfruitsonthestepsoutsideeveryfrontdoor.
"ItwasHalloweenfourdaysago,"Isaid.
"Oh,yes,soitwas.Youdon"tseethoseathome."
Wepa.s.sedtheRitzCarltononMa.s.sachusettsAvenueandpausedthere,lookingat thepeacefulhuman-scaledhotelwithitsblueawningsfromwhereMorganhadbeen sounceremoniouslys.n.a.t.c.hed,andthencoastedroundDupontCircleandmadeour waybacktothemorecentralpart.Muchofthecitywasbuiltinradiifrom circles,likeParis,whichmayhavemadeforelegancebutwasagreatrecipefor gettinglost:we"dchasedourtailsseveraltimesinthecourseoftheday.
"It"ssovast,"Alessiasaid,sighing."Soconfusing.I"dnoidea."
"We"vedoneenough,"Iagreed."Hungry?"
Itwasthree-thirtybythen,b.u.t.timemeantnothingtoth.e.s.h.erryattHotel.We wentuptomyroomonthetwelfthflooroftheanonymous,enormous,bustling pileandweorderedwineandavocadoshrimpsaladfromroomservice.Alessia stretchedlazilyononeofthearmchairsandlistenedwhileItelephonedKent Wagner.
DidIrealize,heaskedtrenchantly,thatthewholeG.o.ddampopulationofNorth AmericawasonthemovethroughWashington,D.C.,andthatalistofrentals wouldbridgethePotomac?
"Lookforahousewithoutpumpkins,"Isaid.
"What?"
"Well,ifyouwereakidnapper,wouldyousolemnlycarveHalloweenfaceson pumpkinsandputthemonthefrontsteps?"
"No,Iguessnot."Hebreathedoutintheghostofachuckle."TakesaBritto comeupwithasuggestionasdumbasthat."
"Yeah,"Isaid."I"llbeatth.e.s.h.erryattthiseveningandattheraces tomorrow,ifyoushouldwantme."
"Got.i.t."
ItelephonednexttoLibertyMarket,butnothingmuchhaddevelopedinLondon.
ThecollectivefuryofthemembersoftheJockeyClubwashangingoverPortman SquareinabluehazeandSirOwenHiggshadretreatedfortheweekendto Gloucestershire.HoppyatLloydswasreportedtobesmilingcheerfullyasin spiteofadvisingeveryoneelsetoinsureagainstextortiontheJockeyClub hadn"tdonesoitself.Apartfromthat,nix.
Thefoodarrivedandweateroughlyjockey-sizedamounts.ThenAlessiapushed herplateawayand,lookingatherwinegla.s.s,said,"Decisiontime,Isuppose."
"Onlyforyou,"Isaidmildly."Yesorno."
Stilllookingdownshesaid,"Wouldno...beacceptable?"
"Yes,itwould,"Isaidseriously.
"I..."Shetookadeepbreath."Iwanttosayyes,butIfeel..."Shebrokeoff, thenstartedagain."Idon"tseemtowant...sincethekidnap...I"vethoughtof kissing...oflove...andI"mdead...IwentoutwithLorenzoonceortwiceandhe wantedtokissme...hismouthfeltlikerubbertome."Shelookedatme anxiously,willingmetounderstand."Ididlovesomeonepa.s.sionatelyonce, yearsago,whenIwaseighteen.Itdidn"tlastbeyondsummer...Webothsimply grewup...butIknowwhat.i.t"slike,whatIshouldfeel,whatIshouldwant...and Idon"t."
"DarlingAlessia."Istoodupandwalkedtothewindow,thinkingthatforthis battleIwasn"tstrongenough,thattherewasalimittocontrolledbehavior, thatwhatImyselflongedfornowwaswarmth."Idotrulyloveyouinmany ways,"Isaid,andfoundthewordscoiningoutanoctavelowerthaninmynormal voice.
"Andrew!"Shecametoherfeetandwalkedtowardsme,searchingmyfaceandno doubtseeingtherethevulnerabiltyshewasn"taccustomedto.
"Well..."Isaid,strugglingforlightness;forasmile;forAndrewtheunfailing prop."There"salwaystime.Yourideracesnow.Goshopping.Driveyourcar?"
Shenodded.
"Italltooktime,"Isaid.Iwrappedmyarmsaroundherlightlyandkissedher forehead."Whenrubberbeginsfeelinglikelips,letmeknow."
Sheputherheadagainstmyshoulderandclungtomeforhelpa.s.shehadoften clungbefore;anditwasI,really,whowantedtobeenfoldedandcherishedand loved.
Sherodeintheracethenextday,astarinherownfirmament.
Theracecoursehadcomealive,crowdspressing,shouting,betting,cheering.The grandstandswerepacked.Onehadtoslideroundstrangerstoreachanygoal.I hadmyhandstampedandcheckedandmynametakenandticked,andEric Rickenbackerwelcomedmebusilytothebiggestdayofhisyear.
Thepresident"sdiningroom,soechoinglyemptypreviously,spilledovernow withchatteringguestsallhavingawowofatime.Iceclinkedandwaitresses pa.s.sedwithsmallsilvertraysandalargebuffettableofferedcrabcakesto afficionados.