"Oh. Grandma's calling us to lunch," Bess said.
"Wonderful. I'm absolutely famished. It's been a while since I've had so much fresh air. It stirs one's appetite," Uncle Linden said and then, looking at Bess. added, "All of one's appetites."
I almost fell off the rock with surprise at his flirtatious ways. Bess blushed and rose quickly. Uncle Linden covered his easel before either of us could have a look at what he had done, and then the three of us started for the house. Heyden and Chubs were still bent over the engine block, but when Chubs saw us walking back, he paused and said something to Heyden. He wiped his hands and then started toward us. I lingered in the rear, falling back. Bess, talking now with Uncle Linden, who was still telling one story after another, didn't seem to notice.
"I have a feeling your uncle isn't going to want to leave this place." Heyden said, smiling at him and Bess. "Mrs. Stanton still believes he's your father. right?"
"Yes. but I keep thinking that none of this is right. Heyden. We're all frauds."
He stopped. his hands on his hips. "No. we're not. We're helping the old lady get by, and what harm's any of it doing anyway, huh? Look at how happy that woman is." he said. nodding at Bess, "You want to go run up to her and tell her you're a fraud? Think that's the right thing to do? Think that will make you feel better?"
"No, but--"
"No, buts, then," he said. "Let's get something to eat. I'll go back to work. We're making headway. Maybe another few hours and then we can get on the road, and you won't have to feel like you're doing something terrible when you're not."
"I don't know if I want to get back on the road," I said, avoiding his eyes. I gazed back at the rock and the easel out in the field instead.
"What? What are you saying, Hannah?"
"I haven't called my mother since we left." "So? I haven't called mine, either, and what do you expect they will say when we do call them? Hope you're having a good time? Don't forget to send postcards?"
Uncle Linden and Bess entered the house, their laughter echoing behind them.
"I'll tell you what they'll say," he continued, "They'll say we had better come home and come home right now or they'll send the police after us, and your mother will scream and yell at you for taking your uncle along."
"Maybe she won't" I said "Maybe--' "Maybe what?" he cried, his arms out.
"Maybe she's suffering like Bess," I blurted, my eyes so full of tears, I thought I had opened them under water.
He stared at me a moment.
"What are you saying. Hannah? You were the one who was suffering. remember? You were the one who was being treated like you were unwanted, remember? You were the one who said you felt guilty living in that house. right?"
"Yes," I said. "But--"
"But what? This isn't
like going on a Sunday picnic or something. We took your uncle out of his home. We used his money. We took him to the bank and had him take it all out! We made a decision, choices, and we carried them out."
"Nothing was done that can't be corrected," I said.
"Corrected? Corrected? That suggests we did something wrong. We did nothing wrong."
I took a deep breath and looked at the house.
"Mrs. Stanton believes our coming here was something of a blessing. Well, maybe it was a blessing for all of us, especially for me. You think I imagined everything that happened last night in Rosemary's room. I know. Perhaps I did, but one way or another it happened, and it caused me to think about everything. Heyden.
"Bess lost her daughter tragically. Nothing can change that. My mother lost little Claude and nothing can change that. either. I saw what losing Rosemary has done to Bess. Losing little Claude was as traumatic for my mother, and now..."
"And now she's losing you. Is that it?" he asked.
"Yes. Except I can change that."
"Great. You lead me on. You get me to believe we can do this. You make a big deal over the music, and you give me hope and then you just stop and whine. I don't know. Maybe it's a mistake. We should go back."
"I feel terrible. Heyden. All of this sadness, tragedy, it makes me understand. and I feel terrible."
"Yeah, well, too bad for me. huh."