“I’m afraid Eugenics isn’t my cup of tea.”
“The library is—”
“I saw that there’s a matinee on. I think I’ll go see it.”
Amanda’s eyes widened. “A motion picture?”
Hank had his hands in his pockets. “Yeah, sure. I’ll see you at one.”
Amanda stood on the sidewalk and watched him drive away. A motion picture, she thought. He was actually going to see a motion picture. What would it be about?
In the Masonic Hall, the woman lecturer was talking with enthusiasm about the selective breeding of people to create a pure race of intelligent, perfect beings, and all Amanda could think of was the motion picture.
Afterward, she went outside, and Dr. Montgomery was leaning against the side of his car waiting for her.
“Would you like lunch, then go home?” he asked.
She agreed, and he drove her to a pretty little restaurant on the outskirts of town. Amanda’s mouth started watering the moment they stepped inside. The last time she’d had lunch with Dr. Montgomery she had eaten the most delicious meal.
As the waitress came for their order, Amanda’s stomach rolled in anticipation, but Dr. Montgomery spoke before she could.
“The lady is on a special diet. Could you give her some plain boiled potatoes, no seasoning, boiled green beans and fish, also no seasoning?”
The waitress looked at Amanda, and Amanda hoped the young woman would say that no, that wouldn’t be possible, but she didn’t. “Sure, if that’s what you want. And what about you?”
“I’ll have the house special,” Hank said.
Amanda tried to conceal her disappointment. It was better, of course, that she eat good, honest, wholesome food instead of greasy, butter-dripping, sauce-coated—She made herself stop that line of thought.
“Did you see your motion picture, Dr. Montgomery?” she asked.
“Sure,” he mumbled, not looking at her. The truth was, he hadn’t paid much attention to it because all he’d been able to think of was Amanda. He had to get away from her. He couldn’t bear to continue seeing her hour after hour.
“Was it enjoyable?” She wanted to ask him hundreds of questions but she didn’t dare. Motion pictures were frivolous things, not at all mind-improving.
“The same ol’ thing,” he said. “Bad guy, good guy, and an innocent girl with too much eye makeup.”
“Yes,” she murmured, not knowing how to get him to elaborate.
Their food came and Amanda’s eyes bugged as she looked at the dishes spread around Dr. Montgomery: a salad of strawberries and pineapple, trout broiled in butter, creamed potatoes, cucumbers with French dressing, asparagus soufflé, popovers and coffee. Her own plate looked bland and tasteless, and she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to keep the envy out of her eyes if she didn’t get her mind on something besides his food.
“Shall we have a conversation?” she asked.
Hank looked up, startled. Her eyes were wide, her features soft. It would be better to never speak to her again, but he mumbled, “Sure.”
“What shall we converse on?” she asked. “I have been studying President Wilson’s new tariff reforms. Or perhaps you’d like to discuss the economic reconstruction in the Balkan States?”
Whenever she talked, he knew she wasn’t for him. He gave her a little smile. “Know nothing about them.”
“Oh,” she said, and watched as he cut into his trout. There was butter glistening on it. “American income tax?” she asked with hope in her voice. “I also know about English and Danish income tax.”
Hank smiled broader. “Not me.”
He broke open a popover, and Amanda could smell it, and when he buttered it the butter melted and ran into the soft little holes of the dough. “Servia?” she said quickly. “Adrianople? Janina? Turkey?” Maybe talking about a war would take her mind off the smells and sights.
“I know nothing about any of them,” he said happily. Now he was remembering what he didn’t like about her. “Why don’t you tell me?” If he could keep her talking, maybe he could remember long enough to get back to her house and get out.
She talked while he ate. She talked about the Bulgarians having taken Adrianople after a three-day assault. She talked about Austria’s reaction to the takeover and then hypothesized whether Servia and Montenegro would unite.