“It would have been four-thirty if you hadn’t effectively hidden yourself away,” Edward said.
“I can’t make dinner for eight people at this time in the afternoon,” Kim said.
“Why not?” Edward questioned. “It doesn’t have to be a feast, for chrissake. It can be take-out pizza for all I care. That’s what we’ve been living on anyway. Just something to fill their bellies. Please, Kim. I need your help. I’m going nuts.”
“All right,” Kim said against her better judgment. She could tell Edward was stressed. “I can do better than takeout pizza but it surely won’t be gourmet.” Kim gathered her things including the Sewall letter and followed Edward out of the attic.
As they were descending the stairs she handed the letter to him, explaining what it was. He handed it back.
“I don’t have time for Samuel Sewall at the moment.”
“It’s important,” Kim said. “It explains how Ronald was able to eliminate Elizabeth’s name from the historical record. He didn’t do it alone. He had help from Jonathan Corwin and Cotton Mather.”
“I’ll read the letter later,” Edward said.
“There’s a part that you might find interesting,” Kim said. They had reached the landing of the grand staircase. Edward paused beneath the stained glass rose window. The yellow light made him appear particularly pale. Kim thought he looked almost ill.
“All right,” Edward said impatiently. “Show me what you think I might find interesting.”
Kim gave him the letter and pointed to the very last sentence, where Sewall mentioned that the Salem tragedy was either brought on or abetted by Elizabeth’s actions.
Edward looked up at Kim after reading it. “So?” he questioned. “We already know that.”
“We do,” Kim agreed, “but did they? I mean, did they know about the mold?”
Edward looked back at the letter and read the sentence a second time. “They couldn’t have,” he said when he’d finished. “Scientifically it was impossible. They didn’t have the tools or the understanding.”
“Then how do you explain the sentence?” Kim said. “In the earlier part of the letter Sewall was admitting he made mistakes with the other convicted witches, but not with Elizabeth. They all knew something we don’t.”
“Then it comes back to the mysterious evidence,” Edward said. He handed her back the letter. “It’s interesting but not for my purposes, and truly I don’t have time for this stuff now.”
They continued down the stairs.
“I’m sorry I’m so preoccupied,” Edward said. “On top of all the other pressures I’m under, Stanton is turning out to be a royal pain in the ass, almost as bad as Harvard. Between the two of them I’m ready to be committed.”
“Is all this effort worth it?” Kim questioned.
Edward eyed Kim with disbelief. “Of course it is,” he said irritably. “Science requires sacrifice. We all know that.”
“This is sounding less like science than economics,” Kim said. Edward didn’t respond.
Outside, Edward went directly to his car. “We’ll be at the house at seven-thirty sharp,” he called over his shoulder just before climbing in behind the wheel. He started the engine and sprayed sand and dirt from beneath the wheels as he sped off toward the lab.
Kim got into her own car and drummed her fingers on the steering wheel while she mulled the problem of what to do for dinner. Now that Edward had left and she had a moment to think, she was irritated and disappointed in herself for having accepted this unexpected and unreasonable burden.
Kim recognized her behavior, and she didn’t like it. By being so compliant she was reverting to more childlike conduct of appeasement, just as she had years before, whenever her father was concerned. But recognizing what she was doing and doing something about it were two very different things. As with her father, she wanted to please Edward since she desired and needed his esteem. Besides, Kim reasoned, Edward was under a lot of pressure and needed her.
Kim started the car and headed toward town for food shopping. As she drove she thought more about her situation. She certainly didn’t want to lose Edward, yet over the last several weeks it had seemed as if the harder she tried to please him and the more understanding she tried to be, the more demanding he’d become.
With such short notice Kim decided on a simple dinner of barbecue-grilled steaks accompanied by salad and hot rolls. The beverage was to be either jug wine or beer. For dessert she got fresh fruit and ice cream. By six forty-five she had the steaks trimmed, the salad prepared, and the rolls ready for the oven. She even had the fire going in the outside grill.
Dashing into the bathroom, Kim took a quick shower. Then she went upstairs to put on fresh casual clothes before returning back to the kitchen to get out napkins and flatware. She was setting the table in the dining room when Stanton’s Mercedes pulled up to the front of the house.
“Greetings, cousin,” Stanton said as he came through the door. He gave Kim a peck on her cheek.
Kim welcomed him and asked if he’d like a glass of wine. Stanton accepted and followed her into the kitchen.
“Is that the only wine you have?” Stanton questioned with disdain as Kim unscrewed the cap.
“I’m afraid so,” Kim said.
“I think I’ll have beer.”
While Kim continued with the dinner preparations Stanton perched himself on a stool and watched her work. He didn’t offer to help, but Kim didn’t mind. She had everything under control.
“I see you and Buffer get along okay,” Stanton commented. Edward’s dog was under Kim’s feet as she moved about the kitchen. “I’m impressed. He’s a nasty son-of-a-bitch.”
“Me get along with Buffer?” Kim questioned cynically. “That’s a joke. He’s certainly not here because of me; it’s because of all this steak. He’s usually with Edward at the lab.”
Kim checked the warming temperature on the oven and slipped in the rolls.
“How are you enjoying living in this cottage?” Stanton asked.
“I like it,” Kim said. Then she sighed. “Well, mostly. The lab situation is unfortunately dominating things. With all the pressure, Edward has been on edge.”
“Don’t I know,” Stanton commented.
“Harvard is giving him a hard time,” Kim said. She purposely didn’t add that so was Stanton.
“I warned him about Harvard from the beginning of this venture,” Stanton said. “I knew from past experience that Harvard wouldn’t be apt to roll over and play dead, not when they got wind of the potential earnings involved. Universities have become very sensitive to this kind of situation, especially Harvard.”
“I’d hate to see him jeopardize his academic career,” Kim said. “Before Ultra, teaching was his first love.”
Kim began to dress the salad.
Stanton watched her work and didn’t say anything until he’d caught her eye. “Have you guys been getting along okay?” he asked. “I don’t mean to be nosy, but since I’ve been working with him on this project, I’ve found that Edward is not the easiest person to deal with.”
“It’s been a bit stressful of late,” Kim admitted. “Moving up here hasn’t been as smooth as I’d anticipated, but of course I hadn’t taken into account Ultra and Omni. As I said, Edward’s been under a lot of pressure.”
“He’s not the only one,” Stanton said.
The front door opened and Edward and the researchers trooped in. Kim went out to greet them to make the best of the situation, but it wasn’t easy. They were all in an irritable mood, even Gloria and David. It seemed that no one had wanted to come to the cottage for dinner. Edward had to order them to attend.
The worst response was from Eleanor. As soon as she got wind of the menu she announced petulantly that she did not eat red meat.
“What do you normally eat?” Edward asked her.
“Fish or chicken,” she said.