They worked steadily for several hours, stopping only long enough to snatch a hasty meal. They made good progress, although the telephone seemed to ring incessantly-first Mark, inquiring whether they had been burglarized lately and wanting to know what Cheryl had done with his black socks; then a realtor from Gaithersburg, with a new listing she wanted to show them; then Julie, tearful and reproachful and apologetic. They were in the kitchen looking over the list of properties they had inspected thus far when Julie's call came; and when Cheryl realized who was calling she didn't pretend not to listen. Karen had barely hung up when she burst out, "Honest, Karen, you haven't got the gumption of a rabbit. After all that woman did to you, and now you tell her you'll go back to work!"
"I didn't tell her anything of the sort-just that I'd give her a hand now and then, whenever it didn't conflict with my own schedule. I'll have to go back at least once, to pick up my paycheck."
"Hmph," said Cheryl, only partially appeased. "Your big fat check. Minimum wage, I believe you said?"
"Every little bit helps."
"Well… I guess if you weren't a sucker at heart I wouldn't want to be your partner."
"You put things so nicely. Now where were we?"
The telephone rang again. "I'm going to take the damned thing off the hook," Karen said irritably. "Hello? Oh. Hello, Tony. Cheryl is right here if you… Oh."
Her altered expression and tone brought a faint smile to Cheryl's face. She gathered up the papers and retreated into the dining room, carefully closing the door behind her.
This demonstration of tact only made Karen more self-conscious. "No, I can't tonight. Oh, I understand, I know you can't always tell in advance when… It isn't that. I just… Tomorrow night? I guess so. All right. Yes."
After she had hung up she went to the dining room door and threw it open, in time to see Cheryl hastily thrust one piece of paper into the pile.
"What was the object of that?" she demanded.
"I thought a little privacy-"
"Oh, crap," Karen said. Cheryl's eyes opened wide. Karen went on, "You knew what he was going to ask me. You put him up to it, didn't you? Poor Karen, she hasn't had an honest-to-God date in ten years, why don't you give the girl a break? I don't want you, so-"
"Just a goddamn minute," Cheryl exclaimed. She bounded up from her chair, cheeks flushed, eyes flashing. "That's a lousy thing to say!"
"It's the truth, isn't it? You're not interested, so you kindly hand over-"
"Hand over? Tony Cardoza? You think I can give him away like I would a-a raw oyster? Tony?"
Her voice rose in outrage, ending in an absurd coloratura squeak. Alexander jumped up, barking insanely. Cheryl's lips twitched. "Hey," she gasped. "Look at us. We're having our first fight. And over Tony Cardoza."
Karen found it was impossible to hold on to her indignation. They fell into one another's arms, shaking with laughter.
"I'm sorry," Karen said after a while. "I don't know what got into me."
"It's more a question of getting something out of you," Cheryl said profoundly. "That awful inferiority complex. I mean, just look at the two of us. What man would pick a short, fuzzy-brained woman with a fat tush when he could have you?"
"I suspect Tony Cardoza might," Karen said soberly. "Cheryl-"
"Look, don't push, okay? I'm glad we had our fight, we were being so damned sweet to each other it wasn't natural, but one fight per day is enough."
"More than enough. Let's get back to work. What's that paper you were trying to hide?"
Since one corner was sticking out of the pile, she found it without difficulty, despite Cheryl's laughing attempt to prevent her. As she had suspected, it was the listing of the house in Leesburg.
"I was just looking at it," Cheryl explained. "No harm in looking."
"Or in dreaming. I wish we could, Cheryl. I like it too."
"Maybe he'll decide to rent after all. We could make him an offer."
"Why not?"
This time it was not the telephone but the doorbell that interrupted. Karen swore-Cheryl's uninhibited vocal habits were having a decided effect on her own-and Cheryl said, "If it's that Julie, don't let her in."
"I'm not letting anybody in," Karen said, going to the door.
Mindful of Alexander, among other matters, she left the chain in place when she opened it. For a moment she thought she was hallucinating. A second look told her her eyes were not deceiving her. The wavy, silver-gray hair, the aristocratic features, even the faint frown that was his normal expression when he looked at her…
"Jack?" she whispered.
"Karen? Is that you? What the devil are you doing? Open the door."
"I don't open doors without looking," Karen said. "I was mugged the other night, if you remember."
"Oh, yes. Well, I'm not going to mug anyone. Let me in."
"When did you get to Washington?"
"I arrived this afternoon. I have my ticket to prove it, so don't try accusing me of anything. I came to talk to you, in the hope that we can cut through some of the legal red tape… For God's sake, Karen, are you going to let me in or do you want everyone in the neighborhood to learn about our private affairs?"
"You really want to come in?"
"No, I'd prefer to stand here and shout at you through the crack," said her husband, with heavy sarcasm.
"Okay," Karen said. She opened the door and stepped back.
After Cheryl had detached Alexander and carried him off to the kitchen, Karen followed Jack into the parlor.
He sat down and fixed her with the icy stare that had so often reduced her to sick silence.
"I hope that childish demonstration made you feel better."
"Yes, it did," Karen admitted. "What do you want, Jack?"
He opened his briefcase and removed a sheaf of papers. Placing them on the coffee table, he studied her curiously. "You look different. I can't quite decide how… Have you lost weight?"
"Yes. I'm rather busy, so please get to the point."
"I brought these papers for you to sign. Since you chose not to reply to the letters from my lawyer-" He broke off, staring pointedly at the doorway, and Karen turned to see Cheryl hovering, not certain whether she was wanted or not.
"Come in," she said.
"Really, Karen, this is between us," Jack protested.
"I want her here," Karen said. "She's my-er- accountant."
She had planned to say "lawyer," but thought that was putting an unfair burden on Cheryl's powers of dissimulation. Jack's eyebrows lifted in a well-remembered and thoroughly hated expression, as he contemplated Cheryl's cotton dress and her bare feet. Cheryl smiled broadly and sat down, crossing her legs in such a way that the dusty sole of one foot was visible.
"Hi," she said. "Go right ahead, don't mind me."
"Accountant," Jack repeated. After considering the options for a few seconds, he selected charm. After all, he was supposed to be irresistible to women.
"I'm delighted Karen has found someone to advise her on business matters," he said in a confidential tone. "You can tell her what a mistake it would be to let personal grievances blind her to her real interests. The sooner we settle these unpleasant but necessary financial questions, the better it will be for both of us. Lawyers merely exacerbate the bitterness in a divorce. The longer they drag things out, the more money they make-and the less there is left for the parties themselves."
"I s'pose that's true," said Cheryl, widening her eyes.
"So if you'll just sign here, and here." Jack offered Karen his pen.
Karen took it. A faint shadow of anxiety crossed Cheryl's face, but she didn't move or speak.
Karen didn't know what to do. Conflicting emotions came and went with such bewildering rapidity she was unable to focus on any one.
She opened her fingers and let the pen fall to the floor.
"You have to be out of your mind," she said. "Did you really believe you could con me into doing something that stupid?"
"Now see here," Jack began angrily.