Your Friend,Samuel Sewall.
For a few minutes Kim stared out the window. The day had started cloudless and blue, but now dark clouds were blowing in from the west. From where she was sitting she could see the cottage sitting among its birch trees whose leaves had become bright yellow. The combination of the old house and the letter transported Kim back three hundred years, and she could feel the utter panic brought on by the impending reality of Elizabeth’s execution. Although the letter she’d just read had been to Ronald rather than from him, she got the impression it was a response from a letter Ronald had written in desperation to save his wife’s life.
Kim’s eyes filled up with tears. It was hard for her to imagine the agony Ronald must have experienced. It made Kim feel guilty that she’d had suspicions of Ronald back when she’d first started to learn the truth about Elizabeth.
Kim finally got up. Replacing the letter in its envelope, she carried it downstairs to the wine cellar and deposited it with the other material in the Bible box. Then she left the castle and started back toward the cottage.
Kim got halfway and slowed her pace. Glancing toward the lab, she stopped walking. She looked at her watch. It was not quite four. All at once the idea occurred to her that it would be a nice gesture to make an attempt at improving the researchers’ diet. They’d seemed depressed when she’d stopped in that morning, and she imagined they must be sick of pizza. Kim reasoned she could easily repeat the steak-and-fish dinner she’d made somewhat less than a fortnight previously.
With this thought in mind, Kim changed her direction and headed for the lab. As she passed through the reception area she felt mild apprehension since she never quite knew what to expect. Entering the lab proper, Kim let the door close behind her. No one came running over to greet her.
Kim set off toward Edward’s area. She passed David, who greeted her pleasantly but with hardly the buoyancy he had a few days previously. Kim said hello to Gloria, who, like David, immediately turned her attention back to her work.
Kim continued on her way, but she felt progressively wary. Although David’s and Gloria’s behavior was probably the most normal Kim had experienced since they had arrived, it represented another change.
Edward was so engrossed in his work that Kim had to tap his shoulder twice to get his attention. She noticed that he was making new Ultra capsules.
“Is there a problem?” he asked. He smiled and acted reasonably happy to see her.
“I wanted to make you and the others an offer,” Kim said. “How about a repeat of the dinner that we had a few weeks ago. I’d be happy to run into town and get the food.”
“That’s very sweet of you,” Edward said. “But not tonight. We can’t take the time. We’ll just order in some pizza.”
“I promise you wouldn’t have to take much time,” Kim said.
“I said no!” Edward hissed between clenched teeth, causing Kim to take a step back. But Edward immediately regained his composure and smiled again. “Pizza will do just fine.”
“If that’s how you feel,” Kim said with a mixture of confusion and apprehension. It had been as if Edward had momentarily teetered on the edge of control for a few seconds. “Are you all right?” she asked hesitantly.
“Yes!” he snapped, but then quickly smiled again. “We’re all a little preoccupied. We had a minor setback but it’s under control.”
Kim took several more steps backward. “Well, if you change your mind in the next hour or so I can still go into town,” she said. “I’ll be at the cottage. Just call.”
“We’re really much too busy,” Edward said. “You go ahead and eat, but thanks for offering. I’ll let everyone know you were thinking of them.”
As Kim departed, none of the researchers acknowledged her or even looked up from their work. When she got outside she sighed and shook her head. She was amazed at how changeable the atmosphere in the lab was and wondered how the people could live with themselves. Kim was coming to the conclusion that she had little in common with the scientific personality.