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DORIS LESSING
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ward, as if to take it from her, help her in something. Then he
leaned back again, crossing his legs. She set the cup down.
"All these public schools are better than they were," said
Henry.
"Would Stephen's father allow him to join us all here for a few
days?" Sebastian inquired.
"I never know what Marcus is going to allow," said Jody. "But
if these three little girls are all such good friends, are they going to be
happy with a strange boy suddenly foisted upon them?"
"We should try it," said Angela enthusiastically.
"But we are talking as if Connie won't be at your mother's ski–
ing," said Henry . "Perhaps Easter would be better?"
"When are we all going to get married?" Angela asked Henry .
"Surely you should ask Sebastian. Jody and 1 thought of Oc–
tober ."
This linking of himself with Jody startled, so much had the two
not been a pair this weekend .
"October would suit me ," said Jody.
Angela said to Sebastian , "You suggested October, didn't you?
But perhaps November? There's Connie's school trip. She's going to
France with her school ," she explained to the others . "There's got to
be time for dresses , that sort of thing."
"I didn't know you were having a proper wedding," Henry said ,
put out.
"If
we all did something quick at the registry office , we can
fit it in any time ."
"What do you mean, a proper wedding?" protested Angela.
"Not the kind
we
had, but a wedding . 1 want Connie and Marion to
be bridesmaids."
"Bridesmaids!" said Henry, laughing.
"Why not , they'd love it?"
"I rather doubt whether my Stephen would love Henry's and
my wedding," said Jody. "So far he simply changes the subject."
"How did he handle your ex . .. 1 mean, Marcus's wedding?"
asked Sebastian.
"When 1 asked him about it, he said it was all right." saidJody.
Henry laughed. So did Angela. Then , soberly, for Jody's sake ,
Angela said , "But it is awful. Boys are so much more difficult."
"Particularly with that awful, ridiculous, unforgivable emo–
tional training they get," saidJody . Her voice was now far from cool ,
and Henry reached out his hand, took hers, squeezed it. The two
