Dr. Belter inquired, hearing something in Jack’s voice that made him want to pry a little.
“I’m not sure,” Jack hedged. “Late. I guess around three.”
“I see,” Dr. Belter said again. “May I assume you want to talk to me today?”
“If it wouldn’t be too inconvenient for you. We think we’re going to have to make up our minds about what to do with Sarah, and we’d like to talk it over with you. And after last night it suddenly seems urgent.”
It seems urgent to you, anyway, Dr. Belter thought. Aloud he said, “Suppose you and your wife come out here about one?”
“Shall we bring Sarah with us?”
Dr. Belter thought about it. “I don’t think so,” he said. “There really isn’t any need for it, and most of the staff is off today, so there isn’t anyone around to look after her while we talk.”
“All right,” Jack said. “We’ll see you at one, then.” He hung up the phone and smiled at Rose. She did not return his smile.
“One o’clock,” he said. “But he doesn’t want us to bring Sarah.”
Rose looted doubtful. “I don’t know,” she said. “I hate to leave her alone.”
“She won’t be alone. Elizabeth will be here, and Mrs. Goodrich.”
“It just seems to me, with everything that’s been happening, it’s not a good idea to leave the children alone.”
“I don’t call being left with Mrs. Goodrich being left alone. When I was a boy she used to watch me like a hawk when my folks were away. I think she had visions of the Lindberghs in her mind.”
“That was a long time ago,” Rose commented. “She’s getting a bit old to be watching children.”
“Not that old,” Jack said.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Rose said. “I suppose I wouldn’t worry, but with Sarah …” Her voice trailed off, and she poured some coffee into her cup. Jack pushed his toward her, but she ignored it.
“It’ll be all right,” Jack insisted, and reached for the coffeepot.
“What will?” Elizabeth asked. Jack looked up and smiled at his daughter. He looked for Sarah behind her, but she wasn’t there.
“Where’s your sister?” he asked.
“Still asleep, Elizabeth replied.” She didn’t want to wake up this morning, so I left her in bed. If you want, “I’ll go up and get her.” She paused, then repeated her question. “What’ll be all right?”
“We have to go see Dr. Belter this afternoon,” Jack said. “Your mother’s a little worried about leaving you and Sarah alone while we’re gone.”
“Won’t Mrs. Goodrich be here?”
“Of course she will.”
“Then why should you worry?” Elizabeth asked her mother. “I’m old enough to stay by myself, and I can take care of Sarah.”
“I’m sure you can,” Rose said reassuringly. “Ordinarily I wouldn’t worry at all, but with the things that have been happening lately, I just want to be extra careful. That’s all.”
Elizabeth smiled at her mother. “Well, stop worrying. Nothing’s going to happen.”
It began drizzling at noon, and Rose wished she didn’t have to go out. She looked longingly at the fireplace in the study and thought about how nice it would be to simply curl up on the sofa and spend the afternoon reading. But she couldn’t. There were things that had to be done, and decisions that had to be made. But not right now. She sank down into the wing chair and stared moodily into the fire. She felt melancholy coming over her, and tried to force it away. She glanced up at the portrait, and found that her first thought was that it actually was a picture of Elizabeth. She reminded herself that it was not, and wondered once more who the girl in the portrait was. Could she really be the little girl that Dr. Belter had heard about? No, she told herself. The whole thing is silly. She stood up and straightened the picture. In the flickering light of the fire the child’s expression seemed to change a little; something in the eyes. She looked again and decided that her own eyes were playing tricks on her. Whatever she’d thought she had seen was gone.
“Well,” Jack said from the door, “we might as well get going.”
“Already?” Rose said. “We have plenty of time.” She wanted to put it off, and she knew it. She had a feeling about today, a feeling that today was going to be some kind of turning point. She wanted to put the interview with the doctor off as long as possible.
“I know,” Jack said gently. “I’m not looking forward to it either.