to Milan. I’ll give you more money! You don’t know what you’ve done for me! I can never forget it!”
He pulled away from her as if her touch was unclean.
“No, thank you, ma’am. I don’t want any more help from you.” He looked at her and she flinched from the accusing expression in his eyes. “You and Archer are filth to me. I don’t like saying this to you, but it’s the truth. I didn’t know people like you existed. I’m going back to the Army and I’ll serve my sentence, then I’ll be out in another year. I did this for you because of what you did for me, but I never want to see you again.”
“You mean you’re going back to Ron?”
“Ron is better than you. Yes, I’m going back to him. He doesn’t cheat and he’s honest.”
Helga lifted her hands helplessly.
“All right. I hope you will be happy with him, Larry, and thank you again.”
He went to the door, paused, turned and pulled at the peak of his cap.
“So long, ma’am. I hope you’ll be happy too.”
Her mind now was no longer with him. She was drinking of Archer. She would throw him to the wolves. Then Nassau, the sand, the sea and the sun. It would be good to lie in the sun and to think of Archer in the Establissement de l’Orbe in a small cell for at least five years.
She heard the front door shut. After a long pause, she went into the hall and turned the front door key.
The End
