A girl from high society [JENSOO]

31

It was a large white house on the outskirts of Petersfield, two stories high, with an American-style porch; an apple orchard, rather neglected, surrounded by a stone fence, grew luxuriantly around it. Once in his youth, Edward had been here many times, but he never thought that one day he would have to come here for such a purpose as today. It was a gray day, not at all like July, but rather reminiscent of the fact that summer is at a break, and a long wet autumn with rains and fogs will soon come, and fireplaces will light up, and white columns of smoke will line the sky over the town in even strips. Edward parked the car at the curb, drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and looked at Jason sitting next to him.

-You go, I'll do it myself.- Edward said, and Jason nodded.

-Okay, call me when you're done.

Edward said nothing. With a sigh, he opened the car door, got out and walked along the white-tiled path to the front door of the house. There was no one on the street, only the monotonous sound of a lawn mower working came from somewhere, and this made the desolate landscape even more depressing. Edward looked around, then went up to the porch and knocked resolutely on the door.

The housekeeper opened the door—Edward did not remember her name—a tall, thin woman with a stern face, in a black uniform and a white apron, and she looked at him in surprise, apparently not recognizing him.

-Good afternoon. Mister?..

-Edward Kim. Is Mr. Smith at home?- The guy asked. The woman nodded.

-He's in the backyard, Mr. Kim, I'll walk you out.

Edward carefully closed the door and followed the woman down a long narrow corridor, the walls of which were hung with numerous photographs, past the stairs to the door leading to the backyard. Opening it slightly, the woman nodded:

-Mr. Smith is there.

Edward left the house and found himself in a small backyard. He remembered how, during his studies at Oxford, parties were often held here, at which young, rich and not so rich people drank beer, listened to loud music and hugged beautiful girls (in those days all girls seemed beautiful to them), how he and Dustin arranged boxing fights in the very center of this small lawn, framed by dense thickets of apple trees, plums and lilacs, as the lights were lit in the house in the evenings, and it was nice to hear the grilling at dusk, and smell the smell of fried sausages, and sit in the semi-darkness, waiting for dinner.

Dustin was really here: standing with a mini golf club, he tried to drive the ball into the hole. He was wearing white trousers and a polo shirt, just like the ones he had once worn at Oxford. Seeing Edward, the young man straightened up and raised his eyebrows in surprise.

-Ed? What are you doing here?

Shaking the outstretched hand, Edward looked into Dustin's handsome face, framed by strands of long hair, and wondered what Smith's reaction would be to what he would tell him now.

-Hi!

-Hi!

-By what fates?- Dustin asked, slinging the club over his shoulder.- Do you want something to drink?

-No.- Edward shook his head.- Thanks. I'm here on business.

Dustin's brow furrowed in surprise.

-On business?

Kim nodded.

-Where is your brother really, Dustin?- He asked, and Smith's face fell.

-What?

-We went to Oxford together, we've hung out in this house more times than I can count, and I've heard something about your brother, but I've never seen him. His name is Nigel, right? You kind of mentioned that he left for America a long time ago and lives there without communicating with his family.