Chapter 40
Chapter Forty Shortly after breakfast, I make a phone call to Collette to tell her things are progressing marvelously here and she promises to stop by some day or other. Then I dial Beardley Manor’s number to give my mother-in-law an update on my sick friend. It takes a lifetime for Mr. Longman, our butler to pick up, and another lifetime for my mother-in-law to come answer. Manor Beardley has just one telephone. “Chloé!” “Bonjour,” I sing-song into the phone. “How are you, my dear?” I tell her that I am fine, but I also tell her a sweet, white lie about a worsening of my friend’s condition and that I will have to stay a bit more. “That’s unfortunate. I wish your friend well.” She takes a deep breath and I know she’s ready to launch into another of her tirades of nonsense chatting,
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