CHAPTER TWENTY-ONEAsh sat with Sandra, at opposite ends of the sofa, and Mara, who had been seated in a low chair on the other side of the circular coffee table, was now at the piano playing a Chopin.
The air-conditioning had been turned on for the first time this year. Mara insisted it would be more comfortable for their guest as well as for Rosie in the kitchen. It had been a warm day, but not hot enough for air-conditioning. Tonight, before he retired, he would turn it off and open all the windows.
Dinner had gone smoothly, with a minimum of fuss, and Rosie had looked dramatic in her best black uniform with a white lace apron, which she hadn’t worn in more than a year. For casual parties she wore a gray uniform and no apron. Tonight was special, even for Rosie.
They hadn’t left the d
