The Charm School

Poole studied Hollis’ face. “Or
have
they figured it out? And is Washington too worried about the repercussions to act? Is that it? Colonel?”
    “I can’t answer any of those questions,” Hollis replied, then added, “But you have my personal word that I will do everything in my power to get you all home. Good evening, General, Commander.” Hollis took the flashlight and left.
    He found Lisa on the path and saw she had been crying. He took her arm, and they picked their way down the dark log trail. They came back to the main road and turned right, back toward their cottage.
    Lisa composed herself and said, “You were cruel.”
    “I know that.”
    “But, why… how could you be so hard on men who have suffered so much?”
    “I can’t endorse what they’ve done.”
    “I don’t understand you. I don’t understand your code or your—”
    “It’s not necessary that you do. That’s my world, not yours.”
    “Damn you. Your world got me into this.”
    “No. The KGB got you into this.” He added, “There are a lot of wrongs to be righted here, Lisa. I’m not judge and jury, but I’m damned sure a witness. I know what I see and I know I’m not one of the criminals here. You keep that in mind.”
    She looked at him, and it came to her that he was very upset by the meeting. She said, “You saw yourself in their place, didn’t you? They were your people once. It’s not anger and contempt you feel for them. It’s pity, so deep you can’t comprehend it. Is that it?”
    He nodded. “Yes, that’s it.” He put his arm around her shoulder. “I can’t give them hope, Lisa. That would be crueler than anything else I could say to them. They understand that.”
    She moved closer to him. “Ernie Simms is dead and buried, Sam. Now you have to find peace.”

 
35
    Halloween day dawned cold and frosty. Hollis got out of bed and went into the bathroom, a prefab unit usually used in apartment houses but now attached to their cottage off the bedroom. The tap water was barely warm, and Hollis guessed the propane water heater was having problems again.
    Lisa rose and put on a quilted robe over her nightgown. She went into the living room and built a fire, then into the galley kitchen and made coffee in an electric pot.
    Hollis shaved, showered, and dressed in one of the four warm-up suits he had been issued. He joined Lisa in the kitchen, and they took their coffee mugs to the living room and sat before the fire.
    Lisa said, “Tomorrow it’s your turn to do coffee and fire.”
    “I know.”
    “Did you sleep well?”
    “I suppose.”
    She asked, “Does it bother you that we sleep together without sex?”
    “No. But your feet are cold.”
    “Can we get a wood stove for this place?”
    “I don’t plan on staying.”
    “That’s right.”
    “I was thinking,” she said, “as primitive as this place is, it’s a palace compared to a peasant’s
izba
. We have an electric coffeepot, toaster, and hot plate, a refrigerator, indoor plumbing, hot water—”
    “Tepid water.”
    “Again?”
    “I’ll check it out later.”
    “It’s good to have a man around the house.”
    “To fix things.”
    “I’m sorry about the sex.”
    “Me too. But to be perfectly frank, I’m not much in the mood either. I think this place has suppressed my libido.”
    She looked at him with concern. “Are you serious?”
    “Yes. I don’t feel it anymore.”
    She put her cup on the coffee table. “Are you sure?”
    “Pretty sure.”
    She thought a moment. “Well… they can’t do that to us.”
    “It’s all right.”
    “No, it’s not.” She put her hand on his shoulder. “Why don’t we go… back to bed?”
    “I’m not sure I can do you much good.”
    “You’ll be fine, Sam.”
    “Well… all right.” He stood, and they went back into the bedroom. Hollis looked at the icon, now hanging over the double bed. He said, “Is that an appropriate place for a religious painting?”
    “Oh, yes. The Russians put them anywhere. Like Catholics put crucifixes over their beds.”
    “If you say so.” He looked at the bed, and they both stood beside it awkwardly as if it were their first time. Lisa slipped off her robe, then standing beside the electric heater, pulled her nightgown over her head and laid it in front of the heater. She stood naked, the bright orange glow of the electric bars reflecting off her white skin.
    Hollis got out of his warm-up suit, and they embraced. He kissed her on the lips, then the