The Innswich Horror Read Online Free PDF Page A

indulgence.
Please allow me to take you and your brother to luncheon sometime.
Aside from your wonderful company, of course, I’d just like—Paul,
is it?—I’d like to ask him a few questions about Lovecraft’s
visit—” but then the bungle hit me like a physical blow. “Pardon
me, Mary, but of course I meant you, your brother, and your
husband.”
    Mary didn’t balk at the comment; she merely
replied, “Oh, I’m afraid my husband turned out to be not much of
one. He left me for another woman, ran off to Maryland.”
    “I truly regret to hear that, Mary. You
deserve better than an irresponsible lout like that.” It infuriated
me, that any real man could abandon a pregnant wife.
    “Oh, it’s all right. It’s one of life’s
lessons,” came a surprisingly cheerful reply. “My stepfather says
the hardest lessons serve us best.”
    “How true.”
    “And I do have a good life. I have good
work and live in a good town. I feel very blessed.”
    “A selfless and commendable attitude. Too
many these days take so much for granted,” I amended.
    “And my brother, Paul”—her glance cast down
for a moment—“he’s not well, I’m afraid, and wouldn’t be able to
manage an outing.”
    I didn’t know how to respond other than
topically. “Oh, that’s too bad. I hope he recovers quickly.”
    “But I’d be happy to talk to you about Mr.
Lovecraft at any convenience. You see, Paul quite took to the man,
and related to me everything they talked about while Mr. Lovecraft
was here. ”
    “Then, please, we must do that, Mary.”
    She gave the faintest coy
smile. “That is if your wife doesn’t mind you taking another woman to
lunch.”
    “I’ve never married,” I blurted, only now
aware of the slightly sticky situation. She was pregnant, after
all—with a stumblebum’s child.
    “You can’t be serious!”
Came her exclamation after another spoonful of ice cream. “A
handsome, well-mannered gentleman like you? Never married?”
    I prayed I didn’t blush. “I fear I wouldn’t
be suitable for any woman,” and then I played it off with a laugh.
“I’m far too indulgent.”
    “Oh, I don’t believe that!”
    “But, yes, I’ll stop in tomorrow morn and
you can tell me a time convenient for you.”
    “That would be fine, Foster. I’ll look
forward to it.”
    By now I felt a bit guilty admitting this
attraction to a woman with child but, of course, my only interest
was strictly of the platonic variety. That aside, this was a great
opportunity. What Mary could convey of Paul’s conversations with
the Master would be of joyous interest to me. I was about to
continue conversation when the bell rang again and the door
opened.
    “Oh, hi, Dr. Anstruther,” greeted Mary.
    “Hello, my dear…”
    “Dr. Anstruther, meet Foster Morley. He’s
here on vacation.”
    I turned to face a distinguished,
well-suited man with iron-grey hair and beard. “How do you do,
sir?” I shook a soft but strong hand.
    He grinned broadly. “I’m splendid, Mr.
Foster. How are you liking our little town?”
    “I’m intrigued by it, sir, a very clean,
self-respecting prefect, indeed.” I glanced minutely to Mary. “And
such nice townsfolk.”
    “Oh, yes. Perhaps you’re not aware, but
you’re sampling the wares of Olmstead’s very first ice cream
machine. It caused quite a row when it was first installed.”
    “God bless such luxuries!” I tried to
joke.
    “We’re prospering where other towns are
going by the wayside—quite a feat in these economic times. We’ve
been very fortunate of late.” He turned to Mary, handing her a stub
of paper. “Dear, check this claim number, please. I’m expecting a
delivery of some urgency. Mrs. Crommer should be going into labor
any day now.”
    “I completely forgot,” Mary remarked,
checking a shelf of boxes, then finding one. “Will it be her
tenth?”
    “Her eleventh,” the doctor redressed. He
glanced to me. “Stock for the future, as the President says.”
    “Uh,