The Major's Daughter Read Online Free PDF Page B

man’s man who had lost two teeth on the left side of his jaw in a mysterious bar fight before he had turned twenty. He had not attended college; he had enlisted in the navy during the first months of the war, and his ship had gone down under him, torpedoed in the North Sea by a German submarine. Burning oil had scalded his waist and buttocks, and his left leg had been lacerated by exploding sheet metal. The bone in his left shin had been shattered, leaving him with a permanent limp that he could not hide. It was a wonder he had survived.
    Now Amos clapped Henry on the shoulder and pretended to push his younger brother toward the water. It was not a serious threat; Henry could not have fallen over the stone retaining wall, yet it still made him stick out his arms like a cat falling. Amos laughed loudly and clapped him again.
    â€œI was sent to get you,” Amos said, his wide voice easily distinguished over the sound of the water and mill. “The military people are here to talk terms.”
    â€œDon’t do that,” Henry said, his voice surprising him by its edge. He had meant not to be drawn into this sort of thing with Amos, especially not on his first day.
    â€œDo what?”
    â€œDo that. That thing you do. That sneaking up and slapping me on the back, then pretending not to know what you have done. It’s annoying. I don’t do it to you.”
    â€œWell, feel free to do it whenever you like. It’s a friendly gesture. Brother to brother and all that. What’s got you all wound up? Is it so horrible to return to the fold? Rather be back at the old alma mater?”
    â€œI didn’t say that. It isn’t about that. It’s about you not sneaking up and slapping me on the back and pretending to push me into the water.”
    â€œOh, for Lord’s sake, you’re a touchy one. Really, you are. Now come along. Father has them set up in the outer office for coffee. Major Brennan is here. He brought along his daughter, too, and she’s quite an eyeful, I promise you. You’ll be glad I fetched you.”
    What was the use of trying to reason with him? Henry thought as he followed his brother into the main rear entrance to the mill. They were as locked in their roles as Cain and Abel; it was merely a matter of time before one would murder the other. As soon as that thought crossed his mind, he amended it, however, and barred its insidious roots from digging into any possible soil. They would not kill each other, he promised himself, at least not literally, but in countless metaphorical ways he did not doubt they would vie for their father’s approbation. For better or worse they always had, and sometimes Henry imagined them representing two halves of his father’s brain: the rough, hardscrabble side harbored in Amos, and the more intellectual, refined side embodied in him. That was an oversimplification but true in its broad outline, and he wondered briefly if he could possibly discuss it with Amos, diffuse it by doing so, and thereby begin things on a better footing.
    His thoughts lost their orderly parade through his head, however, when he stepped in the conference room and saw the major’s daughter.
    â€œHello, boys,” said his father, Sherman Heights, when they closed the door behind them. His father, heavy, with wide, bristling eyebrows, sat at the head of the table. He motioned to the others. “This is my second son, Henry. You’ve already met Amos. This is Major Brennan’s daughter, Collie.”
    â€œHow do you do?” Collie asked.
    Her father nodded. She was in the middle of pouring him a cup of coffee.
    Henry had difficulty taking his eyes off her as he made his way to one of the seats at the conference table. How had this happened? he wondered. So vividly did she seem out of place that it was as if a mythical creature had decided to pay them a visit. He had seen beautiful women before, many of them, in fact, at Bowdoin, but