Topical Guide 298
Mark Dorset
Babbington
“Well,” said Herb, “… these people made the town sound so wonderful that my wife fell in love with the place.”
“She fell in love with it without even seeing it?” asked Speedy. He didn’t look like a man convinced. Herb asked himself why he hadn’t just told the truth. He was backing farther and farther into a corner. This was not getting off on the right foot.
“She — ” said Herb. He sighed. He didn’t know what to say next. The door opened. Lorna walked in. “Lorna!” he said. “Lorna. I — was just trying to explain to — um, Officer — um — and Mr. Speedy how it was that we decided to settle here in Babbington, why it had to be this town and no other. Not as if we just picked out any old town on a map — and they were wondering how it was that you fell in love with the place without ever having seen it.”
“I saw it in my mind’s eye,” said Lorna, “in my imagination. The little seacoast town. The neat houses.” She stopped. Dan and Speedy wore looks that said they expected more. …
Lorna closed her eyes. “A small hotel — ” she said.
“Mm-hm,” said Dan.
“Yeah,” said Speedy.
“ — where salesmen stay sometimes — ”
“Mm.”
“Yep.”
“ — with a small dining room — ”
“Gosh.”
“Brother.”
“ — not far from here.”
“That’s got to be the River Sound Hotel!” said Dan. His eyes were wide.
“Couldn’t be anyplace else,” said Speedy. “That’s it, plain as day.”
“Amazing,” said Dan. He let his mouth hang open.Herb ’n’ Lorna, Chapter 8
See also: Babbington TG 5; Babbington: Bolotomy Bay TG 23; Babbington: History of TG 47; Babbington: Landmarks in TG 47
[more to come on Wednesday, July 20, 2022]
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