Read Online Lovelock by Kathryn H. Kidd Orson Scott Card - Free Book Online

Stef’s Adam’s apple bobbed when he talked. His voice sounded dry.
    “Haven’t you heard? I thought every body knew. The chief administrator’s wife died three days ago. Mayflower gets to host the funeral. It’s one of the blessings we get for having the chief administrator dwelling in our village.”
    “We didn’t know there was a funeral,” Carol Jeanne said, her voice low and respectful, “but we really didn’t know the lady who died. Can’t we go somewhere and rest until it’s over?”
    “You can’t be serious.” Penelope’s chest quivered when she talked. “It would be an affront to everyone in Mayflower Village. People will be here from all sixty villages, and Mayflower has to feed them all . Though I suppose you’re so important that people will overlook it if you don’t do your fair share.”
    “We want to do our fair share,” said Carol Jeanne. “But we just got here, and we’re—”
    “That’s why it’s such a wonderful opportunity for you, coming to the funeral. It’s the best way in the world to meet the community. You’ll be one of us before nightfall.”
    “That’s a great idea,” Red said.
    What kind of husband was he, to undermine Carol Jeanne’s effort to get them out of this? I hissed at him.
    “Lovelock, hush .” Carol Jeanne sounded annoyed. But I knew she was as irritated at Red as I was.
    Penelope ignored Carol Jeanne and me; apparently she only noticed the existence of people who agreed with her. “Of course it’s a great idea,” she said. She seized Red’s arm in the iron grip of intimacy. “I can see that you’re going to be a great success in Mayflower village, Mr. Cocciolone.”
    Mamie cut in, her voice as cold as liquid nitrogen. “I told you. Cocciolone is Carol Jeanne’s maiden name. She uses it professionally, but the rest of us are Todds .”
    “Oh,” Penelope said. “You did tell me that, didn’t you?” She gave Mamie her sweetest smile. Only her words revealed just how toxic that smile could be. “Did you know, my dear,” she said to Mamie, “that when I first saw you folks I just assumed that you were Carol Jeanne Cocciolone. It just seemed to me that this sweet girl here was too young to be the world’s greatest gaiologist. While you were the only one who looked old enough to have worked with James Lovelock himself.”
    I hooted with laughter.
    Carol Jeanne silenced me with a touch. “I’m afraid I never had the privilege of knowing James Lovelock himself. I studied under his student, Ralph Twickenham.”
    Penelope brightened. “Oh. Our English village is named Twickenham. They’re very high-church. Is it the same Twickenham?”
    “Probably. Twicky is pretty famous.”
    “Carol Jeanne is pretty famous,” Red broke in. “The American Catholic village applied for the name Cocciolone, but Carol Jeanne said she wouldn’t come with the Ark unless they named their village something else.”
    “It’s all for the best,” Penelope said. “ Assisi sounds so much nicer, doesn’t it? There’s that business about St. Francis feeding the birds, and Assisi is so much easier to say , don’t you think?”
    I hissed again. Penelope glanced at me and tucked her fingers safely behind her back.
    “Anyway,” she added, “the whole village has been waiting for you. They’ll be so excited when they see you at the funeral. Imagine our good fortune, to have the chief administrator and the chief gaiologist in the same village. What a lucky coincidence!”
    “My son Red is going to be quite a contributor to the voyage, too,” Mamie said, putting her hand on Red’s shoulder to indicate who he was. And then, to make sure the mayor understood how important he was, she made sure Penelope noticed his most important status symbol. “ His witness isn’t half so much trouble as the monkey. See?” She pointed at Pink, who simply stood there, looking piglike.
    “A pig,” Penelope said, her voice flat and unenthusiastic. “How nice.” After the