Read Online The Gilder by Kathryn Kay - Free Book Online Page A

requirement in their study-abroad semester and were more interested in chattering nonstop about their sex lives than learning how to mix rabbit glue, and a middle-aged Italian man who came to class impeccably dressed in a crisp shirt, cashmere sweater, pressed trousers, and gleaming loafers, and never wanted to get his hands dirty.
    Toward the end of her first month in the course, Marina got up her nerve to ask Sauro if she could take home the small box she was gilding. She’d been trying to think of a way to accelerate her learning and figured that if she started working on her projects at home at night, she might get twice the work done. He was surprised by her request but, after a moment’s consideration, gave her permission to take the needed supplies. When she returned on Monday with the repair completed, she could tell he was not quite sure what to make of her. He took his time looking over her work, then nodded his head approvingly. “Bravissima!” he said, patting her back.
    As the weeks went by, Marina saw that Sauro was impressed with the skills she’d brought with her—a steady hand with a carving knife and a solid understanding of design. He continued to take her seriously and gave her increasingly difficult moldings to duplicate, suggested carving knives she hadn’t considered, and corrected her technique.
    “Practice, practice, practice, the gold can only hide so much,” he said again and again in a way that made it sound like a nursery rhyme. One day, after watching her unpack a carving that she’d taken home to work on overnight, he took her aside and showed her an intricately carved frame that was in desperate condition, and suggested she make it a separate, extracurricular project she could keep at home. That way, he explained, she wouldn’t have to carry her in-class project back and forth every day. “When you are finished,” he instructed her, “you must bring it to my studio and meet my teachers.”

    Marina had left the front door ajar for Sarah while she worked at her bench in the back room, and when she heard the gentle rap, she called out, “I’m back here.”
    A moment later, she was startled to see Thomas in the doorway.
    “Hey, the place looks great.” He stood in the doorway, his hands in the pockets of his jeans.
    Marina put down her burnishing tool and straightened up. “Hi. I thought you were Sarah.”
    “Marcello needed to talk to her about something, so I thought I’d come see where she’s been disappearing to all the time.”
    Marina flushed. “Would you like something to drink? A coffee? Come in the kitchen, I’ll make us one.”
    Thomas stepped into the room. “Sure, but first I want to see what you’re working on. Sarah’s been bragging about your progress.”
    Marina hesitated, then stepped out of the way as Thomas approached the workbench.
    “Let’s see what you have here,” he said, looking at her rather than the workbench.
    “It’s no big deal.” Marina pointed to a spot on the frame. “You see here? This piece was missing. I had to carve a piece to match, glue it in, and then regild the area.”
    “Impressive.” Thomas nodded, although he didn’t seem particularly interested, scanning the room as if searching for something.
    Marina moved to the door. “I’ll make that coffee.”
    She could sense him pause in the living room before he followed her into the kitchen. Again he stood in the doorway. She filled the coffeepot with water and measured out the rich, dark grounds.
    Marina glanced at him and, surprising herself, wondered if he had on any underwear. She turned away and picked up an already clean mug from the draining board and gave it a rinse. “Sit down. This’ll just take a second,” she said over her shoulder.
    She had spent a fair amount of time around Thomas, mostly over dinners at Anita’s with Sarah, but had been unable to develop a comfortable rapport with him. She always had the sense he was watching her, even when he appeared