Sophia had, when she meant to, a voice that slashed like a saber. She had seen men, at the sound of it, look down appalled as if to find themselves cut off at the knees. It was that voice she used now on Richard Storm, who was crouching in her kitchen, rummaging through her small refrigerator.

“I’ve never heard of anything so ridiculous. It’s unnecessary. It’s cruel and stupid. And, in any case, it isn’t going to happen. I won’t go.”

“Let me ask you something,” Storm said, not looking up. “Is there, like, some big warehouse or something in this country where you guys keep the other halves of all your refrigerators?”

Sophia felt the flush of anger in her cheeks. “Don’t do that. Don’t just dismiss what I say to you.”

“I’m not dismissing you,” Storm answered mildly, reaching in deep. “I’m ignoring you. Which is hard because you’re so beautiful and I love you like music. And I only want to do things that make you sing tra-la and dance around in the fields throwing daisies everywhere. But you asked me to help you, and I think you ought to reconsider.”

“Well, I won’t,” she said. She crossed her arms on her chest.

“Can I eat this?” He had found a plate of cold chicken, brought it out.

She had swung away, and barely glanced at him. “Go ahead.”

Storm stood up, flinching, working out the kinks in his knees. He came out through the open doorway into the dining room, out to the long table. She was standing on the other side of it, against the curtained doors to the balcony. Seething, flashing her anger at him.

“I mean it,” she said. “I won’t.”

“Hey, what do you expect me to do?” he said. “Throw you over my shoulder and carry you out there? It’d be fun, but I don’t need the hernia.” He set the plate down, started to undo the plastic wrap that covered it.

“I think your friend Harper is a nutter,” said Sophia.

Storm laughed.

“I think she’s playing some sort of ridiculous game. Whatever conspiracy theory she’s come up with, I’m sure my mother could have had nothing to do with it.”

“Yeah, Harper’s a kook all right, no question. Except everything she says always turns out to be true. You don’t have any Coke or anything …?”

The question broke her chain of thought. She massaged her forehead. “I don’t know. No. There’s some sparkling water in the cabinet left of the basin.”