The Alice Network

by Kate Quinn

He smiled at last, and somehow Eve had the impression of a finger being eased off a trigger.

Why on earth did it matter if something scared you, when it simply had to be done anyway?

Eve knew she should step away, but a hungry part of her wanted to step closer and damn the consequences.

I do not want him to know me, she thought desperately.

“Oh, pish. That sounds like someone’s provincial aunt talking. Never listen to people like that, little daisy. They’re not only joyless drones, they usually wear chintz and think housework is a virtue.”

So don’t feel guilty for the little bit of pleasure you get, from whatever source. Take it.”

“We’re mortals; we sin.” Lili shrugged. “It’s our task in life. Le Grand Seigneur forgives us—that’s His.”

“Easy to say from hindsight,” Finn said mildly. “It wasn’t that clear-cut on the ground.”

Maybe you didn’t have to get over it so much as try. Or else weeks turned into months and then you looked up, as Eve had done, and saw you’d wasted thirty years.

They looked at each other a long time, and then they ordered another round of gin. “Lili.”

“Why not stay with the best once one has found it?” “A fancy way of saying you have a stagnant mind.”