Part 22 (1/2)
”hello?” anEnglishvoice saysfromtheintercom
”Hi! It's Nanny and Grayer” There's no reply I reach over and press the talk button again ”We have a playdatewith Carter”
”Really?”There's a pause ”Well,colass door open, while Grayer sturandstaircase, atthe back of house, is a solariuarden Raindrops steadily fill the stone fountain
”hello?” a young voice asks I look up fro Grayer's coat zipper A little boy Grayer's age with blond, curly hair is standing on the landing, his hand looped through the banister, leaning away on a diagonal ”Hi I'm Carter” I've never seen this boy before and realize Grayer hasn't, either
”I'm Grayer”
”hello?” The saear anywhere and coearbesideit
”Go ahead, G” He runs up after Carter I beginrooroo the Empire master bedroom and a man's study done in the African vein, lots of antelope heads and a zebra-skin rug, I' up to the third level, which has a large itisCarter's floor
”Keepgoing!” I hearencourageshoutedfromabove
”You're almost there,Nanny! Lazy!”
”Thanks, G!” I call up I finally drag , to the fourth floor, which has been opened up into alargefamily roomcumkitchen
”Hi,I'm Lizzie Stairs abit much,eh?Wantsomewater?”
”That would be lovely I' ray flannel skirt, sky-blue oxford shi+rt, and a navy cardigan tied aroundher shoulders I recognizeher aspartof thecoard this as a noble profession, requiring training and certification, and they dress accordingly The boys have already run off to the corner, where a village of plastic Playskool houses are set up, to play what soundslikeSacktheSerfs
”Here” Lizzie hands ht we'd just let them blow off stea-l-e B'O-O'k”
”Soundsgreat”
”I don't knohatI'uess”
I stare at the rococokitchen cabinets, the distressed French tiles, the egg and darthouse Doyou live in?”
”I have alittleflatonthetopfloor”I lookover atthestairsandrealizethat,yes,thereisanotherfloor
”You itwith a knackeredfour-year-oldinyouraroto 1 school?”
”CountryDay,”shesays,takingirls ?theywentthere It's a niceplace”
”Yeah?Carter,getoffhirip
”Wow, Carter,how'd youdothat?Showreat,” I say ”Nowhe'll beleapingouttoputroin and they're down in no ti at roundbuddy ”Hey,youwanttoseetheterrace?”
”Sure” I follow her out to a stone balcony overlooking the garden and the back of the brownstones on theothersideoftheblockWe standundertheawningastherainsplattersthetipsofour shoes
”It's beautiful,”I say,inlittlepuffsof vapor ”It's arealnineteenth-centuryenclave”
Shenods ”Cigarette?” sheasks
”You cansmoke?”
”Sure”
”Carter's haveyoubeenworkinghere?” I ask asshestrikesthematch
”About a year It's a little nuts, but compared to the other jobs I've had I mean, when you live in, you know” She shakes her head, blowing smoke into the drizzle ”They run your life while you live in a closet off the kitchenAt least here I've got a great space Those round s?” She points with her cigarette ”That'sroouestsuite,but,well,guestsare a littleoutofthequestion”
”Wow Not a baddeal”
”Well, it's full-ti ”I guess he's not bad e's never really around, which makes her a bit off her rockerThat's whytheyneeded alive-in?
”Yoo-hoo! Lizzie!Are you outthere?” I freeze,trying not to exhale, a tinytrail of sfrom mynostrils
”Yeah, Mrs Milton We're outside” She casually stubs out her cigarette on the balustrade and throws it intothegardenI shrugandfollowsuit ”There you are!” she says as we come back into the kitchen Mrs Milton, a Matel blonde, sits on the floorin a peach-silk robe,sniffinganddelicately wiping hernose, while theboys runaround her ”Noho's this?” Her voice has a slight Southern lilt ”That's Grayer,” Lizzie says ”And I'm Nanny” I extendmyhand
”Oh, Grayer! Grayer, I saw your momma at Swifty's Well, every tietherAndthenthereshewashavinglunchandwe said,ejust have to make a plan, and here you are! Grayer!” She picks him up and holds him upside down, in fluffyto make eye contact withof affection She puts hiht?” ”Yeah,but?
”Shouldn't youbegettingready?” ”It's onlyfour”
”Nonsense Go relax I want to spend some time with my Carter Besides, Nanny can help me” She hunkersdown ”Hey,boys, youwannaht,Lizzie?” ”Always”
”Great!” Her silk robe billows out behind her as she crosses to the kitchen, revealing long, tanned, and very nakedlegs I realize as she turns that she is cosoutandsets itonthecounter ”Lizzie, wherearethepans?”
”In thedrawer undertheoven” Shegrabs mywrist andwhis!
pers, ”Don't let her burn herself” Before I have chanceto ask if and whythis is likely she's run upstairs toherroohis vote