<FONT COLOR=GREEN Size=4>Chapter Seven: "He Who Hesitates�</FONT> -- Cindy's Cottage

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Date Posted: 06:33:23 07/02/09 Thu
Author: Carla
Subject: Chapter Seven: "He Who Hesitates�

A beached orca.

Pat is at a meeting of the Young Socialists and shows himself to have a flair and affinity for social protest organization and activism. Pamela, who's at the meeting, characterizes Pat as a "starry-eyed believer" with a realistic streak.

Pamela invites Pat into Jamie's home and he refuses because of a superstition about the inhabitants being fated to misery -- or so he says. Pamela dares him to come and meet Jamie, and like any self-respecting man he can't turn down a dare. Pat is awed by the riches of Jamie's study, where he is welcomed by Jamie. Jamie, Pat realizes later, thoroughly grills him on a variety of topics, without really seeming to. Jamie tops the evening by letting Pat borrow books.

Casey has prepared a safe room from which to launch his version of the fight for independence. Cindy writes that "Hope skips a generation." What do you think? If so, why?

Pat, Casey & Pamela set out to spend a day at the county fair and watch Devlin Murphy perform. They have a wonderful time, the boys pulling Pamela into their charmed circle. Pamela finds the carcass of a dead whale while they're racing on the beach and Pat feels the stab of jealousy watching Casey comfort her. Pat suggests putting the heart back in the water and Casey agrees. Casey pulls out a switchblade and they spend a filthy hour removing the heart. They all strip down to swim out with the heart, but after a short distance, Pamela begins to struggle in the cold, choppy water. Casey takes her back to shore and Pat continues on. Casey & Pamela discuss their nudity and lack of shame. Pamela becomes very away of Casey as a man. She finds him so different from Jamie, her ideal, and yet irresistibly attractive.

They attend Devlin's concert, where Devlin sings a re-vamped ode to Brendan Riordan and then calls on Casey and launches into a political speech. Devlin, who turns out to be the boys uncle, invites the three back to his trailer for a drink. Casey almost slips and claims Pamela for himself. Pat accuses Casey of being mixed up in the IRA again in not so many words and then storms off. Pamela, who doesn't understand what is happening between the men, tells Casey more truth about her back ground than she's told anyone else and then falls asleep/passes out.

The mysterious Jack Stuart, with "eyes the tint and hue of half-lived stars" was there but leaves without announcing his presence. Who do you think he might be?

Devlin and Casey talk; there's a new contact named "The Blue Angel". Devlin also warns Casey that some in the organization are not happy to see Casey back in town. Casey has not reported to GHQ and seems to determined to break with the "official" group. Devlin sees that Casey cares for Pamela.

Chapter Eight: "An Invitation to Dance"
Pamela wakes up very hung over and sees Casey bare-chested and shaving. Casey looks fresh and groomed while Pamela feels something less than attractive. She asks why he's staring and he, with a vulnerable look in his eyes, admits to coming home from prison to find a goddess in his kitchen, something from which he's not recovered. (This is where I officially fell in love with Casey.) Pamela is dumbfounded by this revelation.

The two walk to the train station and Casey invites Pamela to his friend's wedding. Knowing he's a dangerous man, she still says yes. Was this the tipping point for them both, when some sort of romantic relationship became inevitable?

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Replies:

On my first and I think the second read, I had no idea who Jack Stuart was. I think I had to ask who he was and then things started to click when I reflected on the decriptions. (NT) -- Tracy, 06:50:03 07/02/09 Thu
Oh yes, Ch. 8 is also where I fell for Casey in a big way. Despite the danger, there's no way I could have said 'no' to him either. It took me a long time to realize that Jack Stuart was a fictional character! (NT) -- E, 07:05:24 07/02/09 Thu
'the tint and hue of half-lived stars' was a fanciful thing on my part- stars like our sun tend to peak in their 'green stage', even though we don't see them as green, but rather white. Hence it kind of plays into the fact that Jack Stuart really isn't Jack Stuart at all and of course the green eyes. (NT) -- celtgirl, 07:57:46 07/02/09 Thu
- It wasn't until I learned about the colour of half-dead stars that I twigged to whom Jack Stuart was really. I did figure it was a pseudonym the first time round, but not who it was. (NT) -- Carla, 09:10:00 07/02/09 Thu
  - Can we say who it is or is that a spoiler? It seems safe to mention it on a re-read but I thought I better check first. (NT) -- Tracy, 10:29:09 07/02/09 Thu
    - I think anyone over here knows who Jack Stuart is- don't you? (NT) -- celtgirl, 10:55:19 07/02/09 Thu
      - I was the late comer and missed the original EU discussion....I've still got questions but I think from this bit of conversation (and my assumptions on the first read) that it is >>> -- Lil, 11:04:25 07/02/09 Thu
        Nalana>>> -- celtgirl, 11:47:01 07/02/09 Thu
        I was googling Jack Stuart for days. Thought for sure he had to be a contemporary of Howard Nemerov! (NT) -- E, 13:31:19 07/02/09 Thu
        Woohoo! The name was the clue that hit me, but this discussion of "green" finalized my guess. :-) (NT) -- Lil, 14:18:29 07/02/09 Thu
        Didn't someone Google the name and get hits for a porn star? (NT) -- celtgirl, 14:51:19 07/02/09 Thu
        *ahem* Yep, that would be m'self. Oddly enough, I just tried again and no such hit came up. (NT) -- PeggyB, 21:22:13 07/02/09 Thu
        Perhaps the gentleman in question has retired. :) (NT) -- celtgirl, 21:45:21 07/02/09 Thu
      - Oh gosh, it's Jamie, right? I'm not losing my mind I hope and it's really someone else. (NT) -- Tracy, 15:58:36 07/02/09 Thu
        I need another drink! I just peeked inside Nalana's post and saw that it is Jamie. (NT) -- Tracy, 15:59:48 07/02/09 Thu
        I remember on my first reading, thinking it was Patrick for the longest time. I may even have had to ask Cindy, don't recall. (NT) -- PeggyB, 11:39:14 07/03/09 Fri
I definitely think these two chapters pushed both of them over the edge. I would have gone with him also...he's so charming and alive...no matter the danger. (NT) -- Lil, 14:26:29 07/02/09 Thu

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