Innocence. Kathleen Tessaro
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Название: Innocence
Автор: Kathleen Tessaro
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Современная зарубежная литература
isbn: 9780007330751
isbn:
KATHLEEN TESSARO
INNOCENCE
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
Published by HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF
Published by HarperCollinsPublishers 2005 1
Copyright © Kathleen Tessaro 2005
Kathleen Tessaro asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
Ebook Edition © 2005 ISBN: 9780007330751
Version: 2017-12-08
For my family
‘No Coward Soul Is Mine.’
EMILY BRONTë
Table of Contents
I’m seated next to a red-headed woman on the plane. My supper of creamed chicken royal and boiled rice sits untouched in front of me. Instead, I stare at my new Keith Haring Swatch watch (a going-away gift from my boyfriend, Jonny). It’s my first trip abroad. In only eight hours and twenty-two minutes, we’ll be landing in London and a whole new chapter of my life will begin. Who can eat chicken at a time like this?
The redhead can. She’s an old hand at foreign travel. Lighting another cigarette, she smiles at me.
‘Oh, London’s great! Great pubs. And you can have fish and chips. “Chips” is English for French fries,’ she translates. ‘They put salt and vinegar on them over there.’
‘Ewwww!’ I say, ever the sophisticate.
‘But it’s good! You have them with mushy peas.’
‘Mushy what?’
‘Peas!’ She laughs. ‘They’re sort of smashed up. You don’t have to have them.’
‘Oh, but I want to!’ I assure her quickly. ‘I want to try everything!’
She exhales. ‘Where are you from?’
‘Eden, Ohio.’
‘Is that near Akron?’
‘Actually, it’s not near anything.’
‘And what are you doing? Studying?’
‘Drama. I’m going to be an actress. A classical actress,’ I add, just in case she gets the idea I’m going to sell out. ‘I’ve been accepted into the Actors Drama Workshop Academy. Maybe you’ve heard of it?’
She shakes her head. ‘Is that like RADA?’
‘Almost.’
‘Well, you’re a pretty girl. I’m sure you’ll be a big star.’ And she nods, drumming her long pink nails against the shared armrest. ‘Yeah, London will be the making of you. It’s a long way from Ohio, kid.’
That’s exactly what I’m hoping for.
I don’t fit in in Ohio. I don’t fit in anywhere yet. But back home, nobody seems to get me—apart from my boyfriend Jonny. He’s going to study Graphic Arts at CMU next term. He understands what it’s like to be an artistic soul trapped in a working-class town. That’s why we get on so well. I pull out his going-away letter to me and read it one more time.
‘I know this is going to be a completely amazing adventure for you, babe. And I can’t wait to hear each instalment. Write often. Never lose faith in yourself. And think of me slaving away over my drawing board, dreaming of you and your perfect, beautiful face until you get back…safe and warm in my arms. I’m so proud of you.
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