Читать книгу On a Snowy Night: The Christmas Basket / The Snow Bride - Debbie Macomber - Страница 13

The rest of the Christmas dance passed in a blur for Noelle. She danced with a constant stream of attractive men. She greeted longtime family friends and socialized the evening away, but not once did she stop thinking about Thom. They were finally going to settle this. Only she wasn’t a naive eighteen-year-old anymore and she wouldn’t allow his lies to go unchallenged. Thom claimed he’d been waiting for her in the park, but she knew otherwise.

At the end of the evening, the families trooped down the wide sweeping staircase. Noelle, Carley and their mother waited while Jake stood in line to collect their coats. No more than three feet away from them was Mary Sutton, who also appeared to be waiting for her coat. Noelle had to hand it to the woman; she did a marvelous job of pretending not to see them.

“Good evening, Mrs. Sutton,” Noelle greeted her, refusing to ignore Thom’s mother.

Sarah’s onetime friend opened and then closed her mouth, as if she didn’t know how to respond.

“Noelle.” Her mother elbowed her sharply in the ribs. “What’s the matter with you?”

“Nothing. I’m greeting an old family friend.”

“Former friend,” her mother insisted. “We haven’t been friends in almost twenty years.”

“But you once were.”

Her mother sighed wearily. “I was younger then, and I didn’t have the discretion I have now. You see, back then I took friendship at face value. I trusted in goodwill and forgiveness.”

“Hello, Noelle,” Mary Sutton said, moving closer. “I, too, was once young and I, too, believed in the power of friendship. But I was taught a painful lesson when the woman I assumed was my dearest friend lied and deceived me and entrusted a priceless family heirloom to another. But that was a very long time ago. Tell me,” she said, turning a cold shoulder to Noelle’s mother. “How are you?”

“Very well, thank you.”

Her mother clasped Carley’s arm and stepped back as though to protect her youngest daughter.

“You’re looking lovely,” Thom’s mother said, and her eyes were kind.

“Thank you,” Noelle said, although she could feel her mother’s gaze burning into her back.

Mary Sutton lowered her voice. “I couldn’t help overhearing your mother’s comments just now about friendship. I probably should’ve stayed out of it—but I couldn’t.”

“It’s so sad that the two of you have allowed this nonsense to go on for all these years.”

“Let me assure you, my grandmother’s tea service is not nonsense. It was all I had to remind me of her. Your mother lied to me about using it, and then lost it forever.” Her downcast eyes clearly said that the loss of her grandmother’s legacy still caused her pain. “You’re right, though. It’s unfortunate this has dragged on as long as it has.”

That sounded encouraging, and Noelle was ready to leap on what she considered a gesture of peace.

“However,” Mrs. Sutton continued, “there are certain things no friendship can overcome, and I fear your mother has crossed that line too many times to count. Regrettably, our friendship is unsalvageable.”

“But—”

“Another thing,” Mrs. Sutton said, cutting Noelle off. “I saw you dancing with Thom this evening. You two were once sweet on each other, but you hurt him badly. I hope for both your sakes that you’re not thinking of renewing your acquaintance.”

“I…I…” Noelle faltered, not knowing how to answer.

Noelle’s mother stepped forward. “I suggest your son stay away from our daughter.”

“Mom, keep out of this, please,” Noelle cried, afraid of what would happen if the two women started in on each other—particularly after the Value-X incident. This was the town’s biggest social event of the year, and a scene was the last thing either family needed.

Mr. Sutton returned with the coats, and Noelle’s father followed shortly afterward. The McDowells headed immediately for the parking lot, careful to avoid any and all Suttons. Everyone was silent on the drive home, but Noelle knew she’d upset her mother.

Fifteen minutes later as they walked into the house, she decided she should be the one to compromise. “Mom, I wish now that I hadn’t spoken to Mrs. Sutton,” she said quietly. And she meant it; she should have restricted her remarks to “Hello” and maybe “Merry Christmas.”

“I do, too,” her mother said. “I know your intentions were good, but it’s best to leave things as they are. I tried for a long time to make up with her, but she refused to accept a replacement set and she refused my apology.” Sadness crept into her voice. “Mary did make one good point, though.”

Noelle mentally reviewed the conversation.

“She said it’s a good idea for you to stay away from Thom, and she’s right.” She sighed, then briefly placed her palm against Noelle’s cheek. Her eyes were warm with love. “The two of you have a history you can’t escape.”

“Mom, it isn’t like that. We—”

“Sweetheart, listen please. I know you once had strong feelings for that young man, and it hurt me deeply.”

“It hurt you?”

Her mother nodded. “Very much so, because I knew you’d be forced to make a choice between your family and Thom. I couldn’t bear the thought of you married to him or sharing my grandchildren with Mary Sutton. You saw for yourself how she feels about me. There’s no forgiveness in her. Really, is this the kind of woman you want in your life and the lives of your children? That’s the history I mean.” She kissed Noelle on the cheek and headed down the hallway to her room. “Good night now.”

Noelle shut her eyes and sagged against the wall. She’d been just a moment away from explaining that she was going to meet Thom in order to talk things out. Her mother sounded as though she’d consider it a personal affront if Noelle so much as looked at him. It was like high school all over again.

The only thing left to do now was sneak out the same way she had as a teenager. She couldn’t leave him waiting in the cold, that was unthinkable. Besides, this might be her one and only chance to sort out what had really happened, and she wasn’t going to throw it away. She didn’t intend any disrespect toward her mother or his, but she had to be there. If she didn’t show up, she’d confirm every negative belief he already had about her.

Carley was in bed asleep as Noelle passed her room. She went in to drop a kiss on her sister’s forehead, then softly closed the door. Noelle changed out of her party dress, choosing wool slacks and a thick sweater to wear to the park. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she waited for the minutes to tick past. With luck, her parents would be exhausted and both go directly to bed. Then Noelle could slip away undetected.

Finally the house was dark and quiet. The only illumination came from the flashing Christmas lights that decorated the roofline.

Opening her bedroom door, Noelle was horrified by the way it creaked. On tiptoe, she carefully, silently crept down the narrow corridor.

“Jake.” Her mother was instantly awake. “I heard something.”

“Go to sleep, honey.”

“There’s someone in the house,” her mother insisted.

Noelle froze. She could hardly breathe. Just imagining what her mother would say was enough to paralyze her.

“Jake, I’m serious.”

“I don’t hear anything,” her father mumbled.

“I did. We could all be murdered in our beds.”

“Sarah, for the love of heaven.”

“Think of the children.”

Noelle nearly groaned aloud. She was trapped. She’d have to pass her parents’ bedroom in order to steal back into her own. They were sure to see her. She couldn’t go forward and she couldn’t go back.

“All right, all right,” her father muttered as he climbed out of bed.

“Take something with you,” her mother hissed.

“Like what?”

“Here, take a wooden hanger.”

“So I can hang him out to dry if I happen on a burglar?”

“Just do it, Jake.”

“Yes, dear.”

Noelle had made it safely into the kitchen by the time her father came upon her. “Dad,” she whispered, hiding in the shadows, “it’s me.”

“Why didn’t you say so?” he whispered back.

“I couldn’t. I’m sneaking out of the house.”

“This late? Where are you going?”

He wouldn’t like the answer, but she refused to lie. “I’m meeting Thom Sutton in the park. We’re going to talk.”

Her father didn’t say anything for a long moment. Then it sounded as if he was weeping.

Noelle felt dreadful. “Dad? I’m sorry if this upsets you.”

“Upsets me?” he repeated. “I think it’s hilarious.”

“You…do?”

“Go ahead and meet your young man and talk all you want. This thing is between Sarah and Mary. Greg and I have been friends for years.”

This was news to Noelle. “You’re still friends?”

“Of course. He’s the best golfing partner I ever had.”

“You and Mr. Sutton are golf partners?” Noelle thought perhaps she’d slipped into another dimension.

“Shhh.” Her father raised a finger to his lips. “Your mother doesn’t know.”

“Mom doesn’t know.” This was more unbelievable by the moment.

“Scoot,” her father ordered, and reaching for the keys on the peg outside the garage door, he said, “Here, take my car. It’s parked on the street.”

Noelle clutched the set of keys and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. “Thanks, Dad.”

He coughed loudly as she opened the back door. “You’re hearing things, Sarah,” he called out. “There’s nothing.” He gave her a small wave and turned back toward the hallway.

As soon as she was out the door, Noelle sprinted toward her dad’s car. It took her a moment to figure out which key she needed and then another to adjust the mirror and the seat. When she glanced at her watch, she was shocked to see the time. It was already ten minutes past one.

Thom would assume she wasn’t coming. He’d think she’d stood him up…when nothing could be further from the truth.

Thom expelled his breath into the cold, and it came out looking like the snort of a cartoon bull. An angry cartoon bull. That was exactly how he felt. Once again, he’d allowed his heart to rule his head and he’d fallen prey to Noelle McDowell.

He should have known better. Everything he’d learned about heartache, Noelle had taught him. And now, fool that he was, he’d set himself up to be taken again. Noelle McDowell was untrustworthy. He knew it and yet he’d still risked disappointment and worse.

Slapping his hands against his upper arms to ward off the cold, he paced the area beneath the trees across from the pool at Lions’ Park. This had been their special meeting place. It was here that Thom had kissed Noelle for the second time. Here, they’d met and talked and shared their secrets. Here, he’d first confessed his love.

A car door slammed in the distance. Probably the police coming to check out his vehicle, which was parked in a lot that was closed to the public at this time of night. He deserved to get a ticket for being enough of an idiot to trust Noelle.

He didn’t know why he’d hung around as long as he had. Looking at his watch he saw that it was twenty after one. She’d kept him waiting nineteen minutes too long. Her nonappearance was all the proof he’d ever need.

“Thom…Thom!” Noelle called out as she ran across the lawn.

Angry and defiant, he stepped out from beneath the shadow of the fifty-foot cedar tree.

“Thank goodness you’re still here,” she cried and to her credit, she did sound relieved. She was breathless when she reached him. “I had to sneak out of the house.”

“Sneak out? You’re almost thirty years old!”

“I know, I know. Listen, I’m so sorry.” She pushed back the sleeve of her coat and squinted at her watch. “You waited—I can’t believe you stayed for twenty extra minutes. I prayed you would, but I wouldn’t have blamed you if you’d left.”

The anger that had burned in him moments earlier evaporated so fast it shocked him.

“When did they turn Walnut into a dead-end street?”

“Years ago.” Of course she’d drive down the same street they’d used as teenagers. He’d forgotten the changes made over the last decade; it hadn’t occurred to him that she wouldn’t know. “You’re here now.”

“Yes…listen, I know I shouldn’t do this, but I can’t help myself.” Having said that, she slipped her arms around his waist and hugged him hard. His own arms went around her, too, tentatively and then with greater strength.

Closing his eyes and savoring the feel of her was a mistake, the first of many he knew he’d be making. She smelled like Christmas, somehow, and her warmth wrapped itself around him.

“Why’d you do that?” he asked gruffly as she released him and took a step back. He was trying to hide how damn good it’d felt to hold her.

“It’s the only way I could think of to thank you for staying, for believing in me enough to wait.”

“I wasn’t exactly enumerating your good points while I stood here freezing.”

“I know, I wouldn’t either—I mean, well, you know what I mean.”

He did.

Clearing off a space on the picnic table, Noelle climbed up and sat there just as she had when they were teenagers. “All right,” she said, drawing in a deep breath. “Let’s talk. Since you were the one to suggest we do this, you should go first.”

So she’d become a take-charge sort of woman. That didn’t surprise him. She’d displayed leadership qualities in high school, as well, serving on the student council and as president of the French Club. “All right, that’s fair enough.” She might be able to sit, but Thom couldn’t. He had ten years of anger stored inside and that made it impossible to stand still for long. “We argued, remember?”

“Of course I do. The argument had to do with our mothers. You said something derogatory about mine and I defended her.”

“As I recall, you had a less-than-flattering attitude toward my mother.”

“But you were the first…” She paused. “None of that’s important now. What we should be discussing is what happened afterward.”

Once again she was right. “We made up, or so I thought.”

“We made up because we refused to allow the ongoing feud between our mothers to come between us. Later that day, you wrote me a note and suggested we elope.”

Her voice caught just a little. He wanted so badly to believe her. It was a struggle not to. “I loved you, Noelle.”

She smiled, but he saw pain in her eyes and it shook him. For years he’d assumed that she’d used his love against him. That she’d stood him up just to hurt him. To humiliate him. He’d never really understood why. Was it vindication on behalf of her mother?

“We were going to confront our parents, remember?” Noelle said.

“Yes. I made a big stand, claiming how much I loved you and how I refused to let either of our mothers interfere in our lives. You should’ve heard me.”

“I did, too!” she declared. “I spilled out my guts to them. Can you imagine how humiliating it was to have to go back and confess that you’d tricked me—that you’d jilted me?”

“Me!” he shouted. “You were the one—”

Noelle held up both hands and he let his anger fade. “Something happened. It must have.” She pressed one hand to her heart. “I swear by all I consider holy that I’ve never lied to you.”

“You’re assuming I did?” he challenged.

“Yes. I mean no,” she cried, confused now. “Something did happen, but what?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “I was here at three, just like I wrote you in the note.”

She frowned, and he wondered if she was going to try to tell him she hadn’t gotten his note. He knew otherwise because he’d personally seen Kristen hand it to her at school.

“The note said eight.”

“Three,” he insisted. Now it was his turn to look perplexed. “I wrote down three o’clock.”

“The note said…” She brought her hand to her mouth. “No, I refuse to believe it.”

“You think Kristen changed the time?”

“She wouldn’t do that.” She shook her head. “I know my sister, and she’d never hurt me like that.”

“How do you explain the discrepancy then?”

“I have no idea.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “I remember it vividly. You’d sent it to me after your math class.”

His defenses were down. Time rolled back, and the events of that day were starting to focus in his mind. The fog of his pain dissipated. Finally he was able to look at the events with a clear head and an analytical eye.

“Kristen spilled soda on it,” Noelle said thoughtfully. “Do you think that might have smudged the number?”

“It might explain part of it—but not the nasty note you left on my windshield.”

She had the grace to blush at the reminder. “After waiting until after ten o’clock, I didn’t know what to do. It was pretty dark by then, and I couldn’t believe you’d just abandon me. I was positive something must’ve happened, so I phoned your house.”

He nodded, encouraging her to go on.

“Your father said you were out with your friends bowling. I went to the alley to see for myself.” Her voice tightened. “Sure enough, you were in there, boozing it up with your buddies.”

“Don’t tell me you actually thought I was having a good time?”

“Looked like it to me.”

“Noelle, I was practically crying in my beer. I felt…I felt as if I’d just learned about some tragedy that was going to change my whole life.”

“Why didn’t you call me? How could you believe I’d stand you up? If you loved me as much as you said, wouldn’t you make some effort to find out what happened?”

“I did.” To be fair, it’d taken him a day, but he had to know, had to discover how he could’ve been so mistaken about Noelle. “I waited until the following afternoon. Your mother answered the phone and said I’d already done enough damage. She hung up on me.”

“She never told me,” Noelle whispered. “She never said a word.”

“Why would she?” Thom murmured. “Your mother assumed I’d done you wrong, just the way everyone else in your family did.”

“I left that horrible note on your car and you still phoned me?”

He nodded.

“I can only imagine what you must have thought.”

“And you,” he said.

They both grew quiet.

“I’m so sorry, Thom,” she finally said. “So very sorry.”

“So am I.” He was afraid to touch her, afraid of what would happen if she came into his arms.

Noelle brushed the hair back from her face and when he glanced at her, he saw tears glistening in her eyes.

“It all worked out for the best, though, don’t you think?” he asked. He had to say something.

She nodded. Then after a moment she spoke in a voice so low he had to lean closer to hear. “Do you really believe that?”

“No.” He reached for her then, crushing her in his arms, lifting her from the picnic table and holding her as if his very life depended on keeping her close to his heart.

His mouth found hers, and her lips were moist and soft, her body melting against his. Their kisses were filled with hunger and passion, with mingled joy and discovery. This sense of rightness was what had been missing from every relationship he’d had since his breakup with Noelle. Nothing had felt right with any other woman. He loved Noelle. He’d always loved her.

She buried her face in his shoulder and he kissed the top of her head. Her arms circled his neck and he ran his fingers through her hair, gathering it in his hands as he closed his eyes and let his emotions run free—from anger to joy. From joy to fear. From fear to relief.

“What happens now?” he asked. They didn’t seem to have many options. Each had made a life without the other.

She didn’t answer him for a long time, but he knew she’d heard the question.

“Noelle,” he said as she raised her head. “What do we do now?”

She blinked back tears. “Do we have to decide this minute? Can’t you just kiss me again?”

He smiled and lowered his mouth to hers. “I think that could be arranged.”

Fresh from Sunday services—where she’d been inspired by a sermon on giving—Mary Sutton drove to the local Walmart store. She refused to show up the following day and not have the items on her list. No doubt Sarah McDowell assumed she’d arrive at the club empty-handed, but Mary fully intended to prove otherwise.

As soon as Greg had settled in front of the television set watching the Seahawks’ play-off game, she was out the door. Shopping this close to Christmas went against every dictate of common sense. Usually she was the organized one. Christmas gifts had been purchased, wrapped and tucked away soon after Thanksgiving. But, with these six Christmas baskets, she had no choice. She had to resort to last-minute shopping.

The parking lot at Walmart was packed. Finding a space at the very rear of the lot, Mary trudged toward the busy store. She dreaded dealing with the mob of shoppers inside. On the off-chance she might have a repeat of that horrible scene in Value-X, she surveyed the lot—looking up one row and down the next—in search of Sarah’s vehicle. She sighed with relief when she didn’t see the other woman’s car.

List in hand, Mary grabbed a cart and headed straight for the toy section. She hoped the store would have Barbie dolls left on the shelf. She hated the thought of a single child being disappointed on Christmas morning. Fortunately, the shelves appeared to have been recently restocked.

Reaching for a Firefighter Barbie doll, she set it inside her basket. With a sense of accomplishment, she wheeled the cart around the corner to the riding toys. To her horror and dismay, she discovered Sarah McDowell reading the label on a toddler-sized car. This was her worst nightmare.

“No,” she muttered, not realizing Sarah would hear her.

Her bitterest enemy turned and their eyes locked. “What are you doing here?” Sarah demanded.

“The same thing you are.”

Sarah gripped her cart with both hands, as if she was prepared to engage in a second ramming session. Frankly, Mary had suffered all the humiliation she could stand and had no desire to go a second round.

“Can’t you buy your grandson’s gifts some other time?”

“How dare you tell me when I can or cannot shop.” Mary couldn’t believe the gall. She would shop when and where she pleased without any guidance from the likes of Sarah McDowell.

“Mary, hello.”

Mary wanted to groan out loud. Janice Newhouse, the pastor’s wife, was easing her cart toward them. “This must be Sarah McDowell. I’ve seen your photo on a real estate brochure.” She smiled warmly at the woman who had caused Mary so much pain. “I’m Janice Newhouse.”

“Hello.” Sarah’s return greeting was stiff.

“I’ve heard so much about you,” Janice said, apparently oblivious to the tension between the two women.

“I’ll just bet you have.” Sarah said this as though to suggest that Mary was a gossipmonger, when nothing could be further from the truth. For years, she’d quietly refused to get drawn into any discussion involving Sarah. It wouldn’t do either of them any good. The same could not be said for Sarah McDowell. She’d taken delight in blackballing Mary’s membership in the Women’s Century Club. She’d dragged Mary’s name and reputation through the mud. Mary, on the other hand, had chosen the higher ground—with the exception, perhaps, of that newspaper column on the perfidy of real estate agents, and that certainly hadn’t been a personal attack.

“I understand the Willis family bought their home through you,” Janice said, making polite conversation.

“You know the Willises?”

“Yes, they’re members of our church. So are Mary and her husband.”

Sarah’s expression was glacial. “Oh.”

“Sarah and I are buying gifts for the charity baskets,” Mary said.

“We divided the list and now we’re each getting half,” Sarah went on to explain. “Tomorrow we’re assembling the baskets and taking them to Salvation Army headquarters.”

That was much more than Janice needed to know, Mary thought irritably. Sarah was just showing off.

“That’s wonderfully charitable of you both,” Janice murmured.

“Thank you.” Sarah added a pull toy to her basket.

Mary reached for one herself.

Next Sarah took down a board game; Mary took two.

Sarah grabbed a skateboard.

“How generous you are,” Janice commented, eyes widening as she observed their behavior. “Both of you appear to be very…zealous.”

“I believe in giving back to the community,” Mary said.

“As do I,” Sarah insisted. By now her cart was so full she couldn’t possibly cram anything else into it.

“Leave something for me to buy,” Mary challenged, doing her best to keep the smile on her face from turning into a scowl.

“I’m the one who has the little girl who wants a Firefighter Barbie on my list,” Sarah said, staring pointedly at the doll in Mary’s cart.

“I’m the one with the gift list,” Mary countered. “Besides, there are plenty of Barbie dolls.”

“You aren’t even supposed to be buying toys. That was my job.” Sarah’s eyes narrowed menacingly.

“Ladies, I don’t think there’s any reason to squabble here.” Janice raised both hands in a calming gesture. “Let me look at your lists.”

“Fine,” Sarah snapped.

“Good idea,” Mary added in a far more congenial tone. She opened her purse and dug out the list Melody Darrington had given her.

Janice examined both pages. She ran down Sarah’s first and then Mary’s. She frowned. “Here’s the problem,” she said, handing them back. “You have the same list.”

“That’s impossible,” Mary protested.

“Let me see.” Sarah snatched Mary’s from her hand with such speed it was a wonder Mary didn’t suffer a paper cut.

“That’s what I think happened,” Janice said. “You were accidentally given one list instead of two.”

Sarah glanced over each page. “She’s right.”

Mary wanted to weep with frustration. “Do you mean to say we’re actually working from the same list?” It made sense now that she thought about it. Melody had been so busy that morning. and the phone was ringing off the hook. It was no wonder the secretary had been distracted.

“You were supposed to pick up the grocery items,” Mary said.

“I most certainly was not. That was your job.”

If Sarah was trying to be obtuse and irritating, she was succeeding.

Janice glanced from one to the other. “Ladies, this is for the Christmas baskets, remember?”

Mary smiled benevolently at the pastor’s wife, who was new to the area. Janice couldn’t know. But then, a twenty-year-old feud wasn’t something Mary was inclined to brag about.

“She’s right,” Sarah said again. “We’re both behaving a bit childishly, don’t you think?”

Mary was staying away from that question.

“I’ll call Melody in the morning and pick up the second half of the list.”

“No, you won’t,” Mary told her. “I’ll do it.”

“I said I would,” Sarah said from between clenched teeth.

“You don’t need to, I will.”

“Would you ladies prefer that I do it?” Janice volunteered.

“No way,” Sarah muttered.

“Thank you, but no,” Mary said more politely.

Janice looked doubtful. “You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.” Sarah’s voice blended with Mary’s.

“All right, ladies, I’ll leave you to your good works then.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Mary watched Janice stroll away.

As soon as the pastor’s wife was out of earshot, Sarah said, “You can pick up the list if you want.” She made it sound as though she was making a big concession.

Naturally, she’d agree now. Mary sighed; this problem with the list complicated everything. “I’ll need time to shop for the groceries.”

“And your point is?”

“Shouldn’t it be obvious?” Clearly it wasn’t. “We’ll need to meet on the morning of the twenty-fourth now.”

“Christmas Eve?”

“Yes, the twenty-fourth is generally known as Christmas Eve,” Mary told her a bit sarcastically.

“Fine. Let’s meet at the club at nine and deliver the baskets to the Salvation Army from there.”

“Fine.”

“In the meantime,” Sarah suggested, “let’s do the sensible thing and divide up the toys on this list. Why don’t I get the girls’ stuff and you get the boys’?”

Wordlessly, they each returned half of their purchases. Mary hated to follow Sarah’s lead, but for once the woman had come up with a reasonable idea. “I’ll see you Tuesday morning at nine,” she finally said.

Sarah gave a curt nod.

Mary wheeled her cart to the front of the store. All the cashiers were busy, so she found the shortest line and waited her turn. Not until a few moments later did she notice that Sarah stood in the line beside hers.

Mary took a magazine from the stand, leafed through it and tossed it into her cart.

Sarah placed two magazines in hers.

Mary decided to splurge and buy a candy bar. As she put it in the cart, she glanced at Sarah. The other woman grabbed one of every candy bar on the rack. Refusing to be outdone, Mary reached for two.

Sarah rolled her eyes and then emptied the entire container of candy into her cart.

Mary looked over and saw two men staring at them. A woman was whispering to her companion, pointing in her and Sarah’s direction.

Once again, they’d managed to make spectacles of themselves.