Not her, he thought. Don’t be crazy. But his heart, pounding so hard that he could feel its pulse against his shirt, told him otherwise.
He watched them for a moment longer and then turned back to the house. His lungs pumped again; his blood flowed. His feet carried him quietly off the hard-packed sand at the water’s edge to the softer sand, then up the wooden steps and into his house. Above his head, the fan’s blades rotated with the same insistent whir as his heart. By afternoon he had departed, a short note of explanation left on the kitchen counter for the housekeeper: He would be gone for a while and would return, he wasn’t sure when.
This book would not exist were it not for the tireless work, general brilliance, and high-risk tolerance of everyone at McCormick & Williams and Viking Books, most especially Pilar Queen, Pamela Dorman, and Julie Miesionczek. Working with you is a pleasure and privilege.
A number of wonderful folks offered their support, insight, love and encouragement throughout this process. Particular thanks to: Lucy Stille and everyone at Paradigm; David McCormick; Leslie Falk; Jamie Malanowski; Anne Walls; Joan Didion; Tom Wolfe; Ben Loehnen; Jennifer Joel; Sara Houghteling; Charlotte Houghteling; Edward Smallwood; Lauren Mason; Andrew Sorkin; Andrea Olshan; Michael Odell; Christina Lewis; Daniel Halpern; Joanna Hootnick; Sharon Weinberg; Cristopher Canizares; Carolina Dorson; Redmond Ingalls; Francesca Odell; and Jonathan Wang.
There are no words to appropriately thank my mother, Josephine Alger, for all she has done for me. This book’s for you, Mom.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
TUESDAY, 9:30 P.M.
WEDNESDAY, 6:23 A.M.
WEDNESDAY, 11:20 A.M.
WEDNESDAY, 12:56 P.M.
WEDNESDAY, 1:25 P.M.
WEDNESDAY, 3:06 P.M.
WEDNESDAY, 3:45 P.M.
WEDNESDAY, 4:47 P.M.
WEDNESDAY, 5:03 P.M.
WEDNESDAY, 5:27 P.M.
WEDNESDAY, 8:03 P.M.
WEDNESDAY, 8:45 P.M.
THURSDAY, 5:06 A.M.
THURSDAY, 7:50 A.M.
THURSDAY, 9:30 A.M.
THURSDAY, 9:57 A.M.
THURSDAY, 11:16 A.M.
THURSDAY, 12:56 P.M.
THURSDAY, 5:00 P.M.
THURSDAY, 6:02 P.M.
THURSDAY, 9:20 P.M.
FRIDAY, 6:03 A.M.
FRIDAY, 7:50 A.M.
FRIDAY, 9:10 P.M.
SATURDAY, 6:15 A.M.
SATURDAY, 10:02 A.M.
SATURDAY, 11:01 A.M.
SUNDAY, 8:58 A.M.
SUNDAY, 11:00 A.M.
SUNDAY, 11:20 A.M.
MONDAY, 7:06 A.M.
EPILOGUE
The Darlings Page 35