Page 212 of Edge of Eternity (The Century 3)

He was staying at the Dewar family apartment in Washington. It was a big place in a swanky building a few blocks from the White House. "My grandfather Cameron Dewar bought this before the First World War," Woody Dewar explained to Jasper at the breakfast table. "Both he and my father were senators."

A colored maid called Miss Betsy poured orange juice for Jasper and asked if he would like some eggs. "No, thanks, just coffee," he said. "I'm meeting a family friend for breakfast in an hour."

Jasper had met the Dewars at the house in Great Peter Street during the year the family had spent in London. He had not been close to them except, briefly, to Beep, but all the same they had welcomed him to their home, more than a year later, with open-handed hospitality. Like the Williamses, they were casually generous, especially toward young people. Lloyd and Daisy were always happy to accommodate stray teenagers for a night or a week--or, in Jasper's case, several years. The Dewars seemed the same. "It's so kind of you to let me stay here," Jasper said to Bella.

"Oh, you're welcome, it's nothing," she said, and she meant it.

Jasper turned to Woody. "I assume you'll be photographing today's civil rights march for Life magazine?"

"That's right," said Woody. "I'll mingle with the crowd, taking discreet candid shots with a small thirty-five-millimeter camera. Someone else will do the essential formal pictures of the celebrities on the platform."

He was dressed casually, in chinos and a short-sleeved shirt, but all the same it would be difficult for such a tall man to be inconspicuous. However, Woody's revealing news photographs were world famous. "I'm familiar with your work, as is everyone who's interested in journalism," said Jasper.

"Does any particular subject attract you?" Woody asked. "Crime, politics, war?"

"No. I'd be happy to cover everything--as you seem to."

"I'm interested in faces. Whatever the story--a funeral, a football game, a murder investigation--I photograph faces."

"What do you expect today?"

"No one knows. Martin Luther King is predicting a hundred thousand people. If he gets that many, it will be the biggest civil rights march ever. We all hope it will be happy and peaceful, but we're not counting on it. Look what happened in Birmingham."

"Washington is different," Bella put in. "We have colored police officers here."

"Not many," Woody said. "Although you can bet they will all be at the forefront today."

Beep Dewar came into the dining room. She was fifteen and petite. "Who's going to be at the forefront?" she said.

"Not you, I hope," said her mother. "You stay clear of trouble, please."

"Of course, Mama."

Jasper noted that Beep had learned a measure of discretion in the two years since he had last seen her. Today she looked cute, but not especially sexy, in tan jeans and a loose-fitting cowboy shirt--a sensible outfit for a day that might turn disorderly.

She acted toward Jasper as if she had completely forgotten about their flirtation in London. She was signaling that he should not expect to take up where he had left off. No doubt she had had boyfriends since then. For his part, he was relieved that she did not feel he belonged to her.

The last member of the Dewar family to appear at breakfast was Cameron, Beep's older brother by two years. He was dressed like a middle-aged man, in a linen jacket with a white shirt and a tie. "You stay out of trouble too, Cam," said his mother.

"I have no intention of going anywhere near the march," he said prissily. "I'm planning to visit the Smithsonian."

Beep said: "Don't you believe colored people should be able to vote?"

"I don't believe they should cause trouble."

"If they were allowed to vote, they wouldn't need to make their point in other ways."

Bella said: "That's enough, you two."

Jasper finished his coffee. "I need to make a transatlantic phone call," he said. He felt obliged to add: "I'll pay for it, of course," though he was not sure he had enough money.

"Go right ahead," Bella said. "Use

the phone in the study. And please don't trouble about paying."

Jasper was relieved. "You're so kind," he said.

Bella waved that aside. "I think Life magazine probably takes care of our phone bill, anyway," she said vaguely.

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