Books by Clive Barker Galilee Forms of Heaven Sacrament ...

She might have gone on listening forever but for herrage, which was the legend she trailed. A volatile
thing, aptto ferment in her without her even being aware of it. That had been the case with Gentle. After
half a year of theiraffair, she'd begun to wonder, wallowing in his affection,how a man whose history had
been one infidelity after an?other had mended his ways; which thought led to the possi?bility that perhaps
he hadn't. In fact she had no reason to suspect him. His devotion bordered on the obsessive insome
moods, as though he saw in her a woman she didn't
24 CLIVE BARKER
even know herself, an ancient soul mate. She was, shebegan to think, unlike any other woman he'd ever
met, thelove that had changed his life. When they were so inti?mately joined, how would she not know if
he was cheatingon her? She'd have surety sensed the other woman. Tastedher on his tongue, or smelled
her on his skin. And if notthere, then in the subtleties of their exchanges. But she'dunderestimated him.
When, by the sheerest fluke, she'd jdiscovered he had not one other woman on the side buttwo, it drove
her to near insanity. She began by destroyingthe contents of the studio, slashing all his canvases, painted
or not, then tracking the felon himself and mounting an as?sault that literally brought him to his knees, in
fear for hisballs.
The rage burned a week, after which she fell totally si?lent for three days: a silence broken by a grief like
nothingshe'd ever experienced before. Had it not been for herchance meeting with Estabrook—who saw
through hertumbling, distracted manner to the woman she was—shemight well have taken her own life.
Thus the tale of Judith and Gentle: one death short oftragedy, and a marriage short of farce.
She found Marlin already home, uncharacteristically agi?tated.
"Where have you been?" he wanted to know. "It's six-thirty-nine."
She instantly knew this was no time to be telling him what her trip to Bloomingdale's had cost her in
peace ofmind. Instead she lied. "I couldn't get a cab. I had to walk."
"If that happens again, just call me. I'll have you pickedup by one of our limos. I don't want you
wandering thestreets. It's not safe. Anyhow, we're late. We'll have to eat after the performance."
"What performance?"
"The show in the Village that Troy was yabbering aboutlast night, remember? The Neo-Nativity? He
said it was thebest thing since Bethlehem."
"It's sold out."
"I have my connections." He gleamed.
"We're going tonight?"
"Not if you don't move your ass."
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