“Where is everyone?”
“They’re all gone except the Barone who is waiting for you. Your driver is asleep in the house.”
“He would be,” the Colonel said.
“Spread those out properly,” the head keeper told the boatman who was a game-keeper too. “I want to put them in the game book.”
“There is one green-head drake in the bag who is only wing-tipped.”
“Good. I will take good care of him.”
“I will go inside and see the Barone. I’ll see you later.”
“You must get warm,” the head keeper said. “It’s been a bitter day, my Colonel.”
The Colonel started to walk toward the door of the house.
“I’ll see you later,” he said to the boatman.
“Yes, my Colonel,” the boatman said.
Alvarito, the Barone, was standing by the open fire in the middle of the room. He smiled his shy smile and said in his low pitched voice, “I am sorry you did not have better shooting.”
“We froze up completely. I enjoyed what there was very much.”
“Are you very cold?”
“Not too cold.”
“We can have something to eat.”
“Thank you. I’m not hungry. Have you eaten?”
“Yes. The others went on and I let them take my car.
