In the Palace Gardens

A superbly poised and finely nuanced short story, tracking a pivotal point in a relationship built on reticence and recognition of differences. In the wintry light of the late afternoon, a man and a woman walk through snow-covered palace gardens. Their careful conversation skates over intensely private thoughts, their feelings and memories buried deep like the gardens under the snow. As darkness falls and they fail to find the exit, both the past and their future become clear. Beautifully atmospheric, this short story is a masterpiece.