Summary

In "The Little Horse", in the summer of 1953, Frank Merlo reads a letter to Tennessee Williams from Truman Capote. Truman has invited him to a party in Portofino, and Tenn returns home to find himself packed for another trip. Frank thinks of his summers in Rome with Tenn, in which they had sexual relationships with other men whom they always grew tired of.

The two men drive from Rome to Rapallo in a Jaguar convertible, then take a boat to Portofino. Tenn keeps nudging Frank awake, pointing out houses: “I’m shopping, Frankie. Any of these can be ours” (3). They reach the Splendido, the finest hotel in the harbour, where Frank had booked their rooms. Frank and Tenn do not particularly like Truman, although Frank has difficulty keeping track of who Tenn has issues with. Frank is officially Tenn’s secretary, though he is...