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She managed to keep a straight face. "I hardly think so," she replied. "I've heard that heavy drinkers sometimes have hallucinations. Isn't that so, Mrs. Radner?" she asked with polite deference. "I'm sure I wouldn't know," Mrs. Radner replied indignantly. "Anyway," Lila concluded, "he's gone home, thank goodness. It was rather embarrassing, the way he kept dragging people into the hall to hear my closet talk." Merlyn murmured something appropriate and escaped to the punch bowl. The band was just starting into a slow, easy tune when she noticed her friend Dick Langley leaving the group and making his way toward her. His blue eyes twinkled as he grinned down at her. "How about a dance? One of the guests plays drums as a hobby and asked to sit in. It was truly my pleasure." He held out his arms. She put down the glass of punch she'd poured and let Dick sweep her out on the dance floor. "We haven't danced together since the charity ball last spring," she murmured. "No. I've been busy lately. What in the world are you doing here?" He glanced around.' 'My God, your father could buy and sell anyone here. Why are you hanging out with this bunch?" "I'm researching for Lila Thorpe," she said with a grin. "And having a ball irritating her son. That's him over there with the ravishing blonde." "She may be ravishing, but her vocabulary is limited to yes, no, and oh, my! And she seems to have a great fear of mussing her hair or makeup." He chuckled at Merlyn's puzzled look. "I asked her to dance a few minutes ago. Just after you vanished with the big man." "He was showing me his etchings," she said. "I bet he was showing you a lot more than that," he murmured dryly, "if the expression on his face when he came back was any indication. His girlfriend positively glared at him." "I didn't think she knew how," Merlyn said contemptuously. "Meow." She sighed. "I can't help it. She's either hopelessly naive or shrewdly vicious. I haven't decided which. She made a nasty remark about Grandmother's pearls." "The Forrest pearls," he murmured, glancing down at them. "They suit you!" "They suited her, too." She smiled. "I was just a little girl when she died, but I still remember how she used to make her grand entrance, always in some snowy white gown, wearing these pearls and carrying a colorful boa. She could have stopped traffic with her black hair and her blue eyes____I miss her, Dick." "Yes, I know. So does your father." "Seen him lately?" she asked. "Last week, in fact. He's missing you. Something about a party that needs organizing, and he doesn't trust Kitty to handle it." Kitty was her father's secretary, a whiz with a computer but a total failure at organizing parties. She smiled. "I'll volunteer if I win the bet I've got going with him." "Bet?" She ignored him. The thought of leaving was suddenly unpleasant, bet or no bet. And she only had a little over a week left. She'd grown very fond of Amanda and Lila. And him... She shrugged. "A private joke," she murmured with a smile. "Anyway, I don't have much longer. Another week should do it," she said. "Suppose we get together some weekend? I'll bring Bruce and Annie along and we'll go sailing down to Nassau." "That sounds lovely." She liked their friends Bruce and Annie, and Dick was good company. He never insisted on getting intimate. That was the nicest thing about him, that he could be just a friend. "Uh-oh," he sighed. "Time's up. My friend's losing his grip on the drumsticks." He stopped dancing as the song ended, bowed and kissed her hand. "A bientot, ma belle." "A bientot, mon ami," she returned with a smile. He left her and as she turned back to Lila, she couldn't help noticing Cameron's killing glare. It filled her with mingled satisfaction and apprehension. Her eyes narrowed as they met his. He needn't think he owned her because of one kiss, she thought angrily. Even if it was a kiss that led to much wilder explorations. She wasn't going to supply what his sweet Deile couldn't; she wasn't going to spend her life hidden away in closets. Closets. She sighed and shook her head. That was desperation. And remembering the shared urgency that had driven them to it, she shuddered. She'd never felt such abandon in her life. Somehow she wound up standing with Lila and Cameron and Delle, although she'd done her best to avoid it. She couldn't help wondering if the Radners would go back to Atlanta that night. "It's simply been a lovely party, Cam," Delle said. "I'm really sorry about our car breaking down, but you don't mind having us for the night, do you?" "Don't be silly, of course not," he said. "Tell me about your friend Dick, Miss Forrest," Delle asked suddenly. "You seemed to know each other very well." "Why, yes, we do," Merlyn told her. "He took me to my senior prom. A wonderful man. Very masculine." "Is he a professional musician?" Delle asked with a mocking smile. "I've never met a real one before. Mother doesn't like me to associate with those kinds of people." Merlyn almost went into gales of laughter, thinking about Dick's wealth. But she restrained herself. "He's very good, don't you think? And so good-looking," she sighed, noticing Cameron's dark glare out of the corner of her eye. Mrs. Radner joined the small group, looking restless and perturbed. "Cameron, dear, was it necessary to invite so many people? I'm still searching for a familiar face." What she really meant was that there were very few of "her class" around. Merlyn grinned. She'd noticed that Lila had invited several friends who weren't on the social register, and she admired her for her democratic spirit. "You might enjoy meeting some new ones," Lila said pointedly. "Money doesn't necessarily ensure intelligence or talent, my dear." "No, but it does usually ensure a measure of breeding," Mrs. Radner said coolly. She glanced at Merlyn's gown with a practiced eye. "I was just noticing your gown, Miss Forrest," she said with a faint smile. "Last year's, isn't it?" "No." Merlyn smiled. "It's this year's. Dick brought it for me." Mrs. Radner's face closed up, as if any woman who allowed a man to bring her such a dress could only be one thing. "Cameron, you really must get to know Dick," Delle murmured wickedly. "Perhaps he could show you where to get one for me." Merlyn could have mentioned that it came from her home, but she wasn't going to give the show away this early. She glanced at Cameron's black scowl and decided that it might be wise for her to leave [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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