'They were always fighting. He lied to her every chance he got-and most
of the time he was drunk.'
'But in their own way they loved each other,' Connie said. 'They
couldn't have been married to anyone else.'
'I wonder what it was like for them. He was such a weak man, and she
was such a strong woman.'
'Remember, though, he was always strong when the chips were down: right
near the end of the picture, for example.
'Some good in all of us, huh?'
'He could have been strong from the start. He just didn't respect
himself enough.'
Graham stared at the fire. He turned the brandy snifter around and
around in his hand.
'What about William Powell and Myrna Loy?' she asked. -'The Thin Man
movies.'
'Both of them were strong,' she said. 'That's who we could be.
Nick and Nora Charles.'
'I always liked their dog. Asta. Now that was a good part.
'How do you think Nick and Nora made love?'
she asked.
'Passionately.'
'But with a lot of fun.'
'Little jokes.'
'That's it.' She took the brandy glass out of his hand and put it on
the hearth with her own snifter. She kissed him lightly, teasing his
lips with her tongue. 'I bet we could play Nick and Nora.'
'I don't know. It's such a strain making love and being witty at the
same time.'
She sat in his lap. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him
more fully this time and drew back and smiled when he slid a hand
beneath her sweater.
'Nora?' he said.
'Yes, Nicky?'
'Where's Asta?'
'I put him to bed.'
'We wouldn't want him interrupting.'
'He's asleep.'
'Might traumatize the little fella if he saw-'
'I made sure he'd be asleep.'
'Oh?'
'I drugged his Alpo.'
'Such a smart girl.'
'And now we belong in bed.'
'Such a very smart girl.'
'With a lovely body,' she said.
'Yes, you're ravishing.'
'Am I?'
'Oh, yes.'
'Ravish me, then.'
