“Here she comes,” said Mary Lou.
Beth and Laura came in together in very different moods. Beth was luxuriously pretty. For once she had taken time for every detail of herself, to Laura’s alarm.
“After all, I only go out once a year,” she explained. “Might as well do it up right.”
“Well, if Mitch doesn’t think you look terrific, he’s blind,” said Emmy. “Isn’t that so, Laura?”
“Yes.”
Laura tried to keep Charlie occupied with her so that he wouldn’t have time for Beth. She talked or trapped him into talking as steadily as she could. But the four of them sat together and the conversation jumped about frequently.
Laura couldn’t help it if Charlie offered Beth a cigarette and lighted it for her, but Beth could help it if she took his hand to steady the light and watched him while she inhaled. Whenever she spoke or smiled or glanced at Charlie she aggravated Laura’s irritation.
They went into the dining room to dance after a while, and Laura had Charlie to herself. Not that she wanted him, but for once she was happy to put up with him, just to keep him away from Beth. The dining room was romantically festive with green lights, and all the furniture had been cleared out to make a dance floor. At the rear of the room was a long elaborately decorated table loaded with punch and cookies. Now and then, at intermissions, Beth and Mitch met Laura and Charlie around the punch bowl. Inevitably, Charlie finally suggested that they trade partners. Laura hardly had time to think about it before Beth was swept masterfully onto the dance floor and she found herself moving off with Mitch.
Charlie was perfectly assured with women and he liked to be around them. It was almost second nature. They never gave him much trouble. He was easy and firm with Beth and she followed him docilely, faintly annoyed with him for attracting her and amused with his confidence.
“That’s a very pretty dress,” he said, looking down significantly.
“Thanks.” She smiled at him.
“Good color for you.”
“I think so, too.”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “Do you always wear purple?”
“Um-hm,” she said, pursing her lips sagely and nodding.
He laughed. “Always?”
“Of course. Even my pajamas are purple.”
He grinned and gave her a squeeze that brought back to her the strange sensations in the booth at Maxie’s.
“Don’t you believe me, Charlie?”
“No,” he said calmly. “A girl like you doesn’t wear pajamas.”
Beth had to smile at him but at the same time she wanted to shatter his beautiful composure. He seemed to know instinctively how to tease her and she couldn’t catch him off guard. He thought he had her perfectly under control. She had to wait till the dance was nearly over for a chance to trip him up.
He bent down close to her and pulled her tighter in his arms and said softly, “Beth, my dear, you’re beautiful.”
It was just her cup of tea. “Thanks, Charlie, so are you,” she said.
For the space of a few shocked seconds he was silent. Beth waited for a tantrum, but she guessed wrong. He put his head down against hers as the music ended and laughed at her. And at himself.
“It’s my criminal charm,” he said, and squeezed her again, and Beth looked up at him in surprise. And again she smiled at him against her will….
The four of them went out to dinner together at the Hotel Champlain. Laura became more and more quiet as her jealousy grew. Only Beth could see behind her deliberate courtesy to her hurt feelings.
The two girls went to the ladies’ room and Beth tried to talk some sense into the younger girl.
“Are you all right, Laur?” she asked.
“Yes, of course.” Laura looked down into the cascade of blue tulle flowing from her waist.
“Honey, tell me the truth. You look so unhappy.”
Laura bit her lip, and then she said, “Beth, I told you I wouldn’t be jealous, and I won’t.”
“Oh, Laura—” Beth couldn’t help smiling. “You’re such a foolish little girl. Do you know that?”
“Yes.” It meant no.
“Who’s Charlie Ayers anyway? Just a guy.” Charlie was causing the trouble, of course. Not Mitch. “No more foolishness. Okay?” Beth talked to Laura as if she were a little child.
Laura nodded at her. The image of Charlie interfered with her every good intention, spoiled her every smile.
“Laura….” Beth’s voice was very soft. “We’ll be together tonight. We’ll be together.”
Laura looked full at her suddenly and momentarily forgot her rival till Beth gave her a little shake. “Come on, we’ve got to get back. They’ll think we fell in.”
And Laura followed her willingly then, as if a great weight had been lifted from her.
The evening went quickly after that, and everybody drank too much, except for Mitch, who was talking himself into a crush on Beth.
Beth had to stop Laura from a fifth Martini. “God, Charlie, what are you trying to do? Pickle her? She’s not used to it,” she said.
Charlie grinned and shrugged. “Give the lady what she wants,” he said. His interest in Beth grew franker as his inhibitions grew fewer, but it didn’t seem to matter. He couldn’t stop himself. He began to get quiet and deliberate. When he got drunk he slowed down perceptibly, but there was nothing unmanageable or mean in him. He was quite pleasantly absorbed in pondering the enigma of Beth Cullison.
Now and then he would lean forward lightly on the table and study her as if she were a map. Beth gazed straight back at him in an effort to make him look away, but it was rather more like indicating the way to him; he wasn’t in the least abashed. Beth was somehow half afraid that he would read in her eyes something of her concern for Laura; that he would see on her lips the illegal kisses, the extraordinary passion that the girl had inspired in her.
Charlie tried to ignore Beth out of regard for Mitch and Laura, but the other
