Читать книгу Debutante Hill - Lois Duncan - Страница 9

4

When she thought back upon it later, Lynn decided it was worth it, worth every minute of it, just to see the look of shock upon Dirk’s face. He had been standing there grinning at her, waiting to see her wriggle and squirm in an effort to be polite and still refuse his left-handed invitation. Her simple words of acceptance took him completely off guard and left him staring at her in bewilderment.

“What?”

“I said thank you, I’d love to go out with you Saturday. What time will you be by for me?”

“Why, I—I—” Dirk’s smile was gone now. “I didn’t mean—that is, you—you don’t really want to go?”

“Of course, I want to go.” Lynn said sweetly. She knew she should back out now; it was the perfect moment for it but she was too amused by Dirk’s discomfort to let the situation drop. “How about eight o’clock? Do you know where I live?”

“Sure,” Dirk said, “I know where you live. But your folks. What will they say? They don’t even know me.”

“They’ll meet you,” Lynn said, “Saturday night.”

The bell rang, announcing the end of lunch hour and the beginning of afternoon classes. Lynn got to her feet for she knew she could not have continued the conversation a single moment longer without bursting into laughter and ruining the whole effect. Seeing Dirk embarrassed was so completely out of character!

Now she gave him her brightest smile and joined the crowd moving into the building.

It was funny. Terrifically funny then—and it would have been even more so if there had been someone to share it with, but she could think of no one to tell. Nancy, Joan, Holly—they would all be horrified. A date with Dirk Masters! Why, it was as far out of the question as dating Satan himself.

And the more Lynn thought about it, the less amusing it began to seem to her. Yes, she had succeeded in disconcerting Dirk. The last thing in the world he had ever expected was that he would find himself dating Lynn. But a boy like Dirk would resent being put on a spot. If he had been bitter and resentful of her before, what would he be like now?

The question was not a comforting one.

I never should have gone on with it, Lynn thought. Why didn’t I slip out while I could? Now I’m committed, and there’s not much I can do about it.

She had not meant to mention the date much beforehand at home, but she was forced to because of Dodie who, for the first time in her live, asked her if she wanted to go to the movies.

“It’s a good show,” she said, “a Western. Good reviews and everything.”

Lynn could not believe her ears.

“You want to go to a Western? How come? You never liked them before. And if you do want to go, why aren’t you going with Janie?”

Dodie shrugged. “I don’t mind a Western once in a while, and I thought you—well, I just thought maybe you’d like to go. It really doesn’t matter to me one way or the other.”

Lynn thought, did Mother ask her to go to the movies with me Saturday, in order to give me something to do to keep me from thinking about the dinner dance? It was not like something her mother would do. And yet there did not seem to be any other answer. She and Dodie never went to the movies together.

“Thanks,” she said now, “but I can’t. I’ve got a date.”

“A date?” Dodie said in surprise. “Who on earth are you dating, with Paul away at college and all the eligible fellows at the debutante dance?”

“Dirk Masters.”

“Who?” Dodie stared at her in amazement. “You’re joking!”

“No,” Lynn said, “I’m not joking. I really do have a date with him. Is there any reason why I shouldn’t?”

“Why, he’s a juvenile delinquent!” Dodie exclaimed. “He’s already been in trouble a couple of times with the police. He’s wild and he runs around with a terrible crowd. How can you possibly—” Then, suddenly, a look of understanding crossed her face. “Oh, I see what you’re doing. You can’t date the Hill fellows because they’re all at the deb parties, so you’ll date the other extreme. Let Daddy meet Dirk once, and he’ll be begging you to get back with the old Hill crowd again.”

There was admiration in her voice at the cleverness of the plan, but a note of contempt, too.

“It’s smart, Lynn, but it doesn’t sound like you.”

“Why, that wasn’t my idea at all!” Lynn protested. But even as she said it, her mind slid along Dodie’s words, seeing the possibilities. She had not consciously planned for her date with Dirk to have this effect on her parents, but perhaps it would, at that. And if it did, certainly she would not be sorry.

When Saturday evening finally arrived, Lynn found herself dressing with as much care as she had ever shown on her most exciting date with Paul. She had selected her tan wool dress with the three-quarter length sleeves and gold belt, the dark brown suede pumps with medium high heels. It was a good outfit, simple and striking, and she hoped that Dirk, who had never seen her except in a school dress or a skirt and sweater, would be overwhelmed.