Читать книгу Jericho's Daughters - Paul Iselin Wellman - Страница 6

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Toward two o’clock in the afternoon the telephone awoke her from a sound sleep.

“Hello,” said a voice through the receiver with brittle cheerfulness. “Mary Agnes?”

“Yes.”

“How are you, darling? This is Mims Newman.”

“Mims? Oh, yes, Mims! How wonderful to hear from you!” The rather overdone cordiality of women over the telephone.

“I just this minute learned you were in town,” Mims said.

“How on earth did you find out?” asked Mary Agnes.

The question was purely rhetorical. She knew Mims Newman as a confirmed celebrity hunter, with an expensive home up one of the Beverly Hills canyons, which she seemed to feel a need for justifying by rounding up in it more or less “brilliant” assemblages as frequently as possible. To this end she maintained a regular source of information at each of the fashionable hotels in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills—a desk clerk or a telephone operator—who for a fee kept her informed as to the comings and goings of “interesting” people. Mary Agnes had met Mims only two or three times, in the homes of other persons in the city, and at this moment she could hardly remember what the woman looked like save that her hair was dyed a raw orange hue, and she was short and dumpy and wore expensive clothes that did not suit her.

“Oh, a little bird told me,” giggled Mims gaily. “I thought—if you happen to be free this evening, darling, we’re having a few people in for cocktails—about five o’clock——”

“Why, thank you, but——”

“Oh, do come, darling!” chirped the voice. “Informal, and you’ll have fun, I promise! I’ll have someone bring you out—it’s murder trying to get around in this town without a car, as you well know. Let’s see—you were with Erskine de Lacey that evening at the Carvels’, weren’t you? Of course he’s gone—lovely boy, and so talented—we all miss him. But there are plenty of other eligible males”—Mims was quite arch—“who’ll jump at the chance to come for the very attractive Mrs. Wedge!”

Mary Agnes ignored the archness. “Erskine de Lacey?” she said. “What’s become of him?”

“You mean you don’t know? Why, I thought you, of all people——”

“Why me, in particular?”

“You live in Jericho, Kansas, don’t you, dear? He’s gone there—to live.”

“He has?” Genuine astonishment. “For what reason?”

“I understand he’s to be head of some art museum.”

“That’s quite interesting.” Mary Agnes gave a little laugh. “I hadn’t heard. Actually. Of course, I’ve been away more than three months, and I have to confess I’m not much of a correspondent——”

“Well, really, it only just happened, you might say,” said Mims eagerly. “A Mrs. Butford was out here a few weeks ago—Mrs. Simon Bolivar Butford. Of course you know her—darling old thing, isn’t she?”

“Yes, I know her,” said Mary Agnes. She did not add that the adjective “darling” hardly had occurred to her in connection with Mrs. Butford.

“She took quite a fancy to Erskine,” Mims prattled on. “You know how he is—makes himself agreeable to everyone. He really did a job on the old lady. She practically fell in love with him—called him ‘Dear Boy’ until it was almost ridiculous—and since she seems to have a lot to say about the museum, whatever it is——”

“It’s an art gallery. Just being started.”

“Yes, I suppose that’s it. Anyway, she insisted that he go back with her. Between you and me, I don’t think she had to talk very hard. He was probably glad to get that kind of a job. He’s very talented, of course, but he isn’t the kind of an artist that sells many paintings—he’s hardly sold anything at all, actually. Except a little real estate his mother left him. And that’s gone now.”

“I’m sure Erskine will be an acquisition for Jericho,” said Mary Agnes. “But—about the cocktail party—I’m afraid it just isn’t possible, Mims, and I’m so sorry. I have some plans I can’t very well change—you understand, dear, don’t you?”

“Of course. And I realize it’s short notice.” But Mims obviously was disappointed. “Well, then, some other time, won’t you? Toodle-oo, darling.”