Part 10 (1/2)
”Explain yourself!”
”We thought you'd eloped or got locked up for speeding!”
”Stopped on the road, I'll bet,” said the doctor, who had risen and grasped Will's hand. Will waved to me across the table.
”O, you actor!” came from the woman at my right but one. I recognized the person who had reproved Will after the supper at the College Inn on the opening night.
When the champagne was served Will raised his gla.s.s to me.
”Drink it--it won't hurt you; you look tired,” he said, in a stage whisper.
”Stop flirting with your wife!” remonstrated Mrs. Pease. ”Doc--_Doc_!”
(The doctor was busy with a little blonde lady on the left.) He turned enquiringly to his wife's bleat. ”You're neglecting your patient.
Handsome w.i.l.l.y here says his wife is pale and wants to know what you've been doing to her!”
The doctor leaned over me solicitously. ”Never mind--I'm the doctor.”
For the rest of the meal he devoted himself to me.
During the dinner a party of five came in and sat at another table. Two of them proved to be the couple we had met at the other country club.
The man winked discreetly to the doctor.
”Ye G.o.ds!” exclaimed the woman at my left but one. ”It's Sid!--and I'm supposed to be home, sick in bed with a headache!”
She looked at the man I had met and I a.s.sumed he was ”Sid.” ”d.a.m.n such a town, anyway, where you can't go out without running into your own husband. Doc, who's he got with him?” She leered across the room at ”Sid's” good-looking companions.
”Never mind, Bell,” soothed the doctor, ”neither of you have got anything on the other.”
Bell blew him a kiss. ”Dear old pain-killer!” she purred.
A little later ”Sid” came over to the table and the doctor joined the other party. Sid's wife started to introduce him to me.
”I've met the lady,” he interrupted, not giving me credit for any discretion.
”O, you have,” she said in an unpleasant tone.
As he pa.s.sed on behind her chair he said to her _sotto voce_, ”Headache, eh? I like the way you lie.”
”O, you go to h.e.l.l!” was the gentle rejoinder. There was still a trace of the anger which illuminated her bleary eyes when she turned to me.
”What do you think of him trying to put it over me?”
She steered back to the subject which was on her mind. Where had I met her husband and when? I told her I didn't recall--that he was probably mistaken. She knew I was lying. I am sure I don't know why I did it.
Someone started telling funny stories. They were not really funny; only s.m.u.tty. The women were more daring than the men. Will always declared that women were ”whole hoggers” when once they started. I presume they labour under the impression that it is sporty or that it pleases the men ”to go them one better.” Ever since Eve was made for Adam's pleasure the female s.e.x has been as pliable as the original mixture of mud and a floating rib. Women, generally, are what men want them to be....
As time went by I began to fret lest Will be late for the evening performance. Finally I caught his eye and he understood my message. He looked at his watch and jumped to his feet. ”Doc, what's the best time your machine can make? I've got precisely twenty minutes before the curtain goes up.”
”I'll get you there,” answered the doctor as he left the table.
”I'll drive him in,” called the doctor's wife.