Hot Mahogany (Stone Barrington 15)

A silver bell rang somewhere.

She glanced inside. “Why don’t we go inside and eat some of our host’s very expensive food?”

Stone offered her his arm, and they wandered in to join the buffet line.

48

They found seats on the sweeping staircase that led to Harlan Deal’s no doubt very elegant bedrooms, and were kept in Dom Perignon by revolving waiters.

“Who are these people?” Tatiana asked, looking around at the crowd.

“The crumbs of the upper crust, as Charlie McCarthy used to say.”

“Who?”

“A woodenheaded young gentleman who used to sit on the knee of a man named Bergen.”

“Oh, of course. What are the qualifications for being crumbs of the upper crust?”

“Well, they used to be money and breeding, but now it’s just money. Consider our host. How do you know him, by the way?”

“A friend of a friend,” she replied. “I think she had some match-making in mind, but after meeting Mr. Deal…” She didn’t finish the sentence; she didn’t have to.

“You have such good taste.”

“I know what I don’t like when I see it. You’re right. His only qualification is money.”

“Apart from a nearly-ex husband, do you have other means of support? A career, I mean.”

“I’m an illustrator.”

“Of what?”

“Of anything anyone will hire me to illustrate: advertisements, book jackets, fashion layouts for magazines. I was going to say album covers, but they’re too small these days to be much fun, and matchbooks, but since nobody smokes anymore, they hardly exist.”

“Have you actually illustrated a matchbook?”

“I did several tiny drawings for ones you used to see on restaurant tables. They’re gone, mostly… the restaurants, I mean.”

“Where do you live?” He asked.

“In Turtle Bay on the north side.”

“You are conveniently located. I live in Turtle Bay on the south side.”

“In that case, you must lead me up the garden path some time.”

“I would be delighted to lead you up the garden path.”

She laughed. “Oh. I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Didn’t you?”

“Well, not yet.”

“Where will you live when you’re divorced? Or have you thought that far ahead?”

“I’m determined to keep the house,” she said. “I’ll have to buy his half with some of my settlement.”