Free Skyscraper by Faith Baldwin Page B

hours?—with him. He had told them about some of his spectacular cases, not, however, those that involved alimony or settlements. He had talked music to Sarah—who was an inveterate opera-goer, finding in music some unspoken release—and he talked cases, plays, books with Lynn. He had questions too. She realized that he knew all there was to know about her—or pretty nearly all. He had an easy way of drawing you out.
    She spoke her subsequent thought aloud. “I’d hate to be on a witness stand with him doing a cross-examination,” she said.
    â€œSlim?” Jennie who had just concluded a monologue relative to Slim, looked at her in astonishment. “Why, that boy’s so darned dumb he couldn’t get a rise from a goldfish!” she expostulated.
    â€œDavid Dwight, I meant.”
    â€œOh! Him!” Jennie speared the last potato and drank deeply of coffee. “He’s a good lad to keep away from in court. As far as that goes, I hear he’s just about unique in his class, courtroom, drawing-room, barroom, bedroom—”
    â€œJennie!”
    â€œWell, don’t you read the papers? Not that it’s all in the papers. Gosh, what a break! He has all kinds of money, his own and other people’s, and spends it like a South American. Not that you’d take advantage of it,” said Jennie, sighing.
    â€œHe’s an old friend of Sarah’s.”
    â€œWonders will never cease,” said Jennie. “Tom coming tonight? Bet you anything he won’t take kindly to the idea of the new boy friend.”
    â€œDon’t be an idiot,” counseled Lynn. “Mr. Dwight was just nice to me, that’s all, because I happened to be with Sarah when he asked her for lunch.”
    â€œNot that you’re pretty good-looking,” said Jennie indifferently, “or that he likes ‘em young or that Sarah’s neat but not gaudy. If Tom’s coming, guess I’ll ankle around to the Capitol or somewhere. I told Slim he could lay off, over the phone just before you came in. Maybe he didn’t burn up the wires!”
    â€œOh, Jennie, why? Poor Slim, he’s so crazy about you.”
    â€œI can’t stand men with honorable intentions and small incomes.”
    â€œWe’ll all go out to the Capitol,” suggested Lynn brilliantly.
    â€œWhat’s the matter? You and Tom cooling off?”
    â€œNo, of course not.” Lynn rose and started to clear the table. “I haven’t seen a good picture for ages.”
    Tom came. Slim came. “I might have known it!” sighed Jennie, giving him a limp hand.
    â€œBackgammon?” asked Tom, slinging his hat in a corner.
    â€œLynn and I want to see the Capitol picture,”Jennie told him serenely, “if you boys are in funds. We don’t want to upholster the chairs until fall if we can help it.”
    They went to the Capitol. It was crowded; they waited in line in the lobby. Tom, standing behind Lynn, grasped her firmly by the elbows. “Lean back,” he ordered, “and take the weight off your feet.”
    When they finally found seats in couples they were separated by several rows. Tom said, taking Lynn’s hand in his own, “I tried to ditch Slim. Gosh, Lynn, I haven’t seen you alone for weeks.”
    She said, “I know—”
    â€œSaw you and Sarah and David Dwight going out together. Waited for you a while tonight, but you didn’t show up. How come?”
    â€œI was late. I stayed too long at lunch time,” she whispered. “Had to make it up.”
    â€œDid you have lunch with Dwight?”
    â€œYes—Oh, Tom, don’t talk; people are glaring at us!”
    Tom subsided, none too happily. The picture ran its course. An exodus began with the stage show. “Let’s stay,” said Lynn, as Tom made a motion to rise.
    It was late when they met Slim and Jennie in the lobby. Jennie’s color was high