An Inconvenient Woman Read Free Page B

Paradiso? Terribly naughty, but very amusing. Hector says that Yvonne has calluses on her hands from social climbing.” Pauline laughed. “She called her twins Oakley and Ogden, can you imagine, and speaks to them in French, poor little creatures. New York is so changed now. I’ve rather lost my taste for it, I’m afraid. It’s not at all the way it was when I lived there.” She walked over to a cymbidium plant and picked off a dying bud. “How long will you be staying in California?”
    “Several months, if all goes well. I’m here to write a film.”
    “I heard that. For Casper Stieglitz.”
    “You do know everything.”
    “I don’t know Casper Stieglitz. We don’t see many of the movie people.”
    “Except Faye Converse.”
    “Faye’s different. Faye belongs to the world, not just Hollywood. Faye talks about things, not just what’s going on on the set, which is so boring, don’t you think? Movie talk drives Jules mad.”
    “It was nice of you to ask me tonight, Mrs. Mendelson,” Philip said.
    “You’re quite an addition, having been threatened by Reza Bulbenkian; and it’s Pauline, not Mrs. Mendelson, and, of course, I’m going to call you Philip. You seem so young to have caused so much trouble. How old are you?”
    “I’m twenty-nine until midnight, and then I’m thirty.”
    “Heavens, we must do something to celebrate.”
    “Oh, no, please,” he said, meaning it. “I would hate that. I’m sure you don’t remember, but we met once before.”
    “Indeed, I do. At the theater, at that silly play. You werewith Mary Finch. Her stepmother was one of my bridesmaids, in my first wedding.”
    “How’s Rocky, whose plane crashed and whose two pilots were killed?”
    “What a memory you have! Rocky’s completely recovered. Getting married again. Even bought a new plane.”
    “Atta boy, Rocky,” said Philip.
    “How are you getting on with Camilla?”
    “She’s very nice.”
    “Recent widow.”
    “She told me her husband dropped dead in Barcelona.”
    “He did. You know who she is, don’t you?”
    “No.”
    “Sam Worthington’s daughter.”
    The name meant nothing to Philip. “Is that good?” he asked.
    “Natural gas.”
    “I guess that’s good,” said Philip, and they both laughed.
    Then Jules Mendelson came into the room. His massiveness filled the doorway. “Pauline, people are looking for you,” he said.
    “Yes, I’m coming, Jules,” said Pauline, turning to him.
    “I feel lost at these parties unless you’re there,” he said to her, as if Philip were not there.
    “Oh, Jules, don’t be silly.”
    “It’s you they come to see, you know. Things slow down when you’re not there.”
    “Isn’t he sweet, this husband of mine?” asked Pauline, looking at Philip and indicating Jules with a wave of her hand.
    “What are you doing in here?” asked Jules.
    There was a pause, and she said, “Kippie called.”
    Jules looked at his wife. “Kippie? Called from France?”
    “No, here. He’s back.”
    “Here? In Los Angeles?”
    “Yes.”
    “Is he coming over?”
    “No.”
    “Where was he calling from?”
    “I don’t know, Jules. He wouldn’t say.”
    “Everything all right?”
    “No,” she replied. For an instant they looked at each other.
    Aware of Philip’s presence, Jules persisted in the conversation, but in a lower voice, as if Philip could not hear.
    “What did he want?”
    “Money, what else?” answered Pauline, matching his lowered tone.
    “I won’t.”
    “I know, Jules. I told him that.”
    “We’ll talk about it later, after the party. I’ll wait up,” he said, looking over at Philip.
    “Yes,” said Pauline. Philip was struck by the sadness in her voice.
    “Your friend Hector changed the place cards,” said Jules, in a chiding voice meant to distract his wife from her problem.
    “I know he did. It’s a long story. I didn’t realize Hector and Rose aren’t speaking at the moment,” said Pauline. Philip noticed that Pauline was