Chapter 20 #2
I rolled my eyes more for show than anything. “Of course I do. I was raised by a wonderful father, and my two best friends in the world are men.” I couldn’t think of three more upstanding men than Henry and my brother and, of course, my father.
“Your best friend is a man? That certainly explains a few things,” Gwen shot back.
A need to defend myself arose in a hot flash, and the words tumbled from my lips before I could stop them. “I’ve never had to trap a man, if that’s what you mean. That isn’t my style.”
Carrie frowned and Bea snickered. Evalyn looked positively gleeful.
I, on the other hand, felt sick. I wasn’t this person—a woman who insulted others, let alone other women.
Women faced enough obstacles as I knew well, and yet I couldn’t seem to help myself.
With every sharp word and every cutting sentence, I felt as if I were destabilizing an enemy in an attempt to regain some of their misguided respect.
“I beg your pardon!” Gwen said, crossing her arms, her cheeks aflame. She looked as if steam might shoot out of the crown of her hat.
“Would you care to elaborate, Lizzie?” Evalyn asked with a feline smile. “I’m not sure Gwen knows what you mean.”
The others looked on in silence. Their expressions were a mix of pleasure and grim fascination.
I felt like an animal backed into a corner, and the only way out was to use my claws.
I boldly met Gwen’s eye. She said nothing and, for a moment, looked as if she truly hoped I’d say nothing else, too, or she might burst into tears.
As much as a part of me would have liked to retaliate further against this woman who had been openly hostile toward me since the day we’d met, I couldn’t do it.
I held my untouched drink up to my lips and sipped as daintily as I could muster before setting it down. “I don’t think I need to elaborate.”
Gwen relaxed visibly, and the others looked disappointed. What had happened between Gwen and her husband was her own business, and though I’d told Evalyn about Carrie’s slight, that was as far as I was willing to go. I wasn’t in the business of airing another woman’s shame for all to see.
“Girls, this party is growing a bit stale,” Evalyn said. “Why don’t we continue at my house? I’ll have Jerry set up the poker chips. What do you say?”
“I think I’d better head home,” I said.
“Nonsense. You’ll come with us,” Evalyn insisted.
It wasn’t a request, it was an order, and though I’d grown used to her assuming I was at her beck and call, and I admittedly panicked a little when she didn’t insist I join her, something inside me bristled.
I’d never taken orders well from anyone, but mostly, I was eager to go home after the scene that had just played out, never mind the hours of socializing.
And yet I was too weary to argue. Evalyn always had her way.
We piled into two cars and drove the short distance from Bea’s to Friendship and soon found ourselves playing several rounds of poker.
After, we loaded the gramophone with one record after another, singing and dancing like children.
After one particularly bawdy tune, Evalyn stripped down to nothing but her silk undergarments and, of course, the Hope Diamond.
Bea laughed heartily.
“Evie!” Gwen exclaimed.
“What are you doing!” Carrie said.
“You’ve got the spirit of the devil in you, girl,” Sharon said with a laugh.
“You said I wouldn’t do it, so here I am.” Evalyn swilled the last of her martini. “When have I ever gone against my word?”
I could think of several times she had but didn’t say as much.
I was as drunk as a sailor, even after abandoning most of the drinks they’d pushed on me.
I couldn’t keep up with them. I didn’t recognize myself through the foggy brain the alcohol brought.
Though I’d learned that was occasionally a good thing, mostly I preferred keeping my wits about me.
“There’s no devil here, silly woman,” Evalyn said, slurring her words. “I’ve got my good-luck talisman.”
“You and that damned necklace,” Carrie said, rolling her eyes.
“You and that damned mouth,” Evalyn retorted.
And I knew the gloves were off for the evening.
“Come on, you wench,” Bea said as she removed her own dress and shoes. “Catch me if you can!”
Everyone hooted with laughter, cheering them on as Evalyn chased Bea outside onto the grass.
They giggled as they ran, and soon, Mike the dog joined in the fun, barking happily while he ran alongside them.
As they paused to catch their breath, they fed the llama an apple and screeched like children as they took off once more, the remnants of wet grass after a freshly mowed lawn sticking to their bare feet.
The rest of us watched the entertainment unfold from the safety of lounge chairs on the patio.
As evening turned to late night, we dragged ourselves back inside, and I said my goodbyes.
As I was leaving, I took one more stab at a real answer about the jewelry they’d all worn that day. Lowering my voice in a conspiratorial way, I turned to Sharon. “It’s great that you all wore my brother’s designs tonight. Any particular reason why?”
She hiccuped, giggled, and took another swig from her martini glass before she said, “We wore them because Evalyn told us to.”
“Why?” I asked. “You don’t need to go through such trouble, though it’s incredibly thoughtful of you.” I was buttering her up and she was clearly drunk, so I hoped to catch her in a lie—or better yet, catch her in the truth.
“It upset you, the night you saw Carrie wearing his pendant, and she didn’t want—” She clapped a hand over her mouth like a child. “I’m sorry. I don’t know. Ask Evalyn.” She set down her glass, air kissed my cheeks, and headed outside to a waiting car.
I frowned. She was going to share something she’d clearly been told not to. As I watched Sharon’s car pull away and the others gather their things to meet their own chauffeurs, Jerry sidled up beside me.
“I’ve called you a taxi, ma’am,” he said. “I hope that’s all right?”
“Thank you, Jerry.” I studied his expression, the thick brow and heart-shaped mouth, the round face, and kind but watchful eyes, and decided to risk it.
He might tell Evalyn that I’d questioned him, but I needed to know the answer.
“There’s something going on here, isn’t there, Jerry?
Some secret that has to do with my brother.
Perhaps the Hope Diamond, too. Or maybe I’m not on the right track. ”
He held my gaze a moment too long, glanced over his shoulder and back again at the other women as they laughed and clambered down the steps toward their waiting vehicles.
“I’m not sure what you mean, ma’am,” he said finally.
His eyes darted to the top of the steps leading to the front door where Evalyn stood, looking down at all of us, leaning against the column for support with a smile on her face.
“But if I can be of service in any way,” he added, “I’d be more than happy to help. ”
He knew exactly what I meant—his body language had said so—but I wouldn’t push him tonight in front of the others and especially not in front of Evalyn. It was enough to know he was an ally of sorts.
“It’s all right,” I replied. “Thank you for calling a car for me. We’ll talk another time.”
He nodded, and something flickered in his eyes, affirming my suspicions. They were all hiding a secret from me, and he couldn’t say what, but that was all I needed to know. I’d uncover the rest on my own.
“Have a good evening, ma’am.”
I waved a good night, slid into the waiting taxi, and headed home on the other side of town.