“An aperitif, perhaps, Mr Franklin?”
“A martini, Sheila?”
“That would be lovely.”
“Two,” Franklin said. As the Maitre d’ whisked away, he went on, “Do you like seafood, Sheila?”
“I adore it.”
“Then let me suggest, they do shrimps steamed in beer. Sounds odd, but it is excellent. Then I suggest a small steak and half a lobster with crab meat stuffing.”
“Sounds utterly marvelous.”
Two martinis appeared on the table. The Maitre d’ arrived and took the order.
“Perhaps honey biscuits or a tossed salad?”
“No honey biscuits. Salad please,” Sheila said.
Franklin said, “Their honey biscuits are excellent. Sure?”
“Oh no. I have to watch my weight.” The Maitre d’ went away.
“Watch your weight?” Franklin looked directly at her, his handsome face smiling. “I should have thought you had other things to watch.” Sheila stiffened.
“Oh? What makes you say that? What other things?” His smile widened.
“You would know better than I would, wouldn’t you, Sheila?” She suddenly felt a little uneasy.
“I really don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Never mind.” He produced a solid gold cigarette case.
“Smoke?”
“Not now, thank you.” She sipped her drink, regarding what was certainly one of the most handsome men she had ever met. I should have thought you had other things to watch. What an odd thing to have said. She shrugged off the remark.
“I don’t know how long you will be staying at your husband’s lodge,” Franklin said, “but you’ll need all weather clothes. Did you bring things with you?”
“All weather?”
“There are floods by the river and lots of mud.”
“Oh!” Sheila looked dismayed. “I hadn’t thought of that. Usually it’s hot and sunny down here, isn’t it?”
“Eventually it will be. I checked the forecast. The rain is supposed to die out tomorrow morning. All the same, you’ll need boots, jeans and so on. There’s a good shop just down the road. Tell them where you are going and they’ll train you out.”
“That’s thoughtful of you.”
The shrimps were served. As they began to eat, Sheila asked, “What do you do for a living, Gene?”
“I’m a counsel at law. These shrimps are good, aren’t they?”
“Delicious. A counsel at law? That sounds terribly important.”
“Yes, you could say that.”
“Are you on vacation?”
“Business and pleasure. I have to talk business with your husband.” Sheila stiffened.
“Perry?”
“Yes. I expect he’s told you he and Silas S. Hart are putting a movie together. I handle the legal work.”
Sheila felt a rush of cold blood down her spine. “Silas S. Hart?”
“That’s right. You look surprised. Mr Hart is my most important client.”
“I didn’t know.” Sheila found the shrimps weren’t so delicious.
That bastard Hart again! she thought. I’m sure he sicked that blackmailing investigator on me. I should have thought you had other things to watch. This handsome, smiling man had given her a warning. There could be no other explanation. All thoughts of sharing a bed with him this night vanished from her mind. Even if she had made advances, she was now sure he wouldn’t have responded. She had only just missed a humiliating snub.
There was a steel hard core in Sheila that had dismayed her parents. From the moment she could talk, she had been difficult and obstinate. Her parents had been kindly people, and had shown great patience which Sheila had not appreciated. She would much sooner have a blazing row with them and have done with it. She really enjoyed fighting with Perry. A good, blazing row, and then to make up was the spice of life to her.
“Perry is at the fishing lodge to find inspiration,” Franklin said as they finished the shrimps. “Mr Hart is relying on him.”
“I’m sure.” There was a sharp note in Sheila’s voice. “Men with power always expect miracles.” She looked up to see Franklin, although still smiling, had a quizzical expression in his eyes.
There was a pause while a waiter cleared the dishes.
“I have some business to attend to tomorrow morning. That will give you time to do some shopping,” Franklin said. “I suggest we have lunch together, then leave for the fishing lodge immediately after. It is a good forty mile drive.”
“All right.” The main course was served with a flourish.
“Looks fine, doesn’t it?” Franklin said, surveying his plate.
“It looks wonderful.” They began to eat.
“So Perry isn’t expecting you?” Franklin said, his voice casual.
Sheila’s guard was up.
“He’ll have a wonderful surprise.” She forked steak into her mouth. “Hmm... good.”
“Sheila, I’m wondering if it was such a good idea for you to come all this way. You haven’t even consulted Perry, have you?” She gave him a cold, steady stare.
“Are you suggesting my husband won’t be pleased to see me? And if you are, please tell me what business it is of yours.”
Franklin made a little grimace as if to imply this very young woman, seated opposite him, was going to prove more difficult than he had anticipated.
“Mr Hart was particularly anxious, Sheila, for your husband to get down to important work without interruption,” Franklin said quietly. “That is the reason, and the only reason, why Perry has gone to his fishing lodge: to be able to concentrate and work. Besides, Sheila, you couldn’t have come at a worse time. You will find the conditions at the lodge disagreeable. I am told the footpaths are thick mud. It has been raining nonstop for the past three days. You will be cooped up in a small lodge and will distract Perry.” His smile appeared. “As he doesn’t expect you, don’t you think it much more sensible for you to return to Long Island and leave Perry to work?” Sheila finished the steak and began on the lobster.
“This crab meat stuffing is fantastic,” she said.
“Oh yes, The fish food here is excellent. You haven’t answered my question.”
“I haven’t forgotten your question.” Her pretty face was hard. “I should be glad if you wouldn’t try to interfere with the lives of Perry and myself. I am sure you are acting under orders from Hart.”
“It’s not a matter of interfering, Sheila. Perry has a big deal on. By being with him, you could destroy his creative thinking. You’re very young. Perhaps you don’t realize what a brilliant creative mind Perry has. He has been a tremendous success. There is a lot of money involved. By descending on him, you could ruin a very important deal.”
“And Silas S. Hart would be terribly upset?”
“So would Perry.”
“I don’t think he would. I think he would be glad to have me with him. But as you appear to be so worried, Gene, I’ll call him and let him settle this little argument.”
“That, of course would be the solution, but unfortunately I have already tried to contact him. His telephone is out of order.”
“Then let’s change the subject,” Sheila said. “I’ll have a coffee.”
For the first time, Franklin lost his smile. Looking at him, she saw why he was Silas S. Hart’s attorney. The grey eyes had suddenly turned to stone.
“What subject would you like to talk about, Sheila?” he asked, signalling to the waiter.
“Oh, anything.” She shrugged.
“So let’s talk about you.” The waiter cleared the dishes.
“Not a very interesting subject,” Sheila said.
“I think so. You see, Sheila, you are a very young woman. You are fortunate to be married to a rich, clever man. Would you want to lose him?” The waiter placed the coffee before them.
“That’s my business,” Sheila snapped, “but if it will satisfy your curiosity, I won’t lose him. Perry happens to love me. He has many possessions. I head the list.”