Watchfires by Louis Auchincloss Read Free Book Online Page A

least offer you a glass of wine?"
    "This early in the afternoon? Thank you, no."
    "Well, can I sit at least?" She dropped upon the ottoman in the center of the gallery and spread out her skirts on either side. Then she looked up at him with an air of wilful patience. "All right, then. Proceed."
    "I'm sorry if I appear so lugubrious. But I'd rather make too much than too little of Mr. Bleeker's letter."
    "This?" She produced it from somewhere, from a pocket, from under her belt, and tossed it, half-crumpled, on the divan beside her. "Really, Dexter. Do you think half the ladies in our benighted society don't receive such epistles daily? How else are the poor creatures to divert themselves?"
    "You mean without love affairs?"
    "Love affairs? Isn't that a pretty strong term for a common or garden flirt?"
    Relief surged up suddenly through him, but he tried not to relax the severity of his countenance. "It may be just a flirt to you. I never really had any notion that it was more than that. But you must recognize that it will be a love affair to Bleeker."
    "I don't think I follow that. How can it be one thing to a woman and another to a man?"
    "I am speaking of intention."
    "And I have none?"
    "He has too much. A man like that, Annie, who has lived half his life in Europe, is not going to be content with chats in cozy corners. Or with writing throbbing letters. Or even with a snatched kiss."
    "A snatched kiss!" Annie exclaimed in mock horror.
    "A man like Bleeker—forgive my bluntness—is going to expect the ultimate favors."
    "The ultimate favors!" Annie clasped her hands again. "I like that!"
    "And even if he doesn't receive them, he's going to say he did. To protect his reputation as a lover."
    "Heavens! And will people believe him?"
    "People will certainly believe him if they know that you have received letters such as the one Charley discovered."
    "Such as the one Charley
opened.
Knowing that it was addressed to me."
    "He thought it might be something that had to be handled immediately. Something important."
    "And it wasn't?" After a pause, her tone was suddenly dry. "Oh, never mind, Dexter. Of course, I know you'll always take Charley's side."
    "I'll always take your husband's side. Isn't that a way of taking yours?"
    "Are you joking? Charley hates me."
    "Hates you? Oh, Annie."
    "Face it, Dexter. God knows I have."
    "Of course, in any married love there's bound to be a certain amount of jealousy and hostility."
    "Right up to the brim!"
    "But deep down..."
    "Deep? What's deep in Charley but his thirst?"
    "All right, Annie, we'll let that go. I came here to discuss your relationship with Bleeker, not Charley."
    "And I came here to tell
you
that I won't have my flirtations interfered with. Everyone flirts. Everyone, that is, but Rosalie. Rosalie, of course, is perfect."
    "Do
I
flirt?"
    "Like mad! You used to flirt with me. And I loved it!"
    Dexter turned nervously to walk to the wall. He was suddenly in danger of losing the whole battle. Carefully, he readjusted the mask of his severity.
    "That was different."
    "Why was it different?"
    "You were a young bride, in love with your husband. Besides, you were my sister. In law, anyway. I knew that Charley could be difficult, and I wanted you to feel the support of brotherly love and affection. We were never seriously flirting."
    "That's hardly gallant of you."
    "But we weren't! You know we weren't!"
    "Speak for yourself." A silence followed. "Besides, the only reason you stopped flirting was that Rosalie got angry about it."
    Dexter reached about in his mind as if to pick up the pieces of his shattered dignity. "Anyway, I didn't write you silly letters. I didn't make declarations."
    "No, you're too good a lawyer for that. Poor Juley, I admit, is indiscreet. But then perhaps his feelings are too much for him."
    Dexter stamped on the parquet floor. "Damn his feelings! Annie, this thing has got to stop. I want you to give me your word that you will never see Bleeker alone