"Of course," Tessie agreed. "They have no idea of the theatre out there."
"I'm surprised he didn't ask you."
"He did ask to meet me but I had other callers," lied Tessie. "Did he say where he is stopping?"
"He said if I changed my mind to call him at the Plaza."
"Who is at the Plaza? Here's your drink," Beman said, bringing two glasses.
"I'll have the other one," Lucy said, taking the glass from Beman. "Tessie wanted to know where Ben Grein of Biggens Pictures is staying."
"That's right, he is at the Plaza, I had lunch with him today."
"You didn't tell me, darling."
From Tessie's artificially honeyed tone and impatient tapping of her foot Beman knew she was peeved about something and that he'd hear about it later.
"That was quite a show you and Ranna put on, Lucy. I had no idea you went in for that sort of thing," Beman said.
"What?" asked Lyle, coming up.
Lucy saw he was drunker than she had first thought.
"You missed it," Tessie said vivaciously, "Lucy did a danse du ventre."
"I did not. We did a Hindu dance and it had a deep meaning," Lucy said indignantly.
"It was damned good. I didn't know you were so versatile," Beman said.
Lucy eyed Beman. It wasn't like Beman to be enthusiastic, he must be drunk, or was it Christmas spirit? "You don't know the half of it, dearie," she said, saying it like Bert Savoy, because this was no time to discuss Hindu dance art.
Lyle took the glass from her hand, drained it, put it down, and drew her to him to dance. "Tell me about it, baby," he murmured thickly, and she knew he was going to start all over again.
"Let's ask Natchez to play a Charleston," she said, knowing that would discourage talk.
"I like this better," he said, swaying her back and forth, without progressing from the one spot, to "Three O'Clock in the Morning."
"I haven't seen you around lately," he said, tightening his hold.
"I don't go out much because I'm busy working."
"Really!"
