Lucy hesitated, then said she was busy; but halfheartedly, Vida thought, invited her for breakfast about noon the next day.
The next morning, in the dress and coat Mae had made, Vida walked to the hotel. In the grisly lobby with its chipped acanthus leaves she felt panicky at what might be her first glimpse of Lucy in such shabby surroundings.
"Come in," Lucy called in response to her knock, and she opened the door into the darkened room. Lucy was still in bed.
"Oh, it's you! I thought it was the waiter with my breakfast. Switch on the light."
There was no warmth in her greeting.
"Are you all right?" Vida asked, trying to ignore the appearance of the room. From the drawers of an open wardrobe trunk hung underwear and stockings. A pile of books teetered next to an ashtray full of lipsticked cigarette stubs on the night table.
Lucy stretched and yawned. "I'm just fine," she said, and got up to put on the marabou negligee Mae had given her last Christmas. "I never put up the shades because the men in the offices across the street are always looking for a free show. Wait until I phone my agent about an appointment and take a quick shower. Then we'll have a chance to talk."
She was frail, Vida saw, and her baby-fine hair bleached pale hung almost to her shoulders. Her skin was luminous, and a shiver went down Vida's spine as she remembered Lucy saying men often had said they felt like breaking her bones. She came from the shower partially dressed under the robe and, pinning a towel around her head, went slowly through her involved ritual of makeup.
"I think girls lose their looks after sixteen and have to use a lot of makeup to keep the attention of men, don't you?" she said.
The waiter brought her fruit juice, coffee and toast, and she told him to bring another order. His eyes were hot when he turned from looking at her.
"You're the limit!" Vida said.
Lucy shrugged. "I didn't do a thing. He has a wife and five children. A cute Frenchman took turns with him and used to teach me some French but then he and this Greek had a fight. I always keep near the phone in case he gets out of hand."
"Sometimes you give me the creeps."
She glanced unhappily at Vida and began gathering together the clothes she would wear. "Darn it, I can't find my garters," she said
