Show V at it ilk V CHAPTER XI continued Is 18 dont let old inferiority complex get you sammy brooks brooke warned lucette and I 1 know that this play of yours will be box office that it will set your name in lights on broadway can t you just see mother flying across the ocean if necessary for the premiere we 11 all have ravishing ravi hing costumes and memory side tracked her voice she and lucette couldn coulden t go to new york for the opening suppose she didn dian t get the palm beach job oba she would have no money she shook herself mentally what an emotional gal you are brooke you ve gone white with ex cit ement over what may never happen t likely a break like that will come my way sam prophesied gloomily brooke swallowed the lump in her throat sam suspect why she had gone white she said in a voice drenched with mystery listen you two I 1 in getting fed up with country life the day after the play we 11 open the apartment that 11 make a big hit with me but first unless we want to be late for trent s party folks wed we d bet ter start with a hey nonny nonny for the big city sam added I 1 you two certainly have the million dollar look girls if you are my sisters CHAPTER XII mark trent glanced at brooke reyburn seated at his right in the dun dim mirror room of the recently opened supper club light from the illuminated table top brought out the copper glints in her air the glow in her radiant eyes and laid a pinkish sheen over the gleaming silver of her frock why wasn gasn t she wearing his orchids doubtless the answer to that was that she pre berred gardenias had field sent them what chance had he a man whose life had been twisted and tangled by a tragic marriage against gay debonair jerry fielda none he answered promptly and as promptly told himself that brooke must love him that mar nage was years behind him why allow the memory of it to creep back tonight when for the first time in days his mind had been free of the haunting vision of lola as he had seen her last he forced his thoughts from the past to observe his guests the rhinestone straps of daphne field s blossom pink satin frock scintillate ed with rainbow sparks with every movement of her body lucette was adorable in m a fluffy white and gold thing which accentuated her rich brunette coloring sam was observe ing the crowd through narrowed eyes jerry field was talking in a low voice to lucette jed stewart was on the other side of brooke the orchestra glided into a rayth mic invitation the diners sprang to their feet old men slipped an arm about women who snuggled young men slipped an arm about women who laughed tough men planted well groomed hands on the enameled backs of women who stumbled one couple kissed linger angly as they passed lover s eyes sought lover s eyes white hands clung hushed voices questioned jerry field and lucette left the table sam groaned and held out his hand to daphne come on lets let s get it over I 1 suppose you d like to stepa of course I 1 would martyr I 1 she slipped a white arm about his neck nothing unsteady about hei to night mark thought he pushed into the background the memory of the night he had had to steady her to the car he had liked her she had been amusing but he had not invited her out after that she had taken talen little wine tonight luce te had barely touched hers brooke had re fused it now her eyes were fol lowing her brother was she wor ned ried about daphne s influence on sam he watched her watched the throbbing pulse in her throat which made him think of the beat of tiny wings against bars As if she felt his intense concen on her brooke looked at him with questioning eyes mark smiled in response did you know that I 1 was think ing of you I 1 was hoping that you were not worrying vorry ing about sam and daphne it if you are don t thanks I 1 m not if that were all I 1 had on my mind my heart would be so light that it would be bumping against the ceiling like a runaway balloon what is troubling you can cant t I 1 help no thanks no I 1 that was emphatic almost as if you were afraid of me care to dance brooke motioned toward the cou pies ples packed in so close they could barely move you don t call that dancing do you but do dance yourself you must know every attractive girl here you have risen to bow at two minute intervals ever since we arrived at this table I 1 m just being noble setting you free to dance with someone else thanks for the consideration but the only girl with whom I 1 care to dance is sitting at this table you wouldn t encourage a host to leave his guest of honor would youa he granted at the gardenias on her shoulder don t you care for orchids I 1 should have sent violets I 1 know you like them you wore them the first time we met no it was vas the second time the orchids were beautiful brooke traced a pattern on the illuminated lumina ted tabletop table top sometime ill tell youw you why by I 1 didn dian t wear them tonight are you engaged to field she shrugged lovely shoulders and glanced up provocatively you fairly gnashed that ques tion you are miscast in islands arise sam ought to write some thing for you in which you could play an ogre you ve just the voice for it all right I 1 in an ogre mean while how about answering that question I 1 I 1 said that sometime I 1 would tell you why I 1 didn dian t wear the ids that doesn doean t mean tonight it 0 0 17 ya OF it s zero hour crooke brooke 11 means after the play and your par ty however had I 1 been a perfect lady I 1 would have said ethanic you billions for the flowers long be fore this curious how accustomed we have become to thinking in bil lions isn t it I 1 don t want your thanks I 1 want mark disciplined his stormy voice remember that aft ernson in jed s officer the afternoon you refused to marry me haven t you forgotten that I 1 there are some things one doesn doean t forget then here is something to put beside it in your memory book will you marry me brooke she looked up with startled eyes then laughed that pro proposal poal if it ic 1 a propos ap it is has all the fire and ardor of a silent policeman shall I 1 give a demonstration demor of fire and ardor nol no I 1 of course not don t look at me as if you were trying to see the wheels of my mind go round I 1 hadn haan t gone much deeper than your ey eyes es have you never been told that you have beautiful you haven t answered my question will you marry me mea the orchestra was playing a soft swaying accompaniment to a ban barl tone voice singing before the micro phone I 1 only love one and that one is you and that one is you there was a burst of applause from the dancers mark reminded I 1 you haven t answered my ques tion brooke her eyes were brilliant with an ger as they methis I 1 I 1 answered it the secord time you refused to marry me perhaps you have forgotten that I 1 haven t mark brushe I 1 back a mad im pulse to kiss her contemptuous lips until she went limp in his arms repression sent the dark color to his face no I 1 haven t forgotten that you said that you wouldn t marry me if I 1 were the only man in the world that divorced men left you cold she laid her hand on his sleeve 1 I was sorry the moment I 1 said that really I 1 was please forget it the maitre d hotel stopped at the table he glistened from the top of his sleek black head to his patent leather shoes he looked italian with a streak of turk he spoke american with a french accent good evening mr trent glad to see you here sir 11 I 1 how are you franchot this crowd looks like prosperity back to stay I 1 business has been good ever since we opened we had so many reservations for this evening we had to reinforce the staff of waiters and bus dus boys I 1 don t like strange help in a jam like this bui but what else could we do the lights in the room dimmed the dancers returned to their tables the singer in her glittering sequins stepped to the stage the orchestra leader nestled his violin under his chin laid his fingers on the strings and drew his bow with a flourishing sweep the spotlight traveled about the room whitening faces setting rhinestones on a shoulder trap agleam brightening already too bright eyes striking rainbow fire from the jewels on the breast of a grande dame it lingered at a table brooke gripped marks arm she leaned close whispered I 1 quick where the light the waiter waltert he ire s the man who ran through my room roomi I 1 behind the scenes in the club house I theater brooke as property woman checked her list for the last time every article which the characters would need to take to the stage was present and accounted for almost time for the curtain if only her heart wouldn t pound 0 o it shook her body but hadn haan t her body shaken with excitement whenever she had seen sam act he ile was coming he was almost as white as the shirt front of his evening e ve clothes his eyes were like flames as he stopped beside her I 1 just had a cable from mother wishing me luck its zero hour brooke locate the producer and manager out front watch em if they go out after the first act and don t come back the play s washed up if they sit through the second it its s got a chance if they come back for the third boyl he turned to jerry field who was like a stranger in his make up 1 go on to that stage jerry and whang the ball field nodded to brooke before he disappeared into the wings should she wish sam luck his sister wondered better not the stage was cleared lucette daphne and jerry field went on and took their places sam was in the wings jed was at the switchboard the curtain man was waiting for his signal sam raised his hand the house dimmed he wig wagged with two fingers jed brought up his lights the orchestra stopped playing another motion of sam sams s hand and the curtain rose slowly brooke brookes s heart parked in her throat running on high lucette waited for the greeting of applause to quiet before without a trace of nervousness she spoke her first line sam nodded approval frowned as daphne answered shakily brooke couldn coulden t see the stage but she could hear the voices jed stewart was red and perspiring under the responsibility of getting the actors on and 01 67 once as he passed her he whispered I 1 get a peek at mrs gregory out front third row center she s blaz 1 rt 16 6 with jools has the new york producer come comee he nodded second row center sleek blond fella with a grand marcelle he caught sam s eyes glaring at them and disappeared every sentence moved the play forward unfalteringly jerry field had ben on and off before mark trent in his blue lounge coat appeared 0 make his first entrance As he approached the his ees eles smiling disconcertingly intent te it riet and held brooke s and set the blood tingling in her cheeks the rehearsal last night had been so hectic he had had timp only to tell her that jed S ewart had left the supper club to report about the waiter to inspector fl barnson arrison in the morning paper she had seen a statement that the bandit in the hunt filling station case was being trailed to canada of course she hoped that he would be caught but it was a relief to know that he was far away from what newspapers news papera would call the scene of his crime she could hear mark trent s voice faintly ironic it was her cue to start the phonograph which was to produce a song as if sung in the street below 11 in the gloaming oh my darling think not bitterly of me the sweetness and fervor of the man s voice brought a terrifying ache to brooke s throat a burning beneath her eyelids as with the small machine in her hands she walked away to give the effect of music fading in the distance 11 it was bet to leave you thus dear best for you and best for me the last word thinned into silence mark trent s cue that song is old stuff but sure fire believe it madgee TO BE CONTINUED |