Chapter 4
SEBASTIAN WOLFF RAISED HIS EYEBROWS. "I hear you had a busy day,"' Christine repeated.
"Oh. Well yes, it was that," he said. "How did you know?"
"Earl was here. He knows too. Sebastian, he felt pretty bad. He really did, I was sorry for him."
"Did you let him cop?" He seemed genuinely interested.
"No, of course not. Sebastian, I don't care. If you had another woman, all right, you came back to me. That's what counts. But why Earl's girl? He is your friend, or was."
"Why not Earl's girl? He's a grown man in a grown-up world. If he can't hold her, then he'd better find out soon."
Chris shook her head. "You're a strange man," she said. "I hope she wasn't too good. I don't want to lose you."
"No worry there. I did it for you. Sort of." He grinned. "I don't want to hurt you, Chris. I thought I'd better establish a precedent before we go much farther."
"Nice reasoning," she said. "A lie, of course, but at least it's an effort."
He kissed her, and she didn't resist. She said, "Will you do it very often? Be unfaithful, I mean."
"Oh. Probably. Once a week maybe. But just once with each conquest, don't worry about serious competition. I like you very much. More, I think, than any other woman I have ever known before."
"That must be quite a bit," she said.
"Yes. It's that."
Sebastian went into the bathroom. Chris heard the shower running, and heard his voice singing "The Other Woman", off key. He is so unserious about what he does, she thought, it is hard to be angry about it. She felt very little anger with Sebastian. Had any other man she had ever known treated her this way, Christine would have ended everything between them. With Wolff she was happy just to have him return, sad only to think that some day he might not.
Presently Wolff emerged from the bath, wearing a bathrobe and shaking her damp hair. He asked, "Is your father rich?"
Chris was surprised. "He has money," she answered. "Yes, I supposed he could be rich."
"Would you get a dowry?"
"If you are proposing," she said, "it's a damn poor way to go about it."
"I guess it is. But don't be unreasonable. After all, I have you now, there's nothing to gain by marriage, if not money. Is there?"
"I suppose not. But you're so logical about it. I'm enough of a poetess to want a church wedding with flowers."
He smiled. "You might get that. Shall we go see your daddy?"
"Are you going to ask him how much he'll give you to take me away from the family? He'd just love you for that."
"Oh, I'll be subtle about it."
Chris paused. "You aren't serious, are you?"
"Why not?"
"You really want to marry me?" "Sure. I love you."
"I just don't know," she said. "I don't really think you mean it. I can't conceive of your being married."
"I'd be the same man," he said, "perhaps a little worse. I'd beat you and be unfaithful to your regularly. But if you want to get married, let's do it."
She was silent. She thought, I want to be his wife. I don't care how he treats me, as long as he doesn't leave me. And he can't just be marrying me for the money, no one could be that honest about it. I will probably be very unhappy with him, but I'm sure I'd be more unhappy without him. And he may never offer again.
"Well?" he asked.
"I'll marry you Sebastian," she said. The words made her feel good. Wonderful. She threw her arms around his neck and said, "Yes, Mr. Wolff, I want very much to be Mrs. Wolff. Yes, yes, yes. Right away, let's get married as soon as we can."
"Well all right. Where is your father?"
"Boston. Let's get married first. I don't want to see him until we are already married. I know he won't like you."
"What about money? I love you, Baby, but there are other things that one must think of as well. like money."
"He'll give us money after. Probably more than if he met you first and didn't like you. I'm sure of it. Tell me you love me."
"I love you."
"Tell me you love only me."
"Some things," said Sebastian, patting her on the bottom, "can be carried too far."
"Can I wear a white gown?" "Are you a virgin?"
"No," she said, kissing him. Sebastian pushed her away.
"Make dinner," he said, "Love later."
Christine went to the kitchen. Wolff could hear her moving around, and humming. He stretched out on the couch, one arm over his eyes, smoking. He wondered what had made him suggest marriage. There had been no plan to, he had not even thought of it. Then, suddenly, it just seemed to come out. Perhaps he loved her. He rather hoped so, but not too much, of course. It was loving too much that got people hurt.
Sebastian knew about that.
But this was the first time that he had ever considered marriage, and he figured it must mean that he loved her. Good. Getting married was one thing he had never done, and it ought to prove interesting. Yes, he thought, I will go through with it.
Chris set the table with candles. Very romantic, and she seemed so happy. She laughed and talked, and couldn't seem to sit still. She talked about first homes, and wedding parties, and wedding nights, about children.
"I'll make you so very happy," she said. "You'll never need another woman, I'll be so good to you ... for you."
Wolff thought, a strange day it will be when I don't want another woman. But Chris is good, if I had to choose one woman for the rest of my life, I think it might be she. Yes, it just might be she.
He said, "We'll need some money to get married."
"I have some in the bank. In Boston. We can use that for the wedding and honeymoon. And I'm sure Daddy will come through afterward. He has lots of money, and I'm an only daughter."
I must sell my freedom dearly, thought Wolff. No, never sell it, just lend it perhaps.
"I want to tell someone," Chris said. "I wish I had some friends here in New York. I'm so happy."
"I think I'll look for Earl," Wolff said. "I'll ask him to be the best man."
"Do yon think he will? After today, I mean."
"He will. Earl-likes me."
"He liked the girl too."
"Well, yes. I guess so. Both times," Wolff said. He rubbed his jaw, and said, "He just can't seem to learn."
Christine was doing the dishes when Wolff left. He did not know where Earl was, but he figured on trying Ginny's. Dreggs was the type who might have gone crawling back.
He walked rapidly, through the first snow of the year, watching the flakes land, linger, and melt away; watching his breath hang white on the air. It made his think of Christmas, and he said maybe this year I'll have a wife to decorate a Christmas tree. And a father-in-law to stuff presents under it. That would be nice.
He whistled notes which hung on the still air.
Sebastian knocked on Ginny's door. He heard movements within, and then it was opened. Ginny stood there.
"Hi, he said. "Is Earl here?"
"Come in," she said, standing back. Wolff entered, and Ginny shut the door. "I didn't think you'd come back," she said.
"Just looking for Earl. Isn't he here?"
"No. He's gone. He won't be back again. You can come whenever you like, Sebastian."
"That," he said tongue in cheek, "would be nice."
Ginny put her arm around him, and raised her face.
"I can't stay," he said, starting to pull away. "You've got to. I need you."
Well, Sebastian thought, I'm not really in the mood. But this may well be my last fling before getting married. It won't do any harm, I guess. Ginny has such a fine body.
He let her lead him into the bedroom. She started undressing, fumbling nervously with her clothes.
"Can't we chat for a while first?" he asked. "This seems so professional. Let's go slow."
She looked at him. Viciously. "I don't want to talk to you," she said, "I hate you."
"Well, I'll be damned," Sebastian said.
He removed his clothes, watching Ginny. She was naked now, standing before him, staring with a strange mixture of hatred and desire in her eyes. When he finished undressing, she stepped forward.
Her firm, rounded body was irresistible, and Sebastian reached out; pulled her to him.
His hands moved on her breasts, a circular motion that ended at the pink nipples. He rubbed them, massaged them, his hands driving Ginny wild with want. Her arms started moving, stroking his sides, down his flanks.
Sebastian bent, his lips working on her nipples, from one to the other, and she trembled; caressed his loins, arousing him with her touch. He dug his fingers into her buttocks, his passion matching hers now.
Ginny stepped back, sinking to a sitting position on the bed. Sebastian stepped close.
She spoke in a whisper, "When I get through, you're going to want me as much as I want you, Sebastian. I'm going to make you need me, I'm going to give you everything that a man could want."
Her hands grasped his buttocks, pulling his loins forward. Sebastian arched backwards. Leg muscles tense, moving his hips slightly. He was in ecstasy as she brought him closer and closer to the height of feeling. A tingle began within him, built up, became a thrill. He drove his loins against her, heaving in uncontrolled need.
Sebastian shut his eyes then.
And rocked dizzily in that moment of bliss.
He stepped back, spent. Ginny fell backwards to the bed, her knees up, one arm reaching for him. "Come," she said, "Are you still as good as I remember? I hope so, because I've just begun on you."
Sebastian Wolff was good.
For hours.
Sebastian put on his coat. He felt completely empty, and very, very satisfied. He looked across the room at Ginny.
She was still naked, stretched out on the bed almost in a trance. Her magnificent body glistened with sweat. She had given every last ounce of her energies to Sebastian, every bit of her passion.
"Ginny," he said, not knowing if she had heard him or not, "You were very good, very good to me." He turned and left, his legs feeling very unsteady under him.
It was late. The snow had stopped falling and it was colder. Wolff pulled his jacket collar up, thinking that he would very soon need an overcoat. Better meet Christine's father before it gets much colder, he decided. Or else Chris'll have to buy me one herself, and I don't think she gets too much money to live on. It's hard depending on a chick who has no money of her own; no telling when her old man will cut her off. If she could sell a poem or two it might help.
Thinking about that, Wolff remembered an agent whom he had met several years back. A woman. She probably could get something of Chris' in print, it didn't matter how much it paid. Just something to show the old man, something for her mother to gossip about. He decided to call her and stopped at a phone booth.
It took several minutes to remember her name, several more to find her home phone listed. He dialed and waited while it rang twice. Then a female voice answered.
"Hello," he said, "Cynthia?"
"Yes, who is this?"
"Sebastian Wolff. You remember me."
There was a moment's silence. Wolff could hear the woman breathing on the other end of the wire. He waited.
"Yes," she said. "I remember you. You're late."
Wolff wrinkled his brow, not understanding. Then in a flash, he remembered. He had met Cynthia at a party, made love to her in the bedroom under a pile of coats, with people coming in and out and not seeing them. It had been a rather proper party, and the danger of discovery had lent spice to the act. And he had arranged to meet her the next day. But he had forgotten, or neglected.
That had been two years before.
"Better late than never," he said laughing.
"I'm not at all sure of that," she answered. But two years was too long a time to retain the anger she had felt when it happened. She was rather glad to hear from Wolff.
He said, "I'd like to see you. Could I drop in at your home?"
"No, my husband will be back soon. How about my office? Tomorrow? It's more private for these business deals." She gave him the address and he wrote it on a matchbook.
"Oh, as far as business goes. I do have a couple of things ... poems ... that I'd like you to handle. For a friend."
She laughed. "We'll talk about that when I feel satisfied with the other business. I've got two years' worth of work which I want out of you, Sebastian Wolff."
"Yes," he said. "Tomorrow." Wolff was too exhausted from Ginny to feel much desire, but Cynthia was nice. He knew that tomorrow would be a new day, and he looked forward to it. I mustn't forget Chris' stuff, he told himself. After all, that is why I'm going.
He left the phone booth and started home.
On the way he passed by the bar where he had spent several hours earlier in the day. As he looked in Wolff's jaw tightened. He paused for a moment, then went through the door, moving fast.
When he moved fast, Sebastian moved like a cat. A jungle cat.
On a kill.
Earl Dreggs had drunk steadily all evening. He was not normally a heavy drinker, and his capacity this night would have surprised him had anyone been counting the bourbon he downed. But no one had, and Dreggs himself was in no condition to remember.
His head was spinning, but strangely he felt no nausea, and he had the sensation of reaching a norm of capacity at which he could stay indefinitely. He finished his drink and said "Another."
The bartender looked at him closely, satisfied that Earl was still sober enough, he filled the glass. He emptied the untouched chaser, and refilled the glass with fresh water. There's a drinker, he thought with admiration.
Dreggs started working the new shot down. The only thought bothering him now was where he was going to go when the bar closed. He was nearly through his, or rather Ginny's money. He couldn't re-aim there, and he wouldn't go back to Christine's. He wished he had taken all of Ginny's money. She had offered it to him that morning; that was before Wolff had seen her. Earl had refused it, saying he had enough. He regretted that now.
A voice spoke behind him, and he became aware that his name was being used. Slowly he turned around on the stool.
"Hi, Earl. Where's Ginny?"
Earl recognized Ellen, Ginny's roommate. A pretty although rather plain girl, thin with big eyes. Pleasant and stupid. She was with her upstate boyfriend, a hulking football type.
Earl said, "Ginny is a whore."
"What's the matter?" Ellen asked.
"Nothing," he said, "is the matter. She is just a whore. That's all, why should anything be wrong?"
"C'mon, Hon," said the hulk, "Let's get a seat." "Just a moment, Tom," Ellen said. "What happened, Earl?" She felt a strange curiosity about the thing. She had wondered about Ginny ever since Dreggs had started sleeping there, and wanted to know what had brought this change in Earl. That morning they had seemed very much in love; although Ellen didn't like Earl staying at the apartment, she liked him personally and thought he was very nice. If there had been trouble between him and Ginny, she imagined that it was Ginny's fault.
Dreggs shrugged. He took a drink and when Ellen didn't leave, he said, "She's been sleeping with another guy. With my best friend. That should only happen in songs."
"Are you sure?"
"Goddamn sure. Ask the slut, she'll tell you. Proud of it, the dirty bitch."
"Watch your language. There's a girl here," said Tom.
Earl swung his eyes to the man. Tall, as tall as Dreggs and heavy. Must weigh two-twenty, Earl thought, not much caring. He said, "What a brilliant goddamn statement that was. That was original, all right. That was a goddamn jewel. You damn fool!"
"Watch your mouth. Let's go, Ellen. I don't want you associating with these crumbs. I don't know why you have to live in New York anyway, and how you meet guys like this." Tom started leading Ellen away.
Dreggs said, "I won't be sleeping at your place tonight."
Tom looked from Earl to Ellen. "What is this?" he asked.
Ellen said, "Earl, shut up. It's nothing, Tom. He's drunk. He just stayed with Ginny one night, that's all."
"Hah!" said Dreggs.
"I don't like liars," Tom said. "You didn't stay at Ellen's and I know it. Now you shut up."
"I not only stayed there," Dreggs said, "I slept with Ginny and made love to her every night, and I saw Ellen looking at me a few times like she wouldn't mind joining in. What about that, hey?"
Ellen flushed. She grabbed Tom's arm as he started toward Dreggs. "He's drunk. Don't pay any attention," she said. She pulled Tom toward the tables, while Dreggs stared.
"If he doesn't shut up, I'll kill him!" Tom said in a loud voice. Earl wasn't shaken in the least.
He turned back to Iris drink, bolted it down and ordered another. The bartender said, "No trouble in here, okay?"
"Never any trouble," said Earl.
He watched the couple at the table, thinking how nice it would be to go home with Ellen. It might make Ginny jealous, and it would certainly be a place to stay. That was more important. Then he thought of how Ginny might laugh. Got him on the rebound, she would say. And comparing Ellen's tall, slight figure to Ginny's soft curves was ridiculous. Yes, going home with Ellen would be a farce.
But still a place to stay. And in the night, when Wolff wasn't there, Ginny ... yes, even if she pre-, tended that Earl was Wolff, her body was still worth it.
Tom was talking in a loud voice. Arguing. Ellen looked as though she were angry herself now. Earl waited until Tom got up and went to the men's room.
As he walked to the table his legs were very unsteady, and he realized for the first time how" drunk he was. Realized without caring, and intended to get drunker before the night was over.
He stepped up to Ellen and she looked at him, her eyes angry. But he knew that she was angry with Tom, not with him. "You'd better go away before he gets back," she said, motioning at the men's room with her head. "He's got a terrible temper."
"He's a fool," Earl stated.
Ellen smiled a little. "I guess he is," she said.
"I like you, Ellen," Dreggs told her, leaning on the table.
She didn't answer.
"I'd like to have you come with me. Ditch that ox and we'll go somewhere else."
"I can't," she said.
Dreggs sat down beside her, and she slid over to make room for him. He took her hand, a long thin hand, and ran his fingers up her arm. Looking in her eyes, he thought them very beautiful. She was a pretty girl, he had never noticed before because she was so opposite from Ginny. Ginny had blinded him with her dark curves.
"You are very pretty," he said. "You look like a doll. With big eyes, like a gazelle. That is a compliment, gazelles are beautiful animals." He felt more confident than he ever had with a woman before. Felt like another Sebastian Wolff.
"Thank you," she said, "But I don't want to play seconds to Ginny."
He shook his head, looking at her hand. "Very delicate hands," he said, "Not seconds, Ellen. I like you. You're very nice. I wish I had met you before I met Ginny. Now that I'm through with her, I'd like to be with you. Tonight especially, I need to talk to someone. Please."
"I wish I'd met you too. Before Tom. But he's here now, I can't leave him. We're engaged."
"No, Ellen, don't make a mistake like. that. He's an animal, you can see that."
She shook her head. "Don't," she said.
"I'll marry you. Tonight, if you like. You are so very, very nice, and I can talk to you. With Ginny it was all sex, I feel different about you."
"Please. Before Tom gets back, you've got to go. I'd like to see you, Earl. Will you come over tomorrow?"
"I'll come whenever you say, Ellen. But I want so badly to be with you tonight." He was pronouncing his words very clearly, very carefully.
"I'm sorry. Earl, I'll wait home tomorrow. Tom leaves at noon, you can come over then and ... please leave!" Her eyes widened as she looked over Dreggs' shoulder. The tone of her voice startled Earl, and he complied. As he turned from the table, he saw Tom walking up to him.
Earl no longer felt belligerent. He had baited the big man before, but now he felt happy, happy that he would see Ellen the next day. He didn't want any trouble now, and started to walk away.
Tom grabbed him by the shoulder and Earl turned around. He said, "Let go, man, I'm not looking for anything."
"You drunken bastard," Tom hissed, and slammed Earl backwards up against another table. Earl's legs gave out, and his head spun; he was too drunk for this exertion. Tom lifted him and banged him again to the table, shaking him like a rag doll.
Ellen was tugging at Tom's arms, but he ignored her. He said, "You dirty, lying bastard!" and heaved Earl against the wall. Earl started a punch, but his reflexes were gone from the bourbon. And Tom outweighed him by forty pounds. The punch glanced off Tom's skull, and he brought his own fist across Earl's mouth. The room spun.
"That's all," said Sebastian Wolff.
Tom let Earl go, and turned to Wolff. Sebastian had crossed the room without a sound, and stood not a yard from the other man. He said, "Let my friend go, and get out."
He spoke very softly.
Tom started to back away. There was something about the newcomer that he didn't want to try. He said, "Just keep out of it, huh? He insulted my girl."
"Good," said Sebastian, his face twisted. "She's probably a whore."
Tom blinked. He started to raise his hand, and Sebastian hit him with four shots before it passed his belt. Hooks, with all his one hundred and ninety pounds behind them. Two with each hand.
Tom fell face down, and didn't move. Only his fingers twitched.
"I'm sorry," Sebastian said to Ellen. "I meant no insult to you. Just the easiest way to provoke him."
She didn't answer. Her eyes moved from Tom to Sebastian.
Earl said, "Jeez, thanks, Sebastian. I'm a little drunker than I thought, apparently. Got no reflexes."
Sebastian slapped him on the shoulder. "I needed the exercise. Notice how I've slowed down? I used to hit that type six times before they could go down."
Earl shook his head.
"I'll leave with you," Ellen said to him. "I couldn't take any more of Tom. Not after this. He'd spend the rest of the night making excuses for being knocked out."
"Good," Earl said. "This was worth a little shaking up."
"He may come to my place when he wakes up," she said.
"Not with that jaw," Wolff said.
Earl introduced them. Wolff paid no attention to Ellen, which made Earl happy. He didn't want to lose Ellen, too.
Wolff said, "We'd better go now, Earl. I don't think you're in any condition to talk very much. Go home with your girl." He turned toward the door. The bartender had come over.
He said, "Is that guy all right? He looks bad, the way he's sprawled out there."
"He will be all right. After a while." Wolff said.
"Well, if he's a friend you'd better get him out of here. I called the cops at the start of this trouble. They should be here soon, you'd better leave. I don't want anybody thrown in jail, just want to keep my license. You know?" He was showing great respect for Sebastian's right hand.
Wolff nodded. The three left together, leaving Tom stretched on the floor. In front, Wolff turned to Earl. "I want you to be my best man," he said.
"What?"
"Yeah, going to do it."
"Chris?" "Yes, Chris."
Earl said, "Well, I'm damned. I'll be at Ginny's place tomorrow. Ellen is her roommate."
"Good," Sebastian said. "Ask Ginny if she wants to be the bridesmaid."
"What?"
Sebastian shrugged. "Why not?" he asked.
Dreggs shook his head at Sebastian's sense of propriety.
As they separated, Wolff looked closely at Ellen for the first time.
"You've got beautiful eyes," he said. His face had no expression at all.
He turned and walked off. Ellen's eyes followed him, until Dreggs took her hand and led her away. They walked a block in silence. Then Ellen spoke.
"He's beautiful," she said.