“Jealous?� She was sitting on the divan as she asked this question.
He flamed, with the red blood mounting his white cheeks and burning his temples.
“Who’s upstairs?� he asked in deadly earnestness.
“Nobody!�
“Nobody at all?�
“I’m all alone.�
“The servants?� Fay glanced toward the rear of the room where a half-door to a butler’s pantry showed.
“They are having a night off. Besides,� she added swiftly, “I was expecting you. I didn’t think you’d bungle things as you did. I heard you on the porch. You stepped on the electric rug, Chester. It didn’t remind me of old times, at all.�
Fay’s brain worked swiftly. It was evident that Saidee did not know that Dutch Gus had attempted to pay her a visit. He closed his lips, sat down on the divan at a discreet distance, and studied her from the corner of his left eye. She had not aged since last he had known her. The rings on her fingers were more splendid than he had ever seen her wear. The shadow of a frown crossed his features as he noted a necklace about her throat.
She tapped the rug, with a cold smile bringing down the corners of her mouth. She turned then and stared at him. His eyes stared back at her. Neither moved. Fay tried to read what was transpiring in her mind. He caught the scent of heliotrope from her negligee. It softened him with old memory. He leaned closer, hardly daring to breathe.