The moment dinner was over, Ruth was on her feet. "Excuse me," she said. "I'm feeling a bit fatigued. I think I'll turn in for the night." The others murmured condolences - all except Molly, Rose noticed. Instead, the heavyset woman studied Ruth, her eyes narrowed just the slightest bit. Rose knew that Mrs. Brown suspected something was going on, something more than lack of sleep. Rose stood. "I'll be going, also," she said. "To accompany Mother back to her room. Coming, Mother?" She stepped from the table and headed for the doors, Ruth falling into step beside her. The two women were silent all the way back to their suite. Rose looked for Lovejoy but he had disappeared. Entering their suite, Ruth called for Trudy and had her draw a hot bath. Rose went to her room and changed out of her taffeta gown and into a nightgown and kimono, then took the combs out of her hair and brushed it out. Returning to the sitting room, she saw that Ruth had also changed and was resting on the loveseat, a steaming cup of tea in her hands. She was staring blankly at the far wall. Rose went to the table and poured herself a cup. The hot liquid felt good on her throat, and she sank into a chair, her body relaxing. She thought about probing her mother for more details about her real father, but then decided she wasn't ready to hear more yet and Ruth might not talk to her anyway, so she closed her eyes, resting her head against the back of the armchair, and settled into another daydream about Jack. They had just gotten on the roller coaster in Santa Monica when Ruth's voice brought her back to the present. "Rose." Rose, disappointed that her daydream had to be interrupted again, sighed heavily and opened her eyes. "Yes?" "I've been thinking." Ruth fell silent for a moment, and Rose waited, expecting this to be more about her father. But when Ruth opened her mouth again, what came out instead was, "I saw Mr. Lovejoy while we were at supper. Just outside the entranceway." "So did I," Rose said, after a moment of surprise. "Lovejoy was there, but Mr. Hockley was not. I have not seen Cal since this afternoon. We talked outside the Cafe Parisian. He was looking for you." Ruth looked distinctly uneasy all the sudden, shifting in her chair, distractedly setting the cup down on the table. "I don't like this, Rose. Something is going on here. Where did you leave Jack?" "Why - just down the hall, near the elevators," Rose said in confusion. "But I wouldn't worry about Cal, mother, I expect he is just off sulking. Probably he didn't want to show his face at dinner tonight. You know how petulant he can be. Especially when his reputation is involved." But Ruth was shaking her head, slowly. "No. You're wrong, Rose. He wouldn't want to not show his face at dinner this evening. He would have wanted to put on the appearance of normalcy - everything being fine, just the same as ever." "Then why wasn't he there?" Ruth was silent a long time. "I don't know," she finally said, lifting her head. Her dark green eyes met Rose's, and they were troubled. "That's what is worrying me." |
