In the Best Families

Tm sorry, Annabel, Leeds said gruffly. “But didn't I tell you about Goodwin?

She didn't reply. She only stood and breathed. Leeds went, with not as much spring to his step as I had seen, and Pierce, mumbling a good night, followed.

Dana Hammond went to Annabel, had a hand out to touch her arm, and then let it drop.

“My dear, he said, appealing to her, “it was no good. It couldn't be. If you had consulted me-

Til remember next time, Dana. Good night.

“I want to talk with you, Annabel. I want to-

“For God's sake, let me alone! Go!

He backed away a step and scowled at me, as if I were to blame for everything. I lifted my right brow at him. It's one of my few outstanding talents, lifting one brow, and I save it for occasions when nothing else would quite serve the purpose.

He walked out of the room without another word.

Annabel dropped on to the nearest chair, put her elbows on her knees, and buried her face in her hands.

I stood looking down at her. “It was not, I told her sympathetically, “what I would call a success, but anyhow you tried. Not to try to make you feel better, but for future guidance, it might have been wiser, instead of calling a convention, to tackle them one at a time. And it was too bad you picked Leeds to sell first, since he has a grudge against me. But the truth is you were licked before you started. The shape their nerves are in, touching them with a feather wouldn't tickle them, it would give them a stroke. Thanks all the same for asking me.

I left her. By the time I got out to the parking space the cars of the other guests were gone. Rolling down the curving driveway, I was thinking my first incoming phone call hadn't been so damned magnificent after all.

Chapter Twelve

One or two of my friends have tried to tell me that some of my experiences that summer are worth telling about, but even taking them at their word, I'm not going to drag it in here. However, it is true that after I ran an ad in the

Gazette and word got around I soon quit keeping count of the incoming calls. All

I'll do here is summarise it by months: