“That happens to everybody.”
“Oh, I’m sure of that. It gets me worried, though.”
“Thought any more about going to South America?”
“I mean that.”
“Well, why don’t you start off?”
“Frances.”
“Well,” I said, “take her with you.”
“She wouldn’t like it. That isn’t the sort of thing she likes. She likes a lot of people around.”
“Tell her to go to hell.”
“I can’t. I’ve got certain obligations to her.”
He shoved the sliced cucumbers away and took a pickled herring.
“What do you know about Lady Brett Ashley, Jake?”
“Her name’s Lady Ashley. Brett’s her own name. She’s a nice girl,” I said. “She’s getting a divorce and she’s going to marry Mike Campbell. He’s over in Scotland now. Why?”
“She’s a remarkably attractive woman.”
“Isn’t she?”
“There’s a certain quality about her, a certain fineness. She seems to be absolutely fine and straight.”
“She’s very nice.”