met Hank. How did you and Hank meet?” Rork wasn’t sure he wanted to know the details of how Leila met her husband.
“Hank and I met in the mountains while on holiday. I’d seen him at social functions, but we weren’t introduced. The summer before I turned eighteen, my family went to the Catskills to take the waters. Hank was there.”
Rork studied her intently. Sadness washed over her lovely face, and his heart went out to her.
Leila plucked at her reticule. “They had these wonderful baths for anything that ailed you. Anyway, on a walk in the woods, I passed Hank while he was surrounded by children, telling them stories. I wanted to listen, but he said no grown-ups.” A smile crept across her face as she told the story of their meeting.
“Darlin’, Rork doesn’t want to hear that tired old tale.” Hank turned his attention back to Cornelia. “What have you been up to?”
Cornelia glanced at Leila. “Oh, not a great deal.”
“Actually, Hank, I’d like to hear your wife’s story.”
Leila blushed. “Well, the children hollered at him, so he relented and allowed me into his story group.”
Cornelia reached across the table and took Leila’s hand. “She returned to Philadelphia after that summer completely smitten. Within months she was married.”
Hank yawned. “Yes, we had a rather peculiar courtship. Her fastidious father procrastinated and withheld permission for weeks. The reason evades me still. I didn’t press him, but directly after he agreed to the betrothal, we were wed.” Hank brushed a speck of dust off his lapel. “Her father and I don’t really hide our dislike of each other.”
Leila’s mouth drew into a tight line. “Father can be a little mistrustful.” She looked at her husband. “Hank’s book, The Hasheesh Ride , was published three years before we married. I never read the book, but I did read the reviews. It got glowing reports in Graham’s. They said the descriptions sounded frightening. I have no doubt that gave my father cause for concern.”
Cornelia nodded and looked at Hank. “Yes, Leila did mention it to me. The book is about your experiences with hasheesh, a new type of substance at the time, is it not?”
Hank scowled. “It was simply about my experiments with the substance and the strange journeys I experienced from the effects.” Hank downed his whiskey. “Frankly, I was astonished that her father disapproved of me. I had numerous followers. My writing became syndicated, and I did rather well financially at the time. Isn’t that what every father wants for his daughter?” He flicked one hand. “Enough of that. I want to hear what Cornelia has been doing.”
A faint smile graced Cornelia’s lips. “Where can I buy your book? What was the name again?” She glanced at Leila. “I know you mentioned it, but I don’t recall what you said.”
Hank always enjoyed being the center of attention. “ The Hasheesh Ride . I’m sure it’s in the bookstores.”
“Does it still sell well?”
“Absolutely. Sales are brisk. It’s made it through to a fourth edition.” Hank sat back as a waiter set a plate of hors d’oeuvres on the table.
Cornelia helped herself to oysters. “I would love to hear about your experiences with this substance. What is it made from, and how did you find it?” She popped an oyster into her mouth. “What possessed you to ingest it?”
“It’s a long story.”
Cornelia dabbed her lips with a table napkin. “We have time, please.”
“If you insist.” Hank stretched his arm along the back of the chair. “I was a young man with the natural curiosity of most men my age. I worked at the shop and had opportunities to peruse the shelves. The druggist asked if I’d heard of a new remedy that recently arrived. He showed me this substance that was supposedly medicinal.”
As Rork piled caviar onto a slice of toast, he stopped and stared at him. “Don’t tell me you played the fool and tasted it?”
“I almost
“Hank and I met in the mountains while on holiday. I’d seen him at social functions, but we weren’t introduced. The summer before I turned eighteen, my family went to the Catskills to take the waters. Hank was there.”
Rork studied her intently. Sadness washed over her lovely face, and his heart went out to her.
Leila plucked at her reticule. “They had these wonderful baths for anything that ailed you. Anyway, on a walk in the woods, I passed Hank while he was surrounded by children, telling them stories. I wanted to listen, but he said no grown-ups.” A smile crept across her face as she told the story of their meeting.
“Darlin’, Rork doesn’t want to hear that tired old tale.” Hank turned his attention back to Cornelia. “What have you been up to?”
Cornelia glanced at Leila. “Oh, not a great deal.”
“Actually, Hank, I’d like to hear your wife’s story.”
Leila blushed. “Well, the children hollered at him, so he relented and allowed me into his story group.”
Cornelia reached across the table and took Leila’s hand. “She returned to Philadelphia after that summer completely smitten. Within months she was married.”
Hank yawned. “Yes, we had a rather peculiar courtship. Her fastidious father procrastinated and withheld permission for weeks. The reason evades me still. I didn’t press him, but directly after he agreed to the betrothal, we were wed.” Hank brushed a speck of dust off his lapel. “Her father and I don’t really hide our dislike of each other.”
Leila’s mouth drew into a tight line. “Father can be a little mistrustful.” She looked at her husband. “Hank’s book, The Hasheesh Ride , was published three years before we married. I never read the book, but I did read the reviews. It got glowing reports in Graham’s. They said the descriptions sounded frightening. I have no doubt that gave my father cause for concern.”
Cornelia nodded and looked at Hank. “Yes, Leila did mention it to me. The book is about your experiences with hasheesh, a new type of substance at the time, is it not?”
Hank scowled. “It was simply about my experiments with the substance and the strange journeys I experienced from the effects.” Hank downed his whiskey. “Frankly, I was astonished that her father disapproved of me. I had numerous followers. My writing became syndicated, and I did rather well financially at the time. Isn’t that what every father wants for his daughter?” He flicked one hand. “Enough of that. I want to hear what Cornelia has been doing.”
A faint smile graced Cornelia’s lips. “Where can I buy your book? What was the name again?” She glanced at Leila. “I know you mentioned it, but I don’t recall what you said.”
Hank always enjoyed being the center of attention. “ The Hasheesh Ride . I’m sure it’s in the bookstores.”
“Does it still sell well?”
“Absolutely. Sales are brisk. It’s made it through to a fourth edition.” Hank sat back as a waiter set a plate of hors d’oeuvres on the table.
Cornelia helped herself to oysters. “I would love to hear about your experiences with this substance. What is it made from, and how did you find it?” She popped an oyster into her mouth. “What possessed you to ingest it?”
“It’s a long story.”
Cornelia dabbed her lips with a table napkin. “We have time, please.”
“If you insist.” Hank stretched his arm along the back of the chair. “I was a young man with the natural curiosity of most men my age. I worked at the shop and had opportunities to peruse the shelves. The druggist asked if I’d heard of a new remedy that recently arrived. He showed me this substance that was supposedly medicinal.”
As Rork piled caviar onto a slice of toast, he stopped and stared at him. “Don’t tell me you played the fool and tasted it?”
“I almost
Similar Books
