extending a hand. ‘‘I can’t tell you what a pleasure it is to meet you at last. I’ve read several of your books, and I recommend them to anyone who wants to learn more about bridge.’’
Like any straight male not on his deathbed, Dumont responded quickly to Sophie. His eyes lingered for a moment over her exquisite figure before he accepted her hand. He sketched a very courtly bow over it. ‘‘My pleasure, ma’am.’’
Sophie giggled, and Dumont beamed. Three minutes more of this, and he would be thoroughly besotted. I hid a smile.
‘‘I’m Emma Diamond,’’ I said, extending my own hand. ‘‘And this is Sophie Parker.’’
Dumont offered me the same courtesy of a bow, but I would have sworn he never took his eyes off Sophie.
‘‘It’s a pleasure to meet two such charming ladies,’’ he said, straightening and letting go of my hand. ‘‘I take it you’re both here for the bridge retreat?’’
As we both assented, he said, ‘‘How delightful! I shall look forward to working with you.’’
I turned my head away so that I wouldn’t laugh in his face. He still hadn’t taken his eyes off Sophie. I was so used to this reaction, I simply found it amusing.
Sophie giggled again, and Dumont was almost licking his lips. What he didn’t know, of course, was that Sophie always found these situations as funny as I did.
I had asked her once why she egged men on this way, and she just laughed. ‘‘Because they enjoy it, Emma, and so do I. It’s pretty harmless.’’
‘‘Basil!’’
Until she shrieked out the poor man’s name, none of us had noticed Paula Trowbridge approaching. I might have imagined it, but I would have sworn that Dumont winced at the sound of his former wife’s voice. His shoulders did tense slightly, and they stayed that way for several minutes.
When he turned to greet Paula, however, he had a pleasant smile on his face. Sophie and I watched the reunion with interest. As far as I could tell, Paula hadn’t registered the fact that Sophie and I were standing right there.
‘‘Paula, my dear, what a pleasant surprise,’’ Basil said. His tone lacked warmth, but at least it wasn’t outright rude.
He held out his hand to her. Paula, about to launch herself into his arms, halted awkwardly and stood staring at the outstretched hand. She took his hand with a woebegone look on her face. After a moment’s pause, she clasped the hand to her bosom and stared soulfully up into Dumont’s eyes.
‘‘Basil. I can’t tell you how I have longed for this moment, to be reunited with you.’’
I swear that’s what she said. I couldn’t have made up more clichéd dialogue if I had tried.
Dumont tried to free his hand, but Paula had an iron lock on it. He tugged, feebly at first, then with increasing strength, and finally she let go.
Shaking his hand, as if to restore the circulation, Dumont gave Paula a pained smile.
‘‘It’s nice to see you, Paula, dear,’’ Dumont said, ‘‘but I really do have to get to work. You’ll have to excuse me. Perhaps we can chat later.’’ He turned away.
Sophie and I should have slipped by them and disappeared before now, because our presence made things very awkward for Paula. She had finally noticed us, and her cheeks reddened in embarrassment.
‘‘Yes, Basil, dear, I’m sure you must have so much to do, but you know if there’s anything I can do to assist you, all you have to do is ask.’’
By now, Dumont had moved well away from us, and I doubted whether he had even heard her.
‘‘Sophie, Emma,’’ Paula said, ‘‘what are you two doing here?’’ She glared at us as if she had caught us stealing something from her purse.
‘‘Just exploring the hotel,’’ Sophie said. ‘‘We wanted to find out where everything is.’’
‘‘Yes,’’ I said, ‘‘it’s such a large place, and it really is lovely inside, don’t you think? The ballroom in particular.’’
Paula nodded curtly. ‘‘I’ll see
Like any straight male not on his deathbed, Dumont responded quickly to Sophie. His eyes lingered for a moment over her exquisite figure before he accepted her hand. He sketched a very courtly bow over it. ‘‘My pleasure, ma’am.’’
Sophie giggled, and Dumont beamed. Three minutes more of this, and he would be thoroughly besotted. I hid a smile.
‘‘I’m Emma Diamond,’’ I said, extending my own hand. ‘‘And this is Sophie Parker.’’
Dumont offered me the same courtesy of a bow, but I would have sworn he never took his eyes off Sophie.
‘‘It’s a pleasure to meet two such charming ladies,’’ he said, straightening and letting go of my hand. ‘‘I take it you’re both here for the bridge retreat?’’
As we both assented, he said, ‘‘How delightful! I shall look forward to working with you.’’
I turned my head away so that I wouldn’t laugh in his face. He still hadn’t taken his eyes off Sophie. I was so used to this reaction, I simply found it amusing.
Sophie giggled again, and Dumont was almost licking his lips. What he didn’t know, of course, was that Sophie always found these situations as funny as I did.
I had asked her once why she egged men on this way, and she just laughed. ‘‘Because they enjoy it, Emma, and so do I. It’s pretty harmless.’’
‘‘Basil!’’
Until she shrieked out the poor man’s name, none of us had noticed Paula Trowbridge approaching. I might have imagined it, but I would have sworn that Dumont winced at the sound of his former wife’s voice. His shoulders did tense slightly, and they stayed that way for several minutes.
When he turned to greet Paula, however, he had a pleasant smile on his face. Sophie and I watched the reunion with interest. As far as I could tell, Paula hadn’t registered the fact that Sophie and I were standing right there.
‘‘Paula, my dear, what a pleasant surprise,’’ Basil said. His tone lacked warmth, but at least it wasn’t outright rude.
He held out his hand to her. Paula, about to launch herself into his arms, halted awkwardly and stood staring at the outstretched hand. She took his hand with a woebegone look on her face. After a moment’s pause, she clasped the hand to her bosom and stared soulfully up into Dumont’s eyes.
‘‘Basil. I can’t tell you how I have longed for this moment, to be reunited with you.’’
I swear that’s what she said. I couldn’t have made up more clichéd dialogue if I had tried.
Dumont tried to free his hand, but Paula had an iron lock on it. He tugged, feebly at first, then with increasing strength, and finally she let go.
Shaking his hand, as if to restore the circulation, Dumont gave Paula a pained smile.
‘‘It’s nice to see you, Paula, dear,’’ Dumont said, ‘‘but I really do have to get to work. You’ll have to excuse me. Perhaps we can chat later.’’ He turned away.
Sophie and I should have slipped by them and disappeared before now, because our presence made things very awkward for Paula. She had finally noticed us, and her cheeks reddened in embarrassment.
‘‘Yes, Basil, dear, I’m sure you must have so much to do, but you know if there’s anything I can do to assist you, all you have to do is ask.’’
By now, Dumont had moved well away from us, and I doubted whether he had even heard her.
‘‘Sophie, Emma,’’ Paula said, ‘‘what are you two doing here?’’ She glared at us as if she had caught us stealing something from her purse.
‘‘Just exploring the hotel,’’ Sophie said. ‘‘We wanted to find out where everything is.’’
‘‘Yes,’’ I said, ‘‘it’s such a large place, and it really is lovely inside, don’t you think? The ballroom in particular.’’
Paula nodded curtly. ‘‘I’ll see
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