her, she said, “I don’t know what’s wrong with Bill. He seems to get more and more bitter every year. Do you think he has money problems?”
Janey had no idea, as she’d only known Bill for two years, and he had always been this way. But there was no reason to tell Mimi this, so she said, “I think Bill just hates women, period.”
Mimi stopped and looked at her in surprise. “You know, I think you’re absolutely right.”
“I’m sure it has a lot to do with his wife,” Janey said, giving Mimi a meaningful look.
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Mimi smiled and, in a conspiratorial gesture, took Janey’s arm. “I’m sure it does,” she whispered. “Poor Helen. She used to be such a nice girl . . .” And as they entered the dining room together, the sting of that embarrassing encounter with Comstock and Bill began to fade. After all, for tonight anyway there was no one more important in the room than Mimi Kilroy—and Mimi was treating her as if she were one of her very best girlfriends. And her pleasure was complete when Mimi indicated a place in the center of the room and said, “We’re right here, Janey. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve seated you at my table.” 18947_ch01.qxd 4/14/03 11:22 PM Page 33
t h r e e
three day s l ater, at just after one o’clock in the afternoon, Patty Wilcox was sitting on a bench outside the Ralph Lauren store in East Hampton, waiting for her sister, Janey, to show up.
Patty wondered why, when she knew Janey would be late, she had rushed to leave the house so that she would be at the store at precisely one o’clock, which was the time they’d agreed to meet. It wasn’t, she thought, looking fruitlessly down the street, because she thought Janey might actually be on time. But rather that when Janey spoke, Patty jumped. Theirs was a typical big sister–little sister relationship, and there were times when Patty was just a little bit afraid of Janey . . .
That morning, at eleven o’clock, Janey had called her up, and in her usual cheery voice, which implied that everything in her life was just fantastic, thank you very much, asked Patty if she wanted to go shopping that afternoon.
“I don’t know,” Patty said hesitantly. “I’m not sure it’s appropriate.” Janey’s laugh indicated that Patty was being ridiculous. “You don’t have to buy anything.”
“It’s not that,” Patty said. “I’m just not sure if I should be seen out shopping right now.”
“It’s not like you have photographers following you around, Patty. I mean, no one’s going to know who you are.”
No, Patty thought, but they would know who Janey was, and although Patty had no evidence of this, it crossed her mind that Janey was entirely capable of calling up one of the gossip columnists and telling them that Digger’s wife, who had been bilked out of a million dollars by Peter Cannon, was out shopping at Ralph 18947_ch01.qxd 4/14/03 11:22 PM Page 34
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Lauren. And then, as she always did when she thought bad things about Janey, Patty felt guilty, and the guilty part of her found itself agreeing to meet Janey at one o’clock. And now, hungry and slightly annoyed, Patty looked around and thought about getting an ice cream cone.
But then she realized she couldn’t do that either, because if Janey walked up and saw Patty eating an ice cream cone, she would give her “the look.” And on that particular day, with all the other stuff she was coping with, Patty didn’t need to be made aware of her shortcomings. Far better to go hungry than to be reminded—by Janey—of the fact that she probably did need to lose five or ten pounds.
Of course, Digger wouldn’t agree. Staring up the street toward the movie theater ( Bag o’ Bones, one of Comstock’s films, was playing), she thought about how Digger was always telling her to stand up to her sister. But she wasn’t particularly thrilled with
Janey had no idea, as she’d only known Bill for two years, and he had always been this way. But there was no reason to tell Mimi this, so she said, “I think Bill just hates women, period.”
Mimi stopped and looked at her in surprise. “You know, I think you’re absolutely right.”
“I’m sure it has a lot to do with his wife,” Janey said, giving Mimi a meaningful look.
18947_ch01.qxd 4/14/03 11:22 PM Page 32
32
c a n d a c e b u s h n e l l
Mimi smiled and, in a conspiratorial gesture, took Janey’s arm. “I’m sure it does,” she whispered. “Poor Helen. She used to be such a nice girl . . .” And as they entered the dining room together, the sting of that embarrassing encounter with Comstock and Bill began to fade. After all, for tonight anyway there was no one more important in the room than Mimi Kilroy—and Mimi was treating her as if she were one of her very best girlfriends. And her pleasure was complete when Mimi indicated a place in the center of the room and said, “We’re right here, Janey. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve seated you at my table.” 18947_ch01.qxd 4/14/03 11:22 PM Page 33
t h r e e
three day s l ater, at just after one o’clock in the afternoon, Patty Wilcox was sitting on a bench outside the Ralph Lauren store in East Hampton, waiting for her sister, Janey, to show up.
Patty wondered why, when she knew Janey would be late, she had rushed to leave the house so that she would be at the store at precisely one o’clock, which was the time they’d agreed to meet. It wasn’t, she thought, looking fruitlessly down the street, because she thought Janey might actually be on time. But rather that when Janey spoke, Patty jumped. Theirs was a typical big sister–little sister relationship, and there were times when Patty was just a little bit afraid of Janey . . .
That morning, at eleven o’clock, Janey had called her up, and in her usual cheery voice, which implied that everything in her life was just fantastic, thank you very much, asked Patty if she wanted to go shopping that afternoon.
“I don’t know,” Patty said hesitantly. “I’m not sure it’s appropriate.” Janey’s laugh indicated that Patty was being ridiculous. “You don’t have to buy anything.”
“It’s not that,” Patty said. “I’m just not sure if I should be seen out shopping right now.”
“It’s not like you have photographers following you around, Patty. I mean, no one’s going to know who you are.”
No, Patty thought, but they would know who Janey was, and although Patty had no evidence of this, it crossed her mind that Janey was entirely capable of calling up one of the gossip columnists and telling them that Digger’s wife, who had been bilked out of a million dollars by Peter Cannon, was out shopping at Ralph 18947_ch01.qxd 4/14/03 11:22 PM Page 34
34
c a n d a c e b u s h n e l l
Lauren. And then, as she always did when she thought bad things about Janey, Patty felt guilty, and the guilty part of her found itself agreeing to meet Janey at one o’clock. And now, hungry and slightly annoyed, Patty looked around and thought about getting an ice cream cone.
But then she realized she couldn’t do that either, because if Janey walked up and saw Patty eating an ice cream cone, she would give her “the look.” And on that particular day, with all the other stuff she was coping with, Patty didn’t need to be made aware of her shortcomings. Far better to go hungry than to be reminded—by Janey—of the fact that she probably did need to lose five or ten pounds.
Of course, Digger wouldn’t agree. Staring up the street toward the movie theater ( Bag o’ Bones, one of Comstock’s films, was playing), she thought about how Digger was always telling her to stand up to her sister. But she wasn’t particularly thrilled with
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