Mildred Pierce - James M. Cain [102]
Mildred felt she had to talk to Veda about this, and one Sunday nTorning screwed up her courage to start. But Veda elected to be hurt. "After all, Mother, it was you that said I couldn't lie around here all the time. And just because that prissy -Ida—-oh well, let's not get on that subject. There's nothing to be alarmed at, Mother. I may go into pictures, that's all. And Elaine may be a bum—well there's no use being silly about it. I grant at once that she's nothing but a tramp. But she knows directors. Lots of them. All of them. And you have to know directors to get a test."
Mildred tried conscientiously to accept this version, reminded herself that the picture career had been her own idea, too. But she remained profoundly miserable, almost physically sick.
One afternoon, at the Glendale restaurant, Mildred was checking inventory with Mrs. Kramer when Arline came into the -kitchen and said a Mrs. Lenhardt was there to see her. Then, lowering her voice, Arline added excitedly: "I think it's the director's wife." -
Mildred quickly scrubbed up her hands, dried them, and went out. Then she felt her face get prickly. Arline had said Mrs. Lenhardt, but the woman near the door was the very Mrs. Forrester to whom she had apphed, years before, for the job as housekeeper. She had just time to recall that Mrs. Porrester had expected to be married again when the lady turned, then came over beaming, with outstretched glove and alarming graciousness. "Mrs. Pierce? I've been looking forward so much to meeting you. I'm Mrs. Lenhardt, Mrs. John Lenhardt, and I'm sure we're going to work out our little problem splendidly."
This greeting left Mildred badly crossed up, and as she led Mrs. Lenhardt to a table she speculated wildly as to what it might mean. She had a panicky fear that it had something to do with that visit years before, that Veda, would find out she had once actually applied for a servant's job, that the consequences would be horrible. As she faced her visitor, she suddenly made up her mind that whatever this was about, she was going to deny everything; deny that she had ever seen Mrs. Forrester before, or been to her house, or even considered a position as housekeeper. She had no sooner made this decision than she saw Mrs. Forrester eyeing her sharply. "But haven't we met before, Mrs. Pierce."
"Possibly in one of my restaurants."
"But I don't go to restaurants, Mrs. Pierce."
"I have a branch in Beverly. You may have dropped in for a cup of chocolate some time, many people do. You probably saw me there. Of course, if I'd seen you I'd remember it."
"No doubt that's it."
As Mrs. Lenhardt continued to stare, Arline appeared and began dusting tables. It seemed to Mildred that Arline's ears looked bigger than usual, so she called her over, and asked Mrs. Lenhardt if she could offer her something. When Mrs. Lenhardt declined, she pointedly told Arline she could let the tables go until later. Mrs. Lenihardt settled into her coat like a hen occupying a nest, and gushed: "I've come to talk about our children, Mrs. Pierce—our babies, I'm almost tempted to say, because that's the way I really feel about them."
"Our—?"
"Your little one, Veda—she's such a lovely girl, Mrs. Pierce. I don't know when I've taken a child to my heart as I have Veda. And. . . my boy."
Mildred, nervous and frightened, stared for a moment and said: "Mrs. Lenhardt, I haven't any idea what you're talking about."
"Oh come, come, Mrs. Pierce."
"I don't know what you mean."
Mildred's tone was sharp, and Mrs. Lenhardt looked at her steadily, her lips smiling, her eyes not believing. Then she broke into a high, shrill laugh. "Oh of course you don't! How stupid of me, Mrs. Pierce. I should have explained that my boy, my baby, is Sam Forrester."
As Mildred still stared, Mrs. Lenhardt saw at last that this might