wait.’
It was early evening, and they were seated in the grand dining-room of the Palmer House.
Avis decorously dressed in a pink blouse, and broad-lapelled Eton jacket, and tailored brown skirt and Dr Holmes held hands across the table, as a uniformed waiter served them soup out of a silver tureen.
After the waiter had discreetly receded, Holmes was amused to see the awe on Avis’s face as she repeatedly scanned the rich furnishings of the room.
‘This room,’ said Holmes, ‘is fashioned precisely after the dining-room of the Potsdam Palace in Germany.’
‘That chandelier is a knockout,’ Avis said.
‘It’s an Egyptian chandelier,’ Holmes explained. ‘The mirrors around the room are Venetian, and that staircase over there is made of Italian Carrara marble. Nothing is too good
for you, my dear. Do you wish another bottle of Veuve Clicquot?’
‘I’d better concentrate on my soup. What did we order? I forgot.’
‘Terrapin a la Maryland for your main course. I ordered prime roast beef.’
They spooned their soup in momentary silence. Avis spoke up again. ‘You saw I brought two suitcases into your house. I moved out of the Everleigh Club completely. They never saw me go.’ She hesitated. ‘I hope you meant every word you said - about me moving in with you. And about our partnership.’
‘I couldn’t have been more serious. You can believe everything I told you.’
‘I’m glad,’ Avis said, ‘because I took it very seriously.’ She touched her purse on the table. ‘I even brought my share of the investment. I withdrew my $2,000 from the bank.’
‘Excellent,’ said Holmes. ‘As I promised you, I’ll match it.’ He put down his spoon. ‘I drew up the contract for your approval.’ He reached into a pocket, brought out a piece of paper, and unfolded it. ‘Here it is. Just as I outlined our agreement. Have a look.’ She glanced at the page.
‘You can see,’ Holmes went on, ‘exactly as I told you. Your $2,000 and my $2,000. You run the place we lease, and you keep 75 per cent of the profits. I keep 25 per cent for my share. Can you see that?’
‘I’m not good at reading contracts. I’m sure I can trust you.’ She handed the contract back. ‘Why don’t you hold on to it until we’re ready to sign.’
He slipped the contract back in his pocket. ‘We can sign right after dinner, when we get back to my place. How’s that?’
‘I look forward to it,’ Avis said, watching the waiter as he removed her soup plate and then replaced it with an elegantly presented Terrapin a la Maryland.
After dinner, Avis waited for Dr Holmes to reclaim his hat and cape, and then she accompanied him outside to the corner of Monroe and State Streets. When the Packard was brought around, Holmes helped Avis into the front seat and took his own seat behind the wheel.
Avis patted the front seat. ‘This is really living in style.’ Holmes smiled. ‘There is more, much more, where this came from.’
Neither spoke much on the long drive back to the Castle. One thing Avis said, that Holmes would remember, was, ‘It’s so good to get out of the Everleigh Club. I mean, the sisters were nice to me, and the Club was comfortable, but it gets tiresome sleeping with so many different men but no one who’s special. It’ll be marvellous sleeping with one man who cares for you.’ She cast him a sidelong glance. ‘You do care for me, don’t you, Herman?’ ‘More than you can know.’
Once they had entered the Castle, Holmes took Avis’s jacket and hung it up. Then he led her into his office, and found the contract again. ‘Let’s sign this right now and get business over with. I’ll affix my signature and then you do the same.’
He signed and waited for her to sign. Retrieving the contract, Holmes said, ‘Why don’t I make out my check for $2,000 so that you can see I’m putting up a sum equal to yours.’
‘Not necessary,’ said Avis, unfastening her purse. ‘You can have my
It was early evening, and they were seated in the grand dining-room of the Palmer House.
Avis decorously dressed in a pink blouse, and broad-lapelled Eton jacket, and tailored brown skirt and Dr Holmes held hands across the table, as a uniformed waiter served them soup out of a silver tureen.
After the waiter had discreetly receded, Holmes was amused to see the awe on Avis’s face as she repeatedly scanned the rich furnishings of the room.
‘This room,’ said Holmes, ‘is fashioned precisely after the dining-room of the Potsdam Palace in Germany.’
‘That chandelier is a knockout,’ Avis said.
‘It’s an Egyptian chandelier,’ Holmes explained. ‘The mirrors around the room are Venetian, and that staircase over there is made of Italian Carrara marble. Nothing is too good
for you, my dear. Do you wish another bottle of Veuve Clicquot?’
‘I’d better concentrate on my soup. What did we order? I forgot.’
‘Terrapin a la Maryland for your main course. I ordered prime roast beef.’
They spooned their soup in momentary silence. Avis spoke up again. ‘You saw I brought two suitcases into your house. I moved out of the Everleigh Club completely. They never saw me go.’ She hesitated. ‘I hope you meant every word you said - about me moving in with you. And about our partnership.’
‘I couldn’t have been more serious. You can believe everything I told you.’
‘I’m glad,’ Avis said, ‘because I took it very seriously.’ She touched her purse on the table. ‘I even brought my share of the investment. I withdrew my $2,000 from the bank.’
‘Excellent,’ said Holmes. ‘As I promised you, I’ll match it.’ He put down his spoon. ‘I drew up the contract for your approval.’ He reached into a pocket, brought out a piece of paper, and unfolded it. ‘Here it is. Just as I outlined our agreement. Have a look.’ She glanced at the page.
‘You can see,’ Holmes went on, ‘exactly as I told you. Your $2,000 and my $2,000. You run the place we lease, and you keep 75 per cent of the profits. I keep 25 per cent for my share. Can you see that?’
‘I’m not good at reading contracts. I’m sure I can trust you.’ She handed the contract back. ‘Why don’t you hold on to it until we’re ready to sign.’
He slipped the contract back in his pocket. ‘We can sign right after dinner, when we get back to my place. How’s that?’
‘I look forward to it,’ Avis said, watching the waiter as he removed her soup plate and then replaced it with an elegantly presented Terrapin a la Maryland.
After dinner, Avis waited for Dr Holmes to reclaim his hat and cape, and then she accompanied him outside to the corner of Monroe and State Streets. When the Packard was brought around, Holmes helped Avis into the front seat and took his own seat behind the wheel.
Avis patted the front seat. ‘This is really living in style.’ Holmes smiled. ‘There is more, much more, where this came from.’
Neither spoke much on the long drive back to the Castle. One thing Avis said, that Holmes would remember, was, ‘It’s so good to get out of the Everleigh Club. I mean, the sisters were nice to me, and the Club was comfortable, but it gets tiresome sleeping with so many different men but no one who’s special. It’ll be marvellous sleeping with one man who cares for you.’ She cast him a sidelong glance. ‘You do care for me, don’t you, Herman?’ ‘More than you can know.’
Once they had entered the Castle, Holmes took Avis’s jacket and hung it up. Then he led her into his office, and found the contract again. ‘Let’s sign this right now and get business over with. I’ll affix my signature and then you do the same.’
He signed and waited for her to sign. Retrieving the contract, Holmes said, ‘Why don’t I make out my check for $2,000 so that you can see I’m putting up a sum equal to yours.’
‘Not necessary,’ said Avis, unfastening her purse. ‘You can have my
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