Queen by Alex Haley Page B

him sometimes, to introduce him, because James was
        young, and handsome and eligible. James discovered that he enjoyed being
        the center of attention for the many charming young ladies of the elite. He
        flirted with them outrageously, to their delight, and the greater, evident
        pleasure of their mothers, who saw him as a potential suitor for their
        daughters. Invitations flooded to him, and he was invited to the annual
        Pemberton ball, the finest evening on the Philadelphia social calendar.
        The display of wealth was almost too gaudy. He had never seen such opulence
        and extravagance. The tables were heaped with food, hams and lobsters and
        crabs and pheasant and ven-
        BLOODLINES 63
     
    ison and tempting cakes and trifles, and fruits he had never before seen.
        The men were simply but handsomely attired in dark velvets, as if they
        did not want to distract from the beauty of their female companions. The
        women were gorgeous. The younger wore elegant, simple gowns, cut low to
        reveal their breasts in a way that James found delightfully shocking.
        Their mothers and aunts were more cautiously dressed, but still the
        rainbow colors of the silks and satins and velvets enchanted him, and the
        clusters of jewels on necks, fingers, arms, and ears dazzled his eyes.
        The splendid musicians played lively gigs, black servants dressed in
        white kept his glass filled with champagne, and he danced as heartily as
        ever in his life.
        Giddy with happiness, he was introduced to his hosts and their daughter,
        Lucy Pemberton. He smiled his most mischievous smile, told Lucy how
        pretty she was, and begged to be allowed the honor of a dance.
        Somewhat to his surprise, Lucy found a place on her card for him
        immediately, and accepted his arm. To his further surprise, many of those
        watching applauded as the couple stepped to the dance.
    "You will never amount to anything."
        James wished his father could see him now, for he had already amounted
        to something, an eligible young bachelor with money in his pocket,
        dancing with the most desirable young lady in the city. He had been in
        America for only a year, was hardly on his way, and yet he was already
        more than his father had been.
        Lucy's dress was in the French Empire style, and exceedingly low cut.
        James could hardly take his eyes from her delicious breasts, which must
        bounce from their muslin restraints, he was sure, if she danced too
        energetically.
        "We haven't seen you before," Lucy said sweetly, and James turned on his
        most charming, self-effacing smile.
    "No," he laughed. "I just got off the boat."
        Lucy trilled a silly laugh and told him how worried she was about the
        conditions in Ireland.
        "Indeed, they are terrible," James agreed, his eyes drifting to her
        bosom.
    64 ALEX HALEY'S QUEEN
     
        "With all those peasants dying, how will we ever get our supplies of
        linen?" Lucy twittered.
        James said nothing because he could think of nothing to say. He tried to
        keep the smile on his face, and concentrated on Lucy's breasts, but they
        had lost their attraction for him. He finished the dance and delivered Lucy
        to her parents, and shortly afterward he left the party without telling
        John of his departure.
     
    He walked home with a dull and simmering anger churning in his stomach. He
    was appalled at Lucy's callousness. Peasants, his friends, were dying, and
    all she could think about was her precious linen. He couldn't blame her; she
    was just a silly, vapid girl who didn't know what she was talking about. He
    directed much of his anger at himself, because he did know better, and he
    began to question his goals.