Read Online Forever by Margaret Pemberton - Free Book Online Page B

Bradley got in touch with Gussie again, two weeks in which she had begun to suffer from headaches and to feel uneasy for no reason. Often, when walking with Mae or Eden, she would suddenly swing her head round as if someone had called her name. No one ever had, and Eden and Mae would exchange silent glances. But when Bradley finally called, Gussie suddenly felt free of that nameless anxiety that so constantly beset her. Bradley wanted only to take her out for an hour, to Audubon Park. It was nowhere special – had it been anyone else she would have felt insulted – but that afternoon she enjoyed herself. They wandered beside the winding lagoons and sat on the edge of one of the fountains, enjoying the fine spray that showered their heads and shoulders. They picnicked, surrounded by flowers and with a magnificent view of the Mississippi curving lazily seaward, and the hour stretched to two and then to three. They went into the zoo and fed nuts to the monkeys and watched the graceful prowling of the Bengal tiger. When Bradley led the way back to the car she felt flooded with disappointment.
    The car doors clicked shut. Bradley adjusted his driving mirror. His shirt was open at the neck and she could see the strong muscles of his chest. She had an overwhelming urge to reach out and touch his skin. Feel the warmth of his flesh next to hers. She wondered why she had so consistently refused to date him and could not quite remember. ‘I’m meeting the Shreves and Austin and Mae at Ruby Red’s this evening,’ Bradley said, turning to look at her. ‘Do you fancy coming?’
    â€˜Oh yes! I’d love to!’ Her eagerness had been spontaneous and unthinking. She flushed.
    His white teeth flashed in a smile. ‘I’ll pick you up at seven.’
    â€˜Yes. Thank you.’ She struggled to sound off-hand and fumbled for a cigarette.
    He flicked his lighter and leaned across, steadying her hand.
    Their eyes met. At his touch she had started to tremble. Seeing his look of intense desire, the blood burned in her veins.
    â€˜I love you, Augusta Lafayette,’ he said softly, oblivious of the families piling in and out of the cars parked around them. ‘I love you and some day I’m going to marry you.’ And then he switched the car into life, sweeping out into St Charles Avenue and towards the Lafayette home before Gussie could even catch her breath.
    The Shreve boys made her laugh. Mae, whose hand barely left Austin’s for the whole of the evening, was overjoyed to see her. It was good to be out again; to be the centre of attention; to know that if she wanted, she could have both Don and Jason Shreve eating out of the palm of her hand. Her spine tingled with suppressed excitement. It was good to be with Bradley, too. She wondered if he’d meant what he’d said to her that afternoon. There was nothing in his manner now to indicate that he had. Desirée Ashington, the local siren, had made a bee-line for him the minute they had entered, greeting him with undue familiarity. He had not seemed to object. Even now he seemed to be enjoying her attention. Her halter top was indecently low. Gussie pretended not to notice the intimacy of their conversation but Mae’s eyes were sympathetic. Desirée had even tried to add Austin’s scalp to her collection. She had failed and it had been then that Mae had agreed to marry him. At last Mae knew he wasn’t just going out with her until someone prettier came along. He loved her, just as he said he did.
    Desirée continued to dominate Bradley’s attention and the angrier Gussie became, the more she hid it, laughing with apparent delight at an inane joke of Austin’s, raising the Shreve boys’ hopes by giving them her undivided attention.
    As Bradley drove her home she sank into outraged silence, her shoulders tense, her hands clasped tightly around her knees. Instead of taking the turning for her home, Bradley