Read Online Persuasive Lips by Sherry Silver - Free Book Online Page B

eature you hoodwin k ed into matrimony?” Tired and aching, Mr. Roosevelt allowed his valet to push his wheelchair to the Presidential bedroom.
    “ Traveling again. But Mrs. Fuji did send special package you requested.” “Perfect t i ming, son.”
    Fala leapt from his master's lap to the chair at the foot of the bed. He circled twice and kneaded his paws into the u pholstery b efore curli n g up to sleep. As was t heir usual routine, the President began undressing.
    The valet stepped into the ad j oining bathroom and turned the spigots on. Fuji adjusted the temperature and then told his b o ss, “Be right back,” as he dashed out of the suite.
    Fuji soon returned with a brown intera g ency envelope. He delivered it to the President then mumb l ed, “I hope no overflow!” as he ran into the bathroom.
    Mr. Roosevelt unsealed the metal clasp on the envelope and emptied the c ontents onto his white bedspread. He gr i nned while inspecting the nyl o n s tockings.
    “ Okay sir, your bath is drawn.”
    President Franklin D elano Roo s evelt replaced the contraband, wheeled over to a bookshelf and slipped the envelope behind an original edition of Poor Richa r d’s Almana c . “When’s the missus due back?”
    “ Not for month. Wish we get de l ivery f r om stork and she stay home.” He p ushed the wheelchair into the bathroom. Fuji rem o ved Mr. Roosevelt’s trousers and torturous leg braces.
    The President smiled. “Careful what you w i sh for. Once that old stork finds your address, he might b e come a pest. He visited the missus and me six times in ten years . First a little girl, then f i ve boys .”
    Claude Fuji laughed with the President.
    * * * * *
    Still high o n adrenaline, the first lady chang e d into blue-and-white-striped pajamas. She left h e r bedroom and t o ok her dirty clothes to the ham p er in the hall closet, dropping them on top. She dug down and fis h ed out her husband’s shirt. It reeked of French perfume and the collar had a scarlet-colored smudge. Tucking it under her arm, she trotted downstairs, straight to his secretar y ’s office. Looking o v er her shoulder, Mrs. Roosevelt ducked inside. She sat in Vera Blandings’ chair, rummaging through h e r desk. The first lady removed a tube o f lipstick from the top side drawer. She straighten e d the small stacks of papers i n side, then hurried back to her bedroom. Thank goodness no one saw me.
    Eleanor shut the door and locked it. She yanked the cap fr o m the lipstick and twisted it u p. Mrs. Roosevelt compared the color to the smudge on her husband’s shirt. It matched. Her stomach churned as tears welled in her eyes. Not ag a in. All the pain from 1918 came rushing back. That Lucy Mercer had nearly ended their marriage. I will not stand for him to be involved with another secretary. Eleanor twisted the li p stick back down, replaced the cap and chucked it into a wastebasket. Then s he shoved his shirt in with it. She stomped it down with her foot.
    Eleanor climbed in bed and picked up the telephone receiver on her walnut nightst a nd.
    The White House o p erator asked, “Yes Missus Roosevelt, how may I direct your call?”
    * * * * *
    Now past midnight, across t o wn in A n acostia, the mournful winter wind harmonized horribly with the o ff-key singing from down the hall at the boarding house. Chloe lay shivering in cold water, unaware how much time had passed since she’d drawn the bath. It was her desperate attem p t to wash the evil away. Succumbing to the incessant pounding on the door, she whimper e d, “Orpha, if you and Shirl e y don’t stop that wretched caterwauling I’ll vacate the room.”
    Chloe stumbled out of the tub onto the cold pink and black floor. Lavender-scented suds slid down her l e gs and pooled on the f lower-patterned tile.
    “ It’s Mrs. Grogan dear. Did your special fella come t h rough for ya tonight? I want all the ro m antic details.”
    Shivering, Chloe leaned over and twisted a worn but bright