I wasn't one of the swinging set." She wrinkled her small, straight nose. "As far as my photographic assignments went, I usually got the early morning ones, for some reason." She gave Betty a gamin grin, an engaging change from her normally cool expression. "I hate to disillusion you, but a model has to go to bed early so she won't look like a hag the next morning. She has to watch her weight. And I could tell you horror stories about posing for hours on a hot summer day wearing a fur coat."
At the expression on Betty's face, she relented. "Of course, it can be lots of fun. Especially the travel."
Absently winding a lock of silver hair around her finger, Leigh let her thoughts drift for a moment. On the whole she was satisfied with her job. It had its compensations and she wasn't really trained for anything else. But Leigh had never had any illusions about her success, or her looks, on which that success depended. She knew she was in demand now because the blond, Nordic type was in vogue. Tomorrow, fashion might decree dark, sultry looks. Realistically, Leigh accepted that her good bone structure made her highly photogenic, more so than more truly beautiful girls.
Her musing was suddenly interrupted by Jody, who ran into the room followed more sedately by Karen. Each held a rather soggy picture which was presented in turn to the two women. So lavish was their praise that the children decided to go back to the kitchen to make another creation.
Betty watched them go and then returned to their previous conversation.
"You must find the countryside around here a lot different from New York."
"Yes, it is different, but nicely so," Leigh answered spontaneously. "I like it here." She realized with a start that she wasn't saying that just for appearance sake or to be polite. She did like it here. It had a quiet beauty that strongly appealed to her and somehow she was more content now than she had been in a long time. They talked for a while longer until the children called them into the kitchen. There were two more works of art to show off. Exclaiming over the one that was solemnly presented to her, Leigh found a roll of tape and attached it in a place of prominence on the wall.
With a sparkle in her gray eyes, she told Betty, "I doubt if the tape will do this wall any harm, do you?"
Eyeing the peeling object, Betty mused, "I guess the remodeling on Jason's house will be finished soon. You must be anxious to move in."
Leigh laughed. "Believe it or not, I'm getting rather fond of this place."
"Of course, you are," Betty answered pertly. "Jason's here. When you're in love, you don't care where you live. I expect you and Jason spend most of your time in the bedroom anyway."
Disconcerted at such plain speaking, Leigh quickly said that she had been thinking of fixing the cottage up a bit.
Although the remark had been made merely to cover her embarrassment, Leigh continued to consider it long after Betty and Karen had left. Why not? She liked to keep busy. She could easily put a coat of paint on the living room walls while Jody was napping. She would check with Jason as soon as possible, she decided.
Her opportunity presented itself that evening.
Jason came to the dinner table straight from the shower, his thick black hair slightly damp and slicked back. He had apparently shaved as well, because when Leigh leaned over to place a bowl of mixed green salad on the table in front of him, she caught a whiff of tangy shaving lotion. A soft, short-sleeved shirt of navy blue stretched across his wide shoulders, the top few buttons undone to reveal the strong column of his throat.
He seemed to be in a better mood than usual and even complimented Leigh on the food. "This is delicious," he told her, after biting into a thick slice of the mushroom quiche that she had made that afternoon. "I can't remember you cooking before. Did Flora teach you?"
Before answering, Leigh reached over to help Jody with a brimming glass of milk, catching it
At the expression on Betty's face, she relented. "Of course, it can be lots of fun. Especially the travel."
Absently winding a lock of silver hair around her finger, Leigh let her thoughts drift for a moment. On the whole she was satisfied with her job. It had its compensations and she wasn't really trained for anything else. But Leigh had never had any illusions about her success, or her looks, on which that success depended. She knew she was in demand now because the blond, Nordic type was in vogue. Tomorrow, fashion might decree dark, sultry looks. Realistically, Leigh accepted that her good bone structure made her highly photogenic, more so than more truly beautiful girls.
Her musing was suddenly interrupted by Jody, who ran into the room followed more sedately by Karen. Each held a rather soggy picture which was presented in turn to the two women. So lavish was their praise that the children decided to go back to the kitchen to make another creation.
Betty watched them go and then returned to their previous conversation.
"You must find the countryside around here a lot different from New York."
"Yes, it is different, but nicely so," Leigh answered spontaneously. "I like it here." She realized with a start that she wasn't saying that just for appearance sake or to be polite. She did like it here. It had a quiet beauty that strongly appealed to her and somehow she was more content now than she had been in a long time. They talked for a while longer until the children called them into the kitchen. There were two more works of art to show off. Exclaiming over the one that was solemnly presented to her, Leigh found a roll of tape and attached it in a place of prominence on the wall.
With a sparkle in her gray eyes, she told Betty, "I doubt if the tape will do this wall any harm, do you?"
Eyeing the peeling object, Betty mused, "I guess the remodeling on Jason's house will be finished soon. You must be anxious to move in."
Leigh laughed. "Believe it or not, I'm getting rather fond of this place."
"Of course, you are," Betty answered pertly. "Jason's here. When you're in love, you don't care where you live. I expect you and Jason spend most of your time in the bedroom anyway."
Disconcerted at such plain speaking, Leigh quickly said that she had been thinking of fixing the cottage up a bit.
Although the remark had been made merely to cover her embarrassment, Leigh continued to consider it long after Betty and Karen had left. Why not? She liked to keep busy. She could easily put a coat of paint on the living room walls while Jody was napping. She would check with Jason as soon as possible, she decided.
Her opportunity presented itself that evening.
Jason came to the dinner table straight from the shower, his thick black hair slightly damp and slicked back. He had apparently shaved as well, because when Leigh leaned over to place a bowl of mixed green salad on the table in front of him, she caught a whiff of tangy shaving lotion. A soft, short-sleeved shirt of navy blue stretched across his wide shoulders, the top few buttons undone to reveal the strong column of his throat.
He seemed to be in a better mood than usual and even complimented Leigh on the food. "This is delicious," he told her, after biting into a thick slice of the mushroom quiche that she had made that afternoon. "I can't remember you cooking before. Did Flora teach you?"
Before answering, Leigh reached over to help Jody with a brimming glass of milk, catching it
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