'True. I'm a small-town girl. I watch every penny. I've seen what happens to other girls in the Levee who spend every dime they have on clothes, on booze, on drugs. I've held on to my earnings.'
'I have something in mind,' said Dr Holmes. 'Can I ask you this? How much have you saved up?'
'A decent sum. About $2,000, at my last count.'
'Just right for what I have in mind, Avis,' Dr Holmes continued. 'I have a suggestion to make, a proposition, really. Right now you keep half of what you earn every night. Isn't that so?'
'It's so.'
'How would you like to keep more, much more?'
'I'd sure like that. But how -?'
Dr Holmes proceeded more confidently. 'Like letting me set you up in your own house, maybe smaller than this one, but just as luxurious. We could be partners. You would be in competition with the Everleighs, but you would be independent, your own boss, and keep most of what you earn. If you put up your savings, and I put up an equal sum, we could rent and furnish a really classy establishment. You could keep not half your income, but three-quarters, and I'd keep one-quarter for my investment. How does that sound?'
'Too good to be true.'
'There's more,' Dr Holmes added. 'You wouldn't be alone either. You could move in with me, and stay with me after hours. I'd take care of you.'
'You would?'
'I'd like to. You're a very special sort of girl. We'd get along very well. Of course, only if you'd want to live with me. Would you?'
'And how! I already hinted to you, I find you – well, attractive, and someone I'd like to bed down with on the side.'
'Well, there you have it,' said Dr Holmes, exhilarated. 'Our own business, and our own home – together. You ready to do it?'
'Just say when!'
'Tonight, Avis. Tonight. I'll go back to my office and prepare the contract for our partnership. You pack up and meet me at my place. Here's my card. Come at six o'clock. Bring all your things. Can you do that?'
'I'll manage.'
'Then we'll celebrate. I'll take you to the Palmer House for dinner -'
'Oh, my, I've never been there.'
'Just the beginning. Then you can look over our partnership contract and we'll both sign it. In a week I'll pay down on the lease of a building, and we'll furnish it together. In a month you'll be in business and making a fortune.'
'I'm so thrilled.'
'And you won't be alone at any time. We'll be together.'
He stood up. Immediately, she was on her feet in front of him, naked and wildly aroused. She hugged him tightly and kissed him.
'You'll never regret it,' she whispered.
'Neither will you, Avis,' he said wryly. 'We have a memorable date for tonight.'
'I'll be there,' she promised. 'I can't 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 part right now, if you wish. Actually, I don't like carrying around that much cash. You can put up your amount when we've found the house to lease and the furniture.'
He accepted her wad of bills. 'Very well.' He placed the money in a desk drawer and came to his feet. 'Enough of business for tonight. Time for a little pleasure and a celebration.' As she rose, he put his arm around her waist and guided her out of his office towards the staircase that led to his master bedroom.
A flickering gas-lighted sconce kept the bedroom romantically shadowed.
Holmes turned to Avis. 'We should get to know each other intimately.'
'I'm for that.'
He reached out. 'Let me undress you.'
'Not necessary. I can manage faster. You undress yourself. You've seen me naked, but I've never seen you. I can't wait.'
She undressed with agility, quicker than he was able to, and faced him in the nude while he shed his last article of clothing.
Avis inspected his brawny body. 'Not bad, not bad at all,' she said quietly.
'Then let's do something about it,' he said. 'Let's not waste time.'
She rolled on to the bed and in seconds he was beside her.
She peered down the length of his body. 'That's a very big erection. You're not going to hurt me, are you?'
'I'm going to be very sweet and gentle.'
'Herman, let me feel it, let me hold it.'