Whistling in the Dark (39 page)

"I wanted to mind my own business, truly. I wanted you to be happy. I--I've read some things in medical books. Phillip's. They're not very nice," she said indignantly. "Why shouldn't you have a romance of your own? Why shouldn't any of us?"

She swiped at her eyes with a trembling hand and Sutton gave her a handkerchief. "He's not any better?"

She shook her head, then tried to smile. "I'm fated to be a spinster."

"You don't know," Sutton said. "Jack's gotten better--" He cast Jack an immediate look of apology and it occurred to Jack where the conversation had been going.

"Your beau?"

"We're engaged," Mary said. "Father wouldn't let us marry before John left for France. And when he came home, he wasn't--himself. The doctors tried to help. I'm afraid they didn't do him any good." She took in their sober faces and frowned. "I won't be glum, not when we're here only a few days. Let's go out, Sutton, please? Let's find some place where they play jazz. We'll drink champagne and see all sorts of things while we can. Oh, let's have some fun. Can't we?"

"Hell, yes, we can." Jack put an arm around Mary, presenting an allied front. "Come on. Let's see what mischief we can get into." He winked at Sutton, conveying he didn't intend to get into too much, for Mary's sake. No need corrupting the entire Albright clan, despite the good start he'd made.

"This will surely be a mistake," Sutton said, but got his coat and hat. They proceeded cheerily into the corridor, to be brought up short by brother Phillip planted in their path. He looked surprised at the sight of Jack, but Mary bubbled forth an explanation.

"We're off to see the town. And I've two chaperones, so you needn't worry."

"You shouldn't be running about New York at this time of night, no matter how many chaperones you have."

Mary sighed. "Oh, Phillip, don't be such a fossil. Come with us."

Phillip seemed wary at the invitation. "Come with you? What are you up to? You know Father won't like it."

"Don't you ever do anything without getting your dad's permission first?" Jack asked and was pleased to see Phillip's eyes darken. "What's the point in coming to New York if you're not going to cut up a little?"

Phillip pulled uncomfortably from Jack's gaze and fixed on Sutton, instead. "I know just the sort of drinking dens you frequent these days and they are not appropriate places to take one's sister."

"Then you'd best come along," Sutton said. "Or are you going to wake Mother and Dad and start a row?"

Phillip scowled all the more. "We'll go out for an hour, but that's all. And no place where they play that awful racket. It's barbaric."

With the awful racket in mind, Jack gave the cabbie directions that had Sutton glancing at him in alarm. But to Jack's amazement, he didn't say a word, perhaps more to irk Phillip than indulge Mary. Phillip voiced further suspicions as the cab deposited them well within earshot of the music burgeoning into the street. But Mary and Sutton prodded and cajoled until they had him through the doorway and into the dim, congested confines of Graham's club.

Once inside, Phillip and Mary both fell quiet, trailing Sutton as a waiter took them to a table and Jack ordered champagne. With a pale golden glassful before him, Phillip wrinkled his nose in disdain. "You don't go out drinking every night, do you?"

"No," Sutton said with grave assurance. "Occasionally we drink at home."

Mary giggled. "If I lived in New York, I would go out every night too. The champagne is lovely," she said as Jack refilled her glass. "The music is--oh, just heaven."

"It's loud." Phillip looked around at the band. "And it sounds as if they're playing whatever comes into their heads."

Sutton caught Jack's eye and Jack laughed. "Your rhythm's all right," he said with a wink.

Phillip looked at Sutton, shocked. "You play jazz?"

Sutton, looking a little scandalized himself, ignored his brother and reached across the table to seize Mary's hand. "Come and dance?"

"Oh, yes, yes," she said and all but dragged him out of his seat.

Jack smiled to himself as they scurried away. If Sutton wasn't quite ready to let on too much in front of Phillip, Jack couldn't blame him for it. Phillip wasn't ready to hear it and Jack had a feeling he might not ever be. He first had to come down to earth and join the ranks of the imperfect. "Don't care for champagne?"

"Not really." Phillip's uneasy gaze stayed on his siblings. "I cannot comprehend what she's thinking."

"I think she's just having fun," Jack said. "Some folks take to New York quicker than others."

Phillip retreated behind his disapproving frown. "No offense, Mr. Bailey, but this is a rather rough crowd you've cast us among. Who knows what sort of fellow may cut in."

"Sutton will look after her."

Phillip sniffed. "Sutton cannot even look after himself."

"Sutton's been looking after himself since he got here. And he's done all right at it, too."

"I doubt he's told you the circumstances that brought him here."

"That he got kicked out of school?"

"He's told you the details?"

"I've heard his side of the story--"

"Have you?" Phillip's shrewd stare mimicked his dad's. His tone made it clear he knew Sutton's secret--and that he didn't believe Sutton would have divulged that secret to anyone who wasn't in the same boat.

It was damage Jack hadn't meant to do. He was taking swings at Phillip and he didn't know why, except that he wanted to defend Sutton's choices. And he wanted--hell, he wanted Sutton to stay. Just like always, he wanted the wrong things.

Still--if Phillip intended to tell his parents the sordid details of what he believed was Sutton's latest indiscretion, the unexpected pain in his face said otherwise. "You're taking advantage of a sick boy. He was injured overseas, you know. He isn't himself--"

"You really believe that?" Surprised as he was by Phillip's abrupt defense, Jack knew how much of it was just another kind of denial. He had seen it before. And something in Phillip's manner made Jack think he had, too.

If so, Phillip wasn't going to acknowledge it. His lips thinned, the sullen gleam returning to douse other emotions in his eyes. "You won't get a penny--"

"I don't want your money. Or your dad's." Funny, how it always came around to that. "I guess it never crossed your mind that maybe I just like Sutton?"

"It's getting rather late--" Phillip looked around in sudden alarm. "Where's Mary?"

Jack twisted in his chair to see Sutton returning alone. Mary was still dancing--with Theo, to Jack's amusement.

"You know that fellow?" Phillip asked as Sutton sat and poured a fresh glass. "He's not a jazz musician, is he?"

"He's entirely respectable." Sutton met Jack's glance. "And more importantly, he's good-hearted. Mary's safe." At Phillip's sharp glance, Sutton laughed. "We are forever vexing you, aren't we?"

Phillip looked alarmed over whatever family secret Sutton appeared about to share. "Sutton--"

"Go ahead," Jack said with a grin.

"It's funny, really," Sutton said. "I was seven, as I recall, Mary ten, and Phillip thirteen. Mother and Dad had gone to a summer tea party at a hotel in town and Phillip had the care of us for the afternoon. Mary was enchanted with the idea of dancing at a tea party so she put me in my best suit and we started off to find the hotel." Sutton looked at his brother. "You had your nose in a book--didn't you? And never knew we'd gone until we were well on our way. Of course we couldn't find the correct hotel, but the one we found was just as good. There was dancing in the dining room and a nice fellow gave me ice cream and Mary a dance while they sent a boy to summon our parents. Mother was horrified--" Sutton's brow wrinkled. "Though I have the strangest memory of Father laughing about it."

"And it's been thrown up to me ever since," Phillip said.

"I wasn't," Sutton said gently. "Anyway, it was an innocent mistake. Everyone was amused afterward and Mary and I had a splendid time."

"Of course you did. Mother and Father never admonished you--"

"For heaven's sake. It hardly transformed you into the black sheep of the family."

"If you're the black sheep, it's your own doing."

"It is. But I'm learning to live with my mistakes. I think I can acknowledge them. You still think Mary and I should have known better than to wander off, unchaperoned."

Phillip frowned. "You should," he muttered and sipped at his champagne.

Sutton smiled. "Certainly we should know better now, I suppose," he said as Mary returned to the table, flushed and laughing, Theo at her side. Sutton introduced him to Phillip and invited him to sit.

"Can't, my dears. I'm singing in a minute." Theo snagged Jack's sleeve. "A word with you, Mr. Bailey?"

Excusing himself, Jack left the table, with Theo still plucking at his coat. "What's all this?" Theo said, nearly drowned out by the band. "Shall I behave myself? Such a sweet bunch of baby chicks. Whatever possessed you to bring them here?"

"Jazz. Mary was curious."

"Ah." Theo nodded. "Graham said the band wanted to ask Sutton in again. How's his shoulder?"

"Still on the bum. He's not ready to play yet." Jack looked around. Sutton and Mary were laughing, at the tale of the tea party, he guessed. A petulant Phillip seemed ready to scold them until Mary leaned over and kissed his cheek. To Jack's surprise, Phillip gave in to the rueful semblance of a smile.

"Lovely family," Theo said. "They know about--"

"Phillip and Mary know. I don't think it'll be long before their folks know, too."

"Think you're cooked?"

"Pounded, diced, and broiled. You're performing?"

Theo's gaze was sympathetic. "I'll keep it polite just for this performance. I don't want to shock the dear little girl too much. That stiff-necked brother, however--"

"He's probably not so bad, somewhere deep down." Maybe even not so deep. The three of them were laughing now and he suspected they were digging up other childhood misadventures as the champagne level dropped. Phillip looked decidedly more like his siblings with a smile on his face. Lovely family, Jack mused. He supposed they weren't any worse or better than any other family.

"Jack?" Theo's voice broke into his thoughts. "There are ways--"

"I've thought of them all. It's not going to work." Jack turned to him. "Sing something cheery, will you?"

"Jack," Theo said softly.

"For God's sake, don't hug me. Just go sing."

Theo went, but Jack stayed for a few minutes and watched the Albright kids regale each other--watched Sutton, mostly. The band started up again and Theo took the stage, a trio of young men joining him. As requested, he began with an upbeat number, his beautiful tenor rising above the others. Afterward, Jack stole a dance with Mary and out on the dance floor, she whispered to him, "I'm glad you're better."

"Thanks. Your beau's name is John?"

Heartache clouded her eyes and it took her a long minute to answer. "John Campbell."

Jack impetuously kissed her cheek. "I know it's tough, but--can you give him a little more time? Talk to him and don't give up till he starts talking, too. Some of it will be awful to hear, but if you can bear it--well, I've heard it helps." Jack smiled. "Just don't forget to talk about the future. He's got to hope."

"You hope for things," she said, and when he just nodded, she smiled. "You're a good fellow, Jack."

He was glad she thought so. He wasn't feeling like one. They had hardly returned to the hotel and said their good-nights to Mary and Phillip when Sutton closed the door, locked it, and took Jack into his arms without a word. Jack hid burning eyes in Sutton's coat collar and wished he could stand there, holding on forever.

Sutton pressed warm lips to his jaw. "Stay."

God, how he wanted to. "I'll get you into trouble."

Sutton moved toward the bed, taking him along. They landed in a heap on the mattress and still Jack wanted nothing more than to just hold on.

Sutton looked at him in the darkness. "I like the way you get me into trouble," he said and kissed him.

Jack stayed until five-thirty. In the pale light that glowed from behind lush drapes, he dressed and left Sutton curled asleep and no doubt dreaming of the big night ahead. Though he had cab fare, Jack took the subway home, wanting the noise and warmth, needing the distraction. He knew Sutton would stay at the hotel to practice for the concert and it was just as well.

With time to kill, he took a brush to his evening clothes, readying them for later. He went down for breakfast and though it was still too early to open, he did. Customers came in immediately, asking about the program, and Jack invited them to the Plaza concert. He wanted Sutton to have the thunder of applause he couldn't have with the radio show. He wanted to fill the ballroom until guests overflowed into the street and the park beyond.

Working straight through lunch, he cajoled and charmed customers with everything in him. Harry would only comment on the substantial receipts as they closed up.

"We did all right," Jack said. "You going home to dress?"

"Yeah." Harry eyed him. "You okay?"

"Are you kidding? Our boy's first big concert. I've never been better."

"Uh huh." Harry put the receipts away and gathered his things. "Gert singing tonight?"

"Yeah. I'll go over for Esther and we'll meet you there."

Harry nodded. At the door, he looked back. "You know, Jackie--even if he gets more invitations, he'll play for us."

"I know." Jack returned that reassurance with a blithe smile and went up to dress. Coming back down, he bumped into Ox, who was headed across the street for Esther. They'd no sooner stepped foot in the restaurant than they knew Ida had thrown their plans for a loop. Esther, still in her apron, scurried to keep up with orders for the supper crowd.

Jack followed on her heels. "It's six-fifteen, Es. We have to go."

"I can't." She tugged a loose curl behind her ear and raised stricken eyes from her notepad to look at Jack. "I'm sorry. Honestly, tell Sutton I'm sorry--"

"Why can't you? What's wrong?"

Jack knew what her tears meant. He turned for the kitchen, but Esther caught his arm. "Jack, don't. It's not her fault. We're just busier than we've ever been. Anyway, you don't need me there. Gert can carry it fine on her own."