Page:Levenson - Butterfly Man.djvu/168

166 walked out of Howard's apartment, but you aren't seen in public with him any more."

"That isn't true. Did Norah—"

"Yes, Norah told me. And she says you've been drinking fire water with your boiled eggs and toast for breakfast."

"So you've gone blue nose in your old age," he smiled. "Don't you want your Auntie Kinetta to enjoy a nip or two?"

"One or two is all right. But why did you move out on Howard?"

"It's a long, long story, Nellie, my girl."

"Tell it. And be quick about it."

"I'd rather live alone. That's all."

"What other reasons have you thought up, small brain?"

"To be frank—and to be serious, Nellie, I don't want people to talk about us."

"You don't really truly believe what you are saying, do you?"

"I do."

She lighted a gold-tipped cigarette. "I feel like a mother to you, son; that's why I'm here. The grapevine has it you quarrelled with Howie at Derek Bland's, screamed at him publicly at Lido, walked out of the Barrington and last night turned him down for one Ernie Emerson, whom I've heard tell plenty about in my days on the road."

"Meaning what?"

"You know who Ernie Emerson is, don't you?"

"I met him for the first time last night."

"And I suppose you returned the platinum wrist watch he gave you?"

"I forgot to thank him for it. I'm having dinner with