The Love Machine (56 page)

At the moment, Judith Austin was standing before the mirror silently reappraising herself. She smiled at the mirror and studied her smile. It certainly looked forced. Well, that was the smile she had held until nine thirty, until the last guest had finally departed. Her head ached and she had longed to go to her room, but she had forced herself to have a quiet snack with Gregory in the privacy of his bedroom. She had nibbled at the cold turkey and listened to him gripe. The parties were becoming too goddam show-business-oriented. Next year he would personally check the list—if there
was
an eggnog party next year.

Ordinarily she would have argued, or soothed him, but tonight she was too immersed in her own thoughts. When she finally left him for the privacy of her own bedroom, she had flung herself across the bed fully clothed and tried to sort the events of the evening in her mind.

But now, as she stood in her nightgown, she had to face the unhappy realization that Robin Stone had
not
taken the bait. Suddenly her defenses crumbled and tears rolled down her face. She had held them back all night. She had not allowed herself to
think of his rejection. She couldn’t afford to—not before all those people, not with Gregory. But now she could give in to her emotions. Suddenly she blew her nose. She would not cry! Tears were a luxury she could not afford. Oh, a few nice diamondlike drops at a sad play, or at the news of the death of a friend; tears that could gently slide down the corners of her eyes without damaging the mascara on the bottom lashes. But no out-and-out tears, no sobbing: that meant puffy eyelids the next day and bags under the eyes. And she had a luncheon date at the Colony and a formal dinner party at night.

But Robin had rejected her. No, not actually rejected her—just ignored her veiled offer. Veiled! She had never come on so strong with anyone in her life. In the past it had never taken more than a look, a subtle smile, to bring on instant reaction. Oh God … she wanted him so! She needed someone to hold her and tell her she was lovely. She needed love. She wanted Robin! She wanted sex with someone who would make her feel young and desirable. It had been months since Gregory had tried. Oh God, to be young again, and have a man like Robin
want
you, to sit in dark bars and hold hands, to walk along the sand in the Hamptons and look at the moon… . Judith’s love began in her heart and mind—the orgasm was only incidental. For her, as long as she was emotionally involved, the experience was gratifying. If she could have Robin’s arms around her, feel his naked body close to her own, touch his face—nothing else would matter.

Gregory had never excited her as a man. Even when he was young, vigorous and hearty, he lacked the spark that ignited romance. Right from the start sex had never been important to him. He knew nothing about any variations in lovemaking. He said none of the right things at the proper moments—he had never gone down on her in his entire life. Perhaps it was her fault. Perhaps she had made him feel she was above it. But she had never been able to feel one tinge of the excitement for Gregory that she had felt for her “outside” lovers. He wouldn’t believe the abandon she displayed in bed with them—the abandon that came from the thrill of romance. Yet there was so much she admired about Gregory. She loved him with the same devotion she had for her father and her mother. She would be lost without him. They had
a marvelous life together. She was never bored with Gregory—only there was no romance and never had been. Perhaps a man who was a dynamo was incapable of expressing the sentimental little things that meant so much to a woman. But Robin Stone was just as forceful as Gregory, even more so. Yet you felt it was all pent up inside him. And tonight he had left with that washed-up actress, Diana Williams. How could a man who was so unattainable to her be available to starlets and broken-down has-beens? It wasn’t fair! To have Robin would be the supreme conquest. He wouldn’t be just an extracurricular lover. He had the same vitality she admired in Gregory, but Robin was beautiful, exciting—oh God, to be loved by a man like that!

But he had rejected her. Perhaps he thought it was too dangerous? Of course—that must be it! If they had an affair and it ended badly he might feel his career would be hurt. She had to make him understand that if they had a month together—a year together—no matter how they parted, it would in no way affect his job at IBC.

She walked to the mirror and gazed at her face. Good Lord, there was over an inch of slack loose skin. It had all happened so gradually. She pulled the skin tight. She looked marvelous! Well, that settled it: tomorrow she’d start searching for the right doctor. And she’d have to get some pills. She hadn’t had the curse in five months and the night sweats were murder. You couldn’t sleep with a man like Robin and wake up in the middle of the night bathed in perspiration.

She slipped into a robe. Odd that Gregory hadn’t come in to say good night and hurl one final threat that this was positively the last eggnog party. She would go in and kiss his forehead and wish him a Happy New Year if he was awake. Now that she had made her decision about her face and the plan to get Robin, she felt exhilarated. She would have to tell Gregory about the face-lift and explain that it was just for her own vanity. There’d be no problem about her disappearing from the scene—she’d pretend to be visiting Connie in Rome.

Her smile vanished the moment she entered his bedroom.

He was lying across the bed, fully clothed. Alarm and conscience constricted her throat.

“Greg,” she whispered softly.

“That eggnog has formed a rock in my gut,” he groaned.

She breathed with relief. “You say that every year, but you drink more than anyone else. There’s no rule that says you have to drink it. You could always have Scotch. Now come on, get undressed.”

“I can’t move, Judith. Whenever I try, the pain stabs at me.”

“Shall I get you an Alkie?”

“I’ve had two.”

“Gregory, you just can’t stay like that, lying across the bed. Come on, now.”

He made an attempt to sit, but doubled over. His face was white and he looked at her blankly. “Judith, this is something different.”

She was at his side immediately. “Where does it hurt?”

“In my gut.”

“Then it’s just indigestion, Greg. Try getting undressed, then you can relax.” He tried to move and cried out in agony. She rushed to the phone and called the doctor. She noticed that Gregory did not stop her. He sat on the bed, doubled over, rocking back and forth.

Dr. Spineck arrived in twenty minutes. Judith was downstairs, waiting to let him in. “David, I’m glad you could come.”

“I’m glad I checked with my service. From what you tell me it doesn’t sound like heart.”

“I think it’s plain old-fashioned indigestion. I hate to call you out, but he’s never had it like this.”

She waited outside the room while the doctor examined him. When he called her in, Gregory was sitting in a chair, fully dressed, quite calm.

“I gave him a shot of Demerol to ease the pain,” Dr. Spineck said. “I think it’s the gall bladder.”

“That’s not serious.” It was more of a statement than a question.

“We’ll have to take some tests,” he answered. “But you’re right. It’s not serious. Just unpleasant.”

They drove to the hospital in the doctor’s car. Gregory was installed in a corner room. Nurses were summoned. Blood tests were taken. Judith was shunted to the lounge where she sat and chain-smoked. After half an hour. Dr. Spineck appeared. “It isn’t going to be as simple as we thought. A stone is lodged in the duct and he needs an operation immediately. I’ve summoned Dr. Lesgarn. He’ll be here any second.”

At one o’clock Gregory was wheeled out of the room. The floor nurse brought Judith some coffee. She sat in Gregory’s room and waited. She must have dozed off, because Dr. Spineck touched her cheek gently. She sat up and stared in startled surprise at her surroundings. In a flash she reoriented herself and glanced at her watch—it was four in the morning. Her eyes shot to the bed where Gregory should be. In alarm she looked at Dr. Spineck. He smiled. “Gregory’s all right. He’s in the postoperative room. He’ll be there for hours. I’ve arranged for nurses around the clock.”

“He’ll be all right?” she asked.

He nodded. “He must have had gallstones for quite some time. It was a rougher operation than we counted on. He can’t jump out of bed and be back at the office in two weeks—he’s got to take the rest of the winter off and recuperate.”

“He’ll never do it,” she said.

“He
has to
, Judith. He’s not that young any more. None of us are. This operation has been a shock to his system. I doubt whether he’ll feel up to any work for a few months.”

“How soon will he come down?”

“Not before ten or eleven in the morning. I’ll drive you home.”

It was almost dawn when she got into bed. Poor Gregory—he’d hate having to take things easy. She’d have to stay in Palm Beach all winter and … She suddenly hated herself. How dared she think of Robin? Tears came to her eyes. “Oh, Gregory, I do love you,” she whispered into the pillow. “I love you very much. Please get well.” And she vowed that from now on she would never even think of Robin Stone, but even as she made the promise, she knew she would not keep it. She was filled with self-loathing because, as she lay alone in the dark room, she found herself wondering who Robin Stone was in bed with… .

Robin was in a narrow bed in a small room at the Harvard Club, alone.

He smiled for the first time that night. At least Maggie had seen fit to warn the doorman after she set the fire. He knew it was Maggie when he saw her suitcase on the floor and the charred matches from the Pavillon on the bed. He was beginning to find the situation amusing. He laughed aloud at the thought of her walking in and catching Diana copping his joint! And the worst thing had been that nothing was happening with him. In a way, thank God for the fire—he never would have been able to get it up for that crazy dame. She didn’t even know how to go down on a guy—her teeth had been like razors. Yes, the fire had come just in time. Diana had been sobered by it too, and was delighted to be dropped at her hotel. But why had he brought her home in the first place? She had signed the contract at Jilly’s. And if he felt he had to pay her off, he could have gone to her hotel. Archie would say that he
wanted
to be caught, wanted to get Maggie off his back. Well, it was all for the best, and all it had cost him was a bedroom. It had also cost him Maggie Stewart. A slight frown formed between his eyes, then he forced a smile. “No, Conrad,
you
lost Maggie. Not I. You’re dead, you little bastard,
dead.”

On an impulse he lifted the telephone and asked for Western Union. Where did she live? Well, he’d send it to Century Pictures. She’d get it.

The telegram was delivered to Maggie at the Melton Towers after it had kicked around the mailroom at the studio for three days. She read it, and then bought a small frame and hung it on her bathroom wall. It said:

I TAKE IT ALL BACK. YOU WILL BE A STAR. YOU’RE A NUT! ROBIN.

Judith sat at Gregory’s bedside every day. For the first time she realized he dyed his hair. It had never occurred to her that
the red hair streaked with gray was not completely natural. But after a week in the hospital she noticed it was more white than red and on the back of his neck it was completely white. His unshaven face had a white stubble, and suddenly he looked like a tired old man. But she knew he was feeling better when he began taking an interest in the world around him. By the end of the second week he was checking the Nielsens. He also sent for his barber and told Judith to “go shopping or something.” When she returned at five, his hair had its usual red tone, the hospital gown had been replaced with his own silk pajamas, he was reading
Time
magazine, and he looked every inch the chairman of IBC. But he had lost a great deal of weight and for the first time he looked his age. She shuddered and wondered how she would look if she had gone through a similar siege. André had been touching up her hair for fifteen years. Good Lord, she might be completely gray. And without makeup—!

Gregory put down the magazine, picked up the telephone and asked for IBC.

“Please, darling, both Dr. Lesgarn and Dr. Spineck say
no work
. In fact when you get out of here, they insist you take a long rest.”

“I intend to,” he said. “We’re going to Palm Beach for the entire winter. It’ll be the first vacation I’ve taken in years.” He reached out and took her hand. “Judith, I’m so damn grateful that it was just gall bladder. I’d been having these awful pains for some time, but usually I could shake them. I don’t mind telling you, I was afraid to get a checkup. I was positive it was cancer. If I’d had the strength, I’d have shouted for joy when they said it was only gall bladder. And this winter I’ll enjoy playing golf and being with you. That’s why I’ve got to get on the phone and set things in order.”

His first call was to Cliff Dome, head of the legal department. “Cliff, I want you here within the next half hour. Now switch me to Robin Stone.”

At five thirty Robin Stone and Cliff Dome arrived. Judith was sitting in the easy chair. “Would you like me to go out to the lounge while you talk?” she asked.