person—whatever that meant. Was it just a silly dream? She didn’t think so. Even the worst sinner could be redeemed, if only she found the right task to prove her worth.
“If Clara won’t help Marcus,” she announced, “I’m going to have to do it myself.”
GLORIA
Gloria loved the Long Island Sound.
Especially when she was looking at it from the deck of a yacht.
The Sabrina, Forrest’s yacht, represented the highest standard of luxury—just like everything else Forrest owned. It was a long, pearly white affair with a shining wooden deck.
Gloria had been walking along the steel railing until she’d stopped to take in the view. To her left, Forrest’s other houseguests were lounging on cushioned chairs on the foredeck. All afternoon the gin had been flowing as freely as Ma Rainey’s voice pouring out of the gramophone on deck.
Forrest appeared next to her at the boat’s railing. He’d abandoned his pale blue seersucker jacket and wore only the matching waistcoat, a white shirt, and a dark blue tie.
“I was wondering where you disappeared to,” he said with one of his entrancing smiles. He offered Gloria a flute of champagne. His fingers grazed hers when she accepted it. “You look like you’re having thoughts far too deep for this little soiree.”
Gloria could hear Glitz’s and Glamour’s raucous laughter wafting from the foredeck. Those girls sure could turn life into a party wherever they went. “Well, your boat gives such a glorious view of the Sound. It seemed a shame not to spend a few minutes looking at it.”
“Mmm, absolutely beautiful,” Forrest agreed. But when Gloria turned to him, he wasn’t looking at the sea. He was looking at her. “It seems you and I are a matching set this evening. Though the color suits you far better.”
Her Babani dress was nearly the same shade of blue as his suit. Gloria ran her finger quickly across Forrest’s cheek. “You’re just not wearing enough rouge.”
He laughed, but he didn’t stop looking at her. Even though Gloria liked joking around with him, she knew what his look meant. He was interested.
But why would he look at her like that? Wasn’t he carrying a torch for Ruby? Besides, she wasn’t interested in him. She had Jerome.
Wherever he was.
Forrest withdrew a tortoiseshell cigar case from his trouser pocket. He opened the case and offered it to Gloria. “We’d practically be twins if you took one of these.”
“Smoke a cigar? That wouldn’t be very ladylike.”
“Well, then, it would suit you. You’re a hell of a lot more fun than a proper lady could ever be.”
Gloria smiled back and accepted a cigar. While Forrest lit it for her, he leaned in far closer than necessary and placed his hand on the small of her back.
She shook off his hand and puffed on the cigar, pointing to the case. If Forrest was going to flirt with her, she might as well use it to her advantage and dig up some dirt. “That’s gorgeous. Must have set you back a pretty penny.”
“Seemed like a good investment, considering how often I smoke these things.”
“Beautiful little yacht you’ve got, too,” Gloria went on, motioning around her. “For such a young man, you’re able to afford quite a number of beautiful things.”
Forrest tilted his head. The late-afternoon sun reflected off his cheeks, making his skin look warm, tanner than it already was. “I think the company I keep is much better to look at than anything I could possibly buy.”
But Gloria wasn’t going to let him worm away from her questions again. “Really, Forrest. You know everything about me already. It isn’t fair that I know so little about you.” She paused, inhaling. “How did a fellow like you come into so much dough? I’d love to know so … you know, maybe some of your secrets could rub off on me. If you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly rolling in it these days.”
Forrest smoked silently for a moment, and Gloria thought they’d hit yet another dead end. In the few days since Forrest’s party, she hadn’t found a spare moment alone to make another attempt at searching his bedroom or any other room in his huge house. There was always a new club in the Hamptons to visit, or a drunken picnic to be had on the Village Green, or Glam and Glitz waking her up at two in the morning for a late-night stroll on the beach. At this rate, she’d never get the information she needed to hold up her end of