over to her as she stood naked looking at herself in the mirror. He ran his hand over her bulging stomach. 'I want this little fellow to be given as good a chance as William.'
The next day Anne told herself a hundred times that she would not go to see Glen Ricardo, but a little before noon she found herself hailing a cab. She climbed the creaky wooden stairs, apprehensive of what she might learn. She could still turn back. She hesitated, then knocked quietly on the door.
'Come irL'
She opened the door.
'Ah, Mrs. Osborne, how nice to see you again. Do have a seat.'
Anne sat and they stared at each other.
qbe news, I am afraid, is not good,' said Glen Ricardo, pushing his hand through his long dark hair.
Anne's heart sank. She felt sick.
'Mr. Osborne has not been seen with Mrs. Preston or any other woman during the past seven days.'
'But you said the news wasn't good,'said Anne.
~Of course, Mrs. Osborne, I assumed you were looking for grounds for divorce. Angry wives don't normally come to me hoping I'll prove their husbands are innocent!
'No, no,' said Anne, suffused with relief. usthe best piece of news I've had in weeks!
'014 good,' said Mr. Ricardo, slightly taken aback. 'Let us hope the second week reveals nothing as well.'
~Oh, you can stop the investigation now, Mr. Ricardo. I am sure youll not find anything of any consequence next week.'
'I doet think that would be wise, Mrs. Osborne. To make a final judgment on only one week's observation would be, to say the least, premature!
'All right, if you believe it will prove the point, but I still feel confident that you won't uncover anything new next week.'
'In any case,' continued Glen Ricardo, puffing away at his cigar, which looked bigger and smelled better to Anne than it had the previous week, 'you have - already paid for the two weeks!
'What about the lettersT asked Anne, suddenly remembering them. 'I suppose they must have come from someone jealous of my husband's achievements!
'Well, as I pointed out to you last week, Mrs. Osborne, tracing the sender of anonymous letters is never easy. However, we have been able to locate the shop where the stationary was bought, as the brand was fairly unusual, but for the moment I have nothing further to report on that front. Again, I may have a lead by this time next week. Have you received any more letters in the past few days?'
'No, I haven't.'
'Good, then it all seems to be working out for the best. Let us hope, for your sake, that next week's meeting will be our last.'
Tes,' said Anne happily, 'let us hope so. Can I settle your expenses next Thursday?'
'Of course, of course!
Anne had nearly forgotten the phrase, but this time it made her laugh.
She decided as she was driven home that Henry must have the five hundred thousand loan and the chance to prove William and Alan wrong. She had still not recovered from the knowledge that William had come to Boston without letting her know; perhaps Henry had been right in his suggestion that William was trying to work behind their back& Henry was delighted when Anne told him that night of her decision on the loan, and he produced the legal documents the following morning for her signature. Anne couldnt help thinking that he must have had the papers prepared for some time, especially as Milly Preston's signature was already on them, or was she being overly suspicious again? She dismissed the thought and signed quickly.
She was fully prepared for Alan Lloyd when he telephoned the following Monday morning.
'Anne, let me at least hold things over until ThursdayThen we'll know who has been awarded the hospital contract!
'No, Alan, the decision can't wait. Henry needs the money now. He has to prove to City Hall that he's financially strong enough to fulfil the contract and you already have the signatures of two trustees so the responsibility is no longer yours!
'The bank could always guarantee Henry's position without actually passing over the money. I'm sure City Hall would find that acceptable.
In any case, I haven't had enough time to check over his company's accounts!
'But you did find enough time to have lunch with William a week ago Sunday, without informing me!
There was a momentary silence from the other end of the line.
'Anne, I. .
'Dor~t say you didn't have the opportunity. You came to our party on Wednesday, and you could easily have mentioned it to me then.