Roger Grayson: The Two-Way Mirror

"One thing about my husband," the British beauty said, "he always brightens up the atmosphere with his choice of girlfriends." She was smiling warmly and not at all cattishly, as Karen might have expected. "You are a breathtakingly lovely girl, Karen. I do hope you won't turn his head too far from me… and for too long. Really, you know, we love each other a great deal, but we like to think we're rather broadminded about one another's extracurricular activities. We think it's the secret to perfect marital bliss… don't you agree, dear?"

"Well… I-I really can't say," Karen stammered, not a little bit jolted by the woman's casual philosophy regarding infidelity… especially, her own husband's. Yet, at the same time, she quickly assumed that Muriel Brendell had her playmates also…

"You're not married, dear?"

"No… I'm divorced," said Karen. "But please don't get the wrong idea, Mrs. Brendell. I'm not after your husband…"

"Of course you're not, darling," Muriel put in quickly. "I hope I haven't given you the jealous wife impression," she added, reaching out to take Karen's hand with a sincere warmth. "Good heavens, anything but that… Look around you, my dear… This beautiful new home… it's Nathan's memento to me, and our life together…"

"It's absolutely… magnificent," Karen said, glancing about her. "I'm in love with it."

"Everyone is… and you know who built it?" Muriel said, her dark eyes dancing excitedly. "My lover… So you see how ultra modern we are, darling, my Nat and me? We've truly found the secret… but enough of this. Let me show you around and introduce you to everyone…"

Karen had sipped her way through two martinis while Muriel conducted her through her luxuriously modern home. The third drink Muriel made for them at the cozy little well-stocked bar in the nursery. It was a large, yet intimate, room of soft dark hues, indirect lighting and expensive carpeting. The erotic pictures, statuary and symbols adorning the walls and tables brought a flush to Karen's cheeks, and the suggestive looking couches and chairs left little doubt of the room's main purpose. She was thankful that Nathan had mentioned its existence earlier; it had helped soften the shocking impact.

"You like?" Muriel asked, smiling.

"It's unusual, to say the least," Karen replied, gaping at a series of paintings showing a couple in various positions enjoying sex.

"Those are by Mihael Zichy, the Hungarian painter," Muriel enlightened her. "And that is a Pierre Klossowski," she pointed; "Some erotic Japanese, artist unknown… those are from the Marquis de Sade's works… rather enticing, aren't they?"

Karen could only stare. She had never seen anything like them.

"They cost Nat a fortune, and of course there's no way of insuring them. But you see, only selected and intimate friends get into this room… and now, you're among them, darling," Muriel said, smiling meaningfully. "Well, shall we go down and join the others?"

Karen took up her drink and accompanied hr hostess to the main living room where most of the guests were gathered, endeavoring with considerable difficulty to accept what she had witnessed so far with a woman-of-the-world attitude. She hoped her prudishness wasn't showing through. But God, she had never dreamed such things…

A voice caused her to stop short in her thoughts. Its particular male timbre sent an emotional sensation rippling up her spine. Then, he laughed and she swung around to see him standing there.

"What is it, dear?" Muriel Brendell questioned anxiously as her beautiful young guest suddenly paled before her.

"My God!" Karen exclaimed. "It is Jeff!"

Muriel stared at her. "Why yes, darling… Jeff Lewis… do you know him?"

"Know him…? He's my ex-husband!"

"I-I just can't believe my eyes," Jeff said, shaking his head, smiling, holding her off at arm's length and looking her up and down. "My God, you look wonderful… more beautiful than ever…"

Karen beamed at him, her cheeks flushed with the excitement of seeing him again, but it was as if her tongue were tied; she just couldn't speak. He had rushed to her once he spotted her and the initial shock had passed, then, quickly led her off into another room where they could have some measure of privacy. Muriel Brendell had watched the whole performance with a certain growing apprehension, her smile fading as Jeff's eyes seemed to brighten unnecessarily at the sight of an ex-wife; a little ridge of white appeared around her mouth when she watched him lead the lovely young blonde off to a secluded comer.

"Good heavens… say something!" Jeff said, grinning at her.

"I-I can't…" Karen blubbered, tears glistening in her eyes. "I-I'm so happy to see you… How are you? How have you been? Where have…"

"Wait a minute," he said, laughing. "One question at a time…" And then his smile faded, an expression of wonderment taking its place. "How come you're here, anyway…?"

Now, Karen laughed, and elatedly she told him of her success with her book, keeping it as brief as possible. It was him that she wanted to hear about.

"That's wonderful, Karen," he said. "Is Nat your agent?"

She nodded enthusiastically and thought she detected the slightest flicker of distaste cross his handsome face. It quickly occurred to her that he was trying to put two and two together and she led him away from the subject.

"Tell me something about yourself," she said, almost breathlessly. "My God… it's been so long, Jeff… and I had no idea where you were…"

"Nor I, you," he said, his eyes searching her face, then trailing down the enchanting contours of her beautiful body that he so well remembered… his mouth going dry at just the thought of her soft smooth flesh. "Me… I've been in Los Angeles ever since I got out of the service. I went back with Curren Company… until I built this house… now, I have my own organization…"

Karen felt the little lump form at the pit of her stomach. "You… you built this house, Jeff?"

He grinned. "Yep… like it?"

She was nodding, but all of the time she was remembering Muriel Brendell's dancing eyes when she had said: "… And you know who built it? My lover!"

"Confidentially, there's a man here named Rourke who's planning to build a million-dollar condominium, and before this weekend's over I'll have that deal too," he advised her in a voice just above a whisper.

"I-I'm happy for you, Jeff," she said, but the enthusiasm had suddenly seemed to have drained from her voice. "I hope it all works out… Now, I think we better get back to the others…"

She started to turn away and he caught her arm. "Hey, for gosh sakes, hold on will you?" He stared at her half smiling, half in wonderment at the sudden change that had come over her. "My God, it's been… how long? Two years since we've seen one another, and that's all we have to say… How are you? How've you been? What're' you doing? Look Karen…" he said, his face growing serious, his eyes almost pleading as he moved closer to her. "I've got a great deal more that I want to say to you… things I've said a hundred times to myself at night when I'm alone…"

"Oh?" Karen made the sound rather sharply. "I didn't think you'd be alone, Jeff… at night, especially."

Jeff stared at her, surprised at her sudden change of heart. "What the devil are you getting at, anyway?"

Muriel interrupted him. "So, here's where you two are hiding." She smiled thinly. "Rehashing old arguments, I presume." She linked her arm through Jeff's and Karen watched his face redden. "Well, darling, Mr. Rourke wants a word or two with us, so I'm afraid you little tete-a-tete will have to wait for another time. You will excuse us, dear… and oh, I nearly forgot, Nat is looking all over for his little authoress." She leaned close. "Personally, I think he'd like to go over your outline with you… in private.