American Dreams Read Online Free PDF
Author: John Jakes
empire.
'Well, sir?' he said, dwarfed by the great padded throne seat behind his desk. 'What do you have to say for yourself?'
'I did what any husband would do if his wife was brutally attacked.'
'But her assailant was a police officer in pursuit of his duty.'
'I come from America, your lordship. No one's above the law. Is it different here?'
With a raucous snort that substituted for a laugh, Lord Yorke slapped the chair arm. 'Cecily's husband saved you.' Michael was always 'Cecily's husband,' and it was always said with distaste, as someone might refer to a troll under a bridge.
'Before the film ran out, you caught that bobby kicking your wife in a most barbarous way. How is she, by the by?'
'Doing well. She was more bruised and frightened than anything.'
'Pleased to hear it. As I was saying, Cecily's husband hauled your cinematograph to safety before the coppers could smash it. Then he rang me. I in turn called two persons in Whitehall who would not wish to have that kind of police behavior shown to the public. Of course, we've lisa's Worry
19
already destroyed the offending section' - in light of his good fortune, Paul restrained a protest - 'but that shall be our secret. Count yourself lucky.'
'I do, sir. And I thank you.'
'Give your lovely wife my warm regards, and urge her to be more Page 27
careful. I urge you to do the same. You are a valuable employee, Paul. Try to stay out of trouble. Don't antagonize persons in authority, here or elsewhere.'
'If
I do that, I won't get good pictures.'
Crankily, Lord Yorke said, 'The newsman's dilemma. Damned annoying sometimes. Good day'
I
4 lisa's Worry
Cold December rain created a virtual lake in Wells Street. Nicky Speers carefully poked the long maroon Benz touring car through the water, fearful of stalling the engine. He parked successfully at the curb outside Restaurant Heidelberg and climbed out with arthritic slowness. Nicky was the family's English chauffeur, loyal but elderly. He hobbled around to the passenger door with the umbrella to shepherd Fritzi, then lisa to the ornate entrance. 'I'll be standing here in an hour and fifteen minutes exactly, mum.'
'Thank you, Nicky,' lisa said.
The first person she saw in the foyer was Rudolfy the maitre d'. He was one of the few human beings lisa actively disliked. It stemmed from the man's haughtiness and bad manners, more appropriate, in her opinion, to the worst sort of Prussian colonel. Speaking on the podium telephone, Rudolf didn't deign to notice them.
'We shall expect you, Herr Klosters, vieten Dank.'' Rudolf banged the earpiece on the hook and immediately bent his shaved head over a reservation book big as an altar Bible. As he wrote away, lisa tapped her shoe.
General Crown's wife was not a woman to be trifled with.
'Rudolf. May we have a table for two, please? I didn't have time to telephone ahead.'
'Out of the question, we are completely--' He looked up. 'Oh. Gnadige 20
Dreamers
Frauf Humblest apologies! Of course we have room for you. Who is this young lady?'
Page 28
'Our daughter, Fritzi.'
'Ah, certainly. Grown so big! Follow me, please.'
He jammed two enormous menus under his arm, pivoted, and marched off with a stride suspiciously like a military goose step. Fritzi lifted her skirts and started to mimic it, but lisa whispered, 'Don't be naughty.'
Fritzi clasped her hands with a penitent's long face. lisa couldn't help smiling.
Rudolf seated them, unaware of the byplay. 'Boris will attend you momentarily, meine Hebe Damen."1 After an unctuous bow he marched away. Fritzi removed her hat, the ribbon damp from the rain.
lisa Crown had matured into a stout, commanding woman with the kind of strong yet feminine features magazine writers loved to call 'handsome.'
lisa was fifty-nine. Her silvery-gray hair, worn in a high pompadour, showed no trace of its original reddish brown color. She always dressed smartly and expensively, today in a white blouse with a large bow under a dark green
'Well, sir?' he said, dwarfed by the great padded throne seat behind his desk. 'What do you have to say for yourself?'
'I did what any husband would do if his wife was brutally attacked.'
'But her assailant was a police officer in pursuit of his duty.'
'I come from America, your lordship. No one's above the law. Is it different here?'
With a raucous snort that substituted for a laugh, Lord Yorke slapped the chair arm. 'Cecily's husband saved you.' Michael was always 'Cecily's husband,' and it was always said with distaste, as someone might refer to a troll under a bridge.
'Before the film ran out, you caught that bobby kicking your wife in a most barbarous way. How is she, by the by?'
'Doing well. She was more bruised and frightened than anything.'
'Pleased to hear it. As I was saying, Cecily's husband hauled your cinematograph to safety before the coppers could smash it. Then he rang me. I in turn called two persons in Whitehall who would not wish to have that kind of police behavior shown to the public. Of course, we've lisa's Worry
19
already destroyed the offending section' - in light of his good fortune, Paul restrained a protest - 'but that shall be our secret. Count yourself lucky.'
'I do, sir. And I thank you.'
'Give your lovely wife my warm regards, and urge her to be more Page 27
careful. I urge you to do the same. You are a valuable employee, Paul. Try to stay out of trouble. Don't antagonize persons in authority, here or elsewhere.'
'If
I do that, I won't get good pictures.'
Crankily, Lord Yorke said, 'The newsman's dilemma. Damned annoying sometimes. Good day'
I
4 lisa's Worry
Cold December rain created a virtual lake in Wells Street. Nicky Speers carefully poked the long maroon Benz touring car through the water, fearful of stalling the engine. He parked successfully at the curb outside Restaurant Heidelberg and climbed out with arthritic slowness. Nicky was the family's English chauffeur, loyal but elderly. He hobbled around to the passenger door with the umbrella to shepherd Fritzi, then lisa to the ornate entrance. 'I'll be standing here in an hour and fifteen minutes exactly, mum.'
'Thank you, Nicky,' lisa said.
The first person she saw in the foyer was Rudolfy the maitre d'. He was one of the few human beings lisa actively disliked. It stemmed from the man's haughtiness and bad manners, more appropriate, in her opinion, to the worst sort of Prussian colonel. Speaking on the podium telephone, Rudolf didn't deign to notice them.
'We shall expect you, Herr Klosters, vieten Dank.'' Rudolf banged the earpiece on the hook and immediately bent his shaved head over a reservation book big as an altar Bible. As he wrote away, lisa tapped her shoe.
General Crown's wife was not a woman to be trifled with.
'Rudolf. May we have a table for two, please? I didn't have time to telephone ahead.'
'Out of the question, we are completely--' He looked up. 'Oh. Gnadige 20
Dreamers
Frauf Humblest apologies! Of course we have room for you. Who is this young lady?'
Page 28
'Our daughter, Fritzi.'
'Ah, certainly. Grown so big! Follow me, please.'
He jammed two enormous menus under his arm, pivoted, and marched off with a stride suspiciously like a military goose step. Fritzi lifted her skirts and started to mimic it, but lisa whispered, 'Don't be naughty.'
Fritzi clasped her hands with a penitent's long face. lisa couldn't help smiling.
Rudolf seated them, unaware of the byplay. 'Boris will attend you momentarily, meine Hebe Damen."1 After an unctuous bow he marched away. Fritzi removed her hat, the ribbon damp from the rain.
lisa Crown had matured into a stout, commanding woman with the kind of strong yet feminine features magazine writers loved to call 'handsome.'
lisa was fifty-nine. Her silvery-gray hair, worn in a high pompadour, showed no trace of its original reddish brown color. She always dressed smartly and expensively, today in a white blouse with a large bow under a dark green
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