Mildred Pierce Read Online Free PDF

straightening out a title would mean a day’s work for Bert, or a few dollars in some legal capacity, she had to see that he got the chance. ‘Ah – come in, Wally.’
    Wally looked a little surprised, then came back and stepped into the living-room. Mildred closed the door. ‘If it’s important, Wally, you’d better look Bert up yourself. He – he’s not living here any more.’
    ‘
What
?’
    ‘He went away.’
    ‘Where?’
    ‘I don’t know exactly. He didn’t tell me. But I’m sure old Mr Pierce would know, and if they’ve gone away, why – I think Maggie Biederhof might know, at least how to reach him.’
    Wally looked at Mildred for a time, then said: ‘Well – when did all this happen?’
    ‘Oh – a few days ago.’
    ‘You mean you’ve busted up?’
    ‘Something like that.’
    ‘For good?’
    ‘As far as I know.’
    ‘Well, if you don’t know I don’t know who does know.’
    ‘Yes, it’s for good.’
    ‘You living here all alone?’
    ‘No, I have the children. They’re away with their grandparents for the weekend, but they’re staying with me, not with Bert.’
    ‘Well say, this is a hell of a note.’
    Wally lit another cigarette and resumed looking at her. His eyes dropped to her legs. They were bare, as she was saving stockings, and she pulled her skirt over them self-consciously. He looked several other places, to make it appear that his glance had been accidental, then said, ‘Well, what do you do with yourself?’
    ‘Oh, I manage to keep busy.’
    ‘You don’t look busy.’
    ‘Saturday. Taking a day off.’
    ‘I wouldn’t ask much to take it off with you. Say, I never did mind being around you.’
    ‘You certainly kept it to yourself.’
    ‘Me, I’m conscientious.’
    They both laughed, and Mildred felt a little tingle, as well as some perplexity that this man, who had never taken the slightest interest in her before, should begin making advances the moment he found out she had no husband any more. He talked along, his voice sounding a little unnatural, about the swell time they could have, she replying flirtatiously, aware that there was something shady about the whole thing, yet a bit giddy at her unaccustomed liberty. Presently he sighed, said he was tied up for tonight, ‘But look.’
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘What you doing tomorrow night?’
    ‘Why, nothing that I know of.’
    ‘Well then—?’
    She dropped her eyes, pleated her dress demurely over her knee, glanced at him. ‘I don’t know why not.’
    He got up and she got up. ‘Then it’s a date. That’s what we’ll do. We’ll step out.’
    ‘If I haven’t forgotten how.’
    ‘Oh, you’ll know how. When? Half-past six, maybe?’
    ‘That suits me fine.’
    ‘Make it seven.’
    ‘Seven o’clock I’ll be ready.’
    Around noon next day, while Mildred was breakfasting off the hot dogs, Mrs Gessler came over to invite her to a party that night. Mildred, pouring her a cup of coffee, said she’d love to come, but as she had a date, she wasn’t sure she could make it. ‘A date? Gee, you’re working fast.’
    ‘You’ve got to do something.’
    ‘Do I know him?’
    ‘Wally Burgan.’
    ‘Wally – well, bring him!’
    ‘I’ll see what his plans are.’
    ‘I didn’t know he was interested in you.’
    ‘Neither did I . . . Lucy, I don’t think he was. I don’t think he’d ever looked at me. But the second he heard Bert was gone, well it was almost funny the effect it had on him. You could see him get excited. Will you kindly tell me why?’
    ‘I ought to have told you about that. The morals they give you credit for, you’d be surprised. To him, you were a red-hot mamma the second he found out about you.’
    ‘About
what
?’
    ‘Grass widow! From now on, you’re fast.’
    ‘Are you serious?’
    ‘I am. And they are.’
    Mildred, feeling no faster than she had ever felt, pondered thisriddle for some little time, while Mrs Gessler sipped her coffee and seemed to be pondering something else.