He, dark, tall, lean and bronzed-for he had spent much of his life on the Oklahoma fields where lay his father’s latent wealth-gazed at her a moment, in silence, then replied, with a smile that sought to rival her own in urbanity and brittle mirth, “Beat you regularly, get you big with a dozen brats and take up with the blonde in the next penthouse, doubtless.”

A darkening shadow of distaste passed across Marcia’s petulant face.

What a revolting thought Let’s make that our ignoble sentiment for today, Greg.

And now, let’s go, shall we? This place is getting too full of trash to suit me!” And, rising, her head preeningly high, she undulatingly paraded toward the exit of the establishment, seeing to it that the most handsome males dining at nearby tables were offered the spectacle of her flamboyant red satin gown, with split skirt trailing voluptuously along the lush carpeting of the Rainbow’s distinguished dining room.

And when, at last, she managed to attract the attentive gazes of these spectators, she would stop, languidly turn her alligator leather purse in tapering fingers whose long nails were deeply incarnadined with the most vivid scarlet polish conceivable and then cast a contemptuous glance at them, seeking to discomfit their ardor and to tell them openly of her disinterest in their approbation of her.

Gregory bore it all patiently-indeed, his friends tabulated him as a prize novitiate, marveling that a man whose polish and education so contrasted with his origin should waste his time on so empty a feminine jade as the affected Marcia.

But-like all men when in the throes of their desire-he had his reasons.

Petulant of face, Marcia had been described and it was true.

Sensual red lips, always too brilliant with lip-stick the curves of her mouth exaggerated, blue eye-shadow and an accentuated usage of mascara on her long, fluttering raven lashes which she employed, ah, how effectively, to veil her limpid brown eyes that could become as cold as diamonds an aquiline nose, haughty, delicate, luring chiseled nostrils like a hummingbird’s wing in flight, high-set cheekbones and this physiognomy gave her a je ne sais quoi of provocative allure which her shallow nature denied and, indeed, feared and despised.