e Nevada divorce ranch。 That brought in at most two thousand a month。 The house alone cost him six thousand a month just to keep going。
Rina had offered to share the expenses but he'd refused； feeling it was a man's responsibility to pay the bills。 But now； even with the bank loans for The Renegade paid off； he knew it wouldn't be possible to keep the house going without dipping further into his capital。 The sensible thing was to get rid of it。
He'd have to take a loss。 Thalberg over at Metro had offered him a hundred and fifty thousand。 That way； at least； he'd save the broker's fee。
He made up his mind。 There was no use sitting around； waiting for the telephone to ring。 He'd go out on the road with the show and sell the house。 He began to feel better。 He decided to tell Rina when she got back from the studio that night。
The telephone on the pole against the far rail began to ring loudly。 He walked his horse over to it。 〃Yes？〃
〃Mr。 Smith？〃
It was the voice of the butler。 〃Yes； James；〃 he said。
〃Mrs。 Smith would like you to join her for breakfast in the Sun Room。〃
Nevada hesitated。 Strange how quickly the servants recognized who was important in the family。 James now used the same distant formal manner of speaking to him that he had once used in speaking to Rina。
He heard the butler clear his throat。 〃Shall I tell Mrs。 Smith you will be up； sir？〃 he asked。 〃I think she's expecting some photographers from Screen Stars magazine。〃
So that was it。 Nevada felt a stirring of resentment inside him。 This was the first time in months that Rina had called him for breakfast and it took a publicity layout to do it。 Almost immediately； he regretted the way he felt。 After all； it wasn't her fault。 She'd been working day and night for months。
〃Tell her I'll be up as soon as I stable the horse；〃 he said。
〃Just one more shot of you pouring coffee for Nevada；〃 the photographer said； 〃and we're finished。〃
Nevada picked up his cup and extended it across the table to Rina。 She lifted the silver coffeepot and poised it over the cup。 Professionally and automatically； the smiles came to their lips。
They'd gone through the whole routine。 The picture of Rina frying bacon and eggs while he looked over her shoulder at the stove； the burned…toast bit； the popping of food into each other's mouth。 Everything the readers of fan magazines had e to expect from movie stars。 This was supposed to give them the homey touch。
There was an awkward silence for a moment after the photographers picked up their gear and left。 Nevada spoke first。 〃I'm glad that's over。〃
〃So am I；〃 Rina said。 She hesitated； then looked up at the wall clock。 〃I'd better get started。 I'm due in make…up at seven thirty。〃
She started to get up but the telephone near her began to ring。 She sat down again and picked it up。 〃Hello。〃
Nevada could hear a voice crackle through the receiver。 Rina shot him a funny look； then spoke into the telephone again。
〃Good morning； Louella；〃 she said in a sweet voice。 〃No； you didn't wake me up。 Nevada and I were just having breakfast。 。。。 Yes； that's right … The Girl on the Flying Trapeze。 It's a wonderful part。 。。。 No； Norman decided against borrowing Gable from Metro。 He says there's only one man who could do the part justice。 。。。 Of course。 Nevada； it's a natural for him。 Wait a minute； I'll put him on and let him tell you himself。〃
She covered the mouthpiece with her hand。 〃It's Parsons；〃 she whispered quickly。 〃Bernie decided yesterday he wanted you to play the part of the stunt…rider。 Louella's checking on the story。〃
〃What's the matter？〃 Nevada asked dryly。 ''Wouldn't MGM lend him Gable？〃
〃Don't be silly！ Get on the phone。〃
〃Hello； Louella。〃
The familiar； sticky…sweet voice chewed at his ear。 〃Congratulations； Nevada！ I think it's just wonderful that you're to play opposite your lovely wife again！〃
〃Wait a minute； Louella。〃 He laughed。 〃Not so fast。 I'm not making the picture。〃
〃You're not？〃 Another Parsons scoop was in the making。 〃Why？〃
〃I've already agreed to go out on the road with my Wild…West show；〃 he said； 〃And that will keep me tied up for at least six months。 While I'm away； Rina will look for another house for us。 I think we'll both be more fortable in a smaller place。〃
Her voice was businesslike now。 〃You're selling Hilltop？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃To Thalberg？〃 she questioned。 〃I heard he was interested。〃
〃I don't know；〃 he said。 〃Several people have expressed interest。〃
〃You'll let me know the moment you decide？〃
〃Of course。〃
〃There's no trouble between you two？〃 she asked shrewdly。
〃Louella！〃 He laughed。 〃You know better than that。〃
〃I'm glad！ You're both such nice people；〃 she said。 She hesitated a moment。 〃Keep in touch if there's any news。〃
〃I will； Louella。〃
〃Good luck to both of you！〃
Nevada put down the telephone and looked across the table。 He hadn't meant for it to e out this way； but there was nothing that could be done about it now。
Rina's face was white with anger。 〃You could have told me about it before you told the whole world！〃
〃Who had the chance？〃 he retorted； angry despite himself。 〃This is the first time we've talked in months。 Besides； you might have told me about the picture。〃
〃Bernie tried to get you all day yesterday but you never came to the phone。〃
〃That's a lot of crap；〃 he said。 〃I was home all day and he never called。 Besides； I wouldn't have his handouts … or yours either； for that matter。〃
〃Maybe if you took your nose out of that damn stable once in a while； you'd find out what was going on。〃
〃I know what's going on；〃 he said angrily。 〃You don't have to start acting like a movie star。〃
〃Oh； what's the use？〃 she said bitterly。 〃What did you ever marry me for？〃
〃Or you me？〃 he asked； with equal bitterness。
As they stared at each other； the truth suddenly came to both of them。 They had married because they both knew they had lost each other and wanted desperately to hold onto what was already gone。 With the knowledge； the anger dissipated as quickly as it had e。 〃I'm sorry；〃 he said。
She looked down at the coffeepot。 〃I am； too。 I told you I was a spoiler； that I wouldn't be any good for you。〃
〃Don't be silly；〃 he said。 〃It wasn't your fault。 It would have happened； anyway。 The business is changing。〃
〃I'm not talking about the business；〃 Rina answered。 〃I'm talking about you and me。 You should have married someone who could have given you a family。 I've given you nothing。〃
〃You can't take all the blame。 We both tried in our own way but neither of us had what the other really needed。 We just made a mistake； that's all。〃
〃I won't be able to file for a divorce until after I finish this next picture；〃 she said in a low voice。 〃It's all right with me if you want to file before then。〃
〃No； I can wait；〃 he said calmly。
She glanced up at the wall clock。 〃My God！ I'm late！〃 she exclaimed。 〃I'll have to hurry。〃
At the door； she stopped and looked back at him。 〃Are you still my friend？〃
He nodded his head slowly and returned her smile； but his voice was serious。 〃I'll always be your friend。〃
She stood there for a moment and he could see the sudden rush of tears to her eyes； then she turned and ran from the room。
He walked over to the window； and lifting the curtain； looked out onto the front drive。 He saw her e running from the house； saw the chauffeur close the door。 The car disappeared down the hill on its way to the studio。 He let the curtain fall back into place。
Rina never came back to the house。 She stayed that night at Ilene's apartment。 The next day； she moved into a hotel and three months later filed for divorce in Reno。 The grounds were inpatibility。
And that； except for the legalities； was the way it ended。
17
DAVID HEARD THE VIOLENT SLAM OF THE DOOR IN HIS UNCLE'S OFFICE。 He got to his feet quickly and walked to the connecting door。 He opened it and found his uncle Bernie seated in his chair； red faced and angry； gasping for breath。 He was trying to shake some pills out of the inverted bottle in his hand。
David quickly filled a glass with water from the carafe on the desk and handed it to Norman。 〃What happened？〃
Norman swallowed the two pills and put down the glass。 He looked up at David。 〃Why didn't I go into the cloak…and…suit business with my brother； your uncle Louie？〃
David knew no answer was expected； so he waited patiently until Norman continued。 〃Fifty； a hundred suits they make a day。 Everything is calm； everything is quiet。 At night； he goes home。 He eats。 He sleeps。 No worries。 No ulcers。 No aggravations。 That's the way a man should live。 Easy。 Not like a dog。 Not like me。〃
David asked again； 〃What happened？〃
〃As if I haven't got enough troubles；〃 Norman plained； 〃our stockholders say we're losing too much money。 I run to New York to explain。 The union threatens to strike the theaters。 I sit down and work out a deal that at least they don't close the theaters。 Then I get word from Europe that Hitler took over all our German properties； offices； theaters； everything！ More than two million dollars the anti…semiten stole。 Then I get a plaint from the underwriters and bankers； the pictures ain't got no prestige。 So I bu