Lost in Paris by Betty Webb

Author:Betty Webb
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2023-02-10T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Zoe

Zoe spent most of the next day painting. Because she couldn’t keep the images of that mysterious black car out of her mind, the work went slowly, so she greeted her friends with relief when they arrived for her Wednesday Salon. After they helped themselves to the banquet Madeline laid out, Zoe decided to use the occasion to canvas them about the pleasures and perils of automobile ownership. Although she’d left behind her speedy King Model EE when she was exiled from Beech Glen, she pretended ignorance of all things automotive.

“I’m thinking about purchasing a car, but I don’t know anything about them,” she announced, once the sounds of chewing and wine-swilling lessened. “What kind do you all recommend?”

Not being an automobile owner himself, little Bobby Crites remained silent, but Karen Wegner suggested a Citroën. “I haven’t had too much trouble with mine,” she said.

Given the sculptor’s muscular build, Zoe doubted any automobile would dare to give her trouble. “Where do you park it?” she asked. “Paris is becoming crowded with the things.”

“My studio’s in an old stable,” Karen answered, “so I keep it there, covered with a sheet so the dust from my work doesn’t get on it. Sculpting’s a messy business.”

“Your Citroën is black, I seem to recall.”

“Yes, and it shows every speck of dust or mud or piece of horseshit I drive through, so not only do I have to dust my apartment, I have to dust my car, too. If you do buy an automobile, I suggest you pick a lighter color.”

Zoe pretended disappointment. “I adore black because it’s so elegant. And since the stable that used to occupy this space was gutted to make way for my little house, I’ll probably wind up parking my car on the street.”

Louise Packard warned against this. Despite her age and arthritic hands, she was a member of the automobile-owning elite. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Before I rented a garage for my Renault, someone tore off one of its headlamps, and I still haven’t managed to get it replaced. So not only will you buy a car, you’ll need to buy or rent a garage for it, too.” She started to say more but had to pause for a brief coughing fit in reaction to the cigarette smoke filling the air. Throwing a dirty look at the smokers in the room, which included almost everyone, she added, “Black may have its problems, but it’s nothing compared to yellow. I can’t imagine why I thought that would be a sensible color choice for a car.”

Bobby barked a laugh. “Axle-deep in snow every winter and mud every spring!” Earlier he’d seemed rather bored with the conversation, but the talk about color perked him up. “Mud doesn’t look any better on black, Louise. I remember the condition a friend’s car…” He stopped, flushed, then changed direction. “You’d be smarter to buy a mud-colored vehicle. And what do you need a car for, anyway, Zoe? You have that handsome Armenian cab driver at your beck and call.

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