Only listen: I want you to understand right away that it's my dinner.”
“Of course not … nothing of the sort.”
“Yes, it is.
I'm a year older than you and an old married woman and quite rich, so, please, I'm going to pay.”
Beaver continued protesting to the taxi door.
But there was still a constraint between them and Beaver began to wonder, `Does she expect me to pounce?'
So as they waited in a traffic block by the Marble Arch, he leaned forward to kiss her; when he was quite near, she drew back.
He said,
“Please, Brenda,” but she turned away and looked out of the window shaking her head several times quickly.
Then still fixed on the window she put out her hand to his and they sat in silence till they reached the restaurant.
Beaver was thoroughly puzzled.
Once they were in public again, his confidence returned.
Espinosa led them to their table; it was the one by itself on the right side of the door, the only table in the restaurant at which one's conversation was not overheard.
Brenda handed him the card.
“You choose.
Very little for me, but it must only have starch, no protein.”
The bill at Espinosa's was, as a rule, roughly the same whatever one ate, but Brenda would not know this so, since it was now understood that she was paying, Beaver felt constrained from ordering anything that looked obviously expensive.
However she insisted on champagne, and later a ballon of liqueur brandy for him.
“You can't think how exciting it is for me to take a young man out. I've never done it before.”
They stayed at Espinosa's until it was time to go to the party, dancing once or twice, but most of the time sitting at the table talking.
Their interest in each other had so far outdistanced their knowledge that there was a great deal to say.
Presently Beaver said,
“I'm sorry I was an ass in the taxi just now.”
“Eh?”
He changed it and said,
“Did you mind when I tried to kiss you just now?”
“Me?
No, not particularly.”
“Then why wouldn't you let me?”
“Oh dear, you've got a lot to learn.”
“How d'you mean?”
“You mustn't ever ask questions like that.
Will you try and remember?”
Then he was sulky.
“You talk to me as if I was an undergraduate having his first walk out.”
“Oh, is this a walk out?”
“Not as far I am concerned.”
There was a pause in which Brenda said,
“I am not sure it hasn't been a mistake, taking you out to dinner.
Let's ask for the bill and go to Polly's.”
But they took ten minutes to bring the bill, and in that time Beaver and Brenda had to say something, so he said he was sorry.
“You've got to learn to be nicer,” she said soberly. “I don't believe you'd find it impossible.”
When the bill eventually came, she said,
“How much do I tip him?” and Beaver showed her.
“Are you sure that's enough?
I should have given twice as much.”
“It's exactly right,” said Beaver, feeling older again, exactly as Brenda had meant him to.
When they sat in the taxi Beaver knew at once that Brenda wished him to make love to her.
But he decided it was time he took the lead.
So he sat at a distance from her and commented on an old house that was being demolished to make way for a block of flats.