Maybe he sensed that. He stretched out his hand to Beth, as she and Ivy stepped out of the dressing room. "Oh, Miss Lizzie," he said, "you do look mighty fine today. You too. Miss Ivy," he added quietly.
"How about me?" Philip asked. He came out in fringed pants and a vest that almost fit him. But the tengallon hat was about nine gallons too big.
"Fearsome," Will said. "Fearsome and awesome, if only I could see your chin."
Ivy laughed, feeling more comfortable again.
"How about if we try a different size?"
"Make it black," said Philip.
"Right. Slim."
Will found a hat and got the three of them lined up in front of the camera, angling them just right. Then he pushed his hat back and went behind the camera. It was a new camera in the body of an old one, rigged up to give off a big puff of smoke — that was part of the show. But after the flash and die smoke, Will's head shot up from behind the equipment He looked almost comical, and at first Ivy thought that too was part of the show. But the way Will was staring made all three of them turn to look behind them.
"I — uh — I'm going to take another," he said. "Can you set yourselves just like before?"
They did, and a second puff of smoke was sent up.
"What went wrong the first time?" Beth asked. "I'm not sure." A look Ivy couldn't interpret passed between him and Beth. He shook his head. Then the hat was back over his eyes again. "These will take a few minutes to print. Do you want two or three copies?" Will asked them.
"Two's fine," Ivy replied. "One for Beth and one for us."
"I want my own copy," said Philip. "So do I," said another voice. Everyone turned.
"Howdy, pardner," Gregory said, holding his hand out to Philip. "Ladies." His eyes lingered on Ivy, traveling down her slowly.
Suzanne gave her a quicker look. "You sure squeezed yourself into that one," she remarked. "It's a wonder a crowd hasn't gathered."
Will pulled on his tight pants. "Are you talking about her or me?" he asked lightly.
Gregory laughed. Beth laughed after Gregory did, then glanced uncomfortably at Suzanne. Suzanne wasn't amused.
Will shoved two film cartridges in the developing machine and set up for his next group of customers.
"Suzanne, there were only two dresses alike," Ivy said quickly, "and Beth and I wanted to match, so she took that one and I took— Tell her, Beth."
But as Beth repeated the explanation. Ivy said to herself. Why bother? Until Gregory learns to keep his eyes from wandering to other girls, it's hopeless. I wish he'd wander them over to Beth, though.
She turned toward die dressing room. Gregory caught her by die arm. "We'll wait for you," he said.
"We're going to check out Will's paintings."
Ivy saw Suzanne out of the corner of her eye, drumming her fingers on the top of a trunk, her pinky ring flashing.
"We've already seen them," Ivy told him. "Though we didn't know which were his," Beth said. "The artists' names are still covered." "They're watercolors," Gregory told them. "Watercolors?" Ivy and Beth repeated at the same time.
"Will," Gregory called out. "What's your entry number?"
"Thirty-three," he replied.
Beth and Ivy exchanged glances.
"You painted the garden where Ivy wants to sit for hours," Beth said.
"And the snake," Philip said.
"And the woman with blossoms falling around her like snow," Ivy added.
"That's right." Will continued to work, arranging his customers before the camera.
"They were amazing!" Beth said.
"I like the snake." said Philip.
Ivy watched Will without saying anything. He was being the cool Will O'Leary again, acting as if his paintings and what they said about them didn't matter to him. Then she saw the quick turn of the head, as if he were checking to see whether she was still there. She realized then that he had wanted her to make a comment.
"Your paintings are really… uh…" All the words she could think of sounded flat.
"That's okay," he said, cutting her short before she could come up with the right description.
"Are you coming along for a second look?" Gregory asked impatiently.
"Be out in a minute," Beth replied, hurrying toward the dressing room.
Philip was walking to the dressing room and undressing at the same time.
"1 can't," Ivy said to Gregory. "I play at five o'clock and I need to—" "Practice?" His eyes flashed.
"I need time to collect myself, to think through what I'm playing, that's all. I can't do that with everyone around."
"I'm sorry you can't come," Suzanne said, and Ivy knew she was making progress. Still, it hurt her to see Gregory turn away.
She dawdled in the dressing room long enough for the others to go. When she came out, there were only two customers left, trying on hats and laughing.
Wilt was relaxing in a canvas chair with one leg propped up on a trunk, studying a photograph in his hands. He turned it facedown when he saw her. "Thanks for stopping by," he said.
"Will, you didn't give me a chance to tell you what I liked about your paintings. I couldn't find the right words at first—" "I wasn't fishing for compliments. Ivy."
"I don't care whether you were or weren't," she said, and plopped down in the chair across from him. "I have something to say."
"All right." His mouth curved up slightly. "Shoot."
"It's about the one called Too Soon."
Will took off his hat. She wished he had kept it on. Somehow — more and more, it seemed — looking into his eyes made it difficult for her to speak. She told herself they were just deep brown eyes, but whenever she looked into them she felt as if she were going into free fall.