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good fun but deteriorated quickly, we ended up facing opposite directions on the edges of the bed with neither one of us adequately covered.
    I lay awake worrying. When Ellis finally fell asleep, he snored so loudly I had to hold a pillow over my head, pressing it against my ears. There was an odd smell, sort of earthy and minerally. For the rest of the night, all I could think about was how many heads had lain on those pillows before my own.
    â€”
    We were roused by an understated yet insistent rapping at the door.
    â€œDear God,” croaked Ellis. “What time is it?”
    I peered at the radium-painted clock beside me. “Nearly seven.”
    â€œThe sun’s not even up,” he complained.
    After a few more minutes of intermittent knocking, I mumbled, “You’d better get it. They’re not going away.”
    He sighed irritably, then shouted,
“Coming!”
    He switched on the lamp and rolled out of bed, yanking the chenille bedspread off as though he were doing the tablecloth trick. He wrapped it around his shoulders and stomped away, slamming the bedroom door behind him.
    I had a fair indication of what was going on because of the shuffles, bangs, and clunks. It went on for nearly ten minutes.
    When Ellis returned, he wadded up the bedspread and tossed it onto my legs. As he flopped back into bed, I tried to straighten it.
    â€œOur things, I presume?” I asked.
    â€œOur every worldly belonging, from the looks of it. Six carts’ worth. We’re going to have to turn sideways to get to the door.”
    I tried not to panic—the Colonel would have given the order before he retired for the night, when his anger was still fresh—but a queasy feeling settled in the pit of my stomach anyway.
    â€œI don’t suppose you have any idea where your pills might have ended up?” Ellis asked.
    â€œWould you like me to have a look?”
    â€œNever mind,” he said miserably. “It’s all right.”
    The lamp was still on, so I went to the front room.
    The floor was almost entirely covered by trunks and suitcases. Emily, Pemberton, and the others must have been up all night packing.
    I found my cosmetics case on a low table, along with my hatboxes. To my relief, it was organized immaculately, the pill bottle tucked discreetly under its tray. Poor Emily—we’d cost her at least two nights’ sleep, which my mother-in-law would certainly not consider an excuse if her daytime duties suffered.
    I handed the bottle to Ellis and sat beside him. He propped himself up on an elbow, shook two pills into his hand, and swallowed them dry. Then he fell back onto his pillow.
    â€œThank you, darling. I’m a little on edge,” he said.
    â€œI know. Me too.”
    â€œLet’s try to get back to sleep. In the morning—in the
real
morning—I’m going to have the largest goddamned lobster in the city brought up to us, along with a mountain of potato salad. Caviar, too. They can skip the plates and just bring forks.”
    I made my way back to my side of the bed. When I crawled under the covers, Ellis switched off the lamp. We found ourselves much closer together than we had been before. He rolled onto his side and threw an arm across my waist.
    â€œWell, what do you know,” he said. “Maybe there are enough blankets after all.”
    â€”
    In the early evening, the concierge called to tell us that Hank was waiting for us in the lobby bar.
    Ellis and I were no longer speaking, a result of my suggestion that he talk to his mother and try to pave the way for a truce. We rode the elevator in silence.
    The boys drank bourbon sidecars, and I ordered a gin fizz. A few drinks in, as Ellis and I took turns recounting the disastrous repercussionsof the party, the freeze began to thaw. Soon, we were finishing each other’s sentences and apologizing with our eyes. We were in the same mess, facing the same consequences. Although I was