[MaC] A pause in the music - Back in the lounge

[Mel Mason]

> Even the non-Polish speakers could understand Anton's
> next words.  He gave a faint shudder and then said,
> "Nola.  Nola Diamond."
>
> "Oh, =no=," Nicola said with a low groan, sitting back
> against the settee. "Oh, no. Oh, Nola, what have you
> gotten yourself into now?" she asked nobody. She
> looked up upon seeing Pamela and Warren entering the
> room. Shakily, she stood and walked over to them. "Is
> it true?" she asked in an unsteady voice. "Is she
> really dead?"
>

James remained where he was with the stricken musician, but he turned
his head toward the entrance,where Nicola went to greet Pamela and Warren.

"Her eyes were open," said Anton with a shudder.  I saw the ... the stare."

"I'm afraid so," Pamela said in a voice that (though appropriately
low-pitched and somber) reached the whole room. She dropped Warren's arm
to march Nicola right back to the settee. "Now, you aren't to worry, all
right? Everything is being taken care of. Here, can you do something for
me? This bag -- it's Mrs. Fitzroy's. She left it here earlier. Will you
take care of it until she gets back? I'd be grateful."

"Of course, darling, don't worry," Nicola said, taking
the bag and sitting down next to Anton on the settee.
"Oh, my, my, my, what a horrible, horrible thing," she
said, letting out a sigh. "I know you all must think
she was just a wretched girl because of how she acted
tonight, but she truly wasn't. I just don't know what
made her act like such a hag this evening." She
cleared her throat and turned Esme's purse over in her
hands. "It's hard to believe not twenty minutes ago we
were all laughing and toasting and now..."

"'ow did she die?" demanded Marty.  "Drugs, was it?  I reckoned she was on 
drugs, the little tart."