Page 46 (1/2)

"What a marvelous car," she said after Giordino h the rear door held open by Giordino and sat next to Summer

"You'll have to bear with o anywhere without pomp and circumstance"

"Sorry, no truht off"

With the divider een the seats rolled up to shield the breeze, the women chatted on the way to the restaurant Loren and Summer learned that Micky was born and raised in Jerusaleree at the Colorado School of Mines

"So you're a geologist," said Summer

"A structural geologist," replied Micky "I specialize in conducting analysis for engineers who have plans for an excavation project I investigate water seepage and underground channels into deeper zones and aquifers, so they can be aware of possible flooding while boring their tunnels"

"Sounds positively dull," said Loren in a nice way "I took a geology course in college to satisfy the scientific requireht it would be interesting Was I ever wrong Geology is about as fascinating as bookkeeping"

Micky laughed "Fortunately, working in the field is not quite as banal"

"Did Dad say where he's taking us to dinner?" Summer asked

Loren shook her head "He didn't say anything to me"

Twenty-five e Chez Francois restaurant in Great Falls, Virginia The Alsatian architecture and interior decor exuded a warm, coh the front door, where one of the family ned the restaurant checked Pitt's name off on the reservation sheet and escorted them to a table for six in a small alcove

Pitt spotted some old friends--Clyde Smith and his lovely wife, Paula--and conversed briefly S as Pitt, but in the financial section of the agency After everyone was seated, the waiter arrived and announced the evening's specials Skipping cocktails, Pitt went right to the wine, ordering a hearty Sparr Pinot Noir He then ordered a ga of deer, antelope, breast of pheasant, rabbit and quail ild mushrooms and chestnuts

While they savored the wine and enjoyed the huge gaton politics They all listened in rapt attention at hearing the inside gossip froress She was followed by Dirk and Summer, who told of their discovery of the ancient te with their near-death experience on Navidad Bank during the hurricane Pitt interrupted to notify them that he had called St Julien Perlhter would be stopping by to tap his vast knowledge of ships and the sea

The entrees ca would heartily approve Pitt ordered the kidneys and mushrooms in a sauce of sherry and ue were also on the menu, but the women weren't up to it Giordino and Micky shared the rack of lae platter of sauerkraut with sausages, pheasant, duck confit, squab and foie gras, which was a specialty of the house Loren settled for the petite choucroute with the sauerkraut, smoked trout, salmon, monkfish and shrimp

Most of the couples shared a rich dessert followed by a glass of fine port Afterward, they voted unani the next day While relaxing after the sueological expeditions had taken her to She described immense caverns in Brazil and Mexico and the often difficult penetration into th