Show MInk n 0 e u t ys audister a u wa tel 0 kathleen norris by kathleen norris se 1 c SYNOPSIS victoria herrendeen a vivacious little girl had bad been too young to feel the shock that come came when her father keith herren deen lost his fortune A gentle soul he Is now employed as an obscure chemist in san francisco at a meager salary alary his bis wife magda cannot adjust hereu self to the change she Is a beautiful woman fond of pleasure and a magnet for mens attention magda and victoria have been down at a summer resort and keith joins otas them tor a r the weekend week end magda leaves for or a bridge party excusing herself tor for being such a runaway later that night victoria Is grief stricken when she hears bears tier her parents quarreling the Herren deens return to their small san francisco apartment keith does not approve of magdas madas mad social life and they quarrel frequently victoria asks her mother why by her dad Is so 0 o worried CHAPTER IT II continued 3 why hes been so glum and silent these last months I 1 hardly know ever since you and I 1 went down to santa barbara last summer hes seemed to feel he has a gr grievance ev again the beautiful aff affectionate action eyes filled with tears victorias heart ached for her with a fierce wrench of pain and sympathy Bym pathy she knew of what her mother was thinking on these hot days she was thinking of her friends at tahoe and up on the klamath river and down on the cool coal shores of pebble beach and santa barbara presently magda came back to the question you do see that its hard for me victoria what would you do oh yes oh all yes victoria agreed its its hard on us all hard on you too dear her mother asked quickly in a tone that shrank away from pain hard to see you unhappy and see him tin unhappy happy victoria said her eyes watering there was a ring at the door victoria was glad to go to answer it the conversation had gotten completely out of hand she came in with a great box of flowers there were often boxes of flowers but not often as large as this victoria ran about getting vases for them and in the box mother the little box mrs herrendeen was smiling superbly shaking her head the card twisted and wired in a wet envelope was in her hand the little square jewelers box with it in it mother victoria insisted 1 I hate to look the woman said 1 I know its going to make me s angry angry 1 I think so oh magda murmured under her breath he has no right to do that do you know who it is before you even read the card mother 1 I think I 1 do I 1 think its my very rich friend mr manners the spanish one he is half spanish I 1 believe magda slowly brought forth the card glanced at it crumpled it to pulp victorias eager eyes were upon her as she opened the little box cutting its heavy cords and breaking away the wax seals there were vere a cardboard box a light wooden box a lined jewel case in which a heavy diamond bracelet was flashing and gleaming on a satin cushion what does the note say mother just well nothing really ridiculous di the woman murmured her expression partly amused partly pleased partly impatient its beautiful victoria said of the bracelet are they expensive only a few thousand her mother answered carelessly she fitted the bracelet carefully back in its case replaced the wooden box the cardboard box and yawned dawned dont you like him mother who ferd manners Is that his name it sound very spanish its ferdinand tie de something manners I 1 believe his mother was an argentine heiress hes lived there a great deal you might know he was spanish victoria said brightly or he think he could send a married lady jewel jewelry true for you miss herrendeen her mother agreed going into the bedroom with the box until she could return it she would hide it victoria knew dad must know nothing of this the afternoon dragged after a while victoria put on her old white serge skirt and a white thin sweater pulled a small white hat over her bobbed head and went to the library to get a new book when WI en she ehe came back at five her moth mother er was entertaining a caller it was a square dark skinned man sprawled in a low chair a glass of champagne beti between veen his big brown hands this is my little girl mr manners come it was to be ferdinandi ferdinand t the he man said his voice and accent instantly betraying the latin it was not magda countered simply smiling she was in something Z son bolt and cool and pale blue she had had time to dress time to draw shades and set the flowers about advantageously are you going up to helens he was presently asking ile he paid no attention to victoria magda shook her head youre not the man demanded surprised my imy little spare tire victorias mother said her arm about her but good gracious take herl connies girl must be about her age g C no magda said gently shaking her head not just now anyway but it must be lovely up therel there ive never been there you know phyllis was telling me of some place the braverman place right on the water but just the place I 1 am going to buy ferdinand manners exclaimed when magda presently went out of the room to bring him her spanish shawl he asked victoria if she knew that she had a very beautiful mother he bent his russet head over the shawl yes I 1 that is a fine shawl he said what does the man offer you victoria was shocked was mother going to sell the famous old shawl she saw that her mother wanted her to know he offers me three hundred marsh its to be edged with fur for a wrap take all this off magda ran her fine thin hand through creamy silk fringes so stiff that they looked like cotton just a week later victoria brought in a great box just delivered from marshs marahs Mars hs the shawl was inside it had been changed into a sumptuous evening wrap with a border all the way about it of soft white fur and an this gift her mother did not return she put it away in the great trunk that always stood in her room there was small closet space in the apartment that same week on another sticky sultry night keith herran deen came in looking tired and pale at six apparently more than ordinarily wearied by the burden and heat of the day he sank into a chair in the sitting room that was also the dining room where victoria was already setting the table 1 I brought you a little present magda he said his face suddenly bright with a smile its not much my dear I 1 it was an emporium box a white linen jacket unlined with a smart dark blue stripe about the collar and cuffs the tag was still on it he explained that she was free to exchange it if she liked victoria sent a quick apprehensive glance toward her mother the bracelet that had cost thousands had been sent back but the remains a of the great crate of flowers and fresh flowers were everywhere and deep in her mothers trunk was the beautiful shawl with its new border of pure white ermine mrs herrendeen H erren deen stood fingering the linen jacket the staring on a tag was in her hand as the fringe of the shawl had been a few days ago its very sweet keith she said holding her tone low but it was no use in a minute she was crying bitterly senselessly standing at the window with her shaking shoulders to the room dont mind me she said thickly im crazy dont pay any attention to mel me ill be damned if I 1 understand you sometimes magda keith said wearily it was on this night that there was the first talk of sending victoria to a boarding school victorias heart rose on a bound of joy at the thought this seemed to be a time of thrilling plans it appeared almost immediately that she and her mother were going up to tahoe to visit anna brock mrs brock was an old friend who had a daughter catherine victoria and catherine had known each other not very intimately ti all their lives they had always rather shyly liked each other dad will you be up at all weekends a pretty expensive trip vie vic but once if we ve can afford to stay there surely you can afford to come up once ill try it going to cost us very much said her mother the cottage belongs to annas sister and our food wont be much oh are we sort of boarding mother mother something like that keith herrendeen putting them on the train gave victoria a little box in parting that belonged to my mother and her mother before he her r youve seen it the pearl and onyx set I 1 want you to have it victoria clung to him dad youre not going to have much fun I 1 wish you were goings and she called back to him over her shoulder ill write you 1 I love you for the first day or two mrs brock and magda talked together confidentially and inexhaustibly catherine and victoria did not care for they were embarked upon the most enchanting adventure of their lives all day long and far into the he beautiful summer nights the two girls talked and lau laughed ched swam and cooked and walked together giggled their way through adventures that supplied them with endless material for laughter and reminiscence the little cabin was on the east cast side of the lake it was so small that the happy party had the feeling of living out of doors A mile or two to the west was the hotel in a settlement of informally grouped lake homes the brock place was all by itself with a little triangular sandy beach of its own anna and magda and the two girls concocted for themselves the sort of meals that women love in summer salads bowls of berries boxed cookies fruits victorias beautiful mother had for a friend one of the homeliest hom eliest of women but anna brock had an odd add abrupt charm of her own and she was extremely brilliant she spoke french and german and in in september she was going to new york to teach latin in a boys school and then catherine joy of JOY joys s would be placed with victoria in the san rafael boarding school they would still be together mother how can we afford that victoria asked one day magda and her daughter had swu swum m out through the shallow clear water to a great rock and were basking on it this is a good chance to talk to you vie vic without vit hout anna or kittsy hearing magda said by way of reply after a moments hesitation vie vic I 1 dont want you to feel badly about this her mother presently began im getting a divorce from dad were in nevada did you realize that aunt annas cabin is well over the line and on that day when we took a long drive we went to reno and arranged it victoria was looking at her mother steadily she had not moved a muscle now she swallowed wi with th a dry throat there were tears in magdas eyes and in her voice and she stopped S short h 0 rt and looked away over the dazzle dazzie of blue water 1 I oh the break is terrible I 1 know t that hat I 1 know it bowl but after a few weeks after a month or two everyone gets used to it and the two persons who have grown nervous and irritable and wretched together are free but then when will I 1 see dad 11 victoria asked tears gushing from her eyes can I 1 write to him my darling of course and hell come to see you at school take you out to movies why im writing him today and ill put your love in it seemed less strange the next day dad and mother separating still victoria tried to adjust her thoughts to all the amazing angles of this new turn of affairs thought that she would go and see dad often too if she could get away from school and perhaps next year yea r he and she would have their little dream house on the shore for a few weeks and cook waffles and scrambled ambled eggs this was late august it was in in early october that victoria slim and busy and happy in the dark blue dominican uniform with the dazzling collar of her blue jackets blouse turned back at the neck and the pale blue scarf that marked her as a freshman blowing in the autumn wind was stopped as she w was as racing in catherines wake across the school playground letter for you victoria said sister beata extending it in a clean cool hand oh thank you victoria gasped seizing it it was from her mother who was down in santa barbara with the arnolds it told her happily simply that her mother and ferdinand ainsa y castello manners for you may as well have his whole name my darling although ive only got the first and the last on my new cards had been married that day at noon her father came to see her now and then on sundays they were oddly silent oddly in ill at ease with each other victoria saw her stepfather only in flying glimpses for the remainder of her school life he and her mother were at the big manners cattle ranch down in the argentine for two years and when they come came back victoria was preparing tor for a second trip to europe mother raymond had written to her mother about leaving her in the school there for the final year of french and music and culture generally and victoria had only one real visit with her mother before it was time to go ferdinand manners had leased the big chalmers place in burlingame magda was back among tier her friends again and giddy with happiness and triumph TO DE BE 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