| Show IN an C P I 1 IVAL I VAL ll 11 ama r NO W 41 ra tp pe er tre f 1 4 M JEA i N r L 4 40 icus VV 1 SYNOPSIS the loss of their family fortune is accepted stoically by the bristol family including professor bristol invalid ar che his daughter rosemary and simmons a family fixture 11 the only property salvaged Is Pep Pepper peppertree trec inn annand and the move to california to operate it rosemary experiences the turmoil of an Inn keepers existence and is grateful for the aid of bob elliot kent standish sh successfully manages the inn then envisages a string of hotels although rosemary breaks off her engagement to kent a romantic air pervades the inn tor for euen ellen carters wedding the excitement puts rosemary in bed with a touch of flu fin CHAPTER tears poured forlornly down rose marys face fingers plucked the beet et almost pathetically T 1 hate hospitals ive never stayed in one then how do you know you hate them doctor interrupted mrs elliot may I 1 take her home with me you know how quiet it is out there you may send a nurse if you wish though theres really no need katie and emma will take the best care of her doctor pearson said heartily the very thing I 1 know katies brand of nursing its exactly needed in this case light nourishing meals and plenty of em cm a cheerful atmosphere and rest the more rest and sleep the better ill send you a tonic miss rosemary and something to keep you quiet in bed not necessary to take fake her in an ambulance mrs elliot have her wrapped warmly and get somebody to carry her out to your car hell have to be a husky brute went on the doctor cheerfully seeing that she must weigh all of a hundred pounds no no the patient protested 1 I cant impose on mrs elliot like that it if youre sure I 1 cant stay here doctor ill go to the hospital tor for a few days anyhow I 1 wont mind I 1 guess mrs elliot took the hot little hands in hers she thought they were like a childs and it was a childs curly golden head on the pillows but the eyes were a womans comans eyes anxious and tearful fearful listen rosemary dear s she he g coaxingly you dont want to nake me unhappy do you hurt my feelings then please pleas dont reuse tuse me the pleasure 0 of taking you home with me the judge and I 1 are perfect fools about gris g ris well love coddling you truly ill come ch ibi come it if youre sure im not imposing on you too much things were a little vague to her after that perhaps it was the effect of if the he two little white pills the doctor had made her swallow she was not even surprised to see bob elliot mier anter and lift her gently from the bed and carry her out to a waiting ear car someone she realized idly had slipped a bathrobe over her nightgown someone had a blanket ready eady and pillows on the back seat 6 the car she roused a little when 6 b lifted her again are we there Is it the hospital no darling not the hospital aspi altal pont dont try to talk little rosemary dont even think everything every thing is all right she knew dimly that she was eing lowered into a wide comfort ible bed she saw venetian blinds brawn against the bright sun she smelled the fresh fragrance of sweet peas and heard a womans comans boice speaking softly just outside ler ier door then she drifted off into a dileep which lasted for hours it was night when she wakened the only light in the room was a shaded lamp on a table by which sat a kind faced woman in maids uniform her gray head was bent over the napkin she was hemming am I 1 am I 1 in a hospital asked the girl no miss rosemary dont you remember katie who works for mrs elliot youre sate safe and sound in your own room at the judges let me turn them pillows for you she supported rosemary in one strong arm while she shook and smoothed the pillows then she presented a glass of something cool and tart to the parched lips what time is it rosemary spoke more to hear the sound of her own voice than because she cared whether it was day or night the soreness had gone from her throat most of the ache from her bones she felt blissfully relaxed and d drowsy katie spoke occa occasionally occasional siona Y went on with her hemming and rosemary slept again to wake this time to broad day with the smiling face of her hostess looking down at her well child you look a hundred per cent better heres the doctor to see for himself how well you are doing im afraid youre going to lose this case doctora Doc torl im afraid I 1 am too he grumbled what have you been doing to her to make her look so much better visit from bob climaxes day rosemary was kept in bed tor for three days longer then she was allowed to sit in a big armchair padded with pillows the judge dropped in for a little chat twice a day mrs elliot was always within call but never intrusive katie was the official nurse but complained that her duties were too light it was all part of a new experience to rosemary bristol motherless since her babyhood she had depended on herself entirely now she knew what it was to be guarded and cared for to have thought taken for her which ranged from the im important or one of the hour of medicine giving to the flowers in the crystal bowl by her bedside she enjoyed the judges brief calls he made no secret of his enslavement to our pretty little girl she loved mrs elliots elliote Elli tender ministrations but all day long she waited tor for bob the halt half hour he spent with her after dinner was the crown and climax of her day he sat comfortably in a big leather chair his brown hands swinging easily between his knees he seemed to bring in the smell of sun browned grass of healthy trees of sea air he took it for granted that she was where she belonged that she would stay there until she was entirely strong again she began to treasure the few personal persona words he let fall little thing you are rosemary I 1 realized and your hair is the color ol of dandelion blossoms did you know it and another time its nice to know youre here in this house I 1 find myself looking forward to seeing yau you in this room when she was able to be about she protested that she must go back to the inn that she had trespassed too long on their kindness voctor doctor wants you to make us a little visit was all mrs elliot said the judge declared hed issue a writ which would prevent her leaving the premises if she tried to walk out on them before hed told her all his best jokes katie was very stern with her when bedtime came im surprised you want to go back to that noisy place weak as you are miss Rose rosemary maryl 1 bob bob said in his kind b big ig brotherly voice you think of leaving us yet Rose rosemary maryl people pay long visits in california kent drove his mother out every day to see the invalid kents violets or gardenias came punctually every morning the professor had 6 11 01 41 1 V am I 1 am I 1 in a hospital a talk with his daughter over the telephone twice daily durham sent the boss a box of violently red carnations placed carefully on a springy mattress of asparagus fern doctor pearson discharged his patient in genuine earnest rosemary stayed two weeks and then having done her best to relieve her full heart of some of its gratitude she returned with kent to Pepper peppertree Pep tr e inn kent said gravely rosemary id like to talk to you no regrets at final parting yes she answered ive been waiting to hear you say that the night of ellens wedding I 1 made up my mind to straighten things out between us the next day but I 1 was ill that morning there seemed to be a good chance since I 1 came back from the elliots elliote Elli 11 how straighten things out dear she answered by a question how much longer will you be needed in california kent 1 I could leave tomorrow so far as the inns are concerned 1 I thought so youve been waiting here on my account you know I 1 have rosemary then dont wa wait it any longer my dear she told him softly go back to philadelphia and enter your fathers firm where you belong the work that interests you they were riding in his car he turned into an almost deserted road and shut off the ignition squaring himself so that he faced her he asked quietly and you darling im to leave you behind her eyes met his steadily you know it kent youve known it for a long time I 1 think youve stayed here partly to please your mother and partly because you thought I 1 you wanted to give me every chance to make up my mind and its madeep made up now yes kent well always be good friends you and I 1 but marriage is out of the question dont you feel that it is yourself but you did love me rose mary maryl it she smiled at him 1 I still do just as you love me my dear its the same feeling we had for each other in our teens it mighty nice but not the right basis for marriage what makes you so sure of that she thought for a moment ellen carter for one thing the way she looked at jim the way he looked at her for another I 1 miss yau you all those weeks that you were away not as I 1 should have missed the man I 1 was engaged to it would have been far better if you come back to the inn at all kent or at least if you stayed all this time why have you allowed me to stay madre did she talk to you of yes she thought I 1 might feel differently she wanted us to be sure one way or the other I 1 am sure now kent and I 1 think you are too he smiled a little have I 1 failed in attentiveness to you of course not but we both know dont we youve finished what brought you to california youve found yourself and you know exactly what you want to do and I 1 in a way ive found myself too I 1 want to stay on at peppertree Pep inn and keep it a paying business I 1 love bellavista Belle vista the climate agrees with the professor I 1 dont want to marry anybody or even be engaged youve been grand to me kent it if it been for your putting the inn on its feet I 1 face the future so confidently now just tell me my dear that I 1 hurt you that youre none the worse for having followed me out here he took both her hands in his what a good little sport you are rosemary what a square shooter of course im none the worse im a million times better when I 1 think odthe sort of life ive led for the last two years I 1 wonder what was the matter with my brain if any it took you and peppertree Pep inn and madre to jolt me out of my daydreaming you told me once that grown up out here so have L I 1 he threw back his shoulders as if ridding them of a tangible burden now I 1 can go back to philadelphia and try to take my fathers place in the firm and some day meet the right girl kent she told him persuasively A girl who is cool and calm and not in need of knight errantry A girl whom you can select with your mind as well as your heart 1 I shall never marry he said she allowed that to pass without comment she knew his pride was hurt that she had wounded his masculine dignity your mother going to be pleased about this she sighed her thoughts returning to her own problems 1 I dread having to tell her and theres another thing kent the car she gave me she called it an engagement present and it was but now that there is no engagement I 1 cant keep the car of course nonsense he said you cant hurt madres feelings by giving it back she take it besides what would she do with another used car ive got to dispose of the one ive been driving as it is you wont drive back heavens not well fly ive stalled herriot off too long now lets see this is tuesday I 1 think I 1 can wind up all I 1 have to do by thursday friday at the latest I 1 can report to the office monday morning his eyes were bright his voice eager every line of him proclaimed his impatience to leave this piffling riffling piff ling business of creating and managing inns and return to the dignified environs of his fathers firm his mothers home rosemary in her relief at his attitude felt a little pang kent was not only willing to leave her he was glad to he turned briskly back to the wheel and started the car again might as well get going he announced cheerfully just one last word though rosemary youve got to promise me that it if you need a man to stand by you financially or in any other way let me know you owe me that much at least oh were doing beautifully thank s to you durham was showing me the profits tor for last month and I 1 felt positively rolling in money stand by me with your mother kent she asked anxiously im so fond of her I 1 do hate to hurt her former playboy now ambitious let me talk to her first he said not realizing that she had evaded his question 1 I dont think shell be surprised as a matter of tact fact ashes she let drop a few words now and then that showed she knew how we how you felt toward me its going to be darned hard to leave you he went on soberly 1 I hate to think of you away out here while im in philadelphia we think it would turn out like this when we planned back home didde I 1 was actually keen on the idea of managing a two for a nickel inn can you lag lagine it I 1 was going to work like a beaver tor for six months and then she closed her lips on the angry words which threatened to burst from them A two for a nickel inn indeed kent had thought so highly of it that hed done his best to duplicate it in more places than she cared to remember it was pepper tree inn which had turned him from a playboy into a young man who was almost too ambitious to too 0 aggressive gres sive are you are you going to talk to your mother now she asked as they got out of the car in front ot of the inn right away no point in waiting is there I 1 believe youre actually nervous about madre rosemary dont be shell be sorry of course because ashes mighty fond of you but after all shell want me to to t TO BE CONTINUED 4 T |
