Show A I IN i N a S SL L LI I c CHAPTER I 1 1 Victoria Herrendeen came up from the beach with her sandy fingers fingers fin fin- gers tight in her fathers father's s hand Those girls down there had been mean to her because she didn't understand understand un un- derst the French they were jabbering jabbering jabbering jab jab- bering with Mademoiselle and they had laughed at her When Dad had appeared with his usual smile wearing his old blue coat and the loose old white trousers Mother sometimes let him wear on a summer summer summer sum sum- mer morning he had looked to his daughter like an angel of light Here was her unfailing liling friend and rind cham cham- pion He came down from the San Fr Francisco office when he could not every week end but at l t least every other week end and when he was there Victoria had the companion she loved best in the world and the best time tune any little girl ever had hOld on a b beach ach Dad was a chemist whatever chemist whatever that was was and and worked in a laboratory laboratory laboratory labora labora- tory wj with h a man named Butler who was mean an to him and a lot of other I men who were nice Victoria knew i about Butler because she had often I heard her mother say Butler I wouldn't put it over on me rae th that lt I Iw w way Y Keith Id I'd not stand it I Iwonder Iwonder I. I wonder what you do Th They y loved e each other dearly she and her father They were exquisitely exquisitely ex ex- ely happy together While she shew w waded and he made a beach belch fire t T L J I I i c They Went up the Path and scrambled eggs and boiled cocoa cocoa co co- co- co coa they liked to plan dim future days in which they two would live alone Ilone on a d desert sert island and signal to the people on the shore for what they wanted She W was lS an odd looking child not pretty yet but too small tp worry about looks hers herself ell Her mother however however W was lS extremely concerned about them She had just begun to realize th that lt Victoria might be quite lovely some day day or or striking anyway any any- way looking distinguished and was watching her keenly for signs of it but Victoria did not know that Mrs Herrendeen s 's said lid to herself that if the child ever grew up to that big I i 1 I i I red mouth and if it the set deep slate- slate gray eyes opened a l little more and if It the thick straight tawny hair hir were cut and curled into a becoming shape and the dark freckled skin cleared she would be all right But the big teeth had to be straightened straightened straightened straight straight- ened and the hair brushed Magda Magd l Herrendeen might indulge in n a 1 little sigh about it it deep in her own o O souL She was far too fond of at Victoria far too loyal to everyone she loved her own small daughter included to give the child any hint of ot it IL Vicky's life iCe must be happy lappy confident free she must never feel teel any inferiority or sh shyness ness M Magda had had no trouble with her own beauty It had been given her ner at about fifteen as ns a complete gift from the gods It was flawless it was only comparable to other perfect be beauty luty But it was not anything tangible or even describable about her that made her lovely nor the firm straight body with its wide shoulders shoulders shaul ders and thin hips nor the fine tine nervous hand and modeled arm It W was lS a l glow a fragrance a light that seemed to o emanate from her and that was somehow in her voice too loo and in the clothes she wore Victoria could not appreciate her beauty even when new men were introduced to her and held her small s sandy hand while they asked herthe herthe her herthe the question all the other men had Do you know you have a very beautiful mother She would look at her mother mother- on these occasions occasions and smile shyly pleased but a little puzzled too W Was lS it so Important Evidently it was very important Anyway for that reason or or- orsome some other everyone did really make a great fuss about r Mother She laughed about it it but of at course she liked it it too Victorias Victoria's mother always had flowers men brought them when they C came to tea even in winter The did not have dinner din din- ner ncr parties themselves because the apartment was so small but even if it Mother did not have a maid at any other time she always was In touch with a nice Dice colored girl or a clever J Japanese woman or or a young Chinese in purple and gold and blue who came in to serve te tea l. l And men men or or more often a man man came came then and whoever he was he brought flowers Orchids and gardenias and great soft melting begonias In tones of peach and warm cream cren and long- long stemmed roses and sweet dark violets vio vie lets these lets these were always in Mothers Mother's rooms She said that she would feel re really llly poor without them and Victoria Victoria Vic Vic- toria suspected that Dad would do anything to keep Mother from feeling feeling feeling feel feel- ing really poor He had confided to Victoria that they were poor quite poor He had been very very rich once and could give Mother those pearls and furs and everything she liked and then she had had iad flowers many flowers many more than these even every day And then she had had a great big house to put them in in and servants to find vases for them Mother had had a n maid and Dad a valet And did joo like that Dad Victoria might ask Even when she had h had ld nurses all to herself hersel she h had d not liked them Nurses liked to talk to cooks and to 10 other nurses in parks and hitchens kitchens kitchens kitch hitch ens and hotel dining rooms and on beaches to a little girl they had nothing at all to say But this had been in the old days when they had the big house with Ferdin Ferdinand nd vin in in the downstairs halland hailand hall hail halland and the dumbwaiter and the chant chant- These had faded away somewhere somewhere somewhere some some- where around the time tune of at her seventh seventh sev soy birthday and the big motorcars motorcars motor motor- cars with them and the Herren- Herren deens no 1 longer went ent to great big hotels and lived in gre great lt big rooms with letters embroidered on the towels towels towels tow tow- els els- and telegrams and flowers in yellow envelopes and big green boxes They moved to a small apartment apartment apart apart- ment and Victoria discovered to her ecstasy that her own bedroom was right next to a similarly simple room where her mother and her ber fathe father father fa fa- fa- fa ther the slept Now she could go in her pajamas in the early morning and sit on their knees while they were In bed and talk to them And now she was never lonely any more for there was school and there was Dad every night He taught her ber how to cook chocolate chocolate chocolate choco choco- late cornstarch custard and baked potatoes and apple sauce it W was lS all fun On tills this hot August Saturday coming coming coming com com- ing back from the be beach with her sandy hand tight in his she said Did Mother meet you I 1 dont don't think Mother knew I was coming Oo 00 Dad said Victoria fearful fearful- fearfully ly she likes you to let her know I know she does docs darling and I did But when I left the s station just now the telegraph man came out and said Are you going over overto overto overto to Cutters' Cutters and I said Yes And he said Heres a l telegram then for Cor some Mrs the Herrendeen-the the telephone telephone tel tel- ephone wires are lre down And it looks like my telegram Oh yes they are down VictorIa Vietoria Victoria Vic Vie toria agreed e eagerly giving a skip of at sheer delight bec because luse it was summer sum sum- mer and Saturday morning and almost almost almost al al- al- al most time for lunch and Dad was here I 1 know because she tried to telephone Johnny last night Johnny The polo Johnny Oh yes Mr KendrIck It sounded like one of at your friends Youre my friend Dad Victoria Vietoria Vic Vie toria said kissing his hand They went up the path where the daisies and marigolds were stirring une uneasily in the soft sea wind and past the white gate that always looked as if it it were w washed and blown cle clean ln by the winds and into the big wide open porch door of ot the boarding house Her hand W was lS still in his as they crossed the hall hail and entered her mothers mother's room room room-an an airy room with flowers in it it and the good scent of the se sea l. l Not here said Keith Herren Herren- deen playing golf goll maybe mayb Well what shall we do Victoria feeling a little uneasily apologetic for her mothers mother's absence regarded him hopefully What would you like to do Lets have lunch first then first then we C can ln decide So they went out to toI I the Salisbury steaks and the corn and the baked potatoes and I Victoria had two pieces of peach I pie get fat It Vie Vic her father father fa fa- fa- fa ther thor said Salt air nir said Vic Vie They went to a little tent tent- circus that afternoon all the children were going and Victoria was ench en en- ch chanted The circus was wonderful too and Victoria was tired and blissful and quiet on the way home but she shedid shedid did rouse up when she and her father father fa fa- ther went vent into their big room to find Mother there stretched out flat fiat on the bed with the powder-blue powder taffeta taffeta feta cover over her sleepy delicious delicious delicious deli deli- cious affectionate Oh Ob hello heno you darlings she said She stretched a hand toward her husband and he stooped over overhear hear hor for one of their quick kisses hisses I knew you'd carried her ber off of somewhere somewhere somewhere some some- where because the nurse came up here half halt an hour ago ago she added jerking her ber long lovely body over so that tha t he could find a narrow ledge on which to sit Sit there Keith Did you have a nice time Vicky I Victoria burst into a very delirium delirium delirium de de- de- de of remi reminiscence but as ns she presently discovered neither parent parent parent par par- ent was listening to her Her father took off his coat and vest and collar collar col col- col lar and began to walk back and forth between the bureau and the washstand there was an old fash w washstand in an alcove and he washed his f face and hands there combed his wet hair found himself a fresh collar Meanwhile there was wasa a little idle talk between him and his wife and Victoria had an uncomfortable uncomfortable un un- comfortable familiar sense that something v vaguely unpleasant was brewing Nice down here I Perfect days that Is Js except Tuesday Member that Tuesday W was lS windy and foggy Vic Vie It was cold in town Keith Herrendeen Herrendeen Herrendeen Her Her- said without waiting for Victorias Victoria's answer So someone was saying Mrs Herrendeen bunched her ner beautiful ul shining fingernails and looked at them thoughtfully Great doings here for the H Harwoods the Harwoods-the the newspaper newspaper newspaper news news- paper people she said Tonight the man asked evenly evenly even even- ly after a p pause Small party his wife wile said lightly and briefly Bridge for Lady Cuthbertson She's here on the Harwood yacht They've all gone m mad ld over her ber Youve got to go I suppose I IA A pause paus 1 You wouldn't I suppose Another Another Another An An- other pause No Dad said briefly and qui qui- etly I suppose not But But being being bridge Victorias Victoria's mother began hes hes- it She looked at his bis face as she spoke s You feel you h have lve to go Well Well Keith his wife wiCe began with an eloquent shrug you see its it's only two tables she went vent on making a fresh start all right Keith Herrendeen Herren deen said heavily in a tone that belied belied belied be be- lied his words Do you play good bridge Mother Mother Moth Moth- er er cr i. i Victoria asked to lighten a certain heaviness In tn tn silence that had fallen in the room She was washing hers herself ell now busily and effectively effectively effectively ef ef- ef- ef the muddy soap squeezing ing in great firm suds through her fingers her wet straight tawny h hair lir dripping on her shoulders She took tooka a comb and dragged thed locks back severely Now take your fingers and soften that around your forehead Vic Yes Mrs Herrendeen said jerking jerking jerk jerk- ing another pillow under her head I do play good bridge Does Docs Dad asked VicHe Vie Vic He doesn't like it Jt Nor dancing Nor night clubs Nor big cars and yachts and distinguished persons Nor anything I like Magda might have answered from the sense of checkmate of ot complete bafflement In her heart But she said only the first phrase aloud For the rest she i ilay lay there thinking g. g watching her husbands husband's face tace Victoria and Ill I'll take care of each other Keith said said in a hard voice I could telephone and say Ill I'll be beup beup beup up after dinner Magda offered What good would that do Well Veli that's just it no good They arent aren't dining until nearly eight Sibyl s said lid You'll be all through here by seven seven Well take care of at each other othel Keith said again There goes the dinner bell Vitoria ViI Vui- toria said leaping from rock to rock beside him Goody Are you hungry hungry hun hun- gry Im I'm starving Mrs Herrendeen coming to din dino ncr ner Emma said giving them their napkins and setting two glasses of cut fruit before them No she cant can't come tonight Upon their return to their room immediately after acter dinner Vie Vic and her father found Victorias Victoria's mother all ready to go Her manner was the prettily careless one that disguises disguises dis dis- dis guis guises s in a beautiful uI woman a sudden sudden sud sud- den touch of at self sell I wonder you'll speak to me for being such a runaway 1 she said to them with her appealing smile She was always gentle Victoria had bad never seen her mother h harsh or angry You look lovely Magda her husband said He said it without enthusiasm almost we wearily as ho be sat down The lovely vision stooped to kiss hiss his forehead She caught up the familiar wrap Victoria had seen her catch it up a hundred times it was her only one except for the two shawls And Mother said shawls were not really smart any more And now now she was giving to Dad and Victoria her familiar good-by good laugh and nod an excited d triumphant triumph triumph- ant laugh and nod as if it she said Now that Im I'm all ready Im I'm not scared anyone who vho looks as I do must have a good time and she was running away There was a young m man ln in a light overcoat outside the French windows windows win win- dows there always was And there was a rakish low car ear waiting in the drive that was always lYs there too Mother met the one and ran down downto to the other and there was th the roar of a deep engine and she was gone D Dad ld and Victoria went out to the front steps and sat there in the soft summer night TO BE CONTINUED |