| Show A t o e C CHAPTER APTER VIII Continued VIII Continued 10 10 Quentin looked at her absently moved his gaze caze to Victoria Any ny chance of ot your going coing down downto to Del Monte with me this afternoon afternoon afternoon after after- noon Oh darling not on Sunday Mollie Mollie Mollie Mol- Mol lie off oI and Nurse with all cf of them to handle and the Carters coming to supper They're bringing all the children I I thought that since you wouldn't be here it would be a arand grand rand chance for a childrens children's sup sup- per a Wm Quentin said tally Victoria made vaguely uneasy uneasy uneasy un un- easy by his tone sent him another questioning glance Quentin wasn't quite like himself on this hot still Sunday I The other doctors are going Quent Youre You're to have your golf golfIn golfin golfin in the morning i I dont don't know he said I thought I might telephone telephone telephone tele tele- phone Johnny We might have our golf coll right here You'll get over there and see sec her wont won't you Vic Get Get ft She was completely at sea untying Susans Susan's bib as as Susan bunted into her Take your cooky and run darling she said to the child and dont don't wake Baby Baby she's she's out on the side porch Get over and see the Morrisons Quentin completed itOh itOh itOh it Oh Oh yes Somehow somewhere Somehow somewhere something was wrong Through the familiar scene a chill faint wind seemed to blow a faint apprehension of trouble trou trou- ble of ble-of of change Vicky couldn't analyze analyze an an- alze it it was only vaguely conscious conscious conscious con con- that she felt it but i H iX was there Ill walk over to the Morrisons' Morrisons this afternoon for a few minutes if fi you like Quentin she said on an impulse pulse after luncheon I Quentin was stuffing his pipe e e edid e I did not look up In their more than seven years of ot marriage he had never made a call that Vicky could remember Now sauntering forth into the garden in search of dogs children his favorite chair under the oaks on the long terrace he spoke carelessly over his shoulder Oh dont don't you bother he said youve got enough to do Ill I'll wan wan- wander wander der over there fuere later and afterward I can give you some idea what sort of an outfit it is be a darling to do that thaU Victoria said But oddly she did not feel happy about it and it was from rom that Sunday that she dated the change in Quentin Quenlin Not understanding understanding understanding under under- standing why she nevertheless was conscious of the fact that fuat life lle somehow somehow somehow some some- how didn't go back after that Sunday Sunday Sunday Sun Sun- day to what it had been before Just two weeks after the day when Vicky and Quentin had first met their lovely neighbor her eyes were suddenly opened and after that Victoria understood Quentin had said that he thought he would go over to the club might play another eighteen if it it got cooler cool cool- er might watch the polo Vicky saw him oft off had a cloud-clearing cloud talk tall with Mollie who since her marine marine marine ma ma- rine was in port was given the rest of ot the afternoon and the evening as asa asa a special concession helped Nurse to the extent of opening all the little beds laying out night apparel putting putting putting put put- ting away various books and toys in the nursery Finally they were all in bed with books and Victorias Victoria's head and hair jerked into a hundred agonizing direction directions directions di di- by warm night good kisses and embraces Five minutes past seven and supper due within the hour hour oh oh dear not much room for forrest forrest forrest rest in there Her chiffon was at atthe atthe atthe the cleaners Perhaps that white while one that she had worn this morn morn- morning Ing ing There was a wide upper hallway in the house filled now with a pleasant pleasant pleasant pleas pleas- ant light half-light like the light under water Victoria closing the nursery nursery nursery nurs nurs- ery door behind her lingered for fora a moment at its big open window looking out at the cooling and softening soft soH- ening day breathing the freshened nir air resting her eyes on the greenness greenness greenness green green- ness of the great trees So standing she could look down kat at the fue drying yard and the berry 1 vines vines and the flat tint stretch of neglected neglected neglected ne ne- lawn where a cow grazed and the gate in the evergreen hedge that divided the Hardisty property from the small but exquisitely groomed estate of the Morrisons next door There was a small strip of lane there and in the lane Vic saw a white while figure with the level light of the setting sun shining bright on pale gold old hair and illuminating illuminating illuminating the white parasol as if it it were a lantern lighted against the dusky shadows of the lane Mrs Morrison of course She was talking to someone apparently she had the air of a person talking 5 But her companion was quite invisible invisible invisible ble against the hedge it was tall enough to hide anyone who was close to it on the other side Victoria Victoria Victoria Vic Vic- toria stood watching her and reflecting reflecting reflect reflect- ing lag upon the inescapable power of ot the beauty that had been so suddenly suddenly suddenly sud sud- denly introduced into their compact little group Mrs Morrison continued talking in the lane the revolving frills of I Ithe the parasol tumbling tumbling Dusk was falling fast now Anna coming upstairs touched the switch that fuat lighted the hall behind Victoria Vic Vic- toria How many would there be beor for or supper please Victoria turned about considered The had said they'd stop in on their way home with Kate and Dr Miller would be here Six please Anna No seven there'd be Gwen Vic Vie remembered Anna went downstairs again but when Victoria turned back aa ck to the window the lights inthe inthe in inthe the hall ball had spoiled the fue lovely dusk and the white frock was gone from the lane She went into her room after a peep at Madeleine Quentin was tearing off his clothes Oh did you just come up I hoped you'd gotten a nap I went for a stroll A IIA stroll Yep I walked a little way It was as lovely out Feels hot in fn here It does docs feel hot You didn't get getas as far as the hospital l did you Quent That womans woman's coming on all right isn't she The roar of the shower drowned any reply Quentin might have shouted shout shout- ed through the half closed bathroom door when he came out again Vic was getting into an old black lace Its frightful to burn bum your shoulders shoulders ders in just the fue pattern of your bathing bathing bathing bath bath- ing suit she said I wonder how that woman keeps so white Quentin did not answer She was down there in the lane just now parasol and all Victoria pursued now doubled over to insert her heels one at a time into rather tight slippers Zat so Quentin asked shaving Yes I happened to be looking out of the upper hall window she was talking to someone someone gardener gardener maybe maybe but but no its it's Sunday night Maybe it was a lover Vie Vic said trying a heel scowling taking up the slipper to flex it vigorously having a terribly dull time poor soul with a sick husband and no friends here Quentin was pulling his face about abut with hard fingers testing his shave He was non noncommittal When he and she were going to tobed tobed tobed bed after the bridge game quite suddenly Quentin said How about asking them to dinner dinner dinner din din- ner Who The Morrisons Oh Oh suppose hed he'd come He seems so cross I cant can't imagine him social and agreeable Sure hed he'd come She said today today today to to- day he would I A seconds second's electrical pause Then II Vicky said without volition exactly what she did not want to say in 1 d df f A I Iv II v r rII II f fi i y t I I I r 1 She Was Talking to Someone Apparently exactly the tone she did not want to use use silly silly suspicious words in a wife's light suspicious tone Oh I didn't know you'd seen her today I met her coming back from my walk wall Quentin answered wondering wondering won won- wondering dering at the same instant why he heh h hadn't said that he had seen her for fora a moment at the club In the lane Yep Vicky was silent a moment When she spoke spoke- it was to say amiably that she would go over to see Serena Serena Serena Se Se- rena in a day or two to arrange the dinner But under her surface serenity she felt a t little sick from the sudden Jarring awakening sudden sudden sudden sud sud- den vague fears So-o-o So So o that was it was it It was Quentin to whom Serena had been talking in the lane Quentin kissed her night good a careless kiss on the top of her head went head went to his own sleeping porch Almost immediately she heard him snoring But Vicky lay awake for lor nervous restless unreasoning unreasoning unreasoning hours CHAPTER IX Vicky made a point of calling caning upon her neighbors a day or two later to Invite them to dinner Feeling oddly formal In her silk gown with calling cards in her purse and white gloves carried as asa asa asa a final touch Vicky sat in the patio of ot the Morrison house bouse with the injured injured injured in in- man and his lovely wife and talked somewhat stiltedly and con con- constrainedly She and Dr Hardisty lived very quietly she explained as indeed a doctor has to do when he is building up his practice and has six small children Vicky ended end end- ended ed with a little laugh Oh yes you poor thing Serena Serena Serena Se Se- rena said so heartily that Spencer Morrison laughed his sinister laugh and Vicky hated herI herI herI her I didn't know whether coming to dine with us would give Mr Morrison Morrison Morrison Mor Mor- rison any pleasure or not Vicky said later when she was walking home borne and Serena had volunteered to accompany herI herI herI her I beg pardon I III was wondering if 11 Mr Morri MorrI- Morrison son would think it more bother than it was worth Oh he can walk that far Serena Serena Serena Se Se- rena said agu vaguely Victoria Victora did not pursue the sub sub- They were in the little littie lane that separated the two properties now and suddenly she and picked up a small bright object And Andas aj as she did so she felt her heart begin begin begin be be- gin to beat faster and the blo blood d din in her face cigarette lighter she said Hes been looking for it ev ev- Imagine Serena commented undisturbed He probably dropped it Vicky said suddenly trembling when you and he were talking here inthe in inthe inthe the lane last Sunday Hall Half an hour later Quentin came upstairs to find Vicky changing her gown gow for tor dinner I met Mrs Morrison Lord Morrison-Lord Lord she is a lovely creature Quentin observed observed observed ob ob- ob- ob served plunging at once into his ablutions Shed started to walk to the village it was too much for her and she asked me to telephone for a taxi to pick her up But Bui instead instead instead in in- stead I ran her downtown It downtown It it seems he wanted the mail I guess he be gets his own way pretty well well and and then took her home It only took me ten minutes She tells me me- me he looked out of a towel his hair in wild wet confusion contusion to say in satisfaction satisfaction satisfaction satis satis- faction faction- she tells me you called there today Vic Vie Im I'm glad She's a lovely woman and shell she'll be great company for you Victoria at her dressing table tible continued to brush her hair Once she looked steadily at Quentin in inthe inthe inthe the mirror but he did not see herI herI herI her I told you they could come Thursday night she asked Yep Who else are you going to have Gita and Gwen yen and ourselves and Mother Quentin turned his face coloring coloring coloring color color- ing with amazement Why my dear you cant can't do that he said quickly Do what Why have those people the first time and not make an occasion of it Vicky was genuinely astonished How djou mean Quentin Well I mean that they're important important important im im- im- im people his father is Sir Percival Morrison I do think that if ever ever it if ever were we're going to spread ourselves this is the time tune But hes he's an invalid Quent It ItHe He s q 9 and he Hes He's lost an eye of course but hes he's an Englishman English English- English j man and you'll find them regular sticklers for formality Oh no well we'll have to make it a formal affair and Dr Id I'd ask the Rays and the fue I see sec It Vic murmured as he paused Her heart was lead Why do you say see I Quentin Quentin Quentin Quen Quen- tin demanded suspiciously Well we wc haven't given that sort of ot an affair since before the twins were born Weve We've had nothing but Sunday lunches and bridge dinners fer just four Why but theres there's nothing so formidable formidable formidable for for- about it it Vic He spoke with a sort of amused impatience It was not amusing to Vic She understood his mood too well his unwonted fussing over every every every ev ev- ery detail of the approaching dinner dinner dinner din din- ner his strange excited spirits when the night finally came Quentin who usually loathed such affairs was nervous as a young wife wile over the candles and flowers and welcomed the fue guests with a joviality and assurance assurance assurance as as- that seemed to Vicky almost almost al al- most as bad as his usual manner of grim and polite endurance The Morrisons came last the theman theman theman man who wore a black patch over one ore eye limping a little evidently glad to drop into the nearest chair Serena shining in flawless beauty Vicky herself hersell felt tired things had hadnot hadnot hadnot not gone any too loo well throughout the thelong thelong thelong long rainy day daj she had small heart in hi the affair The earlier stages of the dinner were not a success Just why not Vic was unable to perceive Serena sat next to Quentin Vicky was miserably impressed from her end of the table that the guest of honor did not have much to say Anyone as beautiful as that tha t did not have bave to have much to say she made all the other women look plain and badly dressed and sound chatter chatter- boxes The atmosphere seemed definitely clearer when they had gone They went early the bowed carefully walking lean man with the neat black patch over one eye and the fue superbly moving woman with her fair flir head held high Everyone could discuss them then and the contract contract contract con con- tract fanatics could settle down to their game Vicky and Violet and andone andone andone one or two of the other women turned the lights low in the drawIng drawIng drawing draw- draw Ing room gathered about the tile fire and analyzed the Morrisons at their leisure Quentin had said that he would walk through the garden carden with the Morrisons but the night had proved to be still and rainy and the they had had to have the car carlor for lor the twice two hundred yards On the whole wearily glad clad that It was was over limping upstairs in her stiff new slippers Vicky pronounced the affair a drag a bore a failure It went on and on he never saw it she could see nothing else Vicky grew nervous and irritable wondering wondering wong won won- dering about It wondering when when- r 1 I i i err 1 I i i ig f r tir Doe t Mrs l Morrison l Play Vicky Asked ever he was out of her sight where Quentin was wondering how often he saw Serena and under what circumstances cir cir- I saw Serena today Quentin said one night when their acquaintance acquaint acquaint- I ance with the Morrisons was of ot only a few weeks' weeks standing Oh that fuat was nice Did she ome to the office No I took her to lunch Oh A pause Then the inevitable Inevitable Inevitable table interrogation as unwelcome to Victoria as to Quentin but dragged dragge from her nevertheless by a power stronger than herself |
