Show i I I CHATTER PTER X Continued X 13 13 I had to come up and say Merry Merr Merry Mer r ry Christmas Serena Screna said She was rosy from a cold walk belted into a long tweed coat with sables loose about her shoulders and a brimmed tweed hat drawn down over her sea blue eyes Gita was with me but she went up to the children Youre You're not sick Lazy Vicky said Ive been doing everything at once tod today y and about an hour ago I simply gave out I can imagine said Serena With so many stockings to fill Gita was quite envious about it but I dont don't think it would be much fun for one child to hang a stocking I never did it Flawlessly lovely Blonde and andresh fresh resh her hair a crisp pale gold against the rough texture of at the hat bat her skin 0 of the smooth deep silkiness of ot the magnolia petal her eyes blue blue blue-blue-blue blue blue Vicky studying studying studying study study- ing her once again thought of the phrase exquisite womanhood Victoria watching her felt an inner trembling that was almost a verti verti- go How dared shel she How dared she shelOr Or was this all a troubled dream one of at those dreams that came when she was too tired or lying in some uncomfortable attitude attitude attitude atti atti- tude that twisted body as s well as mind CHAPTER XI But it was not a dream to hear the front door bang and Quentin's step on the stairs and his voice at atthe atthe the door Hello Vicky Having tea Hello Hello Hel Hel- lo Magda Oh Magda-Oh Oh said Quentin his voice dropping Serena I didn't see you They shifted about a 1 little to tomake tomake make room f for r him Anna brought sh toast and more tea Vick Vicky put her hand baud to her disordered hair Serena sat a picture of radiant beauty in her loosened furs and brimmed hat bat with the firelight and lamplight glowing in her eyes Quentin Im I'm disgraceful his wife said But Ive I've been on the go all day Her voice trembled her hand trembled but no one noticed noticed no no- it unless Magda did a and d she gave no rio sign Ill bet you ou have Y You u got the wreaths up Did the Emporium stuff come come I think The spare room looks like a toy shop Vicky had gotten to her feet poured his tea she sto stood d now looking down at him And as he glanced up handsome handsome handsome hand hand- some tired relaxed after the hard day she wished In her heart that tha t the he and she were dead and lying bing bingin in the I warm kind earth somewhere together I only came in to say Merry Christmas Serena repeated once more Nice that you did Well Its It's certainly going to be a cold one Quentin said Are Arc you going out tonight Quentin Quentin Quentin Quen Quen- tin They telephoned from the San Mateo Matco hospital about an hour ago I stopped there on the way down No Bledsoe's coming at about eight maybe earlier earlier is is that too toolate toolate late for dinner And then arent aren't we fishing oil ofT the tree There isn't very much to do It was cruel this semblance to the theold theold theold old happy holidays this reminder of at the wonderful hours when he and she together In their own house in inthe inthe inthe the depth of ot the winters winter's night had finished off oft all the surprises for forthe forthe forthe the children had filled the dangling little stockings on so many Christmas Christ mas eves evest And yet Instinct taught her and native courage helped her to chat along idly with Serena and ond presently presently pres pres- to excuse herself and go of off off to the nursery She left her mother with Quentin and Serena After Atter a wild hour half with the children when she was going to her room for tor a bath and sleep she met net Magda going upstairs to her own apartments Are Arc you going to give him any hint Vicky Magda asked Of what Vicky said heavily with averted eyes l That youre you're not going to stand for it jNo No Vicky said sloWly Per naps she added scowling a little still looking away away I am I think you were smart to let lether lether lether her come up Magda l commented I mean if it youre you're going to make a break brcak make a 0 break And if U yo youre you're rc not play the Game game came right up to the h dle I l dont don't th k anything I can do donow donow donow now is smart Vicky s saidI saidI said I wish to goodness there was something I could do to help you Vic Vie You do help me Mother You did Vicky said going on h r way nut But she did not say how She did not ot say 51 that the la last t phrase of her Another's muttered Just as as asAnna Anna I had come in fn to the room to announce announce announce an an- Serena had somehow reached her heart reached heart reached her soul had changed blank despair to despairing resolution Ive always thought that atall of at all the girls I ever knew Magda had said you were the one to try the long way way way-I I mean stick to your guns and not let what wha t anyone does make you anything but what you are The Thc only talk they were to have on the subject for almost n a long longyear longyear longyear year came about ten days later when the Christmas tree had been sawed into short lengths that were still draped here and there with odd scraps of ot cotton and tinsel and when Vicky and Quentin had the sitting room fire to themselves after alter Magda had gone to bedI bedI bedI bed I was wondering wondering- Quentin began began be be- gan and stopped abruptly Wondering Wondering Wondering Won dering if it you'd like to get away i Get away She was honestly I taken by surprise Yep Take Gwen and Susan or Kenty if it you liked and go on a trip somewhere Victoria sat down again looking at him kim Her heart had turned to Ice How could I possibly get away Quentin What of the twins and Maddy Well VeIl I think its it's too much for you Quentin persisted gruffly and stupidly He sat with his big hands locked and hanging between his knees his eyes were on the fire and his brow was slightly knitt knitted d I I see sec Victoria pr presently said slowly But how she asked after a pause pause how how could we afford that now To this Quentin made no answer After a time he said irrelevantly You see I may have to be In town a good deal this winter You mean overnight Sometimes He did not look at her herAt At the club Well tWell no Swanson has taken a little place on Pine street and hed he'd like me to go into it with him But I thought Dr Swanson was going to Los Los Angeles Hell be bc back and forth he says I I see Vicky said again pon pon- dering Her heart was beating fast and she felt her spine cold her cold her hands cold and wet Its Serena isn't it Quentin she added almost almost almost al al- al- al most involuntarily She had not meant to ask it it was said Quentin glanced quickly across at ather ather ather her looked back at the fire His eyes narrowed and she saw his jaw stiffen huh Uh he said simply with witha a little philosophic shrug You like Uke her terribly dont don't you Vicky pursued turning the knife in hi her heart Oh it isn't that Quentin said impatiently If It it was just my liking her it wouldn't matter Everone Everyone Everyone Ev Ev- Ev- Ev likes her I dont don't suppose I she's met a man in ten years who I hasn't fallen for her A man man her her mothers mother's doctor she doctor she tells me hes he's one of the big men at Roosevelt hospital hospital hospital hos hos- pital in New York now now asked asked her herto herto herto to marry him when she was only fourteen I I Really Vicky said And the word word word-Li if he had been in any mood to hear it was like lite a sword blade naked in the air No it isn't what I feel for her Quentin hearing nothing went on after a moment Its that that that-that that I cant can't see any any sense in hurting her What about Spencer Victoria asked simply after a silence She has him What did you say she love Spencer No that was a funny thing too She tells me Quentin told the whole story eagerly ea en- gerly b believingly It was the story Magda had told her daughter years before the story of at the beautiful woman wheedled into marriage on the promise of or love sure to follow Spencer and Ferdy so long ago and andall andall all nIl the other men to whom these beautiful women later were to prove false had promised to love enough for two as sorry as s I am Quentin Quen tin tn presently finished Victoria was silent for tor a while looking fixedly Into the fire Then she sho said temperately You feel teel that something must be bedone bedone bedone done Quentin sent her a startled glance Well Lord Vicky she cant can't go goon goon goon on this way you know Her life over there is simply hell that's what it is Morrison never has appreciated appreciated ap ap- ap- ap predated her hes he's completely wrapped up in his own troubles and what has she to live for What do you want to do Quentin Quentin Quen Quen- tin Vicky asked at last in a temperate expressionless voice His dark rumpled head bead was sunk in fa his big hands he spoke hopelessly hopelessly hopelessly hope hope- lessly I HI dont don't know I told her today that I thought you'd Jump at taking a couple of the kids o off for a holiday hail holi day France maybe we could close up this house Her world was tottering about her she heard the hurricane shrieking shriek shriek- ing In hi her ears breathed the rush of smothering dust felt the good earth shake You mean leave some of them here In fa tho house with Nurse and a cook and take the others off to Europe Europe Europe Eu Eu- rope Well His tone was dubious faintly irritated He was still tumbling tumbling tum turn bling his hair with restless fingers Wo We could make some somo arrangement arrange orrange- ment he said What I mean Is it doesn't seem fair to have you here slaving yourself to death for tor forthe forthe the kids when when when-when when things have changed so Theres There's no use of ot three people be being g unhappy when with a little common commonsense sense be satisfied This Is as much a surprise to me meas meas meas as you Vie Vic It came to tOI me like a thunderbolt the other day when she told me what it meant to her She said she wished to God she sho had never met me she me-she she actually said that She felt that way about It Now I owe her her l I owe her some consider consideration tion about It She's got some In this matter Its It's too bad when it happens this way but the only thing is to be honest and to work It out for the best for tor all parties And you must believe that it doesn't in fa the least affect what I feel for you and the children children chil chil- dren Vic Vie I mean mean that's that's separate Its It's simply that you come to to a time in fa your life when youve you've got to be fair to all nIl hands You mean that you want a dIvorce divorce divorce di dI- vorce The instant she said it she knew that it was a mistake She should not have been the one to introduce this word But at least it s seemed emed to tobe tobe tobe be no shock to Quentin He said with a smile hall for the fire She says she simply hates the I word She was divorced once and the idea makes her sick I suppose suppose sup sup- pose it makes any decent woman I sick Whatever you decide to do Quentin Victoria said after atter a amo- amo mo moment ment standing up as an indication that the conversation was over I J I 1 All HAil Right Serena She Said Half Aloud is 9 count on leaving me here with the children I couldn't leave any of them it would only mean expense and trouble for tor you Ill I'll stay here here Im Im I'm glad weve we've talked about it anyway and I think Ill I'll go goto goto goto to bed Goodnight Good I think youre you're a tremendous sport to take it this way Let me talk to her shell her shell she'll work it all out Quentin said The library door closed there was no other answer Hes a genius of ot course Vicky said to herself against the surge of ot pain in her heart as she went slowly upstairs in the big house that of ot late had seemed so wintry ond and desolate Hes a genius and geniuses have times of not knowing what they're doing or saying Everyone Everyone Everyone Ev Ev- Ev- Ev says that Quentin is in a class by himself himself himself-he's he's hes temporarily out of his mind that's all She looked across at ot the Morrison Morri Morn son house its tiled Spanish roofs and balconies its oaks and peppers were brightly lighted by the cold January moon AU All right Serena she said half hall aloud apostrophizing the dim light that shone In Jn the window she knew to be Serena's Screna's window All AU right wait wait for tor him to telephone He wilL He said five minutes ago that hed he'd empty the ashtrays and lock the doors and that always means hes he's going to telephone you Let him tell you hes he's had a talk with Vicky and she was surprisingly sensible and say Ah lover then maybe we can begin to play tomorrow But from rom now on its it's my will against your admirable little girl in innocence in- in Serena Hell He'll never get free of me for Ill I'll never consent to it Hell He'll never marry you while I Ilive Ilive Ilive live and Im I'm not going to die Im I'm going to be right here and after alter a awhile awhile while you'll give in because theres there's nothing else for tor you to do You belong belong be be- long to him now now and and I know it while he was telling me how strong you ou were how controlled you were Youre You're his now youve you've had all youre you're going to have from him the him the rest is all mine Im I'm the wife wile and ond my children are the children and I Ican Ican Ican can wait wail Ill I'll know it all and Ill I'll keep still still Ill Ill I'll be pitied and women will hint things to me and Ill I'll keep still You take your day Serena Serena Serena-go go ahead Take a year take two years Flatter him and meet him kiln for lunch and ond take his presents and hate me Hate me because I wont won't give you your way But in the end Ill I'll win Victoria and ond Violet Keats sat on the Hardisty lawn on a n hot spring afternoon and discussed with limitations limitations limi limi- their husbands and children chil chil- dren then their hom homes s servants and friends their lives generally The Thelong Thelong Thelong long Saturday had been spent by Violet and her own quartette of youngsters with the Hardisty troop now it was late afternoon and the I problem of at getting Kate Duna Bunty Busty and Babs Keats amicably separated from Gwen Kenty Sue Dicky Bobs and ond Madeleine Hardisty Hardisty Har Han disty was like an uneasy undercurrent undercurrent undercurrent under under- current to the women's talk I suppose you couldn't leave them all with us VI What all four of at them Violet ejaculated I couldn't leave one Mothers Mother's birthday tomorrow Id forgotten that that although although I sent her flowers Did you really think to send her flowers Vie Vic I did and a book Youre charming and she really loves you and always has Violet said touched Into a rare display of feeling I dont don't know why you worry so about this baby of yours she added going back to earlier talk He may be just slow Duna was terribly slow he didn't walk until he was nineteen months old Vie Vic looked down at the yearling baby in her lap Martys not slow she said gen gen- Its more than that Vi VL My Myown Myown Myown own boy The last was murmured to the child who looked up at her with smiling blue eyes Small and relaxed relaxed relaxed re re- re- re and secure he lay In her arms He never fretted retted he did not seem sick but this littlest of ot the had only been loaned to her for a while and his Ws mother knew It Quentin think so Mrs Keats asked abruptly Youve had another another another an an- other opinion Knows so Victoria spoke mildly mildly mild mild- ly 13 but her whole body was torn with a sigh Violet was silent it strange this strange this little fellow tellow tellow tel tel- low means more to Quentin than any of the others did Hes He's always loved them as soon as they got Interesting interesting |