Show LIP 40 I 1 ap I 1 CHAt TEIl VIII continued 10 quentin looked at her absently ildved his galeto victoria any chanco chance of your going down 40 del monte with mo me this afternoon oh darling not on sunday I 1 mol he cje of and nurse with all of 0 them to handle and the carters coming to supper 1 bringing all the children I 1 thought that since you be here it would bo be a grand chanco chance tor for a childrens supper hal said non tally victoria made vaguely uneasy by his tone sent him another questioning glance quentin quite like ilke himself on this hot still sunday the other doctors are going quent youre to have your golf la in the morning 7 1 I dont know tie he said irresolutely 1 I thought I 1 might telephone johnny wo we might have our gou golf right here got over there and see vont you vie vic get she was completely at sea untying susans bib as susan bunted into her take your cooky and run darling she said to the child and dont wako wake bilby baby ashes outon the side got get over and see nee the quentin quentan completed it oh oh yosl somehow somo somewhere where something was wrong through the familiar scene a chill faint wind seemed to blow a faint apprehension of trouble of change vicky analyze it was only vaguely conscious that she felt it but it was there ill walk over to the MorrI morrisons sons this aate afternoon for a few minutes if 9 you like quentin she said on an impulse after luncheon quentin was his pipe lo le did not look up in their more than seven years of marriage he had never made a call that vicky could remember now sauntering forth into tile tho garden in search of dogs children his chair under the oaks on the tha long terrace he spoke carelessly over his shoulder oh dont you bother he said youve ve got enough to dot dol ill 1111 wander over there later and ald afterward I 1 can give you some idea what sor sort t of an outfit it is bo be a darling to do that victoria said but oddly she did not feel happy about it and it was from that sunday that sho she dated tho the chango change in quentin Quent ln standing why sho she nevertheless was conscious of tho the fact that thai life somehow go back after that sunday SW 1 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 eliat victoria understood quentin had sold said that he thought ho he would go over to the club might play another eighteen if it got cooler might watch the polo vicky saw him oil off had a cloud clearing talk with mollie who since her marine was in port was given the rest of tho afternoon and the evening as a special concession helped nurse to the extent of opening all the little beds laying out night apparel putting away various books and toys lit in the nursery F finally they were all in bed with books and victorias head and ha hair ir jerked jerke dinto into a hundred agonizing directions ions onsby by warm goodnight good night kisses and embraces five minutes past seven and supper due within the hour oh dear not much room tor for rest in therel theral her chiffon was at the cleaners perhaps that white ono one that sho she had worn this morning there was a wide upper hallway in the house filled now with a pleasant halt half light like the light under water victoria closing the nursery door behind tier her lingered for a moment at its iti bl big gopen open window looking out at the cooling and softening day breathing the freshened air resting her eyes on oil the greenness of the great trees so standing she could look down dom at the drying yard and the berry vines and the flat stretch of neglected lawn where i a cow grazed and the lie gate in the evergreen hedge that thai divided the hardisty property from the small but exquisitely groomed estate of the Morri morrisons sons next door Ther ewas a small strip of ct lane there and in the lane vie vic saw a white figure with the level light of the tha setting sun shining bright on pale gold hair and illuminating the white parasol as it it were a lantern lighted against the dusky shadows of the tha lane mrs morrison Morr lson ol of course she was talking to someone apparently she ehe had the air of a person talking but tier fier companion was quite ble bla against the hedge it was tall enough to hide anyone who was close to it on the other side victoria stood watching her and reflecting upon the inescapable power of the beauty that had been so suddenly introduced into their compact little group mrs morrison Morr lson continued talking in tile the lane the revolving frills of the parasol tumbling tumbling dusk was falling fast now anna coming upstairs touched the switch that lighted the hall behind victoria how many would there bo be for supper please victoria turned about considered the had said stop in on their way horns home with kate and dr miller would be here six please anna no seven be gwen vie vic remembered anna went downstairs again but when victoria turned back to the window the lights in the hall had spoiled tho the lovely dusk and the white frock was gone from the lane she went into her room after n peep at madeleine quentin was tearing off his clothes oh did you just come up I 1 hoped gotten a nap 1 I went tor for a stroll A stroll yop yep I 1 walked a little way it was lovely out feels hot in here it does feel hot you get as far as tho the hospital did you quent that womans comans coming on all right she the roar of the shower drowned any reply quentin might have shouted through tho the half closed bathroom door when he came out again vie vic was getting into an old black lace its frightful to burn your shoulders in just the pattern of your bathing suit she said 1 I wonder how that woman keeps so white quentin did not answer she was down there in the lane ion 0 just now parasol and all victoria pursued now doubled overto over to insert her heels one nt at a time into rather tight slippers zat so quentin asked shaving yes I 1 happened to bo be looking out ot of tho the upper hili hall window she ass was talking to someone gardener maybe but no its sunday night maybe it was a lover vie vic sa said d trying a heel scowling taking up the tha slipper to flex it vigorously ashes having a terribly dull time poor soul with a sick husband and no friends here quentin was pulling his face about with hard fingers testing his shave ile he was noncommittal committal non when ho he and she were going to bed after the bridge game quite suddenly quentin said how about asking them to dinner cliot the MorrI morrisons sons 11 oil oh oh ayou suppose hed como come ile ho beams so cross I 1 cant imagine him social and agreeable sure hed come she said today he would A seconds electrical pause then vicky said without volition exactly what she did not want to say in 1 she was talking to So someone meon apparently exactly the tone sho she did not want to use silly suspicious words in a wires light suspicious tone oh I 1 know seen her today 1 I met her coming back from my walk quentin answered wondering at the same instant why he haan hadn said that he had seen her for a moment at the club in the lane yep vicky was A lent a moment when she spoke it was to say amiably that she would go over over to see serena in a aday day or two to arrange the dinner but under her surface serenity she felt a little sick from tho the sudden jarring awakening sud den vague tears fears so o o that wai was it was it it was quentin to whom serena had been talking in the lane quentin kissed her goodnight good night a careless kiss on the top of her head went to his own sleeping porch almost immediately she heard him snoring but vicky lay awake for nervous restless unreasoning hours CHAPTER IX vicky made a point of calling upon her her neighbors a day or two later to invite them to dinner feeling oddly formal in her silk gown with calling caldr in her purse and white gloves carried as a final touch vicky sat in tho the patio of the morrison Morr lson house with the injured man and his lovely wife and talked somewhat stiltedly and 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 childre childrens nl vicky ended with a little laugh oh yes you poor serena berena said so heartily that spencer morrison Morr lson laughed his sinister laugh and vicky hated her 1 I know whether coming to d dine ine with us would give mr any pleasure tle asure or not vicky said later when she was home and serena had volunteered to accompany her 1 I beg pardon 1 I was wondering it if mr morri son would think it more bother than I 1 it t was worth oh hs he can walk that far serena said vaguely victoria did not pursue the subject they were in the little lane that separated the two properties now and suddenly she stooped and picked up a small bright object and ashe did so she felt her heart begin to beat faster and the blood in her face Quen quentina tins cigarette she said hes been looking for it everywhere ery where imagine serena commented undisturbed he probably dropped it vicky said suddenly trembling when yo you u and he were talking here in the lane last sunday hall half an hour later quentin came upstairs to find vicky changing her gown for dinner 1 I met mrs morrison Morr lson lord she Is a lovely crea creature turell I 1 quentin observed plunging at once into his ablutions shed started to walk to the village it was too much for or her and she asked me to telephone for a taxi to pick her up but instead I 1 ran her downtown it seems he want wanted edthe the mail I 1 guess he gets his own way pretty nellt and then took her home it only tookie took me ten minutes she tells me P he looked out ot of a towel his hair in ili wild wet confusion to say in satisfaction she tells me you called there today vie vic im glad ashes a lovely woman and shell be great company for you victoria at her dressing table continued to brush her hair once she looked steadily at quentin Quent ln in the mirror but he did not see her 1 I told you they could come thursday night she asked yep who else are you going to have alta and gwen and ourselves and mother quentin Quent ln turned his face coloring with amazement why my dear you cant do thakill that he said quickly do what why have those people the first time and not make an occasion of idill vicky was genuinely astonished how ayou mean quentin Quent ln well I 1 mean that important people his father is sir percival morrison Morr lson n I 1 do think that it if ever it if ever were going to spread ourselves this is the timet but hes an invalid quenta ile he q and he hes lost an eye of course but hes an englishman ma n and find them regular sticklers klers tor for formality oh no well have to make it a formal affair and dr Au elcher id ask the rays and the 1 I seel vie vic murmured a as he paused her heart was lead why do you say 1 I see sec quen aln demanded suspiciously well we given that sort of an allair affair since before the twins were born weve had nothing but sunday lunches and bridge dinners far just fourt why but theres nothing so formidable about it viet he spoke with a sort of amused impatience it was not amusing to vie vic she understood his mood too well his unwonted fussing over every detail of tho the approaching dinner hla his strange excited spirits when the night finally filially came quentin Quent ln who usually loathed such affair af lahs s was nervous as a young wife ov over e r the candles and flowers and welcomed the guests with a joviality and assurance that seemed to vicky almost as badas his usual manner of grim and polite endurance the morrisons Morri sons came last the man who wore a black paten 6 over ons one eye limping a little evidently glad to drop into the nearest chair serena shining in flawless beauty vicky herself felt tired things had not gone any too well throughout the long rainy day she had small heart in the affair the earlier stages of the dinner were not a success just why not vie vic was unable to perceive serena sat next to quentin Quent ln vicky was miserably impressed from her end odthe of the table that the guest of honor did not have much tc ta say anyone as beautiful as that did not have to have much to say she made all the other women look plain and badly dressed and sound chatter boxes the atmosphere seemed definitely clearer when they had gone they they went early the bowed carefully walking lean man with the neat black patch over one eye and the superbly moving woman with her fair head held high everyone could discuss them then and the contract fanatics could settle down to their game vicky and violet and one or two of the other women turned the lights low in the drawing room gathered about the fire and analyzed the morrisons Morri sons at their leisure quentin quentan had said that he would walk through the garden with the morrisons Morri sons but the night had proved to be still and rainy and they had had to have the car tor for the twice two hundred yards on the whole wearily glad that it was over limping upstairs in her still 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 about it wondering when 11 mrs morrison play vicky asked ever he was out of her sight where quentin was wondering how often he saw serena and under what circumstances cum stances 1 I saw serena toddy today quentin said one night when their acquaintance with the morrisons Morri sons was of only a few weeks standing oh that was nice did she come to the office no I 1 took her to lunch oh A pause then the inevitable interrogation as unwelcome to victoria as to quentin but dragged from he her r ne nevertheless v ei by a power stronger than herself happen to meet her noo no o I 1 spoke of it sunday she said that she was going to be in town 1 I see and do what she would the pause would seem to have significance ance and do what she would she could not seem to fill it with some casual pleasantry presently victoria and quentin had to dine with their neighbors quentin who rarely went to dinners had accepted this invitation as a matter of course without consulting victoria she ahe knew in advance that the event would ho hold id no pleasure for or her she felt like a rough headed child in a homemade home made gown when the night came and she and quentin walked across the side lawn and past the berry patch and the tho pasture field and went through the old gate into the lane and so on to the Morri morrisons sons for dinner the affair was indeed informal only their tour four selves were at the table serena was no such housekeeper as victoria hardisty but she made no apologies for a poor dinner and indifferent service the winter night was clear and cold after dinner there was a fire intermittently replenished pleni shed by quentin and victoria and spencer morrison played backgammon and then cribbage at first they played in the sitting room but presently spencer suggested his rather untidy study where there was an electric heater lie he and Victoria went in there and she exerted herself charitably to make the games interesting nine ten struck victoria was overcome with sleepiness and she felt that she could decently suggest going home her heart was not on the game she felt nervous and distracted presently she rose they really must go now after all she had a houseful of small children to consider and quentin must make an early start in the morning her host seemed petulant and angry that she should break up the evening but contented himself with asking her to come over any day any hour to get her revenge come tomorrow at about two if you can he urged mrs morrison Morr lson play vicky asked with an inward smile mlle at the idea that she could find time tomorrow or any day for an idle after afternoon noon game with a neighbor TO 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