Show Ir aoel hana C OMES AMM E a SM MOMENT M H y EN L MAA ll 11 W E A L L 0 ARCADIA HOUSE publications SERVICE CHAPTER X continued 10 I 1 shan t have lunch with mr buchanan and talk things over mary thought bitterly as she slowly sipped the water there s no use in that there s nothing to talk overt over I 1 ve tried for years to be an author and I 1 ve failed my writing one story that was worthy of ac cep tance was evidently just an ac aident there s only one thing left to do now and no matter how re and cheap and vile ill simply have to do it ill marry jerome taylor perhaps aunt L lm in me file was right all along at least it s the only way out to save my family she had an engagement for din ner and the theater with jerome taylor that evening he would make love to her sometime dur ing the evening he always did he would tell her how beautiful she was and how he never tired look mg ing at her and he would ask her if she didn dian t care for him just a lit it tie itle bit she had always evaded this question or else answered why of course jerry you know I 1 like you very much in a manner so definitely platonic that tha t it forthwith brought the topic to a close she dressed with unusual care wearing as she had for that first dinner at jerome s penthouse her frock of silver and white pinning as she had also done on that night his superb orchids high on her left shoulder and again as on the eve ding of their first dinner together she wore leila lelia s ermine wrap cast ing one last glance at herself in the mirror before going to the living room to greet him she smiled with bitter approval yes she told herself with acerbity I 1 look just what I 1 am a glorified gold digger orchids ermine cape and all jerome rose hastily from a chair as she entered the room maryl he exclaimed at sight of her my dear you re more beautiful tonight than I 1 ve ever seen you I 1 and lift ing her hand to his lips he kissed it she did not withdraw it immedi abely although the touch of hi ll 11 lips s on her hand made her cringe she must not be aloof as she here tolore had been with this man she must pretend that she liked him she must bring on a proposal to night tonight he evidently noticed the change in her for they were hardly settled in his car before he again sought her hand and held it she did not attempt to draw it away although she felt as if it were imprisoned in the claw of a large eagle this is part of the business of getting engaged she scathingly in formed herself ill I 1 U have to grin and bear it it s it s all in the day s work you re different tonight dar ling jerome was saying in that purring tender voice she hated and my dear I 1 ve never seen you quite so beautiful that coronet braid around your lovely little head makes you look like a queen you do like me don t you dear some how tonight I 1 feel but lorgan the chauffeur was pulling up at the curb in front of the waldorf and the uniformed doorman was opening the door of the car thankful that the drive was at an end mary withdrew her hand from jerome s clasp and slipped on a long white glove that s over for a while she told herself an imperceptible shudder going over her body it was not over for long h how ow ever jerome taylor warmed by her apparent encouragement wait ed only until after their entree had been served to begin again his eyes no longer quizzical held a new glow of sanguinity his voice had lowered to a new note of fervor mary he began as soon as the waiter had left their table I 1 be lieve youre you re beginning to like me just a bit after all this time how about it dear you know I 1 ve been simply mad about you ever since the first day I 1 saw you have you really mary coun and then desperately fore forc ing herself I 1 m I 1 in glad jerry 1 the man placed his fork on the side of his dinner plate darling how can you ask you certainly have known it all along you re the sweetest and the love loveliest hest and the most beautiful thing I 1 ve ever seen and mary I 1 want you al at ways eventually she raised her eyes to the man and forced a smile to her lips jerome wrapped in his own thoughts saw nothing amiss in her long silence that cynical twist to her lips darling he was say mg and now he had pushed aside his untouched food and lighted a cigarette I 1 want to take care of you always give you the rare jew els that only you are suited to wear the exquisite clothes you should have to accentuate your beauty we 11 travel everywhere mary see everything do everything there is to be done I 1 always be proud of you so very proud of youl you still unable to bring any words to her lips she sat there now lifting her goblet of water to her mouth now sipping some water now ing the goblet back on the table jerry unmindful of the people about them reached across the ta ble and placed his hand over hers darling why not go down to palm beach with me tomorrow 9 my yacht s down there you know and mary glanced sharply across at him tomorrow but jerry how in the world could we get married in such a short timea the man hastily relinquished her hand and leaned back in his chair the warm glow that had filled his narrow gray eyes disappeared my dear he purred you seem to have misunderstood me P mary stared at him with in credulous eyes you t ask ing me to marry you youa jerome taylor laughed what a provincial little thing you arel why everybody knows I 1 in m not the mar tying sort but my dear there are so many things I 1 can do for P you mary felt for the cape which lay across the back of her chair and with trembling fingers pulled it over her shoulders you concel ed old fool I 1 I 1 hate youl you I 1 ve always hated you I 1 never want to see you again 1 and grabbing her gloves and bag from the table she rose from her chair As unperturbed as if she had told him she d just remembered a tele phone call she had to make taylor rose too his sleek gray head in clining in a suave little bow don t make a scene my dear he said m a low voice his lips fixed m a smile remember we re in a pub he lic place besides youre you re not ex acely suited to melodrama you know mary flashed him an enraged look then with steps which she tried desperately to keep steady made her way blindly through the tables and out of the room to the lobby eventually she reached the door and in a voice that was still throaty with anger asked the doorman to call for a taxi she wondered if she had enough money in her bag my dear you re more ful tonight than ive I 1 ve ever seen your you to pay for the cab but she was so dizzy with anger she could not even bring herself to look she was whirling up the avenue away from jerome taylor closer closer to aunt amnie s apartment and the safety and security which it betokened now the cab was pulling up before aunt amnie s apartment house mary glanced at the meter then emptied her purse into the driver s hand she stepped to the curb and ran across the canopied walk to the en trance door her head was down and in her eagerness to get into the foyer she did not see the man who was leaving it he caught her arm in an attempt to prevent a col cot dision then as they both came to an abrupt standstill she looked up why Um bertol she exclaimed I 1 didn dian t see youl you that is quite evident little mary maryl I 1 he replied with a smile I 1 I 1 had lust just dropped in to call on you and but now was leaving with a heavy heart mush mush mush thought mary why cant can t other men talk as sanely as phillip buchanan you are back early my full Bali anci continued his hand still on her arm Is something wrong no umberto I 1 wanted to come home but then I 1 may go up with you and stay a while mary frowned no umberto no no no then seeing the shadow that crossed his handsome dark face she said oh all right come on for a few moments we 11 U listen to the radio addie addle opened the door in answer to mary marys s ring I 1 why miss ma V 1 she exclaimed 1 I just told this gentleman you were out for the evening I 1 I 1 I 1 changed my plans addie addle mary returned and slipping lelia s wrap from her shoulders handed it to the woman addie addle I 1 wonder if you U 11 make us some black coffee I 1 have a headache yes ma am honey addie addle re plied I 1 ll 11 have some for you in just a few minutes then as addie addle disappeared into the kitchen Bali anci came towards her darling he murmured in the honeyed tones that mary loathed something has gone wrong with youl something has hurt youl you I 1 can see it written on your lovely face tell umberto my sweet I 1 mary glanced up into his somber eyes eyes that were filled with compassion and pity its it s noth ing she began in a voice that was husky with emotion the ugly shock of jerome taylor s words had left her at last but in its place there burned a blind rage against the man and a fear for all things to come it s nothing she repeated and then bursting into wild un controllable sobs she cried oh umberto it s everything I 1 it s everything yes something has hurt me terribly and quite without knowing how it happened she found herself in his arms his lips softly pressing her cheek her head against his der Dar darling lingl Dar darling lingl he was say ing softly cara mia I 1 love you youl P and for the moment she felt safe supremely secure in his ins arms tell umberto all about it my sweet she shook her head no nc it no not no not I 1 can never tell anyone taking a handkerchief from his pocket he dried the tears on her face youve you ve been crushed by something my darling and I 1 could kill the beast who hurt you oh mary my dear I 1 love youl you I 1 want to take care of you I 1 want you to be mine always so that no one can ever hurt you again darling will you marry me oh no umberto I 1 cant can t marry y you 0 ul I 1 don t want to marry anybody and then with a badgering pers persistence istance the thought but I 1 must marry somebody I 1 must do something I 1 again flooded her mind ah darling umberto replied touching his lips lightly to her eyes you say that tonight because you are upset by this dreadful some thing but tomorrow tomorrow it will be different ah all fera tasa say you will consider it I 1 say I 1 may leave you tonight with my heart warmed with the hope you will marry me soon mary withdrew from his embrace moving towards the fireplace her cold hand against her throbbing forehead I 1 don t know umberto let s not talk about it tonight maybe tp Bali anci followed her maybe 0 he repeated softly maybe I 1 oh cara mia that means you will make me the happiest man on earth he attempted to take her in his arms arm again but she pulled away gra grateful t fill to hear addie addle approaching from the kitchen she had hardly finished pouring the coffee when a key could be heard turning in the latch of the en trance door an instant later le lia ormsby came into the room her eyes widened when she saw mary sitting there with count Bali anci why mary maryl she began what are you doing at home I 1 thought umberto jumped to his feet mrs ormsby I 1 he exclaimed his dark eyes flashing congratulate met me I 1 am the happiest man on earth my lovely lady has promised to marry met me A look of consternation flashed across lelia s face why what do you mean meana but just that balia aci nci re turned with a grandiose wave ot of his hand I 1 you will felicitate us yes leila leha moved towards the lounge where mary sat her gaze riveted on her coffee cup mary she demanded is this true you re not really going to marry count bali ball anci ancl are you mary could not look up nor could she speak for a moment I 1 dont know lelia she finally replied in a remote voice maybe I 1 shall leha lelia continued to regard the girl with eyes that were cold with unbelief I 1 well she sa said id at last and her voice was crisp I 1 wish you both happiness perhaps linnie OF 1 I don t know umberto lets not talk about it tonight corswell Cot swell will be satisfied now down in the lobby talking to the manager of the building she U be up here in a minute and you can break the joyous news to her we were planning to go on to club tor quay to join the bascoms for a bit of roulette no doubt shell she U want to make a party of it m celebration of this ah happy event but that is wonder wonderful full 1 cried umberto I 1 shall buy champagne and everybody will drink a toast to my bride to be I 1 mary finally glanced up at leha lelia you you will come leha lelia A pregnant silence followed a silence in which leila lelia snapped open a cigarette box that lay on the table beside the lounge removed a cigarette and lighted it I 1 yes she finally said go along CHAPTER XI aunt linnie arrived on the scene a few minutes later don t say anything mary admonished bah anci and leha lelia please please 1 and her voice was so importunate that they both nodded their acqui acqua essence if aunt linnie felt any surprise at seeing mary sitting in the living room with Bal ballanca lanci when she had supposed her to be at the theater with jerome taylor her face did not betray her how nice to find you and Bal ballanca lanci here she exclaimed leha lelia and I 1 are going to the club torquay to meet the bascoms and play a bit of roulette will you join om us I 1 thanks so much Bali anci replied we d love it change in a iffy jiffy leha lelia was saying as if from a great distance I 1 will you excuse me for five minutes leha lelia appeared in but a moment looking slender and lovely in a frock of flame colored chiffon and carrying over one arm her ermine wrap and a black velvet coat with a white fox collar TO BE CONTINUED |