Show oil C t AM jay service copyright by aba th colba nolba merrul co j LJ SYNOPSIS lousiness biln buln Bu ln taking him to denver geoffrey edloe young chemical engineer tk up hl hf rp with kith hi bli other mother sirl girlhood hood f ir lemit they acm a happy cAre carefree iree family captain C cary yi mi no nona aslbury th the capt apton aioo daughter er C cary a ry ah thought ln though lik b young sterl tr litt little 1 a tinny montague montacue Monta fue mot herlen who h live with ith the cry and a cynthia cathi CHAPTER I 1 continued 2 cary you bad boyll boyl miss ails nona rested her tend head for a moment against her sons broad shoulder the sight of those two gave geoff a little pang it exemplified so exactly the sort of relationship lie ho had longed tor for with his own mother the understanding the comradeship the sympathy between them garys carys eyes were brown ilice miss nonas lie ile had tier her fine profile the crease in the cheek which was not a dimple hut but gave the effect of one geoff liked him at first glance I 1 dinner cary demanded im star starved are we waiting for cynthia tonight no its her lay day to stay until closing time I 1 thought perhaps pick tier her up tip cary when you take anke geoff down to his hotel for his bags cary nodded poor old ayn I 1 I 1 wish shed ditch that infernal eliop fali op she works too hard so do I 1 sighed his mother 1 I hate to think of tier her down town all day in this heat beat im always hoping that S some me time shell listen to our protests and give ghe it up tip the captain added a disapproving C comment 0 ament an expensive toy that gift shop I 1 geoff had found this scrap of conversation enlightening cynthia it appeared had not been driven into the realm of commerce by necessity but by tier her own desire another one of those females who craves self expression ho he thought disgustedly though god etione alone knew what they expressed by means of cape cod lighters and snowstorm snow storm paperweights ills growing prejudice against cynthia deepened CHAPTER II 11 A brute of a girl dinner was a surprisingly elaborate meal knowing nothing of the benign services of cater cateress caterers cat eiers ers geoff found himself believing that the family usually dined on such dishes as squabs squats cooked with cream and mushrooms white cherries in aspic ice fee cream frozen in the form of rosebuds he thought it one of the pleasant est meals he had ever eaten the gentle courtesy which prevailed in this charming family garys carys blithe nonsense miss nonas motherly solicitude captain garys carys interesting reminiscences even tennys occasional childish pipe were a revelation to a young man who had known no family life whatever ile he thanked his lucky stars that his year in denver dener would be spent beneath this hospitable roof just as the last bit of the lee ice cream was disappearing and cary was holding a match to geoffr cigarette tenny sprang up with a joyous cry theres cynthia 1 I 1 01 cynthia you did get home for dinner you at once there was a soft bustle about the table miss nona held out welcoming hands to tier her daughter tho the men rose geoff looking appraisingly at the newcomer without realizing it he had been picturing cynthia Cynt lila as a younger and less attractive edition ot of her mother she would have the family brown eyes but with a hard light in their depths a pretty petulant mouth probably a great deal of makeup make up what he saw was so different that his bewilderment was apparent ulie the girl in the doorway was small she had bad the bluest eyes geoff had ever seen gentian blue sapphire blue a blue that had biad light and sparkle in it and was made bluer by the long dusky lashes in which it was set her for hair was brushed severely oft off her forehead and taught caught in a knot tit nt the back baick of her neck her mouth was vas too wide and far far too inn firm geoff told tod himself slie she wag mas tanned almost its as deeply as cary no hint of her in others charm charin softened tier her severe young mien geoff felt a rising antagonism m nt at the alie sight eight of her hello I 1 she put an arm about tenny but addressed the room at large darling if wed known you could come early of course we should have waited I 1 1 I know it myself until the last minute the blue eyes swept the table where the last of the rosebuds lay melting on the green glass plates what a dressy meal you appear to have hadl the blue gaze gabe traveled to geoff and something in its direct inquiry made him uncomfortable weve welve been celebrating mrs aylesbury said gaily do you yon know who this Is darling geoff ensloe your jour godmothers sont son I 1 cynthia Cynt liln nodded curtly kept her arm about the child so that hint there was no stion of shaling hands handa low how dhoti to do are you vou staying in denver uv lc distinct unfriendliness i diw in ion deuce take the corll what had he done that she should look upon him with such open hostility A year he replied briefly lies iles going to stay with us that keen cary asked eagerly geoff glanced at miss nona a little curiously the happiness had bad all gone from tier her face the warmth from her voice something like fear looked out of her soft brown eyes what a brute of a girl this was himself whose mere arrival so changed the atmosphere mo sphere of her home the captain had extinguished the fat cigar he had lighted find and tossed a napkin over it the maid summoned by miss nona murmured something r in a low tone to her mistress who in turn murmured back glancing apprehensively toward her daughter daug liter cary puffed nervously nt at his cigarette only tenny seemed happy in Cynt hias arrival arria al she kept tier her thin little arms abo about u t the other girls waist and when cynthia said something about running upstairs to g wash her hands tenny went with her geoff tried doggedly but in vain to restore the former gaiety to the party A blight had ad fallen cary could only smile in sickly fashion miss nona looked from the table to the door and back again presently cynthia Cynt lila returned still wearing the dark swiss frock which was her office dress but with little curls and ripples testifying to the wet comb she had run through tier her hair im starved she bhe began as she took tier her seat no lunch at all today and no lunch oh absolutely no time for lunch and I 1 quarrel with that fact you may beaurel be surel sure 1 she stopped as the maid set a plate before her raised her eyebrows questioningly miss nona hurried into speech im so glad you could come home for a good hot meal dear was it terrible downtown down town today pretty hot bot even the tourists felt the heat beat and you know usually indefatigable however we sold about a pock peck of abalone rings and silver bracelets with turquoises in em cm and shell chains did you sell any more rings like your jade one tennys voice asked interestedly it lucky your godmother sent you that lust when the lady from detroit wanted one there was an appalled silence geoff was maliciously pleased to see the color rise in the girls face until it hooded flooded her temples and was lost in the waves of her hair ile he asked blandly the jade dinner ring too bad you like it I 1 rather flattered myself belfit it was a bit unusual I helped my mother select it you know it was a mistake tenny you miss nona began agitatedly tat edly cynthia bit viciously into the roll she had buttered it a mistake at all I 1 it happened that I 1 needed other things more than I 1 did a ring and as I 1 bad a special customer who wanted it I 1 sold it sorry if your mother will be hurt I 1 the implication stung the young man 1 I hope you dont think I 1 mean to tell her I 1 slie she lifted her shoulders in a little shrug 1 I know you might feel it your duty to write her about it she pushed her plate away 1 I dont seem to be so very ery hungry after till all the heat I 1 guess tenny wheres tell the rascal hes lying down on the job he meet me at the front door tonight this time lime geoff partook part oolf of the feel ing which kept them all silent no matter how much of a dislike you had bad taken to a girl it pleasant to tell her that tier her dog was dead had been murdered by another dog because he had been allowed out against her orders lie ale glanced across the tl table and saw that MISS nonas eyes were brimming with tears and tant tier her chin was ering like that aliat of a terrified child the sight gave hlin him back his own composure A girl who could frighten her mother like that deserved anything queerly QuI eRly before miss nona could falter out the news or tenny blunder into it geoff spoke tin im afraid ive got had bad news of your log dog he sold real sympathy in ills voice you see lie he got out somehow this afternoon and the dog next door cynthia sprung sprang to her feet miss nonal nona I 1 you after all I 1 said after id warned you she stopped topped fc visibly fighting down the emotion that shook her 1 I beg your pardon dear I 1 im sorry I 1 she turned to geoff how badly Is he be hurt where Is lie he oh ob why you tell me when I 1 first came home instead of letting me tennys arms were around tier her neck tennys cheek wits was laid lovingly against hers hadjis dead cynthia she said with a childs child wise directness of 0 speech ile he was hurt so bad geoff had to shoot him to stop his suffering dont cry cynthia geoff let him be hurt langl dead she gently loosened tennys arms took a step toward gecox you shot LIAO 1 I had to some something hing in the conviction of his voice olce reached her and she held out lier her hand band 1 I understand thank you with tenny fenny tagging forlornly i in her wake ake cynthia left the dining dialog room and ran up the stairs geoff had an uncomfortable conviction that she had bad gone to tier her room to cry 4 0 cynthia was driving geoff down town why she had bad proposed hermeli herself BS as his chauffeur geoff did not know she had come into the old pa parlor aldr entirely calm and composed no traces whatever wh ateer of tears in her face ana asked quietly if site she might take the guest town down for his luggage geoff had been a little astonished at the effect this simple request had upon her family miss nona looked distressed the captain cleared his throat gary cary shifted his feet une uneasily amily what geoff demanded or of himself was wag the matter with this girl that everything she said or did appeared to paralyze her relatives was she elie a lady bully a girlish tyrant who traded on their love lore to keep them in a state of subjection to her whims lie ile set his jaw geoff had a nice firm jaw of ills his own and rather looked forward to a brush between this cynthia person person and himself pretty sight lie he commented as the car made its swift it if unimpressive way down the brond broad streets the city was with lights blazing against the lie soft darkness of the summer sky yes danvers Den vers pretty cynthia assented absently they drove tor for a block or two more in silence which she broke abruptly you say youre going to stay with us for a year your mother has asked me to 16 11 he replied with cool defensiveness all right I 1 can see miss nona will love having you the only thing want to pay board the shock of it took his breath away he felt himself turning scarlet in the darkness naturally he began stiffly A fellows self respect requires it I 1 offered to I 1 insisted but mrs aylesbury 1 I know she answered you can pay it to me and not mention it to her to YOU soul I 1 yes ile he remembered the captains comment on tier her gift shop an expensive boyll so that was it the greedy young soung grabber needed more mone money 7 and saw a way to get it without asking her family 1 I think id rather I 1 think it would be better for me to pay it to your mother she take it but if I 1 paid it to you and she know she smiled a faint rather weary smile that held something of 0 scorn and something of tolerance so its the effect on miss nona you have an eye to not the preservation of a fellows self respect I 1 tie he was wag silent through sheer annoyance ance this was the most unpleasant girl he had ever met no use getting angry she admonished him im just trying to make maize it easy for you sou all I 1 realize that youve youre been put in a difficult position that you really would hate bate it staying with us for a year as a nonpaying guest so im suggesting that you pay your board to me so you can put it into your gift shop I 1 she slowed around in her seat to give him a cryptic glance what ayou know about rny my gift shop nothing he said curtly only that you have one she nodded oh yes I 1 have one all right and I 1 can use whatever sum you decide on as a financial recompense for the home life we offer you dont I 1 put it nicely I 1 can use it in my shop she laughed a mysterious mirthful little laugh which increased G lars irritation she was finding him irony was she its the odds and ends you know 1 I beg your pardon the name of my shop odds and ends r ads 1 I 1 can imagine that describes it very aptly to his arnaz amazement ement she pulled the car to the curb stopped it and offered him her hand but why asked the dazed young man im saluting you as a foeman worthy of 0 my steel I 1 was so afraid you were going to be a polite supine sort of chap horrified to death of me but covering your consternation with courteous murmurs the description amused him takeo taken from life yes weve had three of that kind in the last year had lem em nad had em cm wh wheres where erek 1 in the house guests of miss nona it was necessary to get rid of them since they pay board I 1 so I 1 mocked lem era and I 1 shocked em and finally they left he digested the inference of this in silence she started the car again im la in d dead e ad earnest about the board money sixty dollars a month ayou think too much con considering sl dering all the petting and the mothering get from miss nona 1 I hate hale to hear bear you speak of your mother like that he told tier her severely of course you do site she soothed him youve got a mother complex comes from having your own mother away so much I 1 expect all right go as far na as you like with it miss nonas nona I 1 it a darling and how about the sixty dollars tennys father pays seventy five but then I 1 buy her clothes out of it too you buy them do you receive tennys board secretly too not now she sighed mr air montague perfect fool that lie he Is I 1 forgot and sent the check to the house bouse on one month instead of to the shop he asked an anxious question ayou you spell it with two ps and an e no thank heaven for that I 1 oh id ia spell it with three as and it a row of ws it if that was what the public wanted give em anything they ask for my motto but quaintness Is out and straightforward business Is in well go on about the cheek check what did your mother do when she discovered you were perpetrating a fraud like that she was shocked of course i and ye returned turned the cheek check the slender shoulders beside him squared themselves no I 1 let tier her I 1 needed it you see i suddenly geoff began to laugh it started with a low rumble in his throat grew to a deep roar and finally assumed assumed such proportions of sound that passersby passers by stared curiously why cynthia demanded thinking what a jolt my mother would get if she knew you especially la 1 0 my pint first months marahs board money im sure you wont try to collect it twice if she knew what you did with the jade dirner dinner ring I 1 1 T the it e car swerved siver ved a little 1 I said I 1 was sorry about thakill that I 1 no need to be and that what I 1 meant you see mother has pictured you all these years as a pr pretty etty fluffy little thing thanks I 1 youre welcome he said affably besides its her description not mine she even uh warned me against your flirting with me of course she remembered miss nona but you see I 1 was born in colorado |