Show Z al X two ays eys 0 a ca in B Y L I 1 D A L A R R I 1 M 0 R E 0 d MACRAE SMITH smith CO SERVICE CHAPTER VIII continued 12 you broke the rules said john its like a labor union only instead of skill in a trade you must have wealth to be admitted money you must inherit it or marry it I 1 dont speak that way of money gay said her voice sharpened by weariness by a consciousness of the distance widening between them weve all lost a great deal and are likely to lose more ive learned that your friend connie belmont told me that her he r family are d practically paupers haupers pau pers it seems so in comparison with what had mother robert dad they feel that their world is changing that in their lifetime life time perhaps things will never be as the they Y have hav e been oh why do we talk of it they my friends who were here tonight arent important she close to him and put her hand in his were here together its bits christmas eve lets forget them his fingers closed around her hand but the pressure was negligent they are important you defend them you were afraid they accept me 1 I was afraid for you not for myself Is that true would you be content to go away with me and never see any of them again j yes oh yes 1 you think so now but in a little while when being with me a novelty any longer when id be fat at work and have nothing to i amuse you you have no confidence in me YOU still resent me how can I 1 convince you forgive me gay im sorry uis his arms went around her drew her close to him his lips followed the 1 curve of her cheek to her lips she clung to him conscious of a sort of i desperation in the embrace more of i fear than of passion or tenderness gay laid down her crumpled square of heavy damask as button burton at a signal from aunt flora stepped behind her aunts chair the gentlemen rose as the ladies left the table gay glanced at john standing very stiffly beside his chair at aunt floras right she smiled land I 1 and his face brightened she felt win him watching her a little forlornly as she with her aunts and cousins followed aunt floras measured steps out of the dining room as studied as when wearing the traditional train and three feathers she had i walked along a strip of carpet which led to a throne I 1 aunt flora sat on the love seat before the fire and ernest the footman pan set a tray with the coffee service on a table before her aunt lucy uncle james wife her fadi I 1 ing prettiness extinguished by wine colored satin and the jewels she wore sat in a chair at the opposite side of the marble hearth the younger women elsa lancaster aunt floras daughter muriel von steedham Stee dham her daughter in law margaret newland aunt lucys bucys married I 1 daughter and janet graham her unmarried daughter grouped themselves respectfully or resentfully around the room gay stood in the curve of the small piano resigning herself to the half hour of boredom i which was aunt floras tribute to tradition millicent and grace were unable to be with us today aunt floras diamonds flashed as she poured cot col afee fee into porcelain cups set in cases ot of filigreed silver grace has a touch of neuritis the weather has been so changeable aunt lucy contributed brighte bright ly gay glanced at kate seated in a chair a little removed from the group about the fire kates eyebrow lifted and her glance meeting gays twinkled with derisive humor A aunt flora had not invited cousin millicent and cousin grace two elderly and impoverished spinsters spin who were ordinarily present at family gatherings she long to wait well gay aunt flora said as ernest left the room 1 I suppose you wont mind telling us your plans gay felt the sudden hush that fell upon the room felt her aunts and cousins watching her though no one except aunt flora who had asked the question and young janet who admired her looked at her directly she felt a familiar resentment an emotion which extended far back through adolescence to her turbulent childhood she felt exactly as she had felt then but she was too old tor for tantrums now 1 I have no def definite anite plans she said quietly aunt flora looked at her in silence then you mean that you ri ri 1 I rot not to discuss them with us she said with dignity which scorned irritation though irritation prickled in her voice why should she janet asked warmly she was fifteen tall and with the same awkward grace that gay herself had had at that age janet was going to be the graham beauty of her decade gay thought amused and touched by her young cousins eager partisanship she had bright brown curls that foamed over her head peach colored skin eyes as green and translucent as emeralds fringed with brown lashes tipped with gold why should gay hash over everything if she want to I 1 mean its her business good heavens really mother margarets flower blue eyes were reproachful ful janet dear 11 aunt lucy said imploringly gly aunt floras glance moved from vanet janet to gay there see what an influence you have the glance said but the words she spoke were more conciliating were only trying to help you she said 1 I wont pretend that it all been very painful and embarrassing but the thing to do now is to help you all we can theres no doubt of course that we can do a great deal to establish dr houghton in new york it if people know that your fathers family is excuse me aunt flora gays voice was steady a little remote im sorry to interrupt but you have been misinformed john has no intention of locating here where then aunt flora asked certainly he intend to remain in maine any practice that he might establish there would necessarily essa rily be limited and frankly gabriella I 1 cant see you living in maine john is a scientist gay said patiently that is he hopes to be he has no intention of establishing a private practice anywhere but I 1 thought yes he is assisting a dr sargeant in general practice now but that is a temporary arrangement and after that 1 I really dont know aunt flora but what are we to tell people A flush suffused mrs von steed hams handsome features and irritation sharpened her voice must you tell them anything what I 1 say young janet broke in why must you explain purely and simply gays business to a lot of old moss backs who think victoria is still the queen ot of england what does it matter who gay marries as long as it suits her what id like to know janeal Jan etl aunt lucy wailed helplessly 1 I can hardly expect you not to be obstinate gabriella aunt flora said youve been that since the day you were born but I 1 do expect you to show us a little consideration after all weve gone through she paused 1 I know aunt flora gays eyes lifted im truly sorry as I 1 have told you before not that it happened but that you should have had to suffer for something which your fault her aunts expression softened then understand that we dont want to interfere but to help you she said more gently we think it would be wise for you to persuade dr houghton to establish a practice in new york hes had excellent training I 1 understand and shows great promise with the family influence behind him he might go far hes really very attractive elsa Lan casters bright competent glance moved around the circle rested with especial b rightness brightness upon gay if h he e gets the right start I 1 wonder if hed b be e popular socially as well as professionally 1 I think hes swell J janet anet said defensively 1 I like strong S silent ilent men he has a pleasant voice muriel lifted eyes like brown pans pansies ies from contemplation of her alend slender er white hand 1 I thi think its important that a doctor should have a pleasant voice such a sweet mouth aunt lucy said 1 I suppose that sounds odd in speaking of a man she added as though she expected to be contradicted but it is I 1 dont think that a young man with a mouth like that could be any of the things she faltered flushing could be other than kind and sincere she finished in some confusion and being dr lawrences laurences Lawren ces nephew is an asset aunt flora said it as though hes just somebody gay happened to meet somewhere after au all dr lawrence was gays godfather god father though I 1 could never quite understand why david was so fond of him gay looked at kate who was looking at her As ac their glances met kate smiled the smile widened into an encouraging grin gay laughed so funny elsa lancaster asked you are all of you im sorry aunt flora she added seeing her aunts face assume an offended expression youre talking about john exactly as you would speak of a servant you were considering engaging youre right he has excellent references but he looking tor for a job the sunburst sun burst of diamonds on aunt floras bosom glittered as she drew herself erect 1 I dont see what cause weve given you to take that attitude gabriella were merely trying to help you 1 I appreciate a your intentions gay said 1 I know that it seems important to you to whitewash a scandal but john and I 1 arent having any thank you you ou have no sense of responsibility I 1 toward your family its only to be expected I 1 suppose your mother leave mother out of this if you please she at least has some respect for personal independence but have you never heard of conduct 1 I think im conducting myself very well gay made an effort to I 1 A aunt flora looked at her in silence control her temper rising now flushing her cheeks giving warmth to her voice quickening her breathing 1 I brought john here today because I 1 we want to show you all deference and consideration but you arent going to arrange our lives for us john will make his own decisions and I 1 will accept them she made a half turn toward the door and now if you will excuse me mrs von steedham Stee dham stayed her with a peremptory gesture something must be decided she said insistently we cant go on like this making excuses trying to explain she waited a moment then abandoning highhanded high handed methods what are we to tell people she cried despairingly tell them as you have been telling me that I 1 am my mothers daughter gay said and holding her head very high she went out of the room john stood beside the chair in which he had been seated while gays uncle J james ames his two sons james and andrew handsome dirk von steedham Stee dham an and reginald lancaster filed out of the study the door closed david graham seated himself in his chair beside the hearth sit down john he said john sat in the chair at the opposite side of the hearth lie he had felt fairly confident while the others were there but now that he was alone with david graham constraint locked his jaws and made a vacuum of his mind the butler closed the door david graham cleared his throat gay tells me that you must return to maine tomorrow III night he said yes es I 1 sir 0 youre located in portland at in portland yes sir at present john glanced at david graham and was surprised almost shocked to discover that he too felt a certain amount of constraint his blue gray eyes regarded him john kindly but with diffidence through the lenses of oxford glasses which sat with scholarly dignity upon the bridge of his salient nose 1 I suppose I 1 owe you an apology sir john said hesitantly wanting for david grahams sake as well as his own to get on with the interview and have it over the older man appeared to be as embarrassed as he john felt he sat forward in his chair his tall well groomed figure fixed in an uneasy attitude for falling in love with my daughter A twinkle of humor shone through the lenses of the oxford glasses 1 I should have expected you to apologize if you the twinkle in the gray blue eyes was reassuring john realized gratefully that gays father whatever embarrassment he suffered bore no resentment against him the constraint lessened a little david graham leaned back in his chair john lit a cigarette 1 I meant an apology for my share in in the great deal of unpleasantness he said smiling its a pleasure to meet someone who employs the use of understatement 11 gays father returned the smile smile the only apology you ow owe e me personally he went on is for making me rush home from london before id had a chance to bid on a painting I 1 very much wanted im sorry about that sir john was beginning to understand the lifelong life long friendship between this man and his uncle john he even felt that he understood why kitty schuyler at eighteen had married him perhaps it is I 1 who owe you an apology david graham said presently gay calls my attention to the fact that 1 I originally was at fault I 1 invited john lawrence to be her godfather god father of course I 1 had no idea that the nephew he spoke of so often was going to grow up into a menace or I 1 should have made other arrangements gay has told you john said that our meeting at the cabin was not prearranged pre arranged but it was prearranged pre arranged it yes gay has told me I 1 refer to the arrangement john lawrence made no one ever suspected him of his genius for pulling strings he had it though to a remarkable degree I 1 remember when we were in college he went on to speak of johns uncle who had been his friend quietly appreciatively in a pleasant unhurried voice the anecdote he told was familiar to john though he gave the appearance of listening intently his mind was occupied with the task of fitting together from what he had heard of him from what he had observed a clear understanding der standing of gays father As he thought of her he heard her voice are you getting along you two splendidly her father said have you been telling john disgraceful episodes in my past she came toward them walking quickly and lightly through a shaft of sunlight touched johns arm in passing went to sit on the arm of her fathers chair the young are self centered david graham said no my dear ive been talking about the days when I 1 was young and not so handsome ive enjoyed it but john has probably been bored not at all sir TO BE CONTINUED |