Show tae tic 09 MARTHA by ze 0 MARTHA smia SERVICE I 1 THE STORY THUS FAR FAB I 1 y lovely inde independent P e adent autumn de dean a 1 re turning returning home h ome to British Columbia from abroad without it h her er fathers knowle knowledge d g le stops 10 at the home of hector cardigan anold an old family friend cheteui h her that t X the should not have come home me ino thai things have changed arriving home at the castle ot the borns he li greeted lovingly by her father jaral dean who gives her to understand that the li is welcome tor short visit her mother former belle named mullicent MUll cent odell dell has been dead or years autumn cannot understand her fathers attitude though gives him to understand that the Is home for good her father gives a welcoming dance atthe castle autumn meets florean parr dashing well educated young man of uie countryside late in the evening autumn leaves the dance rides horseback to the neighboring ranch where she meets bruce landor friend benj and awl c champion ion of her childhood ild od da day a he ta takes es her er to see ee bar a mother he a an n orar invalid V 1 lid ills his fa therIs s dead thought a aught t to have killed himself I 1 se As soon as him bis mother m 0 ther sees lees autumn she comman commands a bruce ruce to take her away that at death follows in th the a wake of the odelas autumn Is both saddened and perplexed bruce apologetic can offer no reason for his mothers attitude autumn calls again on hector cardigan this time to find handout out the reason tor for mrs Lan dors outburst from his colv conversation ersa tion she inferred fat that geoffrey landor killed himself because he be loved millice n t dean de ap her mother meanwhile bruce landor rides to the spot where hi his 1 fathers e body was found years before there he be meets autumn lat autumn and he talk of their families they agree that her mother and his father loved each other deeply and th that t their love I 1 Is the cause of present antagonism florian dorian parr at the castle cam tor for dinner proposes to autumn she refuses him the next day A autumn u u ma meets bruce in 6 a herders gerders her ders cabin there they declare their love tor for each ot other and determine to stand together against everyone who might come between them autumn tells her father that she Is going to marry bruce sh she e is aghast to see his reaction and Is agonized to hear him whisper that geoffrey landor did dl d not take his own life he tells her the story millicent his wife and geoffrey landor had fallen in love with each other but mullicent MUll cent would not break a k her marriage vows meeting landor one day in a secluded spot jarvis wun can an was i forced to fight i with him landor Is accidentally killed by his own v 1 n lun autumn knows then that everything Is ended between bauco aruca and herse herself I 1 f CHAPTER VI continued 90 autumn snatched hat bat and gloves from the chair and abruptly I 1 turned to the door I 1 hector put out a hand where are you going autumn he asked his voice trembling im starting for or heill belli she retorted solonge Solon so langl gl he took her arm gently wont you let me talk to you he pleaded you had your chance to do that last week she told him it its s too late for or that now she flung out of the house bouse and ran to dercar her car in a moment she was climbing out of the valley 0 on n the winding trail that led to kelowna Kel owna the room into which the Y younger parr girl led autumn was c cool 0 I 1 and fragrant with roses it ha had do been done in pate pale green and ivory A rug of fawn color covered the floor what a sweet room autumn ald as she glanced about her said im glad you like it said the girl in a voice of careful indolence my room is there next to this she pointed with her cigarette holder a long magenta affair which she held poised in her right hand under her left arm she carried a silvery mop which autumn had already learned was a belgian griffon the girl was a slender ash blonde with eyes of a hazy violet and lips that were brilliantly rouged gouged the open doorway that led to the adjoining room revealed a mauve toned boudoir that somehow seemed a perfect setting for the girl autumn glanced at the room and then turned to pat the dog on the girls aim arm what do you call him miss parr she asked his name is Koo chook which a bit Eski moish but its founds spelled belled C a o u t c h o u c which on the ganges or somewhere means india rubber and for or gods sake dont call me miss parr scare everybody to death around here my devoted parents ta tagged aged me with melinda when I 1 was too young to have any opinions of my own I 1 get linda but I 1 prefer lin it if you dont mind rather not autumn replied 1 I like it she saw that her bag had bad been brought in and unpacked and her things laid out in orderly fashion on the bid bed 1 I had my faithful attend to your gofir clothes linda said like a shower perhaps the bath is on the left there between our rooms thanks autumn said id like nothing better linda reclined on a chaise longue smoking hercog her dog on the velvet upholstery hols tery beside her while autumn undressed youre Yoi tre a sort of cross between me and my sister elinor she said aishe as she watched autumn appraising lly elinor is the horse of the farn am kut my that may have sounded tunny funny abut I 1 mean any reflection on y you au I 1 autumn laughed won out of her depression somewhat in spite of 0 herself where is elinor she asked lirida linda waved a languid arm god knows probably down pruning the apple appie trees no I 1 guess its not the season for or that spraying them maybe or whatever it Is they do at this time of year or she ma may Y be out shooting squirrels ashes a little odd poor elinor but like her im sure I 1 shall like all of you autumn said a little helplessly im not at all sure linda lind protested were a bit touched it if you ask me the stock is good enough but something boie soie must have figone ne wrong in the breeding the vo family a m I 1 1 i takes itself quite seriously too except florian Pl orlan and me we spend most of our time laughing at the others and ourselves theres therea a saving grace in that autumn remarked youre the only thing florean orlan has ever taken seriously except polo lindi linda observed blowing smoke rings the poor boy is hit and hit hard oh nonsense 11 autumn laughed coolly 1 but she colored as she felt lindas scrutiny change to a mobile slow low sort ort of ip 0 cant say I 1 blame him either linda added make a decorative sister ln in law lam I 1 the girl was part and parcel of till all that autumn had left behind her la in europe behind her mask of indolence there was a rapacity for or living autumn knew her kind very well though she was somewhat sur find it here are you in love with florian by any chance linda asked suddenly as autumn tossed her negligee about her shoulders dere and nd thrust her feet into her mules autumn smiled 1 I dont think so 30 not yet at any rate she replied 1 I might have known as much linda said the parrs are such damned her voice trailed away as though it was too much of an effort for her to express her contempt for the breed autumn hurried off to take her shower when she returned linda was sitting where she had left her ill be ready in a minute she said as she set about dressing dont hurry linda replied lazily no one hurries around here florian will probably be gnawing his nails if he getting tight but do him good to wait I 1 was terribly sorry by the way that I 1 go to your dance florian said it was a great success he told me you were disappointed autumn said 1 I was sorry too 1 I had a bum ankle that day da came home late the night before and tripped over a rubber hose somebody had carelessly left on the lawn we had the whole countryside there autumn told her so florian said bruce landor turn up I 1 understand autumn started at the mention of braces name she turned away from linda to pick up a garment from the bed fearing that her face might betray the quickening of her heart his mother has been very ill she said evasively 1 I know ashes been dying for a year I 1 believe nothing keeps her alive but sheer cussedness she knows bruce will have a chance to get around as soon as ashes gone you know bruce pretty well autumn asked As well as hell let me linda replied 11 1 I called hl him up gain again today to see it if he coult possibly come down earlier in the week he was afraid hed be too busy but he said today held hed try to make it tomorrow night he told me you had invited him autumn said she wondered if linda would note the unsteadiness of her voice and he seemed very sorry that he get down in time for the game although her attitude was casual enough now what she felt was something verging merging on panic bruce had told her that he could not go to ke cowna and now if he came here it would be primarily because of her youve known him all your life you linda pursued with an interest that was agonizing we went to school together he told me so linda sighed why you fall in love with him autumns hands trembled as she drew on her stockings she got up and went to the dresser where she could see lindas face in the mirror the girl was stroking her dog idly it probably occur to me autumn observed with straightened lips it occurred to me the first time I 1 saw him linda said and no other man has meant a damn to me since theres lots of time yet lin autumn told her time has nothing to do with it my dear linda observed her lids lowered in a resigned fatigue it happens or it happen and au all there is to it it happened to me in a minute it wont happen to him years deais so tar far as ahlm imi con concerned berned she remained stan standing dlug at the window until autumn had bad finished dressing and was ready to go down all set autumn announced linda turned from the window and gave her an appraising look autumn was dressed in a simple white while net inet dinner gown with turquoise drops at her ears youre youra lovely linda said sim ply and slipped her arm through gh autumns as they went together to join the others on the portico florian florean met them with tall frosted glasses in his hands and led autumn to one of the high backed deeply cushioned bamboo chairs 1 I thought never come back he said 1 I knew I 1 have let you get In dutches clutches from now on youre mine 10 he H e went and got his bis own glass and turned returned L and seated himself cross legged on tho the floor at her side how lovely this fall autumn murmured as her gaze drifted out over the tessellated valley it has never been really quite perfect before florian said in a voice that was flushed bushed with a sort of urgency autumn lowered her lids in the quick pain the words brought her she bit ter her lips in vexation at her own feeble will her inability to put bruce out of mind cleanly and definitively ly she must play up now or be lost she thought desperately you are too free with your compliments ments florian Fl orlan she said wearily you turn my head she looked across at linda as she spoke the girl had seated herself on the porch swing her shapely legs hoisted above her and her feet 1 I mean any reflection on you braced against the chain upon which the swing was suspended you might turn it and look at me florian ventured dont let him fuss you autumn linda said he always gets complimentary on a couple of silver fizzes fizzel autumn smiled and looked out upon the panorama that lay below them the colonial mansion of 0 the parrs stood on a bluff overlooking the long crystalline mirror of lake okanagan Ok anagan from the columned portico one could look down in spring upon a sea of bloom the white pink and deeper pink froth of thousands of fruit trees in flower apple I 1 peach cherry and pear and beyond the rosy nacre of the orchards lay the long blue shaft of the lake vanishing behind misty headlands on I 1 the north and south here in the ample security of their well being the parrs had lived for years a lusty swift living and pleasure lov ing family whose brilliant exploits had become colorful legend in the countryside it was the boast of J elliot parr that at the age of sixty he be could still show his son florian a point or two at polo and that a 8 fencing foil ivas was still sweet in his hand certain people with a spiteful t turn urn of mind might say that it was n not 0 t surprising that mrs parr had bad given ghost long ago but that was neither here nor there so far at least as the lounger younger generation of parrs was concerned florians Fl dog a copper colored irish setter came bounding up the steps and laid his head wistfully on autumns lap you dear old fellows fell owl she said pulling the dogs sleek ears how friendly he isi case of loved by me loved by my dog florian said getting up and setting his glass aside he proffered autumn his cigarette case his name florian Fl orlan autumn asked helping herself to a cigarette florian told her hes adorable you may have half of him florian replied whenever you say the word 1 I wish someone would bargain for half of elinore Eli nors hound linda lind remarked lord how I 1 hate that beast has elinor got ose oe too autumn asked she has florian told her its an english bull and he eats anything very fond of griffins griffons grif fons As he spoke elinor came up the slope slop efrom rom the orchards her augu arious faced bulldog at her heels she was dressed in khaki breeches and flannel shirt and add her short dark hair hung raggedly about her head she had bad striking dark eyes and a full irregular mouth and there was a certain shyness ashiness in her manner that tat won autumn to her immediately she shook hands brief ly with autumn so this is autumn dean she said im so glad youve come to see us thank you autumn replied im very glad I 1 was invited wheres tim linda asked 1 I saw him drive up several minutes ago his hes talking to father in the garage elinor replied both be here in a minute or two anyone going to offer me a drink meaning me of course flor ian said filling a glass and handing it to her they manage things with bad grace around here where im con berned elinor said with a fleeting smile at autumn have to overlook that youre scarcely human dear I 1 linda remarked stretching her arms and yawning 1 I have my points though darling elinor observed as she took a generous gulp from her glass 1 I 1 can at least tell it a ewe from a macintosh red lin thinks a bobtail flush is a breed of dog she laughed at autumn drained her glass and went into the house bouse to prepare for dinner Fil filthy thyl linda flung after tier her as she disappeared blame yourself for it florian said you always get the worst of it when you run into elinor heres dad and tim the two men came up the steps as he spoke J elliot parr was a tall slightly florid man his hair thinning a bit his chest thrust out in the determined effort to deter defer an inevitable corpulence he was dressed in white ducks and st a polkadot tie a handkerchief bordered with polka dots nattily pointing from his breast pocket he greeted autumn with a vigorous handshake well im damned if this a plea pleasure surel he boomed so this Is Milli cents girl well well and a line fine young filly she is too eh florian dont I 1 get in on this asked timothy autumn took the hand he held out to her and met frankly the searching gaze he bent upon her he was a heavy shouldered darkly good looking man with eyes in which there was a constant and aggressive search dont be afraid ot of him autumn linda piped up he was divorced last year tor for preferring blondes shut cupl said florian agreeably im not narrow minded timothy assured autumn my only kick against the world is that there are too many good looking women I 1 in it regardless of coloring A man cant get around to them all timothy does his best linda jibed from her place on the swing but what did your pater mean by keeping you tied up over there in the |