| Show T baete COMES a MOMENT by ELINOR MAXWELL 0 ARCADIA HOUSE publications SERVICE CHAPTER X continued 10 1 I shant have lunch with mr buchanan and talk things over mary thought bitterly as she slowly sipped the water theres no use in that theres nothing to talk overl over ive tried for years to be an author and ive failed my writing one story that was worthy of acceptance cep tance was evidently just an accident c ci theres only one thing left to do now and no matter how repugnant and cheap and vile ill simply have to do it ill marry jerome taylor perhaps aunt lin me was right all alonga at least its the only way out to save cave my farn family fly sho she had an engagement for d dinner in and the theater with jerome taylor that evening he would make love to her some time dur kuld rig the evening he always did he auld tell her how beautiful the she was and how he never tired looking at her and he would ask her it if she care for him just a little 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 it forthwith brought the topic to a close she dressed with unusual care wearing as she had for that first dinner at geromes Je romes penthouse her frock of silver and white pinning as she had also done on that night his superb orchids high on her left i shoulder houlder and again as on the evening IS of their first dinner together she wore leilas ermine wrap casting 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 1 I look just what I 1 am a glorified gold digger orchids ermine cape and all jerome rose hastily from a chair as a s she entered the room maryl tie exclaimed at sight of her my aj ear youre more beautiful tonight enan an ive ever seen youl you and ana lifting her hand to his lips he kissed it she did not withdraw it I 1 immediately edl bof although the touch of his a lips on her hand made her cringe she must not be aloof as she heretofore had been with this man she i 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 bis 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 informed herself ill have to grin nd d bear it its its all in the 9 Ys work youre different tonight darling jerome was saying in that purring tender voice she hated and my dear ive never seen you quite so beautiful that coronet braid around your lovely little head makes you look like a queena you do like me dont doit you dear somehow tonight I 1 feel but lorgan the chauffeur was pulling up at the curb in front of the waldorf and the uniformed amed doorman was opening the door of the car thankful that the drive was at an end mary withdrew her hand from geromes Je romes clasp and slipped on a long white glove over for a while she told herself an imperceptible shudder going over her body it was not over tor for long hower ter jerome taylor warmed by ar r apparent encouragement waited 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 begin began as toon soon as the waiter had left their tablet table 1 I believe youre beginning to like me lust just a bit after all this time how about it dear you know ive been simply mad about you ever since the first day I 1 saw you have you really mary countered and then desperately forcing herself im im glad jerry the man placed his fork on the tide side of his dinner plate darling how can you ask you certainly have known it all along youre the sweetest and the loveliest and wae mos most t beautiful thing lve I 1 ve ever fe vea en and mary I 1 want you ap af ways w ays 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 saying and now he had pushed aside his untouched food and lighted a cigarette 1 I want to take care of you always give you the rare jewels that only you are suited to wear the exquisite clothes you should have to accentuate your beauty well travel everywhere mary see everything do everything there Is to be donel done ill always be proud of you so very proud of youl still unable to bring any words to her lips she sat there now lifting her goblet ot water to her mouth now sipping some water now placing the goblet back on the table jerry unmindful of the people about them reached across the table and placed his bis hand over hers here darling why not go down to palm beach with me tomorrow my yachts down there you know and 11 mary glanced sharply across at him tomorrow but jerry how in the world could we get married in such a short time 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 mary stared at him with incredulous eyes you asking me to marry you jerome taylor laughed what a provincial little thing you arel are I 1 wh why Y everybody knows im not the marrying sort but my dear there are so many things I 1 can do for or you 11 mary felt for the cape which lay across the back ot of her chair and with trembling fingers pulled it over her shoulders you conceited old foell I 1 hate youl ive always hated youl I 1 never want to see you again and grabbing her gloves and bag horn from the table she rose from her chair As unperturbed as if she had told him shed just remembered a telephone call she had to make taylor rose too his sleek gray head inclining in a suave little bow dont make a scene my dear he said in a low voice his lips fixed in a smile remember were in a public place besides youre not exactly suited to melodrama you know mary flashed him an enraged look then with steps which she tried desperately to keep steady made de 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 it if she had enough money in her bag my dear youre more beautiful tonight than ive ever seen 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 linnies apartment and the safety and security which it betokened now the cab was pulling u up p before aunt linnies apartment house mary glanced at the meter then emptied her purse nto into the drivers hand she stepped to the curb and ran across the canopied cano pied walk to the en trance rance 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 collision then as they both came to an abrupt standstill she looked up why Um bertol she exclaimed 1 11 I see youl that is quite evident little maryl mary he replied with a smile 1 I had just dropped in to call on you and but now was leaving with a heavy heart dushl mush thought mary why cant other men talk as sanely as phillip buchanan you are back early my full Ball ballanca ancl continued his hand still on her arm Is something wrong no umberto I 1 wanted 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 han handsome dloras dark face she said oh all right come on for a few moments well listen to the radio addle opened the door in answer to marys mary ring why miss ila she exclaimed 1 I just told this gentleman you were out lor for the evenin evening gill 1 I 1 changed my plans addle mary returned and slipping lelias leilas wrap from her shoulders handed it to the woman addle I 1 wonder if make us some black coffee I 1 have a headache yes maam hon honeil eyll addle replied ill have some for or you in just a few minutes then as addle disappeared into the kitchen ballanca Ball ancl came towards her darling he murmured in the honeyed tones that mary loathed something has gone wrong with youl something has hurt youl I 1 can see it written on your lovly face ace tell umberto my sweet Mary glanced up into his somber eyes eyes that were filled with compassion and pity its ira nothing she began in a voice that was husky with emotion the ugly shock of jerome taylors 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 its nothing she repeated and then bursting into wild uncontrollable sobs she cried oh ob umberto its everything its everything yes something has hurt me terribly 1 i and quite without knowing how it happened she found h herself in his arms his lips softly pressing her cheek her head against his shoulder Dar lingl lingi Dar darling lingl he was saying softly cara mia I 1 love youl you and for the moment she felt safe supremely secure in his arms tell umberto all about it it my sweet she shook her head nol no nol no not I 1 can never tell anyone an yonel taking a handkerchief from his pocket he dried the tears on her face youve 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 marry you youl I 1 dont want to marry anybody bodyl and then with a badgering persistence the thought but I 1 must marry somebody I 1 must do something 11 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 something but tomorrow tomorrow it will be different ah tera fera tasa say you will consider it say I 1 may leave you tonight with my heart warmed with the hopi hope you will marry me soon mary withdrew from his embrace moving towards the fireplace her C old cold hand band against her throbbing forehead 1 I dont know umberto lets not talk about it tonight maybe ballanca Bal lanci followed her maybe he be repeated softly maybel maybe oh cars cara mist mia that means you will make me the happiest man on earth he attempted to take her in his arms again but she pulled away grateful to hear addle approaching from the kitchen she had hardly finished pouring the coffee when a key could be heard turning in the latch of the entrance door an instant later leila ormsby came into the room her eyes widened when she saw mary sitting there with count ballanca Bal Ball lanci ancl why maryl mary she began what are you doing at home I 1 thought umberto jumped to his feet mrs ormsby he exclaimed his dark eyes flashing congratulate me mel I 1 am the happiest man on earth my lovely lady has promised to marry mel me A look of consternation flashed across lelias leilas face why what do you mean but just that ballanca Bal Bali lanci ancl re turned with a grandiose wave ol of his bis hand you will felicitate us yes lelia leila moved towards the lounge where mary sat her gaze riveted on her caffee cup mary she demanded is this true youre not really going to marry count ball bali and ancl are you mary could not look up nor could she speak tor for a moment 1 I dont know lelia Leila she finally replied in a remote voice maybe I 1 shall lelia leila continued to regard the girl with eyes that were cold with unbelief well she said at last and her voice was crisp 1 I wish you both happiness perhaps we A A I dont k know now umberto lets not talk about it tonight corswell Cot swell will be satisfied now no ashes down do in the lobby talking to the manager of the building shell 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 Bascom a bit of roulette no doubt shell want to make a party of 0 it in celebration of this ah happy event but that is wonder wonderfully full cried umberto 1 I shall buy champagne and everybody will drink a toast to my bride to bel be mary finally glanced up at lelia you you will come lelia leila A pregnant silence followed a silence in which lelia snapped open a cigarette box that lay on the table beside the lounge removed a cigarette and lighted it yes she finally said ill go along CHAPTER XI aunt linnie arrived on the scene a few minutes later dont say anything mary admonished balland and lelia please Pl please easel and her voice was so importunate that they both nodded their acquiescence es it if aunt linnie felt any surprise at seeing mary sitting in the living room with ballanca Bali Ball anci ancl 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 Bali anci ancl here she exclaimed lelia leila and I 1 are going to the club torquay to meet the tee bascoms and play a bit of roulette will you join us thanks so much Bali anci ancl replied wed love it ill change in a jiffy lelia was saying asif from a great distance will you excuse me tor for live five minutes 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 |
