Show r aw W in MME A rely ELIMOR MA X W ed L L 0 ARCADIA HOUSE publications SERVICE CHAPTER X continued 10 III 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 over ive tried for years to be an author and ive failed my writing one story that was wor worthy thy of acceptance cep tance was evidently just an accident theres only one thing left todo to do now and no matter how repugnant and cheap and vile ill simply have to do it ill marry jerome taylor perhaps aunt linnie was right all along at least lits fits the only way out to save my family it she had an engagement for dinner dinder and the theater with jerome taylor that evening he would make love ta to he her r sometime during the evening he always did he would tell her how beautiful 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 0 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 shoulder and again as on the evening of their first dinner together she wore lelias 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 i jerome rose hastily from a chair as she entered the room maryl mary he exclaimed at sight of her my dear youre more beautiful tonight than ive ever seen youl you and lifting he her r hand to his lips he kissed it she did not withdraw it immediately although the touch of WE his lips on her hand made her cringe she must not be aloof as she heretofore had been with this man she must pretend that she liked him she must bring on a proposal tonight 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 informed herself ill have to grin and bear it its its au all in the days work youre different tonight darling jerome was saying in that 1 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 queen you do like me dont you dear somehow tonight I 1 feel 11 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 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 for long however jerome taylor warmed by her apparent encouragement waited only until after their entree had been served to begin again his eyes no longer quizzical held a anew anew 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 1 I be bieve alieve youre beginning to like me ajust 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 coun and then desperately forc ling herself im lin im glad jerry the man placed his fork on the iside of his dinner plate darling how can you ask you certainly taini have known it all along youre the sweetest and the loveliest and the most beautiful thing ive ever seen and mary I 1 want you always 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 you still unable to bring any words to her lips she sat there now lifting her goblet of w water ater to her mouth 9 now sipping some water now placing the goblet back on the table jerry unmindful of the people i about them reached across the table and placed his hand over hers darling why not go down to palm beach with me tomorrow my yachts down there you know and it mary glanced sharply ac across ross 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 int eyes you t t asking me to marry you jerome taylor laughed what a provincial little thing you are why everybody knows im not the marrying sort but my dear there are so many things I 1 can do for 01 you mary felt for the cape which lay across the back of her chair and with trembling fingers pulled it over her shoulders you conceited old fool I 1 hate you ive always hated you I 1 never want to see you again and grabbing her gloves and bag from the table she rose from her chair As unperturbed as it 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 my aly dear youre more beautiful tonight than ive ever seen you 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 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 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 up before aunt linnies apartment house mary glanced at themester the meter then emptied her purse into the drivers hand she stepped to the curb and ran across the canopied cano pied walk to the entrance 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 ab abrupt bupt rupt standstill she looked up why Um bertot bertol she exclaimed 1 I see you 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 mush mush mush thought mary why cant other men talk as sanely as phillip buchanan you are back early my beautiful ballanca Bali Bal anci lanci continued his hand still on her arm Is something wrong no 0 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 well listen to the radio addie opened the door in answer to marys ring why miss mary she exclaimed 1 I just told this gentleman you were out for the even evening 1 I changed my plans addie 01 mary returned and slipping lelias wrap from her shoulders handed it to the woman addie I 1 wonder if make us some black coffee I 1 have a headache yes maam honey addie replied ill have some for you in just a few minutes then as addle addie 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 love lovely y face tell umberto my sweet mary glanced glance dup up into his somber eyes eyes that were filled with compassion and pity its 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 umberto its everything i its everything yes something has hurt me terribly ll and quite without knowing how it happened she found herself in hi his S arms his lips softly pressing her cheek her head against his shoulder darling Dar darling lingl he was saying softly cara mia I 1 love you and for the moment she felt safe supremely secure in his arms tell umberto all about it my sweet she shook her head not no not no not I 1 can never tell 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 I 1 dont want to marry anybody and then with a badger badgering ing i persistence the thought but I 1 must marry somebody I 1 must do something I 1 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 something but tomorrow tomorrow it will be different ah fera tasa say you will consider it say I 1 may leave you tonight with my heart warmed with the hope you will marry me soon mary withdrew from his e embrace moving towards the fireplace her cold hand against her throbbing forehead 1 I dont know umberto lets not talk about it tonight maybe Bali anci followed her maybe he repeated softly maybel maybe oh cara mia that means you will make me the happiest man on earth he attempted to take her in his arms again but she pulled a away v ay grateful to hear addie approach approaching hing I 1 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 lelia ormsby came into the room her eyes widened when she saw mary sitting ra there with wilh count 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 met I 1 am the happiest man on earth my lovely lady has promised to marry met mel A look of consternation flashed across lelias face why what do you mean but just thatis that ballanca Bali Bal anci lanci returned with a grandiose wave of his hand you will felicitate us yes lelia leila moved towards the lomiga where mary sat her gaze rivea riveted d on her coffee cup mary zhe he demanded is is this true youre not really going to marry count coant bali anci are you mary could not look up nor could s she he speak for a moment 1 I dont 61 xa or I 1 1 I dont know umberto lets not talk about it tonight know lelia she finally replied in a remote voice maybe I 1 shall lelia 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 linnie corswell Cot swell will be satisfied now ashes down in the lobby talking to the manager of the building S shell hell 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 wa want nt to make a party of it in celebration of this ah happy event but that is wonderful cried umberto 1 I shall buy champagne and everybody will drink a toast to my bride to be bel I 1 mary finally glanced up at lelia you you will come lelia 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 th the e scene a few minutes later dont say anything mary admonished bali anci and lelia please Pl please easel and her voice was so importunate that they both nodded their acquiescence es if aunt linnie felt any surprise at seeing mary sitting in the living room with Bali anci 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 here she exclaimed lelia and I 1 are going goin 9 to the club tor torquay cl to meet the bascoms and play a bit ot of roulette will you join us thanks so much Bali anci replied wed love it ill change in a jiffy lelia was saying ra as if from a great distance will you excuse me for five minutes lelia appeared in but a moment looking slender and lovely in a frock of flame colored chiffon and carrying over one arni arm her ermine wrap and a black velvet coat with a white fox collar TO BE CONTINUED |