Show THE RICH COUNTY REAPER RANDOLPH UTAH two keys to 0 uw a ca cabin ba 4 B Y L I 1 D A L A R R I 1 M 0 R E 17 0 MACRAE SMITH CO SERVICE i CHAPTER IX continued 14 all been especially annoying except dad or maybe it has seemed so to me because john gay paused dont be afraid to speak of him to me youre generous todd not very he gave a short laugh quickly stilled perhaps im just trying to impress you with how well im taking it to make you admire me 1 I do admire you I 1 have always I 1 feel toward you now just as ive felt any one of the hundreds of times ive climbed this slope since we were kids how is that oh that its fun to be with you that I 1 can say anything without being afraid misunderstand I 1 dont wonder what youre thinking when youre silent or watch your reaction to every move I 1 make I 1 hoped when we came through the grove that you might be coasting it was good of you to make us welcome youre always welcome he h hesitated esita ted then asked Is there has anything nothing of any importance just A aunt flora I 1 was disappointed about something I 1 hoped could happen and last night it was difficult dont worry about it 1 I wont any longer this was just what I 1 needed coasting silly fun exercise everyone has been so solemn all day being with you 1 I he laughed with a note of embarrassment in his voice what have I 1 done di just been fia natural tural and allowed m me e to be theres no strain in being with you not now he said gravely but there was you felt a sense of strain last summer after our engagement ga had been announced when you were trying to persuade yourself that you wanted to marry me she was silent for a moment then was that a difficult time for you forgive me for asking but I 1 its strange it that you should be the only one I 1 can talk to the others it was difficult he said in reply to her question 1 I went through hell i i and you seemed so casual 1 I told you that night at the cabin he said slowly 1 I thought you wanted me to be casual I 1 was afraid that if I 1 let you know how I 1 felt it would irti irritate tate you it was wa s a relief to know in spite of the fuss in spite of having to accept the fact that you loved john im getting over you ive done pretty welland well and im going to do better oh are you she said so in indignantly dign antly that they both laughed 1 I mean that she said when the laughter was stilled 1 I want you to be happy 1 1 1 I shall be if you are or content at any rate of course being here with you like this is a little disconcerting I 1 keep thinking enough of that im glad weve had this time together you wont keep on trying to avoid me as you have done until now we have sorrI something ething left oh anything I 1 may say will sound asinine but we can be friends cant we theres no question of that her voice was not quite steady after all the years weve known each other the fun weve had 1 I hope so I 1 dont want to lose you entirely if theres ever anything if you need me or he off an laugh skip it wed better get back to the others probably thinking things e which arent true this slow motion progress may appear a little incriminating when viewed from the heights she laughed and lengthened her stride to match his the irritations of the day no longer lay like a weight on her spirits it seemed incredible now as glowing from the exercise she climbed the slope at todds dodds side that she had allowed aunt flora to annoy her that in her unreasonable disappointment she had flared up at john she was eager to be with him again to make her partial apology complete As they approached the lake she broke away from todd and ran ahead wait a minute he called she did not reply A chorus of moices voices greeted her she made laughing replies but her eyes flew to john he rose at her approach from the pile of blankets on which he had been sitting with ellen janeway and her guest little julie lelange from charleston his face brightened as his eyes met hers through the ruddy glow of the fire she went to him smiling CHAPTER X kitty cameron lifted her eyes from a magazine as gay spoke to her at the door of her dressing room hello she said have you just returned wheres john here gay drew him forward yes weve just returned CH hello llo johnl john come in theres a photograph of the Ga gabriella briena in town and country gay todd has sold it to tony merrill has he gay kissed her mother whew its hot in here may I 1 raise a window let me john lifted a sash behind taffeta curtains letting a stream of air into the softly ut lit fragrant room lights bloomed through the dusk A few tars stars shone at an angle he saw a freighter moving slowly on the dark surface of the river below trailing a brighter wash of churning foam br r rl r kitty cameron sat up and leaned forward to reach the fur coverlet folded at the foot of the chaise longue you come in here glowing like mountain climbers and proceed to freeze me out you invited us gay dropped into a chair beside the chaise longue youre a hothouse hot house blossom kitty wheres robert playing handball hand ball at the club gays mother lay back against cushions under the fur coverlet hes distressed about his waistline waist line sit down john but not in that chair this is the only one robert really trusts she gestured peach colored chiffon in a fan of tiny pleats fell back from her rounded arm her long very deep blue eyes moved from john to gay you must have enjoyed the country I 1 expected you yesterday what have you done to make yourself look so blowsy blossy gay your face is as red as a tomato you have said as red as a christmas rose you have no poetry in your your soul she looks as though she would have she john look at her peach blossoms and spun glass and as practical as a garden rake rake her mother queried laughing 1 I dont demand a gre great at deal of filial respect but arent you carrying matters a little too far laughter mingled with the feminine laughter chiming in the dainty luxurious room he relaxed in the chair which looked fragile but was comfortable and lit a cigarette thank heaven theres a little chivalry left in the world kitty camerons sparkling glance rested upon john for a moment then turned to gay but you answered my question As a parent I 1 demand to know what youve been up to johns ears are purple we drove in with the top down or rather john drove and we find ear tabs or a tippet kitty cameron shuddered you any sense it was marvelous except that john has a mania for speed which ive never suspected I 1 was certain wed spend his last night here in a magistrates office are you leaving tomorrow tonight mrs cameron must you john gays eyes clouded the brightness dimmed out of her face must gay ive overstayed overstated over stayed my leave of absence by one day already the late sleeper then yes P he said and was silent oh really too bad kitty camerons expression was distressed 1 I expected you to stay over the weekend week end at least if id had any idea have you been up to mother gay asked youve no idea how guilty you look its robert she sighed then smiled 1 I learned long ago that surprises are usually not appreciated has robert planned a surprise for us he has made arrangements to take us for dinner and dancing at the heron club that was dear of him gay said slowly but 1 I told him he should consult you well dont think of it again robert will be disappointed and what hell say to the others but his predicament the others Is it a party ten I 1 believe tory wales and her fiance and peter and connie belmont and gays eyes met johns in dismay we should have stayed in the country she said robert wanted to do something for you gay kitty camerons tone held a taint faint rebuke 1 I appreciate that but johns last night A party youve never shown any dislike for parties her mother said mild ly on the contrary but you robert was letting off steam he was so incensed yesterday when your aunt flora was here she has the ability to stir up aniag in even roberts genial soul the laughter the g gaiety a i e ty h had ad gone out of her voice i john 0 h n s saw a w that her contentment was shattered she glanced at him guardedly guarded lyp wondering he knew what effect further discussion of their situation would have upon him he smiled but studying her expression he knew that he had failed to reassure her completely 1 I know how it irritates you to be questioned she said obviously choosing her approach with care but under the circumstances gay we have no definite plans then you wont be married marri e d this winter no gay said and was silent but I 1 thought you told me that dad was wangling a place for john in the research department at johns hopkins gay said evenly he successful I 1 should think that considering what his fa 11 I 1 she laughed and lengthened her stride to match his ther did for the hospital there should be no question of a refusal there will be an opening at the first of the year but I 1 am not free to accept it mrs cameron john said 1 I im m obligated until october some arrangement be made im afraid not he knew that his voice expressed the resentment he felt he had no reason to feel r resentful he told himself gays mother had every right to make inquiries qu iries but he had come to fear the effect upon gay upon himself of further useless discussion it was only by avoiding any reference to the future that they had maintained these past two days in the country a close and intimate companionship it was his fault the sense of inadequacy he felt was deeply humiliating how could he make gays mother understand the nature of his obligation the impossibility of buying his release buy his release he thought bitterly permit gay to buy it for him in the silence which followed his re reply ply he saw kitty cameron turn with a baffled expression to her daughter but gay she began does it matter mother except to john bihn and to me gay sat forward in in her chair her color heightened her attitude defensive other people have had to wait john knows best what his obligations are if im willing to she dropped back into the chair with a short mirthless laugh after all the fuss theres there s been I 1 cant understand why you try to rush us into marriage im not trying to rush you into anything im merely trying to find out if I 1 can wl what bat you expect to do whatever I 1 do interfere with your plans mother youve accepted the davenports davenporte Daven ports invitation you tentatively but you enjoy it darling A six weeks cruise no young people and the davenports davenporte Daven ports arent stimulating company besides which I 1 aee invited go of course mother the davenports davenporte Daven ports are dull but you and robert enjoy yourselves wherever you are but what will you do kitty camerons glance a little embarrassed he thought turned to john 1 I dont suppose all of this is very entertaining to john why not gay folded her arms beneath her head 1 I can go to daytona with aunt flora you gayl no I 1 guess youre right well I 1 could go to italy with dad though he really want me when when im with him he thinks he should do 0 things to entertain me hes mu much ch happier poking around in art museums and book shops and cathedrals alone david was born a bachelor david grahams former wife said without rancor in indulgent extenuation hes always happier alone though when I 1 made that possible e the heavens fell her attention returned to the subject under discussion 1 I want to know that you are provided for before I 1 accept the davenports davenporte Daven ports invitation definitely you always have invitations ill visit tory in palm beach its usually amusing there she said with a forced gaiety which struck through johns heart in a stab of quivering pain 1 1 I in palm beach john in maine you and robert cruising with the daven ports may we all survive kitty cameron regarded her daughter thoughtfully her brow beneath the soft waves of her amazing hair puckered in lines of doubt As she opened her lips to speak the telephone rang she took the instrument from the table beside the chaise longue hello yes darling john heard her say yes here john is leaving tonight no I 1 had no idea of course ive told them wait a minute its robert obert she said what shall shall I 1 ter tell him do you want to go to the heron club shall we john gays eyes met his clouded at what she read in his face if you would like to gay the constraint in his voice ended her indecision it was his fault he thought miserably he had destroyed their plans for the evening the plans they had made driving in from the country this afternoon in silence he saw her raise her head well go she said too lightly too quickly tell robert wed love to kitty kitty camerons lips parted as though she meant to speak then her brow cleared her shoulders under the peach colored negligee made a faint shrugging motion she spoke into the transmitter the orchestra made preliminary sounds then swung smoothly Y i ingratiatingly gratia tingly into a waltz the b blond 1 ond burly young englishman leaned across the long table toward cay this is my dance I 1 think he said with a slightly formal inclination of his head the sandy haired young man whom john had not met before bedfor e th this is evening intervened my dance e gay you promised gay saves her waltzes for me robert cameron said from the end of the table she trust my footwork foot work in anything more modern I 1 what it is to be popular tory wales sighed in laughing derision TO BE CONTINUED |