Show two keys kev s to a cabin I 1 I 1 B Y L I 1 D A L A R R 0 MACRAE I 1 SMITH SM M ITH CO 0 R SERVICE E I 1 CHAPTER xin XIII continued 19 life was simple then maybe gay said you fiddlesticks abigail houghton tossed her head its simple enough to get married and one male maie houghton is not much different from another I 1 guess all been as proud as lucifer and as stubborn as mules dont you let that fret you when the they Y love you they love you for life and not a bad fault in a husband its talking that complicates things that and too much considering other people ive got the seed pearl necklace I 1 promised john for his bride sew sewed ed into my feather bed it wont take long to rip out the stitches youre a darling gay bent impulsively pul and kissed the russet cheek as soft as moth wing beneath her lips john will bring me jill ill come the old lady went with them to the door opening into the tiny hall mind you shut the door tight debby she called after them goodby good by gabriella goodby good by gay turned to smile at johns grandmother the quizzical expression still narrowed abigail Hough tons eyes but har smile simile was steadfast and encouraging debby opened the outer door they went down steps and along a shoveled path to a gate in the picket fence the harbor lay before them touched with the last reflection of the sunset why was it gay thought A moment came that you knew you would always remember this the dove gray house behind them muffled with snow the harbor below stippled with fading pink and gold nothing had happened why did her throat ache and quick tears sti sting ng beneath her eyelids why granny is a darling she debby asked as the gate clicked behind them with a frosty snap and they walked arms linked along the cleared pavement between shoveled banks of snow yes gay replied the ache in her throat was still there she wanted john desperately urgently to be walking here beside her his grandmother was right they talked too much she and john it was dangerous to hurt each other with words A lovely thing was spoiled if it was only a little marred when he came tonight you arent going tomorrow are Y you ou gay debby asked after a moment 1 I think so yes i well I 1 cant blame you I 1 suppose debbas voice was desolate its dead enough here goodness knows ill miss you though terri MY faly 4 will you gay asked drawn from introspection by the sincerity m in the lovely young voice why especially except to be polite 11 because I 1 like to look at you youre so beautiful and I 1 can talk to you I 1 cant to anybody else mother or sarah and the girls i I 1 know are pretty small town im different she gave an embarrassed laugh 1 I guess all this sounds pretty silly to you no it how old are you debby eighteen last month how would you like to go back to new york with me debby stopped checking gays progress too looked at gay speechless her dark eyes wide and shin ing why not it had been an impulsive suggestion but why not she was an attractive youngster it would be fun to take her to new york why not gay repeated repealed debby exhaled her breath in a sharp explosion gosh she exclaimed breathlessly would you like to go debby would I 1 come along gay laughed and tugged at her arm were blocking traffic and probably getting frosted ears there are your courses she went on as they resumed progress again but you could go to a good business school or have a tutor id like to have you my mother and stepfather step father are away a great deal but the apartment is always there do you know what this means to me debby asked seriously ive never been further than boston in my life 1 I 1 can imagine your eyes are popping out of your head do you think will your mother let you would she object ashes got to let me debby sad passionately nothing as important as this has ever happened to me come on clinging to gays arm pulling her forward delby took a series of skipping steps alon along the sidewalk lets hurry home ho 4 and ask herl her dusk was falling when they came in sight of the houghton house A car was parked at the curb a taxi from the station debby said checking momentarily a stream of breathlessly eager questions comments observations who in hock ohl she added as a slight man in a heavy overcoat with a briefcase brief case under his arm emerged from the car its mr sewall hes writing a book about clipper ships and comes out from portland to see the papers and logs and diaries mother has oh dearl dear hell stay for supper and heaven knows how long afterward and I 1 wont have a chance to talk to mother not for all the rice in china not for all the bulls in spain debbas voice rising in contralto cadences above her improvised accompaniment compani ment on t the he yellowed keys of the square piano brought to gays mind the musical comedy for which which the song debby sang had been written she gay had gone with tony merrill todd in the same party had been very devoted to julie lelange that evening ellens roommate at boarding school and home with her for the christmas holidays it was that evening she had decided in her own mind that she would marry todd she remembered not emotionally but quite accurately the pluck it had given her heart to watch todd fall under the spell of julies soft dark eyes and charleston accent and the relief shed felt when todd later had confessed to her that the accent had palled and the magnolia blossom grown cloyingly sweet funny the things you remembered not for all the beans in boston not for all the grapes in france gay leaning on the shelf of the piano her elbows braced on mahogany cracked in a network net work of tiny lines her chin in the palm of her hand gave her attention to debby the child was radiant tonight the flush in her cheeks matched the deep dark red of the velveteen dress she wore the song came to an end can I 1 sing gay debby asked looking up with anxiety in the dark depths of her shining eyes 1 I dont believe you even listened disappointment clouded her face you kept looking at the clock and listening for john 1 I did listen debby gay assured h her er 1 I 1 think your voice is very appealing but can I 1 sing debby persisted were not sure whether she has a voice sarah said from the opposite side of the keyboard or whether she does it by black magic A member of the metropolitan opera company spent part of last summer out at the hotel and debby managed to scrape an acquaintance did you sing for her gay asked yes what was her opinion she said debby voice enough for opera sarah said and that no amount of musical education would eliminate the huskiness its something about the formation of her vocal cords 1 I dont care debby ran a rippling chord 1 I dont want to sing in opera I 1 dont want the husky tones trained out of my voice neine nein e ni III aaran a gentie gen lie voice intimated to gay that the question had been asked of debby many times before you know ive told you I 1 want to sing popular songs on the radio or in a club do you think I 1 could gay maybe I 1 dont know gay added seeing debbas face brighten not wanting to raise false hopes 1 I have a friend who sings in a supper club eyes sherry colored like her grandmothers but with less vivacity of expression widened in surprise not unmixed with shock gay thought debby gave a bounce on the piano bench oh have you she cried will I 1 she broke off and ran a series r es of noisy chords its personality rather than voice which puts enid across gay went on realizing that debby had not spoken to sarah of the possible visit in new york that and the fact smart club managers are featuring debutantes this season debby has personality rather too much at times S sarah ar sighed then smiled therell be no question of anything ot of the sort for some time anyway she added debby is too young to make independent plans im eighteen i debby flashed an antagonistic glance at her sister but her mood was too joyous to permit her to bear a grudge she played a few preliminary chords then sang again the sultry negroid minors of the st louis blues moaned incongruously in the high new england room from the old square piano where another deborah houghton had sat at twilight playing r gentler tunes her thoughts with her husband at sea through debbas singing she heard a door open and glanced up expectantly hoping that john had come his mother entered the room debbas voice was silenced her hands dropped from the keyboard into her lap she glanced quickly at gay then to her mother walking toward the piano john come yet ann houghton ashted with a glance at gay not yet mrs houghton 1 I hope nothing has happened her brow cleared mr sewall asked me to say goodnight good night to you he had only just time enough to make the train debby seems to have amused you adequately oh very much gay said quickly she sings remarkably well its an agreeable accomplishment though I 1 cant always recommend her choice of songs johns mother smiled and went to sit in the wing chair beside the hearth k 1 3 11 they walked arms linked along the cleared pavement her hands reached instinctively toward the knitting bag on the arm of the chair debby had been correct in her prediction gay thought ann houghton looked subtly flattered and pleased there was a faint color in her cheeks the dress of knitted silk she wore dull amber in shade was becoming mr sewall was delighted with the material I 1 gave him she went on 1 I let him take your great grandfathers diary if anything happe happens ns to it 1 I should imagine that mr sewall is trustworthy sarah said of course but with things that could not be replaced she took the length of knitting from the bag and her needles flashed in the firelight mother debby rose from the piano bench stood her hands nervously clasped irresolutely yes debby ann houghton raised her eyes mother debby plunged across the room to the arm of her mothers chair what is so important careful dear make me drop a stitch mother debby burst out in a breathless jumble of words mother gay has invited me to go back to new york with her may I 1 please I 1 want to awfully ann Hough tons faint smile faded her eyes turned to gay who came forward across the room id like to take her with me mrs houghton she said impossible no dear its very kind of gay to suggest it but its quite impossible why is it debbas color deepened gay saw her hands knot into fists as johns hands did when his fighting instinct was aroused well there are your courses for one thing ann houghton said evenly you were very eager to take them you cant very well stop but mother debby interrupted gay says I 1 can go to a business school or have a tutor we afford that debby but I 1 should like to do it for gay began then stopped short checked by the expression which had settled over ann Hough tons face ace no my dear she said still evenly holding her off gay thought by the reasonable friendliness of her tone very generous of you but I 1 think debby is better off at home but mother why we go into that debby yes we will debby slipped off the arm of her mothers chair st stood with her hands clenched into fists her head defiantly lifted its because youre afraid jo 0 o let one of us get out of your sight for fear well have an idea you put into our heads debby sarah cried in soft pro test 94 its true you know it is you want to do everything for us so that people will say what a wonderful mother you are you are you have been but I 1 want to go somewhere and see something oh mother I 1 am sorry debby dropped down on the arm of the chair again but cant you see 1 I see that my judgment is correct ann Hough tons eyes remained fixed upon the needles you are far too emotional to be trusted away from home im not im not really its only you who makes me that way gay wants me to go with her oh mother cant I 1 I 1 never wanted anything so much youre acting like a child deborah color burned deeper in ann Hough tons cheeks her voice continued to pronounce words evenly with maintained control but gay saw that her hands clasped over the knitting in her lap trembled 1 I thought you had outgrown tantrums youre being inconsiderate as well as unpardonably rude this cant be ver very Y pleasant for gay oh I 1 guess gay knows I 1 guess ashes seen you know theres no reason mother except that youre afraid except that you disapprove debby hush come with me met sarah crossed the room laid her hand on her sisters arm her face was white her eyes wide and startled met gays in fleeting apology then turned away you dont know what youre saying 1 I do know debby wrenched away from hand she stood facing her mother frightened but defiant this is why I 1 go to college I 1 let you make sacrifices to send me you wanted to so that you could keep me tied here grateful to you not able to do anything that I 1 wanted you did that with sarah and john sarah wanted to go abroad with mrs trumbull you knew she did and that it would have been wonderful for her but she had to teach here in the high school to repay you for the sacrifices made you dont want john deborah go to your room when john comes ill ask him to give you a sedative youre ill you arent yourself YO 1 I am myself debbas voice rose hysterically ive been wanting to tell you defiance suddenly crumpled debbas head aroc drooped her lips quivered forlornly like a childs oh the use she gave a strangled sob and turned toward the door TO BE CONTINUED |