Evening star., 1935-06-13
CHAPTER XIV.


MOULD Guy throw any light on
It? she wondered She
glanced at the ivory and s,l-
~ yer clock on her table. Still
another 10 minutes before
dinner. She began to hurry, finished
dressing quickly. clasped on her
fathers turquoise pendant and ran
hastily downstairs.
After z o'clock, he had said, and 1t
was now 10 minutes to 8. If she rang
up now, she would catch him, she
could tell him of the new development
before her father got down or Daphne
Sumers arrived.
The light was out In the library,
but Alison did not wait; she ran to
the desk and switched on the reading
lamp, caught up the telephone book
and tipped over the pages. Dundas-
DR.. Dundas-here 1t waS-an address
down in the East End: she dialed the
number with a finger that shook
slightly as 1t fumbled for the right
slot. What a long time the bell took
ringing.
"Hullop"
Somehow she had expected a maid
or DR.. DundaS, instead of Guy himself.
''Hullo? Is that youP Alison Rede
speaking. Listen. I've only q FEW
moments, but I wanted to tell yolI--
something funny has happened Il
can't talk about it now, she's dining
here and may come in at any minute,
and the servants might hear. But can
we meet tomorrow? It's urgent. Yes!
Lunch. then, the same place, same
time? All right. Will you pick me up
here? Yes, but I think it'd be better
if we met Just around the corner, Do
YOU know? BY the end of Ebury street.
Il thought ought to let you know.
after what you said today. Well,
thanks most awfully. Goodnight"
Alison set the receiver back. In
tense relief, to have some one to turn
to in these troubles. Perhaps If she
told him about that other bit OF
knowledge, the kiss, he would see more
clearly than she could herself what
was the right thing to do.
She went out and upstairs to the
drawing room to wait for Daphne
Sumers.
Behind her. in the library. the
heavy wine-colored damask curtains
parted. Daphne came out of the
window recess quietly and rather
slowly. Crossing to the table, she took
a cigarette out of the silver box.
She had very long holder Of amber,
bound with gold-one Of Robert Rede's
presents; she fitted the cigarette into
it with careful precision. all her
thoughts elsewhere. When she had
lit it. she went out Of the room and
up the stairs to the drawing room, her
face without expression and her eyes
no more than very family amused.
Dinner passed off so calmly that
the girl began to hope that her father
had listened to her, after all. Daphne
accepted her apology sweetly.
"Of course. I quite understand. I
often do it myself. You didn't notice
the time 1t doesn't matter III the
least: we can shop tomorrow in
stead. can't we?" Not a single ques-
ton about that lunch, not word
about the honeymoon plan! Before
the evening was over, Alison found
herself wondering If she had made
too much fuss.
1t was not until the next day at
o'clock that anything happened.
They we're all three up in the bou-
doir, looking at patterns and approx
ing Daphne's final choice.
Rather nice" Robert always agreed
amicably on such points. He knew
nothing of furnishings and cared less.
He took a chocolate from the box
beside Daphne and said: Il say, these
are good! Your own making?"
II made them specially for you.
They're all the nutty kind that you
like
You're a marvel!" He offered them
to Alison, who could say truthfully
that they were the best that she had
ever eaten. But she sighed. They
had been two hours choosingl Daphne
seemed to like to keep them both here.
centered on her affairs