The Coolidge examiner., 1937-09-16
CHAPTER TX


purse and white gloves carried as
a final touch, Vicky sat il the patio
of the Morrison house with the in
jured man and his lovely wife, and
talked somewhat stiltedly and con-
strainedly. She and DR.. Hardisty
lived very quietly. she explained:
''as indeed a doctor has to do when
he is building up his practice, and
has six small children!" Vicky end
ed. with a little laugh.
'Oh. yes. you poor thing!" Sc
rena said so heartily that Spencer
Morrison laughed his sinister laugh,
and Vicky hated her.
Il didn't know whether coming to
dine with us would give Mr.. Nor
rison any pleasure or not" Vicky
said later, when she was walking
home, and Serena had volunteered
to accompany her
Il beg pardon?"
Il was wondering if Mr. Morri-
son would think it more bother than
it was WORTH"
"Oh, he can walk that far" Sc
rena said vaguely.
Victoria did not pursue the SUBJ
ject. They were in the little lane
that separated the two properties
now, and suddenly she stopped and
picked up a small bright object. And
a. she did so she felt her heart be-
gin to beat faster, and the blood
in her face.
Quentin cigarette lighterl" she
said. He's been looking for it ev-
erywhere."
Imagine" Serena commented,
undisturbed.
He probably dropped it," Vicky
said. suddenly trembling, when
you and he were talking here in
the lane last Sunday"
Half an hour later Quentin came
upstairs to find Vicky changing her
gown for dinner.
Il met Mrs. Morrison-Lord, she
is a lovely creature!" Quentin OBJ
served. plunging at once into his
ablutions. Shed started to walk
to the village. it was too much for
her. and she asked me to telephone
for taxi to pick ler up. But in
stead | ran her downtown-it seems
he wanted the mail. l guess he gets
his own way pretty well!-and then
took her home 1t only took me
ten minutes. She tells me-" he
looked out of a towel, his hair in
wild we, confusion to say in salts
faction ''she tells me you called
there today. Vic. I'm glad. She's
lovely woman, and she'll be great
company for you"
Victoria. at her dressing table,
continued TO brush her hair. Once
she looked steadily at Quentin, in
the mirror. but he did not see her
Il told you they could come
Thursday night" she asked.
Yep. Who else are you going
to have?"
"Gita and Gwen and ourselves
and Mother"
Quentin turned. his face color
ing with amazement
why. my dear. you can't do
that!" he said quickly.
do what?"
why, have those people, the first
time, and not make an occasion Of
it,"
Vicky was genuinely astonished.
How d'you mean. Quentin"
well, | mean that they're inn
portant people; his father is Sir
Percival Morrison. l do think that
if ever-if ever we're going to
spread ourselves. this is the time!"
But he's an invalid Quent!"
He and he isn't. He's lost an
eye, of course. but he's an English
man. and you'll find them regular
sticklers for formality. Oh. no. we'll
have to make it a formal affair.
and DR.. Austreicher'
I'd ask the Rays and the Sinclairs
II see!" Vic murmured as he
paused. Her heart was lead
Why do you say I see'?" Quen-
tin dem lnded suspiciously.
We'll. we haven't given that sort
of an affair since before the twins
were born. We've had nothing but
Sunday lunches, and bridge dinners
fer just four!"
why. but there's nothing so for
midable about it, Vici'
He spoke with sort of amused
impatiorce. 1t was not amusing to
Vic. She understood his mood too
we'll; his unwonted fussing over ev-
cry detail of the approaching din
ner; his strange excited spirits when
the night finally came. Quentin. who
usually loathed such affairs, was
nervous as young wife over the
candles and flowers. and welcomed
the guests with joviality and as.
! surance that seemed to Vicky al
most as bad as his usual manner OF
grim and polite endurance.
The Morrisons came last; the
man, who wore black patch over
one eye, limpjng little, evidently
| 1loJ 70 Jro, into tho pooract chair