The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-11-02
Chapter Eight
Nina's Plan To Move


ON THE morning of the day the
" honeymooners were to return
Nina woke with a httle-girl feel
ing of excitement, that was all out
of proportion for even such an ex-
citing day. She was down for
breakfast at 7:30, and Bridget
looked actually shocked at such an
unusual happening.
Just as when they had gone
away, the house was mass OF
flowers, lots of them from Nina.
Mrs. Carrie Van Alstyne-Aunt
Carrie, as Nina called her - had
sent a hideously expensive. and
equally hideous looking f'piece,9
on a wire stand. There were red
and yellow roses in hard masses,
and red satin ribbon with "wel-
come" on it in gold letters.
Aunt Carrie was about as close.
to Honey, as Cordelia was to Nina
-. a grand person, with a great
sense of humor. Cordelia called
her "Horseface," and it was appro-
pirate.
When the newlyweds got of the
train, Nina thought she had never
seen her mother looking better.
And when Richard stepped from
the platform, Nina felt a distinct
shock at being so glad to see him
-. not critical, not curious =. Just
glad to see him:
She kissed his cheek and it felt
hard and smooth, and it Smelt
family of some expensive shaving
soap. Nice.
In the taxi, he sat in the middle,
and drew Nina'S arm through his.
1t felt lean and muscular.
At home in the hall Honey cried:
Heaven! Look what Carrie has
sentl"
And Richard showed immedi-
ately that he was one of them, by
not taking the monstrosity seri-
ously, for a moment.
Glimpses of the new Honey
showed up in flashes of a serious
ness that was very sweet; but she
had lost none of her youth and
gaiety, because of it. Nina felt SO
happy that it hurt, almost.
She was not surprised at Hon.
ey's radiance, for Richard was
probably the most perfect lover
Nina had ever seen or imagined.
It was his-restraint, she thought,
more than anything else, that was
so frightfully touching. Little
things little. accomplished
caresses.
Nina was amused and rather
shocked TO find herself thinking of
two things: that he could have
reached this finished state of artis-
try only through long experience;
and that If he were this good in
front Of her -. t0hGt must he be
like, alone?
They got quite high. that first
night at dinner, on several bottles
of the Pol Roget, dir neuf cent
oflze. from the cellar: and all the
questions about the future that
Nina had had in her mind to ask,
were forgotten.
Two vetoes
IN the past two weeks, she had
4 wondered good deal where
Honey and Richard were going
to live; where she would. She
couldn't imagine that a new hus-
band would just quietly slip into
his wife's house and settle down
there, complacently. And Honey
would certainly want TO start q
new life in a new home apace
10 fuss over, and arrange her
things in differently. Nina had
even thought of a friends tiny
three-room apartment, which she
knew was for rent, for herself.
Honey would probably take the
three servants, but a part-time
maid would be enough for her.
But as the days slipped by, no
mention was made Of anybody
moving, any changes Of any sort
being made. As far as she could
make out. Richard had been living
about in his various clubs: and
beyond personal articleS-like his
silver toilet set, guns. golf clubs
and an enormous wardrobe-he
had no belongings at all, appar-
emily. He just moved in. II was as
simple as that.
Nina thoughts Well then, I'm
simply going 10 move out" Be
cause, In spite Of the fact that she
adored them both (She found her
self using Honey'S phrasel. she
Thought N was 4 very funny ar
rangement. and no place for a
grown-up daughter 10 be barEing
in. She told her mother.
you know, darling, ! think I'll
get q tiny place Of my own, Some-
where nearby. because Wen want
10 see each other all the time !.
but ! do feel sort OF three,s-a-
crowd-iSh, with you newlyweds. "
'But babgl' Honey's little
round pink face puekered up pitt
fully. Il won't allow il, that's all.
How old are your Can ! still exert