Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1937-09-11
MRUSTLE SILKSI
CHAPTER 46

MARI paused beside the taDle.
Her eyes were fixed on the Gala
lilies. white Gala lilies against
dark red silk damask. She saw
gold plate, silver and crystal. Her
brows drew together.
Perhaps No. S45-that was the
silver brocade with the peacock
pattern-Was too revolutionary.
She must remember to have that
shown at an earlier time than the
one planned
Her English butler, at her ell
bow, coughed worriedly.
us anything wrong, Madame z"
mo. oh no, it's all quite all
right. May 1 see the seating ar
rangement please?"
She took the card from him, too
tired to walk around the table,
wishing that she were dining
alone until the strain of the next
two days was over. How could
she be expected to care if Claire
Todd sat next to the Viscount
Verlaine? But she had to care.
She was only small part of the
mosaic that was her career. Claire
Todd was an important part. And
every concern was Mari's. The
people who wore her clothes had
to be considered last.
In between there were bankers,
manufacturers, buyers from Amer
lea, fashion directors and fashion
dictators, representatives from
the press, the right" people
those from the social and theatre
cal worlds, the people who built
up the legend of Maribarat. She
belonged to them now. She was
absorbed ny item. Their help had
grown bigger than the proportions
of her first need Of them. Mari
barat was owned by the world she
had made for herself.
It would never do to put Carla
Mentone next to the Marquis.
There were rumors that his Prince
was interested in the actress, and
Il was best not to encourage any
international complications. This
dinner, at which as hostess she
would be expected to sparkle as
becomes new star, must be ex-
actly right, smooth and pleasant.
Mari slipped the card with
Carla's name out of her seating
plan, substituted the name of
Madame Rothchild in it's place.
There, Carla was neatly placed
between Mark and Carl Fronde.
She handed the plan back to
her butler as her maid appeared
at the door Of the dining room,
Q question in her eyes.
1.-THE black chiffon" Mari an
swered it.
Letitia Higgins came in the
outer door as Mari was about to
ascend the stairs. Letitia was
breathless, ooh, Madame I'm
sorry I had to come now after
you've been working so hard all
day but . ;"
Mari held out her hand for the
papers her secretary proffered.
ITS all right, Miss Higgins. Did
I forget to sign them ?"
Of course it was all right, she
thought, signing her name. Didn't
she belong to the pattern? What
difference if handful more of
people intruded on her?
Lying back in the warm relax
alton of her perfumed bath, she
drank in the comfort, and thought
with reviving humor-that she
was in one place where no one
could get to her.
She stretched her legs in the
warm water, let her arms float on
tie buoyancy of it.
She thought with surprise: But
I'm not physically tired. I have
as much vitality as I had when 1
was 16. I'm healthy but
She flung off her rubber cap.
ran her fingers through her hair.
It was gesture to relieve the
WEAKNESS Of her mind, the cIut-
tered room Of thought housing &
thousand details.
She tried to think of herself "a
another woman; a woman who
syas to receive tribute. in whose
tt