Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1938-05-20
CHAPTER 4

one of those long discourses ol
"What's the country coming to-" tha
his father enjoyed making. But in
stead he asked sharply: "Father, wha
did you mean by, Did you want t.
marry Denise'?"
The question was echoing in hi
head suddenly, with Denise's fina
words to him: "I mean to marry Gil
bert Window"
His father said: "Her engagement:
announced. Didn't you know?" HI
handed his son the newspaper.
There was Denise's picture, in the
frock she wore at her debut and "Mr
and Mrs. Michael Rendale announce
the engagement of their younger
daughter, Denise Evelyn" Odd, new
er to have known Denise had a mid
die name. The absurdity of that
thought struck him, and he gasped
His father said: $50"
No, not under that old mans un-
kind amused eyes would he show
anything, anything at all! His face
achieved, briefly, though he did not
guess it, a grimness that made him
much more resemble Keith Sheldie,
Senior, than long-dead pretty Mary
Lane.
He said: "The picture flatters Den
ise, rather. She's pretty, but not as
pretty as that. Do you happen to
have met herr"
His fathers laugh doomed through
the dining-room. That unaccustomed
sound held approval, but Keith did not
notice. He said, "Will you excuse
me? l have an appointment" and
went out without waiting for an ans
wer.
But he went no farther than his
own room.
So she had made safe, had chosen
to let go their light happiness, the
laughter they'd shared, and the hopes
not spoken! She had been wise, SEN
sible, a realist. He could not blame
her, but only himself, what he had
become.
She had meant it, when she'd said:
"Not tomorrow or ever" He had not
really believed she'd meant it until
now. Her hand within his arm, hel
soft mouth against his-that was al
there had been, or ever would be: q
beginning with no ending.
"Soft," his father called him; g
weakling, he called himself. Yet he
could not reminder that he had shec
tears, since a boy ten years old hac
shed them with grief at his fathers
dreadful anger. But there were tears
now on the thick lashes that he in
herited from Mary Lane.
He heard his fathers lame uneven
steps along the corridor, stood up
flung his head back. His father
knocked at the door. That courteous
gesture was unusual!
He opened it. Very mildly his faith
er said: "There is some business you
could do for me in Chicago, Keith
if you could spare the time from your
painting"
Keith stared at him. "Spare the
time from his painting" that occu-
patton his father so constantly scorn-
ed. Yet there was no sign the old
man was being ironic. He looked
perfectly serious. "It's rather conf
Dental. I'd rather send you than a
lawyer"
AS if he were trying to make him
feel important!
Keith answered gruffly: Certainly
I'll go if you like"
SO he did not see Denise again,
until very near her wedding day.
On the morning that the papers
held the announcement of Denise's en-
eagement, Felicia was breakfasting in
bed. trying not to be annoyed by the
click-clack of her husbands riding
boots up and down her bare polished
"modern" floor. AS usual, he had
breakfasted early and had ridden il
the Park, hours before Felicia was
awake.
He rode in the Park, when he coulc
not ride in the country. He rode il
the country when he could not hunt
He hunted, whe he could not steeple
chase. Occasionally he attended race
meets, afternoons. He was large ant
blond, amiable as a puppy-and will
a mind like puppy's too, his wifi
sometimes thought when she was es
pecially bored, though she knew tn
thought unjust. Eustace did have ;
kind of simple shrewdness, and od
flashes of insight that OCCASIONAL,
surprised her. Those flashes wer
what made her marriage just bear