Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1938-08-12
CHAPTER 16

know that they wanted to be alone.
She settled herself on a garden
bench, her shoulders cleaning white
above that black lace dress. Felicia
thought: "She's grown very seductive,
Denise has,"
Then she noticed Keith's face. So
did he not smile at herself! That
was the first time she shivered lit
tie, there in the warm dark.
"What shall we all do tomorrow ?"
Denise asked. 81 suppose you can't
walk well yet, Keith? It's a pity.
There are some gorgeous walks across
the downs"
81 manage fairly well; and I want
to do as much as possible to strength
en- my muscles. My arm was slower
recovering than my leg"
Felicia started to speak, but Denise
spoke more quickly.
"Did you bring painting things !?
There's view I'm mad to have you
paint"
He chuckled. Father insisted T
bring canvases. My dear parent has
been most enormously encouraging
about my art, ever since I told him
it was of no Importance. It's trifle
perverse of him, but he has some no.
ton he must encourage my ego. It's
a startling change from his former
attitude" He sounded as if he liked
the change.
"How is your father, Keith? Il
like him so much," said Felicia, who
knew Denise had never happened to
meet him.
"Well. He's in London. I meant
to tell you we sailed together. He's
going to Paris, where he has friends"
"But you must bring him down
first" Felicia said.
Denise merely looked at her. Yes,
it was Denise's house.
"He says he's looking forward to
seeing you, Felicia, that we must dine
with him in two or three weeks, when,
he gets back from France"
His tone was reassuring them. So
she knew she would have no difficult
ties with Keith Sheldie the elder. One
obstacle past. Her heart gave lit
tie jump.
Denise said, as if all that was of
not the least Importance: Tomorrow
I'll show you that view."
Keith said: "I'd love to paint you,
Denise, in that black Dress"
"Oh, Keith would you?" Denise
sounded completely delighted. "Would
you begin soon?"
Tomorrow, if you like"
Felicia was suddenly tense. Why,
Denise was being malicious. A small
pulse beat in her white throat.
Keith did not, after that evening,
remind Felicia that she had said:
"We'll talk about it later" But he
reminded Denise of the portrait the {
next morning.
And from that time on, an inner
rage beset Felicia, flaming up and
dwindling as Denise laughed at t
Keith's jokes, or fell silent sometimes, t
seeming preoccupied more with her l
own thoughts than with him. {
Through the sunlit days, the frag- s
rant evenings, Denise moved with a t
kind of breathlessness. All very well {
to decide to have what one wanted /
and not think of other people. She'd
known since she walked down that
staircase, saw Keith smiling up at her
that what she wanted was Keith's arm
round her, and the whole year blotted
out. But-his handsome face was
SCARED and would be always; Felicia's
bright beauty was dimmed, grown less
Young. Keith Shcldie had gone from
Denise to her sister. Denise Rendale
had gone from Keith to her husband.
Perhaps, even with his arms around
her, they could not long pretend that
they were as they used to be, as
young, carefree, newly in love.
She made no gesture of love to him,
nor he to her. In the mornings, he
painted her portrait, with Felicia, a
rather bored audience to the painting.
In the afternoons they three walked
or swan, or went for long drives, or
lay on the sand and chartered politely,
like well-behaved guests on a long
house-party.
Once Felicia said to her: you're
very generous to us with your COM
pany, Denise"
She answered: 81 thought you want
ed to be thoroughly chaperoned, for
a change"
She was sorry for that sharp speech