The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-09-27
Chapter "a
Dinner Party

THE marigolds. The orange mari.
Il Colds that she had intended to
thrust into the sash of her frock
The frock was so plain, she really
needed them. And she had for
gotten them.
Cecily looked at her wristwatch,
lying on the dresser. It was almost
seven. The others would be al
ready dressed and in the drawing
room. Shed have time to slip down
the back stairs and out to the
garden by the back door.
She picked up the long skirt OF
her frock and, still in her soft bath
slippers, stepped out into the hall.
She walked along, her head bent
wondering if she should stick to
all-orange or if she could add some
OF the late pink zinnias.
"Oh, hellol Fancy seeing you
here!" Philip, his face as pink as
the flowers she had been thinking
of, rounded the corner of the cor.
ridor leading from the guest part
or the main house-into the ell
where Cecily's and the servants
rooms were.
Nothing so strange about it,
Philip. This is where / live" She
wasn't thinking very much about
II, except that she was rather in a
hurry TO get down to the garden
and clip her flowers before it was
too dark to see what she was
cutting.
"As a matter of fact, l was look
Ing for you," Philip said.
Cecily looked up, surprised.
Yes. you're really the domestic
little one around here. Are you
very good at tying dress ties?"
Not a bit" she answered blithe-
ly. Besides, yours appears to be
quite perfect. You'll have to think
of better excuse than that, I'm
afraid"
Cecily's unintentional shaft
struck home. For a brief moment
Philip Callen appeared to be more
angry than nonplussed.
I'm afraid that you're preju-
diced in my favor" he replied
sardonically, recovering quickly.
Are you truly?" Cecily said and
made to move on.
II know darned well that you're
not g. well. if you think I'm a bit
Of all right. I'll accept your opin-
ion" He turned and went back the
way he had come.
Cecily's thoughts almost imme-
diately returned to her task. Before
they did, she had a peculiar
impression that Philip was very
angry with her. not merely an
noyed.
When she came into the draw
ing-room a half-hour later, she
dismissed the thought with a
shrug. Philip, impeccable. impress
sive In his tails. was his most urban
self
The drawing-room seemed to
say. We are all going to a party"
There was an air of expectancy
about it. There were the same
people there, doing the same
things. yet there was an atmos-
phere that filled Cecily with a
pleasant sense of anticipation.
A Sapphire Bauble
DERHAPS it's our clothes, she
j thought. Her eyes moved ap-
preciatiVely to all of them in turn.
Aunt Olivia in frosty maroon
crepe. Reminding you instantly of
the mezzanine tier of boxes at the
Metropolitan. Look at her and you
think of delegations of admirers
bringing her roses. Brunhilde
back-stage. The magnificence of
all operate traditions. A psyche
logical magnificence-with all the
new crop going into the movies.
mezzo sopranos looking like
schoolgirls who will inherit the
seats of today's mighty?
Olivia got up and crossed the
room. Cecily giggled. thinking how
quickly the action followed her
thoughts and how silly it would
sound if she were to explain it.
Il. She took cigarette from
AtAdAA4GA plOAAClCQ CdSGs
While he held his lighter, first
10 his own cigarette and then to
hers, she thought: He looks very
distinguished. Philip does. too. Is
il just because it is such precise
black-and-white or is there some
truth to the saying that man has
10 be a gentleman to wear his eve
ming clothes with distinction? |
don't believe it. / think it is all a
matter of getting the right tailor.
She had a quick picture of Locke
in tails. A picture that would take
away. a girls breath.
Helene Fernandez came into the
room, wrapping q voluminouS
velvet coat over her yellow dress.
Ughi Yellow with that sallow skin.
Cecily looked quickly at herself
reflected mellowly in the long
French windows, made into mir
ror by the background of night that
was swiftly falling. - :.
Are we ready?" Gloria asked,
already bored.
Philip was holding Cecily's coat
for her.
Olivia organized things. Helene,
you and Tony and Gloria and ]
win 60 in the town car. Cecily, you
won't mind going in the station
wagon with Philip. Arniando and
Manuel?"
Where's Tony?" Helene de-
manded.
"She was dressed before I was,
Gloria said. u can't imagine what's
keeping her."
Speaking Of angels" Tony said