The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-09-05
Chapter Five
Poor Relation

EOOf nelaIlOn
HHEERFULLY, Cecily did thu
~ things that Olivia asked hel
70 do. "Cecily, darling, need Mis-.
Simpson this morning. Would yol
mind going over the house with
the housekeeper to take inven.
tory?" Or, "Cecily, here is the list
Of linens well have to replace fol
Darelea. You can get them al
Tracy's and have them charged to
me-" Or. IF you've time, child,
would you pack bag for Gloria?
She's telephoned that she's going
10 Southampton for few days shS'
needs some more clothes" Or, i
hate TO ask you to do this but poor
Lucy"-Lucy was OliVia's maid
had such a dreadful toothache,
sent her TO the dentist and / SIM
ply can't let another day go by
without getting at least one trunk
out c Re way. You can fill it with
sweaters and skirts and sport
things, but do be sure to pack them
so they won't need to be pressed
when they're unpacked."
Cecily left New York for Wick
ersport in Olivia's motor accom-
panied by Wilson, the chauffeur,
and Tito, Olivia's pekinese. would
you mind going up this way, dear?
thought perhaps you might take
up some stores that We'll need, and
you could see that the housekeeper
has things ready when Gloria and
! arrive on Saturday. I'd like to
have you go with us, but we're
bringing some guests and you'd be
more comfortable this way"
So Cecily, with suitcases under
her feet, parcels and packages sur
rounding her and Tito on her lap,
departed for Vickersport.
She was glad for the freedom
Of those few days. She didn't mind
the discomfort of the crowded car.
She loved the scenery that was
new 10 her eyes as the car cleared
the cities and travelled North along
the smooth roads into upper
Maine.
Her first humiliation came the
second morning. She had put up
at tourists lodge. Olivia had not
remembered to ask her if she were
in funds when sha left New York,
and Cecily opened her purse con-
tanning her small wealth of sixty
dollars.
''Tourists-sl." That was what
the sign read.
Cecily took two one-dollar bills
from her heard to pay for her lodg-
ing and Wilson's.
The gentleman paid" she was
informed.
Wilson" she said when she got
in the car. 81 didn't mean for you
10 pay at the tourist lodge" She
held out the bills.
That's all right, Miss Cecily.
Madam gave me our expense
money"
Cccily swallowed that humiliat-
ing information without saying
anything.
The next night. she paid for their
rooms when she engaged them.
They arrived at Vickersport the
evening of the third day. Cecily'S
heart beat a little faster as the
signposts recorded diminishing
distances TO the seaport.
As the familiar scents of sea and
salt. clearer and sharper than they
had been at the Cape. came to her
nostrils. Cecily felt the weight that
lay on her spirits. tighten. This
was something that she knew and
lovedi
II was difficult in the darkness to
make out more than the vague
shapes of the buildings that lined
the main street of the village but
she could see them standing sturdi-
ly white against the dark night,
and she was impatient for the day.
light Of the next morning.
The headlights pierced the dark
and Wilson swung the big car into
a driveway. Fleetingly, Cecily had
seen the name DARELEA carved in
lroT on the gatepoStS.
A new piercing fragrant smell
came TO her. It was the scent of wet
spruce and pine from the tall, dark
trees on either side of the drive.
The majestic spruces rose every
where. il seemed to Cecily as she
strained her eyes forward, and
then, through them, she saw the
gracious lines of the big white
house where light cleaned well
comingly at the open door.
She felt something in her breast
relax as though il had been knotted
there. She thought: I'm a melo-
dramatic little fool! How could ]
have been dreading anything like
this?
First Morning
HECILY kicked out furiously and
~ beat the air with her hands
Then she opened her eyes and
laughed 10 herself. It hadn't been {
wave that threatened to enguf heI
1t was the soft satin quilt that
he had pulled over her in the
nharp GOODNESS of the night She
threw il back and swung her pa
1ama-covered legs onto the pol.
ished pine floor. She Strengthened
and stretched, then she bent anc
touched her fingers to her toes be
fore she ran TO one of the big win
cowS.
The grass was covered with dia
monds, or so it seemed, from thu
dew. She tried to see everything a
once - the tall spruces rich ant
darkly green which pointed T
the bright blue sky above, TIT
sparkling waters of the bay be
yond. the pocket handkerchie