The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-08
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEvEN

The wedding was oFei
Dick and his bride departed amlo
the usual confetti, rice and con-
sratulations a little after eight. IN
less than a half hour, the crush ol
guests had thinned out and o they
were only ten in the flower-tllleo
drawing room. Already porters were
clearing away the debris ana uei
trude, with a long gold coal over
her yellow lace gown, was stlll or5ali'
izing.
"We've only two cars. How shall
we divide ourselves?' she askeu
vaguely, knowing that she'd manase
the whole thing. MI. HaVliaEu,
will VOL take Mark and Edna? LII
take Fabienne and Nicky in my car.
There's room for five, you know, SO
7 can take Miss-er Chapman ano
DR.. Mallory. Oh, dear, that leaves
MIR. and Mrs. McHenry. Can you
n another two, Mr.. Havlland!
Nicky said, "My roadster's down
stairs. I can take Miss Chapman
You wouldn't mind, would you: ne
said, turning to her. You've DOLL
q warm coat and hat
"Of course not" Ellen agreed.
."That's splendid, Nicky, darling
I'll seal you next to Fablenne a'
the table. Well, I guess that laAes
everything" she said. leading the
way to the elevator. -,
1T certainly does" Fabienne said
besrudgingly. Mother'd fixed every
thing so that she'd have to SIT be-
side Bill all the way uptown while
moor Ellen had to ride with Nlcky,
who probably wouldn't know what
to a. to her.
She pulled the hood of her fur
lined wrap over her head and gar
ed at the chauffeur's back, prepared
to glare all the way to their destl-
nation.
How're you feeling" Bill said pro,
fessionally.
"Swell,' she said g1umly.
"Some show" he tried again.
"Wasn't it? The Seymours always
give big shows"
st was wondering how you'd look
walking down hat long aisle"
scared, probably"
81 wouldn't blame you. lts {
long chance you take"
us that why you aren't married
Bill?"
"Me? No, I take chances. II
thought I had anything to offer the
girl ILL But I'm only a poor
struggling surgeon"
Maybe it wouldn't matter - t.
her, Bill"
"Maybe. I hope not. Someday
when she gives me some lndlcatlol
of how she feels, I'm going to flne
out" -,
Fabienne's fingers played will
The pearl-beaded bag in her lap an(
she wished that she could paint {
permanent smile on her face Wit
q lipstick, 1t was all a little TO-
much for her to sit beside Bill 10
night and talk about Ellen, to hea-
him saw that one day he was goln'
to ask her to marry him. That
what it all amounted to.
"Well, good luck when you do!
she said, managing a bright, 1mpe1
sonal smile.
Her mother broke off her CONVEX
sation with the father of the bride
"What are you two talking about!
she asked.
1.-THE price Of rubber in Puert
Rico,' her daughter said, wlthou
~ ,,,1opocc in her tone
Really? What a waste of time
I always find surgeons the mos
interesting conversationalists. 70
must come to dinner with us mex
week, DR.. Mallory. Fabienne, re
mind me to find what evening W
are not engaged and get the doc
tors telephone number"
Bill isn't social, mother. He's to
hard working to fit his social rrt
gram to ours. Aren't you, Bill?"
Bills face had gone suddenl
cool. He was hurt by the brigE
acidity in her voice, and puzzled b
At. He said nothing.
"Of course he's hard working,
said Gertrude. All bright, interest
ing young men are hard working
but I mean to see more of him."
Their arrival at the hotel at FIT
avenue in the sixties put an end t
the difficult conversation.
Fabienne wondered how Nicky an
Ellen had got IN. They'd probabl
arrived a quarter of an hour be
fore.
Nicky, a block away, was saying
TIL let you out and then park tn
ear"
"I'l come with you,' Ellen al
swered, "if you'd like to have me-"
Like to? Say, I wish we didn
have to go to this dinner. Your
the first interesting girl I've talke
to since I can remember"
"Fabienne is interesting" Ellie
said quickly. "She's not only tt
prettiest girl I've ever seen, b1
she is a most interesting, talente
charming and sincere person."
You bet!" he agreed enthusiast
caily. Guess young Mallory a
preciates her-her attractions, eh?'
Bill? Yes, he does. He likes h
very much, but she-she-I mes
they're just good friends" Nicl
mustn't get the idea that Fabienl
and Bill were romantic about eat
other, however Bill felt. 1t wouldr
be fair to Nicky to let him belle
anything like that.
Anyway, she wasn't sure no
Fabienne felt about any man. She
said she was fond of Nicky. And
spite Of her n protestation tn