Evening star., 1940-12-12
CHAPTER II.

Lydia Shannon carefully arranged
the morning mail, stacked it into
important little piles and began to
slit envelope after envelope.
The little glassine- -windowed let
ters were, of course, bills. Food
bills, clothing bills. florists bill, gas
and electric and telephone bills. The
heavier, more important looking
printed envelopes were jewelry bills,
doctors bills, notices of fashion
openings, suggestions for valuable
Christmas gifts. Her long, capable
fingers weeded sheep from goats,
discarding the useless items in a
single economical gesture.
Her practiced eye ran quickly over
the various statements. She made
mental note to talk with the
housekeeper on the sudden rise in
gas and electricity. And she must
recheck those florists items. They
looked unusually high. Who made
the telephone call to Florida? Men
were so careless with their accounts.
Carter Wainwright would pay any
Dlll pldCtO UtlOiC llllii. AS Via
weigher down the cream and gray
and white statements with a salt
cellar and turned to the remainder
of the mail.
A few personal letters for Eve
Wainwright. Lydia would open
in her quiet, sympathetic voice.
Later she would answer them for
the ailing woman restlessly tossing
on the elaborate bed upstairs.
Carter Wainwright's mail she laid
carefully next to his plate. The
one on top-the heavy flecked polo
cloth-scrawled in large and arro-
CANT script, that would be from
Margot Haines. Lydia's fine mouth
thinned sharply. If Margot Haines
cherished the delusion that Carter
Wainwright might make an accept
able husband she was mistaken.
Margot's matrimonial ventures were
numerous and publicized, and Mar
got was beautiful and fascinating
but-there was Lydia. And Lydia
had long ago decided elderly and
wealthy Carter Wainwright was her
own private property.
Lydia Is Patient.
The invalid upstairs had a limited
lease on living. and Lydia was both
patient and clever.
She rang for the quiet Jap, gave
him orders in her low, businesslike
voice.
Mrs. Wainwright will have light
breakfast. Orange juice. large
glass. No ice. Only family chilled.
A lightly poached egg. One piece
of toast, no more. And hot choco-
late"
The Japanese bowed. hissed an
understanding reply and turned to
go.
mo meat or coffee for Mrs. VAIN
wright, no matter what she says.
Doctors orders. Tell cook I'm hold
ing her responsible. Or. yes, and
put Mr.. Wainwright's eggs on now.
He will want melon. eggs and bacon
and toast. marmalade and coffee.
I will take the same. And. Kato.
rose on Mrs. Wainwright's tray"
She smiled. "It will iven up a
dull meal"
Kato's eyes were beadily emotion
less. He padded from the room
without a sound and Lydia at last
turned to her own mail, three let
ters impatiently craving her atten-
ton. She fingered them lightly. A
heavy crested envelope postmarked
Monte Carlo" That would be the
charming and impecunious young
duke she had met last September
or was 1t October? Amusing COM
pany, talented, appealing, devoted,
but. unfortunately, penniless.
The second letter wore a chilling
lack of personality. 1t was post
marked Baltimore" Lydia frowned.
Robert again, and very likely begging
for more money. Why he didn't
bother his older brother, the doctor,
Lydia could never understand. She
had no patience with failures.
The third letter was shabby. un-