The Wilmington morning star., 1947-04-05

Val turned over on her back
and opened her eyes and stared
up at the ceiling. She seemed to
see Rick Colby's face there, grave
and loving. 1t had been Kicks
child she wanted, FOR whom her
empty arms would always ache.
Now Rick was dead and she had
never known him as a husband,
she would never so know him. She
would never bear Kicks child
but she would never bear
Wade's child. either!
She would get up at once Val
decided, and 60 and tell Wade so.
She flung back the covers and sat
up, thrustiag her long lovely legs
over the side of the bed and into
the satin mules that waited there.
The white chiffon robe that
matched her lace-trimmed gown
lay across a chair nearby and Val
stood up and slid her bare arms
into it, knotied the satin belt about
her waist. She crossed the deep
soft rug to the adjoining bath of
chromium and cleaning peach
colored tile. A glimpse of her face
in the mirror caught her attention
as she passed and automatically
she lifted a hand to push the tum-
bled, ash-blond hair back from
her forehead.
But the gesture was %uncalled
for. Her husbands bed was
empty. His handsome, masculine
room was empty, too. Wade had
got up and gone to work without
disturbing her. Perhaps, in a
saner morning mood, he had rea-
lized that the talk he had pro-
posed would not be a good idea.
Perhaps he had already known
the answer she would give him
and had preferred not to hear it
put into words.
against the doorframe. a chill
little smile curving her mouth -.
It was an unpleasant and exas-
perating coincidence that her day
should be singularly empty. Just
when she didn't want a lot of time
on her hands An appointment
at a beauty salon took care OF
what was left of the morning. She
had lunch with a friend accident
ally encountered there and that
helped use up another hour or so.
But the friend had an engagement
at three. Of course Val could al
ways go shopping. But there was
nothing she especially wanted or
needed. And she wasn't in a SHOP
ping mood. What she really want
ed was someone she could talk to.
And so she thought of Susan Pyle.
Going up in the familiar eleva-
tor, the thought of Sherry brushed
against the edges of Vals con-
seriousness. She hadn't seen her
sister in weeks, she realized, nor
her mother, either. But Leda
wouldn't be home at this hour;
probably Sherry wouldn't either.
Besides, Val didn't feel in the
mood for her sisters candor, her
observation-disclosures that could. at
times. make a person feel like a
silly flibbertigibbet. No Susan
was her best bet.
Susan came to the door in re-
Spouse to Val's ring and that
alone should have been sufficient
warning that Susan already had
plans for the afternoon. She never
let her maid off any day but
Thursday unless she had some
reason for not wanting her
around. Susan's smooth black cor
onet of braids, her warm olive
complexion and flashing eyes
were set of by the latest thing
In Longing apparel, something
moss-green and wickedly enticing.
She exclaimed "Darling-what
a marvellous surprised" and drew
Val in and pressed her cheek
warmly against her own. Susan's
perfume Vas as wickedly enticing
as her gown, or even more So.
Val said ~ruefuliy, I'm afraid
you're expecting someone else"
Susan nodded. Isn't it foul?
Why didn't you give me a ring
and 1 could have saved you the
trouble of dropping in-today of
all days" She smiled, pulling Val
down onto a divan and offering
her a cigarette. "But I can give
you half an hour, pet. I'm free
as a bird till three-thirty-then
I'm embroiled with the most fas-
cinating man. Maybe 1 can only
give you twenty-five minutes-he
might be a little early and I
wouldn't want things awkward"
"In leave at twenty AFTER" Val
said a shade acidly. t'Then you'll
pc quite safe. He wouldn't be earl
YER than that would he2n