The Wilmington morning star., 1947-03-24
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CHAPulR fOOh1EEN
II occurred to Sherry, however,
aat she hadn't even told her
'aa+ber about Lex Morell being at
a' farm. And so she said quite
Ds Usually There was someone
' Sfsa at Steve's, too. He's working
t fore, but he's really a friend of
c~.sve's." She went On to explain
' .'st . little about Lex, enough and
u more than was necessary. 1t
.%,sn't that she didn't want to con-
s5s in her mother. But the chan
aais of communication between
.ssm had been blocked for so long
'.st the effort of establishing con-
.aa seemed scarcely worth
Lille. Besides, there was nothing
y, copfide-or nothing that would
AVE seemed important to Leda.
How nice for you, DEAR" Leda
..id when Sherry had finished.
'Eaviag someone younger there
.rst have made it more fun. 1
'soIlld think you'd find it dull, just
sDng with Steve and Aunt Pen :"
If isn't though" Sherry denied
,,,ickly. It's never dull. But Lex
= nice. / enjoyed meeting him..
Does he intend working for
s,eve long," Leda asked. when
Ioes he plan to buy this place of
us own you spoke of"
Sherry said, Il don't know. 1t
Ienends on so many things"
feda Kent leaned back in her
hair. her gaze thoughtful on her
a1ghter's face. Sherry hoped she
wasn't going to press her for fur
.,pr details about Lex. She knew
,he reluctance She felt to discuss
him with her mother was unrea-
enable. Yet the reluctance was
tbpre. Sherry couldn't Justify it,
he could only admit it in her own
heart. Her liking for Lex was too
new. too deep, to be forced into
HE clumsy medium of words.
Leda spoke then, her tone oddly
~tesitant, and Sherry realized her
mother hadn't been thinking about
Lex at all. "I-have some news
Ter you-something I think will
surprise you"
What sort Of news?" Sherry
asked.
About Val" her mother said.
'she told me this morning she
and Wade Darlington are going to
be married.
Sherry could only sit there on
The arm of her mothers chair
taring at her blankly while the
awful, the incredible statement
penetrated her unwilling aware
ness. 1t was as though something
,hiattered in her mind, some con-
teption Of her sisters basic integ-
rhv to which she had chung stub
bornly despite the sometimes jar
ring evidence Of Val's conduct.
Now Sherry's faith in her sister
Her eyes, staring down
into her mothers, were wide with
sock, her young mouth unsteady.
Wade Carrington?" Duly she
repeated his name. "Val's-going
10 marry him?"
Leda nodded. She laid her hand
vi Sherry's and found it icy cold.
Don't look so shocked"
Il am shocked. It's-so dread
I'll. Val-and Wade Carrington-''
She asked then, her direct gaze
her mothers, Aren't you
lOcked?"
Leda's dark eyes sustained the
Mono. I'm not. Sherry.
Oh he's a good deal older than
sae, Of course. And it's too bad
he's been married SO many times.
But Walls twenty-five - certainly
tt enough to know what she's
You can say that" Sherry
,sked, her voice low, sick. latter
her out of marrying Rick
when they loved each other So
Put that was altogether differ
rt-can't you see? Rick was
ready to leave for war. What did
have to offer Val in the way
Of security? With him-as things
worked out-she would have had
I few short weeks of marriage.