A SEASIDE ROMANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 281, 27 November 1925, Page 12

A SEASIDE ROMANCE.

(SHORT STORY.)

(By F. MORTON HOWARD.)

"Hullo. Avlicre"s your devoted Teddy?" exclaimed Doris Deano. '"Why, this is the first time for ages that I've known him miss waiting outside the office for you to come out."

"Mr. Marsh and I hay parted —parted for good/ said Joyce Redfern, quietly. "You won't ever find him waiting here for mc again."

For a few moments there was silence between the girls.

"Oh well, he was never good enough for you," asserted Doris, and, sliding her arm within Joyce's, she gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry,"' she said, '"but I'm only sorry for you because 1 imagine you're feeling lonely and sorry for yourself. Xow I'm going to walk home a part of the way with you, and you've got to tell mc all about it." "There—there isn't much to tell," returned Joyce. "He mot mc outside the oflice last evening, and we walked across the park. Then suddenly 1 found we were quarrelling." "But what was the quarrel about?" demanded Doris. "That dreadful Chadling girl? - ' "I—l don't quite remember what it was about. It began so suddenly. He— he seemed to want to quarrel! At last I said perhaps it would be better if wo parted.. I—l meant just for the evening, you know."' explained Joyce. "And he thought you meant for ever?" "He —he said, 'If that's the case, I'd like my ring back.' So of course I gave it to him. He seemed better tempered when he'd got it.*' "Because he'd got just what he wanted,' , asserted Doris. "It only bears out all the talk about him and that ■Chadling person. He's been hanging after her for weeks. What about your summer holiday now, Joyce?" "Oh, I've settled all that. I'm coming with you, after all! I was only going to stay in London to save a little more for the—the future," said Joyce, "but now—" • "And now there- isn't going to be a home, you're going to spend all you've saved?" inferred Doris. "What a time you'll have!" For a fortnight the spare hours of Joyce were delightfully occupied, so that she had little time to repine the defection of her suitor. Doris accompanied her friend on shopping excursions, encouraging and inciting her in the purchase of all manner of bargains in delectable wear. Yet it must not be thought that Teddy Marsh was entirely absent from her thoughts, for quite frequently Doris reminded her chum of his existence. First there was the news that Teddy, on the very evening he received back his ring from Joyce, 'had been seen at Wembley with Millie Chadling. Then came tidings that Teddy and Miss Chadling had been noticed wandering arm in arm through the lonelier parts of Regent's Park, and had spent a Sunday together up the river. And then, as climax to a short series of similar reports, came the information that they had become engaged to be married. To oue who understood Teddy's principal characteristics, some enlightenment was aft'orded by the supplementary information that Miss Chadling's father possessed house property. It was to Mundham-on-Sea that Joyce and Doris went for their summer holiday. Joyce liad been content to leave, the choice to her friend, arid'the reason that had impelled Doris to select Mund-ham-on-Sea was explained to Joyce on the afternoon of their arrival at that resort. !"Good gracious, look!" Joyce had exclaimed suddenly, as she and Doris were sauntering along the promenade. Doris looked. "Yea, I thought Wβ .-should see him," she remarked, carelessly. "That's why we came here." "Ob, but Doris, if I'd known I'd never have—'' "I know yon wouldn't," said Doris, calmly. "That's whyi I didn't tell you. As soon as 1 heard he was coming here I made Up my mind that he'd have a ghost to haunt him. That's the Chadling girl in .the deck-chair beside him. She's here with her people, and Mr. Marsh completes the party. I wish he's look up and see you. Wouldn't he stare!" And when • Teddy looked up he did stare at the charming vision of Joyce Redfern—cool, detached, and wondrously arrayed. Awkwardly, uncertainly, his hand went to his hat, but Joyce had sailed serenely past. "Jab number one," murmured Doris, with malicious satisfaction. "When he takes his eyes off you, his Millie will seem quite a comic little person to him. If you had any idea what a princess you look, Joyce, you'd be'too proud to talk to mc! You've made an impression at the boarding house, you know. The proprietress is greatly taken with you. She was pumping mc after lunch, and seemed to think that you must be an heiress Naturally, ,1 didn't tell her that your bottom drawer had gone west over the job!" "And worth it!" , declared Joyce. ''She thought you were shedding the light of fame and fashion on her establishment, and it seemed a shame to disillusion her," mentioned Doris "So 1 sort of hinted that you were someone special when you were at home. The good lady seemed so pleased I justjust gave her a few threads to knit together." "Oh, Doris, what did. you tell her?" expostulated Joyce. "Let mc see," what careless remarks did I drop? Oh, yes, you've got an uncle who's a judge in India, and you're distantly related to an earl," said Doris "And, yes, you have quite a large foru\ "- Three P er Cents - J d on't know what Three per Cents are, but all the best heiresses have them!"' ■ "Doris, as soon as we get back to the boarding house I shall—" ';P h > y°V: OUI , dn ' t make out J' 01 "" P°°r little friend to be a fibber, would you?" pleaded Doris. "If you tell her now that r was only pulling her l eg) she'll never forgive mc. 1 can see she's that sort of woman!" "It'll serve you right! You shouldn't Have told her suck stories! \y e ]] t sha'n't do anything to bear them out I promise you!" "Oh, that'll be all -riaht." paid Doris easily. "I warned her that you'd come here'as a change, and that you wanted to be treated as an unimportant person. But never-mind about that! We're here to enjoy ourselves, and we're going to have the best of times just by our two selves!" But even in this prediction Doris was inaccurate, for that evening there arrived unexpectedly at the boardinghouse a volatile young man, with whom it may be inferred Doris had previously been 'on terms of tender friendship. So that," more and more during the ensuing days, the young man and Doris monopolised each other, and more and more Joyce was left to her tfwn devices.

For a day or two, perhaps, Joyce may have experienced some slight sense of loneliness amid the gaiety of Mundham, and theu she found a cavalier in the person of Steven Maddison,- a young man also in residence at the boardinghouse. A shy reserve that was almost self-effaceing ever- held him; a deference of attitude that had in it a quality of wistfulness was~at once his chief charm and characteristic. Joyce was under the escort of Steven Maddison when Teddy next crossed her orbit. The encounter caused her a comprehensible thrill of feminine satisfact ion.

The couples passed, but presently Teddy came hurrying back. "Er —good evening," he remarked. Joyce paused, and glanced over her shoulder. "Mr. —Mr. Marsh, isn't it?" she asked, cruelly.

"Oh, I cay," protested Teddy. '"I don't see why you should bear mc any illwill, i mean " "By the way," remarked Joyce, sireetly, "I have to congratulate you on your engagement, haven't I?"

"Thanks," said Teddy. He glanced pointedly towards the waiting Mr. Maddison. "Er—l suppose there's nothing doing that way so far as you're concerned?" he asked, inelegantly. "Really!" protested Joyce. "All right, I don't want to hurt your feelings. Only I thought perhaps—l met Mies Deane this afternoon, and she told mc about your luck in having that fortune left you! Congrats, old girl!" "She—told you that?" "Yes, and seemed jolly pleased to tell mc, too." said Teddy. "I dart-say it was a goodish bit, cli ? Well. I'd better be getting back to Millie. You're stopping at the Bellevue, aren't you? Well, don't be surprised if I pay you a friendly visit before long!"

She caught sight of Steven Maddison'a embarrassed, anxious face. "Sorry," she apologised, making a hasty exit. "Didn't know I wasn't wanted!'' Maddison watt-lied the door close behind Doris, and-then he turned to Joyce again. "You never answered my question/ he reminded her. "You never ■ finished putting it,"' she whispered. ■' "I—l—l was asking you if you thought yoa.could ever learn to care for mc?" he said. "I —I—l think I could try to learn," replied Joyce.