Love Changes Everything

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 270, 13 November 1937, Page 12 (Supplement)

Love Changes Everything

8y... C. V. TENCH

JOAN" CLAYTON put down her glass with n faint, nigh. Hie did not care very much for weddings, and she had

not wanted to come to this one. Hut people might have en id unkind thing* if alio hadn't, l>cc«u*e not very long ago •ho herself had been engaged to the

bridegroom

Jon it looked sorrowfully aeros* the room to where Harold Hurke stood beside his I.rule tail, g I looking and courtdent. To think that elm might have been standing Ix-eidu him now, instead of Clodagh Maitland. Now Clodagh Burke.

Joan iiuil Harold had Iwen engaged for*tttren mouth*, and at first she had imagined herself wondcrf i||y thrilled, And lie had been a wonderful lover. Joan wondered if lie had sent Clodagh tho same kind of Mowers as he had scut her. Chxlagh whs a eweet girl, and «he would be, a good wife for him.

It. wiw probably all for the best— Cupid's ways are strango but usually right, still, it wasn't possible to watch it all without, a lew pangs).

But now Joan felt that ahe had hud enough. She miw Clodaglfs mother murmur to her, and watched Clodagh go off to change. Joan felt that she simply could not go on murmuring polite phrase* to people until the bride and bridegroom appeared again, ready to faco their send-off.

It wns hot., too, in (ho room. There was a Kronen window just behind Joan, and it led out on to a small Imlcony. Witli a quirk look anuind to make mire aim tviiK unnoticed she opened it and (dipped outride.

Tho balcony was already occupied. A young man was standing there, and he turned with such a dlsguestcd look on his faco Unit J.oun found herself apologising,

"f I'm sortv." she said. "I didn't know anyone was out here."

Ili> didn't, answer, and .loan added an explanation. "It's so hot inside."

Tho young man's face cleared then, and a wry sinilo Kitted over his tanned features. "It's darned hot," he said. "And I think weddings ar» foolish affairs."

Joan studied him. He wm tail and possessed, of more than ordinary good looks.

"Why did you come, then?" she asked, moving to tho edge of the balcony, and looking down at the waiting care below. "Pure ornery news," he replied.

"Then why not leave if you hate it all so much?"

The young man sighed. "Because it means crossing that roomful of women," he growled. "I hate roomful* of women; especially at a wedding. Home of them would be sure to a«k me if I didn't think that Clodagh looked lovely. Then they'd gigglo and suy something about when wua I going to follow Burke'* example. I elionld probably say something rough and rude In reply."

"Then you don't think Clodagh does look lovely?" Joan asked mischievously. Ho glared down at her, then suddenly ho moved a step nearer, almost threateningly. "Do you expect me to think she looks lovely when she's marrying another man?" he demanded. "Do you expect me to think about anything but the fact I'd like to strangle Burke?" "OhI" Joan gasped. "But why?"

"Why Didn't Y*m

Stay Engaged? "

"Why? Been line I've spent four lolld year* plugging hard nut west with the ono Idea that when I rame home I'd have got ahead enough to marry Clodagh. I romo home nnd And she's engaged to iinotlier man. A flue atato of affairs, eh?" "Wiih she engaged to you?" Joan asked. "No," the young mnn ndmitted. "But —well, I thought *he'd wait, that's all. Oil ess I took too miirh for granted. Then slie> had the- the cussed nerve to send mo an invitation to her wedding." "And you accepted it." Joan said. "Yes." he said savagely, "I did, out of straight ciwsedncss." Joan looked at him for a moment in silence. Big and muscular he might he, hii't nt the moment he w«s a rebellious email boy. Suddenly she began to laugh. Ho glared at her for a second. "I'm glad someone finds it's funny," he exclaimed. "But It Is," Joan gurgled, "if you look at It right." "f don't see anything funny in it at all," he retorted, "But that'* because you don't know," •ho pointed out. "You sec, I—l'm In love with the bridegroom." "What?" He stared at her. "T mean I—l was," Joan explained. "We were once engaged. And now you're love with the bride. It ROem* as if we've both been let down, doesn't it?" For a moment he continued to etare B't her. "Do you mean." he began, "that you wo,-. „*,„.,. | n |„ve with that— that—" "Me Isn't," Joan interrupted. "Harold Bllrke is a very nice young man." Then why didn't you stay engaged to Viitn 7" "Bemuse- " Joan pnused and looked over lb,. edge „f ~,„ |„ l)( . onv „„„!„. I hen she turned and faced him. "Been u-e wo ,r„| „,,t „,,,.„„ „„ ono , m tnnt matter. He wanted mo to give up my career after w, wore married, and 1 didn't want to." "So that was it?" Ho nodded ' slowly. "Well, lot- Introduce our solve. My inline is Brian Movre And yours ? "Joan rinytnn." H he replied. "T am a dre«« designer." There was n lui-tlo in the room behind tliom and "They're going," someone cried, .loan looked up nt the young man be»lde her, "Well, are you going to finish It properly?" she a«ked. "R'kt. confetti aml nil the trmmings. I'll protect you from the women if you like." Brlnn Mono flung down hie cigarette and followed her. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ The hridal our lind gone. Guests were streaming hack up the steps or preparing to make tlielr several ways homeward*. Joan diluted hex gloved hands together nnd looked up at. Brian Morre. "That'* over," she an Id. "Now 1 suppose wo can both go home.''

"[ gn«>ss no," he agreed grimly. "Weddings always leave a let-down feeling, don't they?" she added, more as an excuse to herself than anything. Me looked down at her with a little more interest.

"Do yon feel like that, too!"

Joan nodded. "I'm a jilted maiden," •he admitted. "Only it was actually a mutual jilt." She glanced up at him from beneath long laehes, asked teawingly: "But you didn't get as far am that with Clodagh, did you 7"

"No." he growled, frowning.

"Still." Joan went on. "I wi*h you could laugh, or even just smile."

"I don't feel like laughing," said Brian. !>irt after a pause he smiled unwillingly. "But I wonder what ought wo to iio now;"

"Hold each other's hands, I suppose," said Joan, then caught h'w arm and gave it a tierce little shake. "Oh, for the love of heaven, laugh."

Suddenly Brian caught Tier arm. "AH right." he on id, "I'll laugh. We'll both laugh. We'll have a merry time. Come on."

Urged Her Along At Running Puce

Before the knew it he was urging her along a t a pace that almost caused her to run.

"But." Joan protested, "where are we going?"

"On a real bust." he said with firm determination. "Will you come?" Joan hesitated. After all, she didn't HT u h 'T' ° n the other h «n<l. » *he went back to her suite she was a most certain to give i„ to a fit of the I"-*, and ,he hadn't any desire to crv about it all. J w "f come!" ' t, ■ , * he " W at <T)J

Xe" e her ri o??» *"* her int " h " «". ■ a smart restaurant. Joan U v backin her chu r with ~ • u # * oaeK it... ZTw?£:T* ction; entertain her. * nwui to Brian gave the order and then leaned forward across the table "So you don't believe a girl should .sk P ed WOrking Whe ° ,he 'SSmr^H

Joan looked at him attentivelr. Then -he shook her head. "Xot ' if .he doesn t want to," she said. "And you didn't?" . I*,°" She P*>t her gloves down decidedly, and leaned forward in her chair. "After all, I\ e worked hard to get where I have—head buyer and .designer at Maxine's. the big dress company. I hke my work, and I'm earning good money. Why should I give it up just because I happen to marry?" "Marriage is such a trifle by comparison, eh?" he asked. " '

"N'o, no," Joan shook her head. "But a man doesn't give up bis job and all hes gained through years of work because he marries."

"A man doesn't undertake to bear children or manage a house, either," he reminded her.

"But I could run a house well," she protested. "If you manage a house efficiently, It doesn't take up all your time. I'm ambitious, and I've plans for the future. Why should I give them all up?"

"But bridVgroom-of-to-day Harold wouldn't agree with you, eh?" Brian asked.

- Joan leaned back as the waiter put soup in front of them. "N'o," she admitted. "Harold made a speech about a man supporting his own wife, and the woman's place In the home. He asked me to imagine how incompetent he'd look if he allowed his wife to work outside the home.

"He even went as far as verbally sketching a quite beautiful picture of slippers by the fire and wee wine at the gate. Oh, it became plain that what he wanted was a fluffy fool for a wife, not a normal intelligent girl." "Eh?" Her companion's eyes blazed angrily. "You mean that Clodagh's a fluffy fool?"

Joan corrected herself. "I'm sorry," she said. "I forgot about you. And anyway, Clodagh never has worked. She's not ambitious, so it's different in her case."

"Thanks." He accepted her apology "And so, just because you have foolish Ideas of yourself as a business woman, I've lost Clbdagh." "What?" Joan paused with her soup spoon partially lifted. "Well, I suppose that's one way of looking at it." "Of course it is," he replied. "If you d married Burke as you ought to have done. Clodagh would be free for me.' "Of course," Joan said with mock sorrow, "If I'd only realised all that depended upon it. I would have put my own feelings on one side. Brian put his spoon down with a clatter. n . "(Jo ahead and joke about it, ne exclaimed. "But how about my leave from the west, apart from everything else. Here I was looking forward to a wonderful time, and now I'm left without a nice girl to go about with." i Joan chuckled deliciously.

"I'm sorry," she said. "But as you seem to think it U partly, my fault, then I'll go places with you sometimes if you like." Back in her suite in the early hours, Joan yawned and then laughed. The evening had turned out well after all. Brian was a charming companion, too. She wondered why Clodagh had not wuited. Still, there wu no accounting for tastes.

However, as it was partly her fault that he had lost Clodagh, she could hardly refiwe to go out with him when he asked her. But perhaps he wouldn't aek her often. If he liked girls like Clodagh. he'd hardly And her interesting. But Joan was wrong there. When she emerged from Maxine's at lunch time next day *he found him waiting. "Let's lunch." he "aid.

She went with him. And she went out with him that evening. During the next week she agreed to his suggestions for golf on Saturday afternoons, and a drive and dinner at a roadhouse on the Sunday.

A month later Joan suddenly realised that almost every hour of her spare time was being taken up with Brian Morre. Sometimes she wondered if he wasn't beginning to get over Llodagb/s deser-

tion. Anyway, h« would in time, of course, and then —well, there were plenty of lovely girl« out west. Probably he'd fall in love with one of them when he went back, and be happily reconciled. It was odd, though, that the thought did not please her greatly.

But why should she care? She and Brian got on very well, but it would end, naturally, when his leave was up. They might write a few letters to each other, but that would be about all.

And by now Harold and Clodagh were back from their honeymoon. One day .Toan and Brian met them at the golf club. It might have been uncomfortable for all. but Joan saved the day by going bravely up to them.

"Hullo, Clodagh." «he smiled. "Hullo Harold. Clad to lw back?"

Within two minute*, she could see plainly that Harold had practically for gotten that he had ever been in love with anyone except Clodagh in his life. He wa« so worshipful that Joan wanted to laugh. But, oddly enough, she was genuinely glad and it didn't hurt in the slightest.

She looked at Brian. It was different for Brian, of course. she told herself. He still adored Clodagh. Poor Brian! Then she started, for Brian had proposed that they should make a foursome. What on earth had made him do that?

They played the round and she and Brian won. They had refreshment*, and Joan and Brian left the honermoon couple.

Brian started the engine of his car. "Well, that's that." he said. "Funny how being wildly in love affects some people's golf."

"Very funny." ,Toan agreed. He turned to her. "You didn't mind my suggesting that foursome, though. did you!" he asked.

"Of course not," she smiled. "T quite enjoyed it."

"Good." said Brian. He drove the car out of the gate* and down the road. "Oh. I forgot to tell you, I'm going hack west next week."

"C.oing— back!" Joan gave a little gasp.

"Yes." He glanced at her. "T only had three month*' leave, and that's up."

"Oh!" Joan snuggled a little further into her corner and stared straight ahead.

Brian was going back. Naturally, she had known be would Ik> £"ing back some time, but —well, not just yet. And now he was going next week. That meant that all this would he over. There would be no more goif, no more dances, no more anything.

Suddenly Joan felt tears sting at the hack of her eyes. Tears! It was silly to cry about 4hi*. But she had been taken by surprise. She prayed that she wasn't falling in love with Brian, just when she had got over her last disappointment. Then she realised it was too late. She lover! this man beside her more than she had ever loved anybody. She had to force herself to speak calmly. "Well. T hope your leave has been a bit better than you expected." Brian glanced at her again. "Meaning our going about together?" he asked. "Ye«." .Toan admitted. Suddenly he stopped the ear at the side of the road, and turned to her. "Young lady," he said, "if you think yon've helped me to get out of beinjr in love, you're mistaken. All you've done is to make things ten times worse." "Worse?" .loan gasped. "Yes. worse." He glared at her. "I've got over Clodagh all right. I found that out just now bevond all doubt. But—" "But. if you've got over her. isn*t that all to the good?" .Toan demanded. "No." he shot back. "Sot when it means that I've fallen in love with you." "With me?" Joan caught her breath. "With me?" "Yes." he answered. "Madly, crazily, dizzily in love with you. And a whole lot t>f good that's going to do me. isn't it?" He restarted the car and drove on

savagely. "I wasn't going to tell yo-.i, but you might just as well know it. It's not likely to make anv difference."

For a moment .Toar. said nothing. The realisation that he loved her was too much for her.

When ehe spoke at last, it was in a curiously small voice. "Why weren't you going to tell me?" she asked.

Brian shrugged. "What was the use?" he retorted, without looking at her. "Don't I know your views well enough? Your career, your ambitions, and all the rest of it. Why, even if I were ready and willing to let you continue working, you couldn't do it out west, away from Maxine's, style centres and all that, could von?"

Joan bit her lip, but her eyes were like stars. '"Brian, stop," she said suddenly.

He looked at her. "Stop what?" he demanded.

"Stop the car," she ordered. He stopped the machine. "Well!" he asked.

Joan was lookinjr away. "Being really and truly in love does make a—a tremendous difference to one's views, doesn't it?" she got out. "You see, I was so obstinate over Harold. I know now that I never loved him at all. If I had—well, nothing elee would have counted at all, would it?"

Brian otared at her «s she turned and looked at him. Then his face suddenly glowed.

"You don't mean that you—you love me?" he whispered.

Joan gave an unsteady laugh. "So much, Brian, that I wouldn't want to work if you didn't want me to."

"•loan!" His arms went about her. "I'll say that love changes everything. And you're going back with me "as my wife." t

"■\ cs, Brian." Joan agreed breathlessly. "And I'll do nothing but look after the home—our home."