“The Shadow of Verneside”

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 105, 5 May 1937, Page 7

“The Shadow of Verneside”

(By Fenton Yorke) Instalment 28.

Verne drew her close to him. “ I’m sure It must be another wedding gift.” ehe went on, “ and oh, Maurice I don’t want apy more. Now that I have you nothing matters. ’ “My dear little girl,” he returned, kissing her tenderly, ** all those horrors are past for ever. Shall I open the parcel for you?” She assented with a smile and turned away as he cut the string. The paper crinkled and there was a tantalising pause. She wheeled about to find herself caught up in his arms and covered with kisses. Little fraud l” he said fondly. '* You’re full of curiosity after all. Now look.” He released her and motioned to the mantelpiece. There on the creamy shelf, her rich colouring and graceful outlines reflected in the mirror behind, stood the K’wang Y’in Goddess. Joy clasped her hands together with a little cry of delight. "The goddess!” she cried with shining eyes. " Oh, my dear, my dear, how very beautiful 1 But where did It come from?” Verne handed her a paper he had taken from the box and she read aloud: “To my dear friend, Joy Hartington, on her wedding day, a gift which I am honoured to restore to her family. May It bring to her good fortune and happiness.” She recognized Gustav Tully’s stiff writing. ”It has brought good fortune already,” she said. "It came just in time to give me my own true love back again. Oh, Maurice, I love you •o deeply that sometimes I feel you cannot be real.” Verne drew her down Into the big chair beside him and her sunny head rested on his shoulder. We will always have the little Goddess to bring us luck, sweetheart. Just think, the K’Wang Y’in has come to you again after all these years! It Is like a gift from your dead mother. There were tears on Joy’s lashes. * It was her dearest possession and I shall cherish It always. And It was your mother's too for a time, dear. A maid tapped at the door. ** Your boxes have arrived, madam,” she said with a curtesey. Joy rose. “ What? Leaving me for a box of finery, sweetheart?” cried Verne, trying to draw her back. “ I say,” he ttital titer the retiring maid, ‘‘aren’t we going to have any tea.” I ♦♦ Serve it in the little arbour m the garden. Nora,” put in Joy. She broke away from Verne and made for the door. Nancy had been told to send only Ihe things that Joy had worn before her engagement to Sir Philip. Joy wanted never to see any of the trousseau again. In another ten minutes she had donned the lavender muslin that Maurice had loved her to wear I en the river. The Venetian lace collar I (.as fresh and dainty and she caught . It in front, with an amethyst clasp, the low ** V ” revealing the lovely lines of her slender white throat. Then ihe took a cluster of white violets rrom & glass bowl on her dressing table and pinned them loosely where ihe points of her collar met. A final fiance In the mirror brought the coi>ur to her cheeks. CHAPTER LXIII. Love end Sunshine. Verne heard his wife’s light footjtall and rose. The love and admiration In his eyes made Joy's heart beat fulckly. “My darling, my darling I” he cried te he took her In his arms. ” Now rou are mine in spite of other days. How lovely you look I I have never seen you so perfect. Where did you | Bud that pretty frock?” ** Ah, Maurice.” replied she a little wistfully, ” don’t you remember my lavender frock on the river last sumnaer?” “ Why, of course I do. And white violets 1 You are wonderful, dear. You must always wear that dress. Those were happy days, sweetheart, , until I spoiled them by my. . .” She placed a hand over his mouth. < “ Hush,” she commanded softly, “ we will never talk of anything but 6e love we have known.” Verne released her with a final #aress as the maid came into the arDour with a tray. With fascinated eyes he watched her pretty gestures I »ver the tea things. “ You know, dear, pleasant as It is here, we mustn’t linger too long,” he reminded her presently in a more serious tone. Joy put her cup down quickly. *‘ We needn’t go back to Vernesids yet?” There was a little note of fear in her voice. “ It will never be as it was before, sweetheart. You will be mistress now end need have no one round you that you do not want. But I have a plan. We will not go back for severs.' j months.” ** No,” she cried happily, let u* stay on here till the autumn.” Verne laughed ruefully. • “ You have married a man wltl work to do, Joy. There are a multitude of experiments waiting to b< completed.” ” Anything so long as I am not left behind.” “As though I could bear to be without you for a single dayi Then we leave on Tuesday.” “Yes, and Maurice dear, I believe that after a few months in London I shall have forgotten all the unhappiness of the Hall and when we go there together we must make it the happiest spot in the world.” ” It will always be that so long as you are in It, sweetheart. No place without you will be homo to me again.” The shadows were lengthening over the grass when they came back from their stroll later in the evening. The room was still unlighted and In the gathering gloom Joy’s lavender frock took on lustreless purple tones. Her eyes sought her husband’s with a world of love and appeal In them. Verne caught her up tenderly and kissed her yielding mouth. *My dearest,” he cried. “My own littls frirl of the violet shadows! God make me worthy. 6we6theart, and true io my great love for you. 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ment makes up to me fully for ell the unhappiness and suffering I have ever known. Tell me again love me dearest. . . dearest. . • ** My dear, my dear,” she murmured, her arms about his neck, “ I aD say no more than I have said. You are my heart’s greatest treasure. I will love you always, always. . •” Their lips met In a long, long kiss.

[The END.]