A CINDERELLA OF MAYFAIR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19298, 10 April 1926, Page 5 (Supplement)

A CINDERELLA OF MAYFAIR.

ELIZABETH YORE MILLER.

SYNOPSIS. Mabel Lindsay, young, wealthy, handsome, is trying on her bail dress assisted by her cousin. Mollie Shaun, young, pretty very poor, is a valtiablo assistant with Mabel s wardrobe. She longs to attend Mabel's dance to-night, and rfhe hopw her daddy doesn't bring Captain Oakeshott home to supper. Robert llarowood also is thinking of the Lindsay dance. He is the sole representative of llarewood Ltd. Aged <!!), prosperous, clear-hoaded and humorous, to fa looking about for a wife. Decides Mabel Lindsay is like " frozen champagne. Benjamin Straker, solicitor to llarowood Ltd.. pays Robert Harcwood a call. Warns him about Christopher Shaun, book-keeper to the firm. After vilifying the old man ho taki*) his leave. The said book-keeper puts away his business for the day, dons outer garments, and takes a fair-sized cardboard box homo with him. Arrived at the baHOmer.t flat in Bnyswater, Christopher presents Mollie w : th a cotton-back white satin frock. She loves her father and appears to be grateful. She can now go to the dance. Captain Oakeshott calls. Molly wonders whether she herself can be the attraction. Not that, surely. i CHAPTER V. Mollis was overwhelmed with secret dismay when she discovered that Captain Oakeshott had been commandeered by old Christopher's fairy-god-mother wand to escort her to Mabel's party. There he stood in the full glory of evening regalia smiling at her while her father explained that ho was really Prince Charming and his coach waited at the door. Mollie tried to enter into the joke which had been perpetrated with the idea of giving her pleasure, hut to her Gcoffry Oakeshott was more like the wolf in T - 111 " Red Riding Hood than a Prince Charming, and his coach, of course, was just a taxi-cab. " It's very kind of yon," she murmurfld, as he took "her hand and pressed ft m a tcnderlv familiar way he had. But I have to" go so early. I promised my cousin to help her dress." Captain Oakeshott didn't mind a bit how early they went. He was entirely at Miss Mollie's service.

So off they went, old Christopher coming to the door to wave then a beneficent farewell, and Mollio sitting tightly in a corner as far away a? sho could get her companion, and vowing to herself that if he dared to try to kiss her she would slap his face. , ~ _ _ , In the dark of the cab Geoffry Oakeshott smiled to himself, reading her mind, and ho did not try to Kiss her. Instead ho told v her how proud and happy he was to have tho honour of escorting such a pretty girl to a dance, and .wouldn't all the young tellows envy him 1 Gad, ho was a lucky dog, to-night, and he folt like a colt, despite the fact that he was getting on for an old gentleman of forty. " I should have thought von were older than that," Mollie said coldly When they reached the-house of festivity she simply flew upstirs to Mabel s room, arriving whito and breathless. Mabel sat at her dressing-table improving naturo with an eyebrow pencil and a lip-stick. " Hel«to! For Heaven s sake, Alou, ■what's tho matter. Oh, I see you've got a frock. Where did you dig up that jolly little rag?" . Mabel turned and eyed her cunouslj. Shs looked so strangely pale, did Mollie Sh Stin breathless, Mollie helped her cousin into the daintv mass of green billows and explained that she had hurried a little because she was afraid of being late, and that daddy had bought the jolly little rag as a surprise and also—another surprise—had got Captain Oakeshott to bring her hero. Mabel laughed softly. 14 When are you going to marry him, Moll? You could do worse, yon know. I believe he has a bit of money tucked away somewhere, although there s something mysterious about that. ' " He hasn't asked me to marry him, Mollie gasped. " Such an idea has never entered his head. , , , . "Oh. hasn't it!" Mabel exclaimed. ** You're a funny girl, Mollie. What do you suppose our gallant captain is up to ?" , Mollie looked frightened. "I don't know," sho said. Oh, 1 ■wish I did know! Poor daddy's so weak, so easily led. He's such a child, Mabql ■" , „ " Ha! It's time that child grewM, Mabel interrupted scon.fnlly. " And Geoffry Oakeshott isn't tho sort of man to spend almost every evening of his life playing dominoes with Uncle Christopher just for tho fun of the thing." Molhe winked back angry tears. " Oh, I—l almost hate him!" sho cried. M Yes, and he know it, Moll. That's ■why he hasn't made lovo to you—yet. But wait. He'll got you, Mollie, unless you're sharper than I take you for. He II get vou when you least expect it. Personally, I rather admire his pluck and patience. Ho'll bide his time, and then he'll snatch you up, tnck you nndcr his arm and run off with you. Mollie grew paler and paler. Only to-night had she begun to suspect what apparently Mabel had seen all along. But then, of course, it was absurd! She laughed hysterically. () . " I'd like to see any man do that, sho said. " Daddy would crack his skull for him. Huh, you can't frighten me, Mabel." " I wasn't trying to frighten yon—only warning you," Mabel replied. Como on, let's go down and seo what ho 8 doing with himself. I told everybody to come early. Poor mother thinks that if we start early we won't keep it up lata Sho always thinks that, bless her heart—and overv time she gets so terribly sold. They found Captain Oakeshott being entertained in the library by Made! s longsuffering parents and beginning tho evening—as ho would probably end it—with a whisky-and-soda. To Mabel's sophisticated eyes he looked not merely handsome, but dangerously so. And there was about hixn the added charm of mystery. What was that old story ? His wife had died somewhere out in Canada, people said, and it had been ■whispered unkindly that perhaps she hadn't died a natural death. Didn't, she fall over a cliff or into a river? Did ■he fall—or was she pushed? It would be horrible to have anything liko that happen to poor little Mollie. But neithor Mollio nor Captain Oakeshott was of over-powering interest to Mabel Dindsay to-night. Har guests began to arrive and as she smiled and shook hands and lined up her father and mother to assist with tho reception, her eyes darted quickly upon each fresh batch seeking the new lover whose n a trio on this occasion was Robert Harowood. Once, for a brief season, it had been Geoffry Oakeshott. But Mabel was generous with her discards. Sho did not grudge Mollie Shaun tho captain's devotion. In her mind sho carelessly wished hirn luck. Sho didn't believe half those stories ono heard about him, and it would bo a good thing if foolish Mollio could get over her aversion. Sometimes girls were like that and then afterwards fell madly in love with tho object of their former hatred. Ah ! There ho was at last—tho charming Harewood boy. Mabel's blue oyes threw him a welcome long before ho was able to reach her, then coyly withdrew, and she was overwhelmingly cordial to thoso who happened at tho moment to ho claiming her immediate attention. The fine frenzy of the evening was beginning. Laughter, girls in rainbow attire trailing down from tho rooms in which they had left their wraps, young men seeking out their particular heart's dr<<iro, or being sought by some other fellow's heart's desire, the orchestra crashing into stimulating melody, and among it all, one old-fashioned couple who hated the house being turned upside down and would be glad—although they adored Mabel—oh, how glad, when it was over. Since ho had brought her hero, Mollie could not possibly make, an excuse not to dance with Captain Oakeshott. And, indeed, who else would have asked her J

fCOPTIUGHT).

She knew very few of Mabel's fashionablo friends, and Mabel was too busy to trouble about finding partners for dowdy little wallflowers, it was the custom in Mabel's set for every girl to look out for herself, and the majority of them were most able at the business. So Mollie, whose feet quickened to the music as anxiously ,as any other girl's, was swept into a remorse of gratitude because Cuptain Oakeshott really wanted to dance with her. It was all nonsense, anyway—her breathless feeling in the cab when ho had been nothing but kind and paternal, and the silly things Mabel had said. Now and again sho caught a glimpse of Mabel —Mabel, a wonderful vision of spring, clasped in the arms of a young man who was certain of her lovoliness. Mabel had all the luck in tho world. But it seemed to Mollie that Mabel didn't always appreciate how fortunate she was. CHAPTER VI. And, while all this was going on, Christopher Shaun—the "something in the city"—sat disconsolately humped in the oppressive company of a certain Mr. Benjamin Straker, who had elected to call on him without warning, and, fortunately, from Christopher's point of view, found him alone. Mr. Straker had waved aside the idea of any hospitable refreshment, and the manner of his waving told poor Christopher more eloquently than words that he —Christopher—was in no financial position to bo able to offer anybody even a pipeful of tobacco. "I've called strictly on business," said Benny Straker. "Circumstances have obliged mo to speak to Mr. Hare wood about you, Shaun. It wasn't a pleasant duty, I assure you." "You hound me out!" Christopher cried in despairing tones. "What for ? What havo I ever done to you ? Give ma a little time. Be human—though I doubt, if you can." The last remark was added under his breath.

Then a sudden thought struck old Christopher. What had he ever done to Benjamin Straker ? It was so long ago that ho had almost forgotten. Christopher had cut Benny out with a girl and married her himself. And she was a girl who had possessed quite a lot of money. "You'ro a rare one for holding a grudge," the old man grumbled. 'That you are, Ben Straker. Why, poor Mary wouldn't have had you—not if it was ever so!" Mr. Straker flushed darkly. "I haven't come here to talk over old times," he said. "And I don t fancy any personal conversation beyond the fact that when you married your wife she had a tidy little fortune which you rail through |in a couple of years " _ ( "I was unlucky in my investments," protested Christopher. "Call it what yon like—the money went. But yon keep right on with your feckless ways, regardless. I know all about you, Christopher Shaun. You'ro a a spendthrift, and a cheat. ■ \ou re dishonest, that's what you are, and if you're not careful I shouldn't wonder you'd land in gaoL" Poor old Christopher turned a flabby white and his watery eyes rolled in a passion of rage. "How daro you, sir—how dare you insult me under my own roof?" he spluttered. "Easv does it," said Benny Straker. "Is it an insult to hear the truth for onco ? I say you're dishonest. You went to my client, Mr. Foster Mackenzie, and you got him to lend you five hundred pounds by representing yourself as connected with the firm of Harewood's Limited." "Well, I'd like to know what I am, then, if I'm not connected with Harewcod's ?" Christopher blustered. "You used the firm's notepaper and entirely misrepresented your circumstances. You wrote that you were tn temporary difficulties only, and would shortly be in funds again. \ou said that you had tied up too much of your capital—your capital, ha!—-in heavy investments. That was criminal misrepresentation, false pretences, and, if my client sues you, he could and very likely will send you to gaol." Sweat was breaking out on Christopher s face. He mopped it nervously with his handkerchief, then got up, rushed to the sideboard and poured himself a drink. "My God, Benny, you use harsh words!" he cried. "I "did have investments. I had three tickets in the Calcutta Sweep and two in tho Stock Exchange Sweep. And, if you'll kindly remember, I drew the Derby favourite in tho office sweep " "Ye 3, and the favourite didn't happen to win, and if it had won you'd have raked in tho large fortune of six pounds, seven and sixpence, minus ten per cent, for tho Orphan's Fund. I know all about it, because I won it myself." _ "You're always so lucky,," murmured Christopher. "Oh, Benny, have a, heart. Tell this moneylender friend of yours that I'll manage it somehow. I can't go to Martin Lindsay again—no, that won t do. Even to keep mo out of prison ho wouldn't help me again." Christopher shook his head mournfully. "Tell you what—you • can attach, say, & pound a week of my salary " Benny Straker snorted. "How long do you think you'ro going to live? About a thousand years? A pound a week doesn't even cover the interest. You'ro a book-keeper. You're supposed to know something about figures, ain't you? And Mr. Foster Mackenzie is more your friend than mine. By this time I should've thought you knew it." "My friend ? Well, yes—of course, ho did lend me the money. But he isn t behaving very friendly now. I don't take it at all friendly his pressing and threatening mo like til is." "Ila!" murmured Benny. "The man has to live, same's you." "Yes, but—oh, dear! And there's my poor little Mollie-girl, slaves herself to death sewing'for her cousin and getting practically nothing for it. "Well,"she's just as improvident as you are," Benny said wisely. "Why doesn't sho sew for other people and get decently paid ? No, I can seo it's too late for you to pull yourself together, Chris. You're fi done man, that's what you arc. You know that five hundred is getting protty close to a thousand now. My client's willing to givo you a week to find it in. I call it generous of him." It scarcely seems possiblo that Benny Straker could really enjoy saying all these cruel things, but there was a gleam in his saturnine eyes which bespoke satisfaction. He licked hi 3 lips liko a cat relishing cream. Poor Christopher leaned back hi his chair, mouth ngape, staring miserably at the ceiling. "A thousand pounds!" he muttered. "I wonder if " Then suddenly ho smiled with a heavenly inspiration "and came to earth again. "By gad, I've got it!" He slapped his plump leg and chuckled. Benny had risen, on the point of leaving. "Got tho thousand —where?" "Aha," chuckled Christopher. "You wait and see. I'll get it, you may be sure. There's my friend, Captain Oakeshott. I've never asked him for a loan yet." Benny Straker smiled at a secret joke. "Oh, haven't you!" ho exclaimed. "Look hero, Chris, I'm not exactly supposed to tell you this, but perhaps I'd better. Your friend. Captain Oakeshott, happens to bo Mr, Foster Mackenzie during office hours." "What?" "I've said it once, Chris. Your friend, Oakeshott, is a professional moneylender. Now do you understand ?" "Well, T—l can't say 'that T do," old Christopher murmured. Ho felt sick, as though somebody had hit him a terrific blow about the region of what hnd once been his waistline. "But, of course, then, ho can't really mean to—to persecute me."

"Prosecute is the word you want. I'm a.fraid that in his business dealings Captain Oakeshott is much like other men of business. It's only people like you who can afford to be shiftless. Well, I'd best be going now. I'll look in again this day week, and, meanwhile, -if anything turns up, you can always let me know at the office. I'm in and out most every day." Christopher groaned Inarticulately. Not until the front door banged did he realise that his tormentor had actually departed and left him alone with this Durden of great trouble. Lie owed all that money to Captain Oakeshott, who was going to persecute him for it. (Christopher preferred his own word to Benny Straker'a.) He blushed when he thought of that grandiloquent letter he had penned on the firm's notepaper in reply to the sweetly human circular from Mr. Foster Mackenzie. He hadn't seen "Mr. Mackenzie" personally. To Christopher the beneficent moneylender was represented only by his charming circular ary] an equally charming young lady typist in a delightful flower-decorated oflice in .Clarges Street, Christopher jumped to his feet and swore a mighty oath. That lying, deceitful, smiling swino of an Oakeshott!—he'd have the fellow's blood for such trickery. Going to send him to gaol, was he? Going to send Christopher Shaun to gaol —ha! "All right," Christopher muttered darkly. "Let him do it, and I'll give him a better reason than his beggarly thousand pounds. I'll kill him—that's what I'll do, and swing for it gladly." But presently this outburst of passion subsided, and so did Christopher, who knew himself for a poor man with scarcely heart enough to kill a fly, let alone to slaughter an able-bodied moneylender. Dancing with innocent little Mollie thi* very moment, no doubt; getting himself invited to fashionable parties and mixing with people who wouldn't touch him will a bargc-polo if they knew who ho really was. Talk -about false pretences! Well! CHAPTER VII. As Christopher Shaun thus expressed tho full measure of his indignation against the deceitful Captain Oakeshott, the latter was losing a little of that carefully-cal-culated poise which hitherto had marked his attitude toward Mollie.

Geoffrey Oakeshott was madly in love with the girl, but, as Mabel had said, he knew that Mollie's emotion toward bun was one of dislike and distrust. To-night, however,* sho felt slightly ashamed of herself for her unkind sentiments. But for him, she would have had a very dull time at Mabel's party, lie danced delightfully and he was entirely at her disposal. Thero wasn't even a gleam in his eye for any other girl in the room. As far as Mollie was concerned Geoffrey Oakeshott was absolutely sincere. He was in love with her, and he meant to marry her and to deal most generously by her ahd that silly old Christopher, once Mollie was his wife. lie saw no defects in tho cheap white satin frock, for tho simplo reason that he never thought to consider it. That eager, winsome face of here compelled his attention. Those sweet, soft lips, those lustrous dark eyes, and tho delicate childlike curves of check and chin, held him in a spelL Kho was so young and he, alas, was —well, forty and a bit. Ho was hungry to recapturo his own youth through her. His first wife had been older than he, and all these other young girls ware so brilliantly sophisticated in clothos, manners and make-up that they bored him to tears. But Mollie Shaun was fresh and unspoiled sind it was delightful just to watch her enjoy herself. Together with the champagne he had drunk at suppor, Mollie was a heady mixture. lie managed finally to get her alone with him in one of those cleverly con trived nooks in tho conservatories— Mabel's special invention for furthering flirtations —and thero it happened. Suddenly poor Mollie —whoso suspicions had been lulled so nicely—found horself struggling in Geoffrey Oakoshott's arms, fifritting tooth and nail like a snarling little tiger while ho laughed and tried to kiss her. When ho finally succeeded ho released her, and by that time he was as an cry as she. Sho stood breathless, glaring at him. her heart beating mad, outraged and furious. it was such an obvious scene that tho young man who intruded upon it quite by accident, could scarcely fail to take it in. He turned a littlo white, did this young man—who happened to bo looking for someone else at the moment. But this was not the first time his eye had noted Mollie, and she knew that ho must bo Robert Harewood, Mabel's latest catch.

"I beg your pardon," he said, addressing Mollie and ignoring the very existence of Captain Oakeshott, "but unless I'm mistaken, this noxt dance is ours." It was flagrant fiction, of course, for Kobert Harowood didn't even know her name, or that she was a poor relation of the house of Lindsay. "Why—yes—l—yes, of c-conrso it's oof dance," stammeord Mollie. Oakeshott laughed, turned smartly on his heel and left them alone together. He wasn't exactly a coward, but there was a dangerous expression in that strange man's face which intimated that a temporary retreat was advisable. CHAPTER m Anger still sparkled in MoUie's eyes as she turned them upon her deliverer. She was steeped in shamo to bo caught like this. What would he—what could anybody—think of her ? Perhaps he had actually seen her struggling in Captain Oakeshott's arms. "I should, sit quietly for a moment or two if I were you," the young man advised. "You don't mind if I smoke, do yon 1" He half turned away, ostensibly to light a cigarette, but really to give Mollie • chance to recover herself. She had an impulse to scream at this cool-looking, charming young man, who was Mahel s "latest," but she managed to keep her voice within reasonable control. "I'm sure it's awfully kind of yon to bother, but really I'm perfectly all right now, and I'm going home at once. Just for the moment I—l was upset, that s all." "The brute! Would you like me to break his neck for him ?" Robert Harewood inquired. "Oh, no, please don't! Mabel would hate anything like a scene," Mollio said quickly. took a step toward the door, but her knees still quaked and she stumbled a little. Robert Harewood caught hev by the arm and steadied her. "Look here," he said, "I'm going to take you home myself. I wonder how we can manage without passing through the rooms where they're dancing ? Where does this other door lead to ? Do you know the house ?" Mollio was infinitely relieved to discover that apparently he was unaware of her identity as Mabel's cousin.

"It leads to the back corridor," sh* replied. "Bat, really, I couldn't think of letting you take mo home. I live quite close." "I'm awfully sorry to seem so stubborn." He smiled npon her and it was such a kind, reassuring smilo that she wanted to cry. Her nerves were wrought to the highest pitch. 'lf you really are leaving now," he said, "1 am going to take you home. Why, you're nothing but a child, and.that brute has frightened you half to death. Come along and get your wraps. I'll return to explain to Miss Lindsay why you went off without saying goodbye." Mollie obeyed reluctantly. She was desperately afraid that Mabel wonld.scold her for this, but young Mr. Harewood was so insistent that she didn't know how to irake her refusal decisive. After all, ho would bo back in twenty minutes and it was barely one o'clock now. Mabel's party had still several hours to run its full course. And Mollie would have done anything in the world to avoid any more of Captain Oakeshott's companionship tonight. So she flew up tho stairs as fast as her trembling limbs would carry her and found tho cloakroom deserted save for Ferguson, Mabel's maid, who nodded sleepily among a welter of costly cloaks and capes. Poor Mollie's wrap, however, was anything but costly, being just an ordinary and very shabby raincoat. She felt u little ashamed when Ferguson insisted upon holding it for her. "Going so soon, miss ?" inquired Ferguson, who liked Mollie, even if she was a poor relation. Mollie murmured something about having to be up early in the morning, which was true enough, and secretly tho maid—who also had to be up early in tho morning—envied her the privilege of getting to bed at anything like a reasonable hour. "Tell Miss Lindsay I didn't want to bother her by saying goodnight. She won't mind, I know." "You'ro not feeling very well, miss ?" Ferguson looked at her with critical sympathy. "Could I get you anything? A whiff of salts or some sal volatile?" " It was a little hoi—l got overtired, that's all. No, I'm all right, really. But thank you, Ferguson." (To >■» <*mtimied on Saturday next.)