Girls at the Cottage

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16818, 22 August 1922, Page 11

Girls at the Cottage

THE “STAR” SERIAL STORY

By

Florence Warden

CHAPTER XTX. da Udine looked hard at her sister. “Do you mean it. that you have seen Dr Cone and promised to marry l.im? ” “ Yes.” ■ Do you mean to go through with it? Really to be his wife—the wife of this man whom you didn’t like, whom you can’t trust?” Judith made a gesture of impatience. “ Don’t begin it all over again,” she said petulantly. “1 can’t bear any more now. It has been a dreadful day and I want to forget everything, everything. Here’s Hawkins with the teathings. Don’t say anything to Cousin Kesiah.” “ What’s the use of not saying anything? She will have to know. So wilt everybody—Uncle John—Basil Thorncorah.” “ T know that. But I must have a little respite first.” Claudine shook her head.

“ You can’t expect even that. Of course, Dr Cone will tell everyone. Ho will let the Thorn combs know at once.” “ No, he won’t. I shall tell Dady Thorncomb myself, and she will have my note to-night.” Already Judith was moving towards the door of the room. “ Wait at least till after tea.” urged Claudine. As Hawkins came in at that moment, Judith took this advice, and the two girls sat by the fire, both trembling and very pale, until their cousin came in. The gas was alight, and the elder lady at once saw that the girls were unusually agitated. ' What’s the matter?” she asked sharply. Claudine looked at her sister. Judith turned with a weary air and with dull eyes to Cousin Kesiah. " I ha.ve put an end once for all to this miserable business,” she said in a weak, petulant tone. “ T have written to Rady Thorneomb, as perhaps you know, telling her that T have no inten-. tion of marrying her son. And T have taken care to make it impossible for me to do so. I have accepted Dr Cone.” To the girls’ surprise. Cousin Kesiah, although she had always joined her sister-in-law, the late Mrs King, in staunch advocacy of Dr Cone, was by no means overjoyed at this news. She stared at Judith without a word. “ Are you satisfied now?” asked the girl in a hard tone. But she got no immediate answer. Cousin Kesiah discreetly nibbled bread and butter. “ Well?” demanded Judith at last. “ You ought to be pleased, you know. Dr Cone is a friend of yours.” But all Cousin Kesiah said was : “ You will have to tell your uncle what you are going to do.” “Yes. But .you will have to tell me where he is,” snapped Judith lyOousin Kesiah shook her head. “ I don’t know myself. He said in his note that he should be travelling about.” Dr Cone will know where he is. He knows every thing/’ said Claudine with conviction. Judith bowed her head in assent, hut eaid nothing more. She left the conversation to the two others, and was quickly out of the room as soon as tea was over. Cousin Kesiah looked at Claudine when they were left together. “ Sh e won’t marry him. of course?” she said in an inquiring tone.

“Why *of course’? She may do anything in the mood she is in.” “ But this young Thorneomb, will he let her d<\ it? He isn’t a boy, and he's really fond of her. Will he take this quietly?” “ I don’t know. What can he do if she won't marry him?” “ His mother ought to be ashamed of herself,” said Cousin Kesiah indignantly. “ What good reason is there for her objection to her son’s marrying a girl like Judith? Handsome, amiable, liked and admired by everybody ?” Claudie, crouching down and pushing forward her head with its penetrating eyes, shot out the following pertinent inquiry: “ Don’t you. of all people, know what the answer is to that question, Cousin Kesiah ?” The elder lady looked startled. “What do you mean?” “ You know all the family secrets: you know my uncle’s, as you knew poor mama’s. Well, you must know why ; t is that Lady Thorneomb doesn’t wish her son to marry into our family.” Cousin Kesiah was quelled by this speech. She turned away her head and said nothing whatever. But her fingers moved restlessly, and Claudine saw that her eyes were moist. The girl felt almost sorry for her. Tt was so plain that the secret, and the weight of it. had helped to make the poor old maid elderly before her time. Claudine related the whole of the conversation which had passed between her and Susanne, and Judith made no comment until she had finished. Even then she said very little, and Claudine began to think that she had been through too much already to be able to feel this information concerning the Thorneomb family to be much of a blow. But that evening Judith shut herself up by herself, and then went out with a letter in her hand. Coming back without it, she ran into Claudine, lying in wait. “Who have you been writing to? Not—Basil?” whispered the youfiger girl fearfully. Judith shrugged her shoulders. "Basil! Oh, no. I have been writing to Lady Thorneomb.” “ Oh. Ju, you shouldn’t. You .might have told me what you were going to do!” wailed poor Claudine, foreseeing more trouble in the expression of her sister’s dark flashing eyes. “What--what did you say?” “ I said very little. T only told Lady Thorneomb that, it having come to mv knowledge that there was division yin her family on my account, 1 thought it would relieve her mind to know that nothing on earth would induce me, in any circumstances, to continue a friendship which would cause dissension in any family. And that I should never see or write to Basil again.” ” Oh, Ju, that wasn’t right. I was £ ruel. ’ ’ “I don’t think so.” “ Not cruel to Basil?*’ ‘‘ No. Because he knew it already. I had to persuade Lady Thorneomb thao I was in earnest. Of course, she looks upon ns as eager to capture her sou, with her will or against it. She had to learn that we are not.” 11 Ho won’t he put off like that.” “Yes. he will. He must.” “ Is that all you said -to Lady Thorncomb?” demanded Claudine with sudden suspicion. TO BE CONTINUED.