ONE MAN’S WIFE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18803, 4 July 1929, Page 16

ONE MAN’S WIFE

INSTALMENT FIVE

By

Barbara Webb

RICHARD ROSS, long absent from New York, is shocked on his return to find the great changes that have taken place in his absence. He runs away from the girl of his dreams, ANNE LOVELACE, embarks lor F ranee and there? marries a beautiful peasant girl, whom he requires to retain all her peasant characteristics, including her Normandy costume. Anne, who wishes to marry Richard, follows him to Paris and there meets the bride. She decides Richard’s marriage is merely a whim and that in a short time he will return to his own status of society. Richard and Yvonne return to America, where Richard takes a furnished house and buries himself in research work. Yvonne is very lonely, but does not complain.

OLD FRIENDS. They had been settled in the house in Stamford for nearly six weeks when Richard had a call from his old friend, Bob West. Yvonne was out, marketing, when Bob called and Richard took him up to the laboratory for a chat. Bob looked around the big room, filled with crates and cases. On one side was a long work table, filled with the specimens Richard was then working over. > He whistled. “Well, aren’t you really the busy little boy I We all thought you were out here playing shepherd boy to Amaryllis, but here you are really working. Where is Amaryllis, anyway?" "Yvonne is shopping," Richard answered. He was disturbed by this visit. He wished to be left alone. "Come now,” Bob went on. "You can’t give us all the go-by this way. I've come out to invite myself to dinner some night soon, and some others of the old crowd want to see you, too.” Richard lit his pipe and looked speculatively at his friend. "On the level, Bob," he said, "I’d like to have you. You’re my oldest friend, and 1 can count on you not to criticise even if you don't exactly approve of my way of doing things. But I can’t stand the gossip that a lot of the crowd would be glad to mouth about Yvonne and me." "They’re gossiping anyway, old man. Laying odds on how long it will be before you ship the beautiful peasant back to grandma and grandpa. Personally I think you’ve got the right idea —woman’s place is in the home, and all that." "You haven’t met Yvonne,” Richard said. “No, but I want to. Come on now. Invite me for dinner—can she cook?" Richard threw back his head and laughed. “You old gourmand, my wife has all the cooks in two continents backed off the map. Sure I’ll ask you to dinner, but after one dinner here I’ll probably have you on my hands six nights a week." “Name the day," Bob challenged. Richard thought. He should certainly give Yvonne plenty of notice. “How about a week from to-night?” he asked. “Fine! I’ll be here on the dot.”

They talked another half-hour, of Richard’s work, of his old friends, and then Bob prepared to leave. "By the way,” he said as he was going, “Anne Lovelace tells me your wife is the prettiest thing she has ever seen." Richard flushed. “That’s nice of her,” he said. "They’re worlds apart, you know, entirely different types, and so on.” YVONNE'S NEW DRESS. That evening at dinner he told Yvonne his news. “An old friend of mine, Monsieur West, is coming to dinner a week from to-night, Yvonne," he said. “You’ll have a nice dinner for us, won’t you?” Yvonne flushed with pleasure. "I shall have a grand dinner, mon ami, trust Yvonne.” She was very happy to think that Richard would ask a friend to dinner. The preparations would fill her days. She loved to be busy. The following day she sat thinking, planning what she would do. She looked at herself in the mirror, wondering what Richard’s friends would think of her. She wanted to look well for Richard's sake. She smoothed down her full blue skirt and patted her white cap in place. Suddenly she clapped her hands. She would make herself a new dress, all of silk. She hurried through her housework and down to the department store. There she fingered fine soft silks and crepe.

She was filled with happiness over the thought of Richard's generosity to her. Back at the house she began her work. There was a sewing machine, but this she scorned. Her fingers flew as she set the fine, neat stitches, her eyes danced as her work progressed, and she hummed a lively Tittle song of old Normandy as she worked. She spent every possible moment of her time at the costume, working until late at night to get it finished. In four days it was complete and she laid it on her bed while she went down to get the dinner. After dinner she would slip upstairs and put it on for Richard’s approval. Suppose he did not like it!. True it was not an American dress, but it was made of American materials, and Yvonne knew she looked far slimmer and lovelier in it than in her own stiff costumes from Richard \vas surprised when, after dinner, as he sat reading his paper, his wife placed her hand softly on his shoulder and said, "Look, Richard. I have a new dress, do you like it?” He looked up startled. Had Yvonne disobeyed his injunction? Was she standing there just beside him in a flapper dress? For a moment he wondered how she would look in such an outfit, then he turned and gazed. The soft materials draped about her figure made her seem younger and slimmer. She wore a lace cap on her brown curls which she had let fall about her neck. She made him a deep curtsey and then stood, hands folded, watching him with her heart in her eyes. Richard gasped. lie had not dreamed she could be so beautiful. For the first time in many days he really saw her lie stood up and drew her to him, la} r ing his face against her hair. "You are beautiful, Yvonne, my wife,” he whispered. Yvonne glowed under his caresses. They made up many hours of loneliness. "I am happy that you are pleased,” she murmured. A little later he said: “I thought perhaps you had decided to put on American clothes. I have wondered lately if you would like to, but now, seeing you this way, I shall never want you to. * You are too lovely in your own country dress.” Yvonne opened her eyes wide. “But

I should never dream of disobeying you, my husband,” she said. Richard put his hand under her chin. “Yvonne, are your happy here, living like this?” She nodded her head. “I am happy where you are. Only ” “Only what?" Richard asked as she hesitated. “Only—it is nothing, but sometimes I am lonely. Perhaps it is the homesickness. I long sometimes for my own countrj’, my own people, but I know it is wicked and then I pray to be forgiven.” Richard held her close and promised silently that he would not leave her alone so much. But in the days that followed before the party he became again absorbed in his work, seeing little of his wife, who was making great preparations for the dinner and was always to be seen or heard working happily and tirelessly in her kitchen Yvonne was up at four the morning of the dinner party. All her materials were assembled, ready for her to work with them. All day she laboured, finishing each dish and put it to keep warm or to chill. There would be, first of all, an hors d’oeuvre, chicken livers pounded to a paste and highly seasoned, garnished with the celery hearts, and a bit of red pepper for colour. Then there would be a clear soup with crisp, toasted bread sticks. And the omelette, with a foamy sauce, the fillets with their crown of mushrooms, the artichokes and the brussels sprouts, the potato souffle, light as a feather, the mousse flavoured with fresh mint and with a heart of pecans and cherries, the petit fours split and filled with whipped cream, and iced in various flavours. There would be coffee such as only Yvonne could make, and cheese with delicately browned crackers. ANNE REAPPEARS. At five o’clock, all her preparations made, 1 vonne went up to dress. When she came down she put a big apron over her precious new gown and began the final touches to her dinner. It had never occurred to Yvonne that she would b<2 expected to sit with the two men at dinner. She was cook and waitress in one. Richard was the host. She had a tiny apron, frilled and starched, which she would wear when serving. In the kitchen she would slip into the big all-over apron. .Perhaps after dinner Richard would introduce her and she would sit with the two men for a little in the living-room. Now she cast an anxious eye at the clock. She 'hoped they would not be late. She had timed things so carefully. She regretted the absence of- wines and liquors. They were needed to give

Copyright , 1928, by Public Ledger

bouquet to the dinner, to sharpen the appetite. Richard came in as she was beating the eggs for her souffle. Her kitchen shone as though she expected the guests to dine there. “All ready, Yvonne?” he asked, laying a hand on her shoulder. “All ready,” she said anxiously, wrinkling her brow. “ I hope your friend will not be late.” “He won’t,” said Richard, laughing. “He loves to eat and I told him you were a wonderful cook. Did you get a girl to come in to wash the dishes and so on for you?" “But no! Why should I have a clumsy American girl here? I shall manage it all myself.” “All right, my dear—but it will keep you busy and I don’t know that I like to have you jumping up from the table all the time.” “But I shall not be jumping up from the table! I shall stay here and serve you as you are ready.” Richard was astounded. He glanced through the door to the dining-room. Sure enough, only two places were laid. "But, Yvonne,” he protested. "You are my wife, the hostess, not my cook.” Yvonne set her mouth stubbornly. "I will not have my delicious dinner spoiled, Richard,” she said. "I will be very happy to sit with, you after dinner if you wish, but you must not ask me to leave my good dinner to spoil.” , Richard thought rapidly. Perhaps Yvonne was right. Bob’s French was shaky at best. He would introduce Yvonne when Bob came and explain her zeal to treat the guest hospitably. It would be only one more strange note in an already strange situation. There was a ring at the bell. Yvonne redoubled her speed with the egg-beater. There was nothing for Richard to do but answer the door. He went to the door, throwing it open wide in welcome. Before him stood two people, his friend, Bob West, and Anne Lovelace, I came Dick, old boy, even though 1. wasn t invited,” she cried, seizing his hands Richard stumbled ‘ back into the living-room, his guests following him. In the kitchen he could hear Yvonne’s egg-beater whirling with tremendous energy. Is the queen of the party in the parlour or in the kitchen at RICKARD’S dinner? And what wise observations do YVONNE and DICK make when the party is over? YVONNE is keenly intuitive where RICHARD is concerned. She makes a discovery which is matched by one that 808 reveals to RICHARD. Do not miss to-morrow’s instalment.