LIGHTS & SHADOWS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18887, 11 October 1929, Page 16

LIGHTS & SHADOWS

"STAR’S” NEW SERIAL

BY

EFFIE ADELAIDE ROWLANDS.

CHAPTER X.— (Continued). lie made his way very frequently to the beautiful house just out of Curzon Street, and he had to confess that Elizabeth was in her rightful setting in such surroundings. But there were many things attached to this girl’s sojourn with Hester Slayde which were not particularly easy for Michael to accept. To begin with, despite all that he could say to Hester, he could not induce her to come out, as it were, from the background of life and take her proper place. Of course he was fully aware that all the objections which he urged against her doing anything in a social sense were absolutely well founded. She certainly was not fit to play 7 an important part in the world of society 7. And she had ver>* quickly determined to relegate all such duties as might have fallen to her lot to some one better suited. Here she had asked Judith Winscott’s help. She had been very frank with Miss Winscott. “Dear Mr Michael, he’s always after me to be dressing myself up and to be sitting at the head of the table, and all the rest of it, Miss. But you must agree that it would be a great mistake. All that I want to do for my dear Miss Charlbury would just be spoilt. And I’d be just as wretched as I can be, Miss Judith.” “I know exactly how Micky feels about you,” Judith Winscott had hastened to say-. As a matter of fact she had grown very- fond of Hester. There had sprung up between them a very 7 real bond of love and sympathetic friendship. The good qualities and sweet heart of Hester Sla3*de had made an instant appeal to Sir Henry Winscott’s daughter. And though she, too, was giving generous homage to Elizabeth Charlbur> r , and was eager to show this beautiful stranger all the kindness and friendship, there were times when, like Michael, she was destined to give Hester Slay-de a good deal of unhappiness. When Hester had appealed to her most earnestly to find some lady who would take over the duties of a chaperone and go about with Elizabeth, because, as she explained to Judith, she was very 7 old-fashioned and she did not hold, that’s the way she put it, with y 7 oung girls being let go about alone, Miss Winscott immediately began to think of how she could be of real help. She remembered then a certain cousin of her mother’s, a lady 7 who had been very wealthy, but who had lost all her money in the war, and who would be only 7 too thankful to find some home where she would be required . to do such very light work for a very good salary. Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders when Judith had told her of what Hester had desired her to do. “Of course,” she said, “I know quite well, dear old soul; she frets about me even if I walk the length of the street by’ myself, which is really rather funny when 3*ou think of it, for I have been so independent.” She hastened to qualify this statement: “Well, what I mean is I had to do things by* myself when I was with m3 7 father. And of course you know, Judith, I had to go out as a kind of governess maid after his death. Jt was when d was so badly treated by those American people that I remembered all about Miss Martingate, and I wrote to her and asked her for help. I must confess,” Elizabeth added with a little laugh. “I never expected to fall on my’ feet in such a way as I have done! I expect I should not have had such a warm welcome from Miss Martingatc, although I am told by Hester, and I can pretty' well guess for my'self, that she was verymuch in love with my father, and I dare say- she would have done a good deal for me, but”—here Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders again—“I repeat I had not the slightest idea of being welcomed in such a splendid way.” To this Judith replied eagerly: “Yes. Hester is splendid. What a beautiful nature! What a sweet woman! I love her, Elizabeth.” “Oh, yes you love everybody. You certainly- have a very big heart,” said Elizabeth with a little bit of a sneer. “Well. I’m different. I don’t love Hester; it’s not very’ easy for me to love strange people, but I am very’ grateful to her. And I think this arrangement you have just told me about your cousin, Mrs Wakefield, consenting to

fy this statement.” She hastened to come here and act as chaperon to me is reallv a delightful piece of news, because, thanks to you. ni>’ dear, and a little probably- to Michael’s influence, people are beginning to take a little notice of me, for which I suppose I ought to be very much obliged.” Judith" ignored the sneer.

“ Well, there’s a girl I know who is very anxious to meet y*ou,” she answered. “ She has heard so much about you from me. You know, she was .supposed to have come to my luncheon party, but it appears that her father was ill, and she could not leave him. I like Jane immensely’, and I have an idea you’ll like her too. She’s goodlooking and very clever.” “ It’s a fine combination,” said Elizabeth. She and Judith Winscott were sit- j ting in the room which Hester had put aside for Elizabeth’s use entirely. It was a beautifully furnished boudoir, and it was always kept full of flowers, and Elizabeth had already bought a costly 7, pretty things to scatter about her. Now she was very anxious for Judith to go, because .she had been rung up by Michael in the morning, and he had said he would come for her in the afternoon, as he wanted her to go out with him to see the car which Hester had commissioned him to buy 7 for Elizabeth. Up to now they had been using a hired car, but Hester had determined that her ward must have a car of her own. But Judith sat on talking lightly 7, unconscious apparently of Elizabeth’s growing irritation, until the door opened and Michael appeared. Then a little colour rushed into the girl’s cheeks, a fact which was quickly 7 noted by Miss Charlbury, who had already guessed that this young man was something more than an old friend to Sir Henry Winscott’s daughter. And the three y r oung people sat and chatted for a awhile, and then Judith, feeling in a sense that she was de trop, got up and went away. As Michael opened the door for her to pass out, she looked up at him and said: “ Daddy was saying, the other night it’s a long time since you have been to dine with us, Micky*.” “ Well, I’ve been very busy 7 I’ve been kept with my nose to the grindstone. I'm not absolutely- sure I shan’t have to go abroad with my chief. But please tell Sir Henry I will come and see him now very soon.” As he strolled back into the room, and sat down in one of the comfortable chairs, Elizabeth handed him a box of cigarettes. “ It must be awfully nice, you know, Michael,” she said, “to be so much loved as y*ou are.” Young Pannister coloured hotly for an instant, and then he said: “ Well. I didn’t know I was so much loved. I happen to have a number of friends, and a great number of acquaintances; but beyond Hester, and mv mother and Peter O’Malley 7 , I don’t know that I’ve a.nybody verymuch in love with me.” “ Well, I can tell you, you have.” And then she abruptly 7 changed the conversation. . “ You haven't noticed my 7 hair,” she said. “ I suppose that’s cause I have been facing you. Now have a good look at me.” She turned her head, and Michael uttered an exclamation. “ Oh, my dear girl! You don’t mean to say you have cut off all your lovelyhair! What madness! ” “ I’ve had it a good time,” Elizabeth remarked. “ And I wanted to be in the fashion. Everyone has her hair shingled nowadays.” “ Well, that's the reason why yours was so lovely. You were one all by yourself,” the young man said. “Of qourse,” he added, “I know*you have a beautiful head, and this shingle is very’ becoming. But what does my mother say?” he queried. “ Well, the portrait is nearly 7 finished, you know, and she has not seen me yet as I am now. Michael, I am in love with your mother! What an enchanting person! But what an elusive one! By that I mean,” Elizabeth went on quickly, “ that, despite all her charm and her sweetness, I feel there is a very big barrier between myself and . her. I wish I could break that barrier down! ” “ Oh, my dear,” the young man said quickly, “I think you make a mistake. Mother is full of admiration for you, and does nothing but talk about your . cleverness. She predicts a great future for you, Elizabeth.” (To be continued.)