LIGHTS & SHADOWS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18889, 12 October 1929, Page 24 (Supplement)

LIGHTS & SHADOWS

STAR'S” NEW SERIAL

BY

EFF I E ADELAIDE ROWLANDS.

CHAPTER X.—(Continued). “ That’s very good of Mrs O’Malley,” said Elizabeth quietly. She took a cigarette and lit it, and as she did so she said: “Let us sit here a little while before we go out. It is still very hot and I don’t feel very energetic. What a long summer we are having. Not that I object to the heat. I expect I shall find London pretty dreary and gloomy in the winter.” "Oh, but you must get Hester to take you abroad ... go to the South,” Michael said. She did not answer at once, and then she said:— “You know I’ve been abroad so long that I got fed up with the various continental places. No, I think we will stay on in England, at any rate for a while. But when your mother talks about my having a brilliant future, I suppose she forgets that I am really a pauper. I have nothing of my own, and people cannot expect to have brilliant futures unless they have something that goes to help found a brilliant future.” “You have your beauty,” Michael Pannister said in a low voice. But he understood her only too well, for he knew that what was working in Elizabeth’s mind was she -wanted to get him on her side to urge Hester to make a large settlement of money on her. It irritated Elizabeth beyond measure to have the feeling constantly upon her that she was beholden to Hester Slayde for everything she had. The more she made the advance into the world, the more she was remarked and admired, the wider path opened to her to tread towards prosperity and victory, the more bitter were Elizabeth’s feelings towards the truth of her position. There was no gratitude in her heart for all the wonderful goodness which this working woman was lavishing upon her. She began to be very irritable with Hester, and she knew so well just how to suggest without putting it into words that this sense of dependence (or rather what she called charity) was so trying to her! But she was very subtle, was Elizabeth. She wanted this to come to Hester’s knowledge in its fullest measure not through her, but to be brought to Hester Slayde’s understanding by some one whom this good creature cared for; and there was no one (and by this time Elizabeth satisfied herself on this point) for whom she cared as she cared for Michael Pannister.

But sympathetic as Michael was, and slowly but surely as he was yielding to the spell of her beauty and her personality, he seemed to be very obtuse where it was a question of working on Hester Slayde’s simple and generous mind in the way that Elizabeth desired that it should be worked.

However, it was early days as yet: conditions were very agreeable with her,

and she could afford to wait. Besides, although she was very anxious to bring Michael round to do everything she wanted, she also wanted to strike a little blow at Judith Winscott. She was so jealous of this other girl’s assured position in society, and also she was bitterly envious because Judith had her own money and was therefore independent. And then again, though she spoke so eloquently, and with so much admir ation for Marcella O’Malley, Elizabeth was clever enough to know that Michael’s mother was not really her friend. That she should make a future for herself with this very delightful, most attractive young man was never entertained by Elizabeth for one moment. Of course Michael might, and possibly would, come into some money when his grandmother died, but what Lady Pannister had to leave him would be nothing compared to what Elizabeth intended should belong to her. Moreover, she wanted a title. She was very ambitious socially. She meant to use Michael Pannister as a steppingstone. and her arrogant spirit demanded that he should render her the full homage which she decided was her due, but beyond that she did not go. And on his side Michael was slowly but surely drifting into love for this very beautiful young woman. There were times when he struggled against the spell which he felt Elizabeth was beginning to exercise over him, when certain little glimmers of her real character and nature would creep out* despite all her care, and send a little chilled feeling through him. But he alwavs found excuses for Elizabeth! He told himself that she must have gone through so much. His blood boiled when he remembered the story she had given him about the disgraceful way the American people had treated her, and of all the difficulties and the privation which, according to her account, she had suffered when she had been with her father. And also he had felt something like anger against that dead father because Roger Charlbury had been evidently so cold and so unsympathetic with his own child. In short, Elizabeth played on Michael’s feelings and played very successfully.

Through Miss Winscott she had come in contact with various interesting and desirable people. Also little by little, the story of Sophia Martingate’s bequest of all her wealth to her .companion maid, and the story of how that maid had chosen to adopt a very beautiful girl (who would have been very dear to her mistress had she lived) paved the way for people to be extremely interested in Miss Charlbury, an interest, of course, which wa9 enhanced and made very plausible when they came in contact with such a beautiful creature.

Now she and Michael sat talking for a while, and then Elizabeth got up and announced that she was going to put

on her hat and they would be ready to go round and see the car. Michael had chosen one which he thought admirable, and at a very possible price, but almost at once Elizabeth rejected his choice, and she ordered one that would cost double the amount of money, but which had the advantage of being the only one. of its kind in the market, and so it would challenge all eyes when she drove about in it. In was this kind of imperious touch about her which both attracted and repelled Michael. Of course, he knew that Hester gave her carte blanche, but at the same time he thought that the girl ought really to have left such a big matter as the purchasing of a car for nearly two thousand pounds to the decision of the woman who was good to her.

But evidently Elizabeth knew her power. So the car was chosen and consequently Michael made no remark. As he took her back, however, to the house his thoughts were both uneasy and unhappy, and after leaving her, he walked away in the direction of his own rooms with a curious sense of depression and a presentiment of trouble hanging over him.

CHAPTER XI. It was towards the end of September when old Mr Briggs died. His will made something of a sensation, and all at once Jane and her brother found themselves the objects of considerable attention and interest. Her father's illness had to a certain extent come between Jane and her friendship with Miss Winscott. She had to refuse all invitations, but Sir Henry’s daughter had frequently made her way to the big house, and had spent many an hour talking with Tane Briggs and giving out all the sympathy that was stored in her heart. She was so sorry for the other girl, and she was more sorry still for Gerald Briggs. About Jane there was a brisk, shrewd, business-like touch, but her brother was so different. In discussing these new friends with her father Judith made a very shrewd remark' She said: “ I think Gerald Briggs and his sister ought to have changed places! He is much more impulsive: in a sense he is very emotional and Jane is so clearheaded, so strong, so practical, a splendid young woman! You liked her didn’t you. Daddy?” “Very much indeed,” said Sir Henry. And then he added almost involuntarily : “ I like her almost as much as I dislike your other new friend, Miss Charlbury.” Judith opened her eyes. “ Why, Daddy, I thought you had lost your heart to Elizabeth!” At which Sir Henry smiled a rather dry smile. “I am past the age of losing my heart, my dear,” he answered, “ and I am a pretty keen reader of human nature, as I have to be in my profession. I don’t like that young woman Judith! And lam very sorry for poor Hester Slayde that she has taken such an incubus on her shoulders. You mark my words, Judith, Elizabeth Charlbury won’t rest until she has I made herself the mistress of everything I that Hester Slayde possesses! ” Judith turned a little pale at these words, and when she spoke there was a little catch in her voice.

“ Oh, Daddy,” she said, “ I am so sorry! I don’t like to hear you speak like that! I have such an opinion of your definition of peoples’ characters . . . and—and I am very fond of Elizabeth.”

“Yes, I know you are,” her father answered, “and in my turn I am sorry this should be so. Now, make a friend of Miss Jane Briggs. There you have something of sterling quality; a strong and a fine character. Have I seen the brother?”

“Not yet,” said Judith. “Oh, of course I asked Jane to bring him when she t came here, but he never came. I think £ she is a good bit worried about him r You see, this is such a vast amount t of money. And he appears to be very t undeveloped. Well, perhaps that’s the wrong word; but he certainly does not seem to have any sense of the value of money, and I know Jane is terribly afraid he may get into bad hands.” “Are there no relatives? No kinspeople?” “Oh, yes, I believe they have plenty of cousins, and that sort of thing,” said Judith; “but these people seem to be so jealous because the old man didn’t share his wealth with any of them; he left it all to his two children.” “And why not?” queried Sir Henry. "To whom should he leave his money?” They -were sitting at dinner when this conversation took place. Then suddenly Sir Henry put a question to her. “Have you seen Lady Pannister lately?” His girl shook her head. “No, Daddy. You know she’s not in town, she’s down in Kent.” “Well, have you seen Michael lately?” And though he was peeling an apple, he gave a very quick glance at his daughter, and he saw that the colour had rushed into her cheeks. She answered him quickly. “Oh, yes, I see Michael very often. I saw him last at Mrs O’Malley’s studio. I told you, didn’t I, that she gave a big tea for various people to see Miss Charlbury’s portrait. Oh. Daddy, it is such a wonderful piece of work ! Really, it lives.” “Yes.” said Sir Henry quietly, “I always did admire Marcella Brodie’s work. I suppo.se she is going to exhibit this portrait?” “I really don’t know. I should think so,” said Judith. “It ought to bring her a great deal of kudos.” “The reason why I ask you about Michael,” Sir Henry said as he poured himself out a glass of port wine, “is because I have been having letters from the old lady. She seems to be perturbed about her grandson for some reason or other. I thought she had come back to town, but I suppose you are right, and she is still down in the country. But he seems to have been neglecting her lately.” Judith Winscott laughed here. “Well, you see, Daddy, he’s very much in love! That’s what’s happening to Michael.” “Oh!” said Sir Henry Winscott drily, “that’s what’s happening, is it? In love, I suppose, with the beautiful Miss Charlbury?” He paused a moment, and then he said, “Poor Michael!” Judith pushed back her chair and got up. She went round to him and kissed him on the brow. “Daddy, I wish you wouldn’t be so harsh about Elizabeth! Really j'ou ought to take certain things into consideration. She had such a hard time before she came here.” “Well, that’s just why I do judge

her a little stiffly, my dear,” Sir- Henry answered: but he spoke gently. “I think, having had a hard time, she ought to show herself a little more appreciative—shall I say?—of all that has been done for her. I can tell you, my dear, she’s costing Hester Slayde a pretty penny! You know I come in contact with old Sophia Martingate s lawyers from time to time, and they are certainly disturbed—there’s no other word for it—about the way in which the money is being squandered. And now it appears that Miss Sladye has come to them saying s"he wishes to settle practically three parts of the money that is hers on this Miss Charibury! I suppose you didn’t know that?”

“No, I didn’t know that,” said Judith “I think it is very like Hester, but I am rather sorry to hear it because -** “My dear, you needn’t go on.” said Sir Henry. He turned round and drew his daughter’s face towards him and kissed her tenderly. “There are cer tain things in human nature which would be very difficult for you always to accept, my dear. Don’t try to understand things which are beyond you, and above all don’t put a very human individual on a pedestal because I’m afraid you will find that person wil fall from the pedestal before very long.” (To be continued.)