THE ROAD TO HAPPINESS

Waikato Times, Volume 123, Issue 20690, 28 December 1938, Page 8

THE ROAD TO HAPPINESS

by ELEANOR DEERING

NEW SERIAL STORY

CHAPTER 11. Excitement Anne turned into the little wicket gale of the cottage, and her frown disappeared as she saw her mother by the tlower border next to the rosecovered porch. Her white teeth flashed in a smile as she waved. "I thought I told you." she called, “to leave that until I came home." Mrs Mayfield chuckled. She was & woman of rather more than middleage, although her grey hair and her lined face suggested more years than she had actually lived. She had had much anxiety in the past five years. In fact, looking back. Anne marvelled at the fact that her mother had overcome the shock of her father's death. The worrying days of struggle and efTort that had followed, more especially to a woman who had always lived in‘comfortable circumstances, had done little to strengthen the older woman against the ravages of time. If there was one thing that would alwavs remain constant in Anne s life, it was her devotion to her mother. She. knew that Mrs Mayfield was a long way from strong; she knew that she would insist every time in working in the garden and doing other things of which she was not really capable. In fact, it was all .Tanet Mayfield could do to keep the little cottage going during the daily absence of her daughter. The news that James Carfax had brought had put fresh colour in the pale cheeks and a new sparkle to the rather weary eyes, and she had laughed and smiled in the past two weeks a great deal more than she had done for years. She had a new zest lor life, and she was happy, a fact that made Anne feel a new devotion. If only, Anne thought, she could have freed her mind from the uncertainty that filled it, she would have looked forward to the future with real delight. Oh!—oh! why could not the bringer of their new fortune be an older man, someone who would not have taken her eyes from Bob Hamilton, someone who would not have meant anything to her? But it was no use thinking of that. The situation as it was had to be faced. „ •It’s all right,” Mrs Mayfield said, in answer to her daughter's outburst. *Tm quite happy doing this, dear. Have you been getting on all right toAnne nodded, but grimaced a little. “Nothing to grumble, about,” she said. “Old Tiger has been tiresome, bnt I got used to it.” „ “There’s one thing,” said Mrs Mayfield, with a cheerful smile, "you’ll not need to work for him a great deal longer. How I’ve hated that man sometimes!” Anne laughed. “He’s not so bad,” she said, ‘but he gets so worked up.” She reached her mother, and they kissed each other. “Is tea ready?” she asked, a moment later. Mrs Mayfield nodded. j “It’s been waiting for the last

twenty minutes." she said. “You’re a ■ it’s why I wondered whether the G.donel had been in one of his bad moods.” \vh m \nne fre- ■ luentiy railed the Tiger, but only to her rn.dher. because of his outbursts had spent a great many years in India, and the hot climate had completely ruined his temper. He was a choleric, fieryfaced, man of sixty, kind enough at heart, but extremely difficult to work for. Like most of the landed gentry in that district, he was hard put to it to keep up appearances, and although he would have liked to have paid Anne more than he did, he was not able to. This probably contributed, in no small measure, to the fact that he was frequently ill-humoured when she worked for him. In order to augment his income he did a great deal of work for some of the better class magazines, writing wonderful descriptive articles of life in India. Anne had often said that the other disadvantages of working for the Tiger were more than made up for by her opportunity of learning, first hand, of the amazing things he had done, or had seen done, in the years he had spent abroad. The mother and her daughter entered the house. It was a small place, with only four rooms, but they had made the most of it. Chintz curtains and covers of exquisite taste abounded. There were very few ornaments, and only one or two small good pictures and etchings adorned the tastefully papered walls. Over the mantelpiece of the front room—where tea was set—was a large portrait of John Mayfield, and anyone who saw' the photograph knew immediately where Anne’s fine blue eyes and firm chin had been inherited from. A slight breeze was moving the curtains at the window, and the meal passed pleasantly, despite the heat. But all tiie time Anne had an idea there was something exciting her mother. Frequently Mrs Mayfield’s grey eyes would twinkle at some secret joke, but she said no word of anything out of the ordinary. Anne told herself that her mother was enjoying some little secret, and she did not ask any questions. When they had finished tea, and had washed up together, Mrs Mayfield spoke at last of the thing she hiad been keeping to herself. “I’ve heard from the Carfax’s again,” she said. Anne’s heart leapt; there was a gleam in her eyes that her mother took to show excitement because of the change in their fqrtunes. “Have you? Is it anything important?” Mrs Mayfield nodded and took a letter from her pocket. “You can read it for yourself,” she said. “It won’t be very long nowbefore we are away from here.” She paused for a moment, but as Anne unfolded the letter she went on quickly. “Before you read it, Anne, I think I had better tell you something that has been in my mind for some time past. This cottage is a pretty little place, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea if we kept it. The rent, is very small, and we can easily afford it now.” Anne nodded, hut her eyes were turned down towards the letter, and her mother did not see the expression

in them. “It would be a fgood idea.” she said, but she was telling herself that her mother was thinking of Bob Hamilton, and she was by no means certain that she wanted ts maintain the association with Bob. She read the letter eagerly. It was from James Carfax's father, Sir ■Edward Carfax, and although it was brief, it. was kindly, and it certainly contained splendid news. The letter ran.— “My dear Janet, I am very glad to tell you that we have been able to get the Will through probate very quickly, and it will be a matter of a few days only before you are in possession of the legacy. I need not say that any advice or help 1 can give you will be most readily offered, and the same, I am sure, applies to James. As you know, I have only recently recovered, from a severe bout of fever, and 1 am still not fit to travel to Sussex, but if you and Anne feel that you would care to spend a few days at Carfax Hall, we shall be more than delighted to have you here. With the warmest wishes from myself and my wife, Yours very sincerely, Edward Carfax.” If the closing words, “and my wife,” sounded a little stiff, Anne knew that Sir Edward Carfax had recently married a second time after many years of loneliness, fallowing the death of his first wife. The Mayfields had never seen the new Lady Carfax, but they had read of Hie wedding in the daily papers, and knew that she had been for many years a prominent actress. Angela Layering—her stage name—had built up a world-wide reputation fi»r her acting in straight dramas, and Anne was. looking forward with no small pleasure to meeting her on an equal footing. “Well, what do you think of it?” asked Mrs Mayfield. ■ It's glorious.” said Anne. “So wp shall really hr able to start, looking for our new home in the next few days’?” (To be continued to-morrow)