Love Calls Twice

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21304, 24 December 1940, Page 8

Love Calls Twice

NEW SERIAL STORY

by ELEANOR DEERING

A Fascinating Love Story.

CHAPTER 11. (continued) “Yes.” She spoke slowly, and then added: “It might be a bit rough, but I hope it’s calm enough. Look“Eh? Oh, of course, of course!” And that’s that, thought Joyce. He’s like a bear with a sore head, and She tried to pretend that she did not know why. But she realised that it was practically certain that the gossipers had been busy, and that the story of her career down the High Street with a strange young man in a two-seater had reached him. The absurdity of his behaviour made her angry, and yet she could not force herself to forget the awkward situation that would be created if he learned it was the man who had nearly caused trouble the previous night. She tried to see the humorous side of the affair, but it was difficult. Ray was behaving like a child. She could see the whiteness at the corner of his lips, and knew he was having a hard fight to keep back an outburst of temper. Oh, well It was strange that a man who had seen her casually at the fair should have had such an effect. His talk of interfering with her romance had not been so wide off the mark after all. In her knowledge of this, she had ceased to wonder at the remarkable fact that a man who had been shouting for the Giant Caterpillar was the owner—it seemed—of a costly sports car, and was also a well-known man in Loaming. It was impossible for her to understand the reason for that, but she might have given it a great deal more thought had Ray been in a different mood. The annoying thing was that there was no reason in the world why she should not talk to him about it, and exchange opinions. She should have been able to do so, and yet she knew a word about it, from her, would put the match to the fire. For the first time since their one real quarrel, she began to feel unhappy about Ray. It was impossible not to be a little, jealous; she knew that. But it was absurd to carry it to such an extreme as this. Unless, of course, there was something else the matter. It was just possible that he had had bad news. His father’s illness, for instance, might have taken a change for the worse. She was prepared in a few moments to heap scorn and derision on herself, and she was about to ask after the Colonel when Ray said suddenly: “Who was that fellow in the village?” So that was the trouble. Joyce forced back a retort as sharply as his own question, and said peaceably: “A Mr Mason. The Rector introduced me, and he insisted on running me back to the cottage. How on earth did you hear of that?” “It wouldn’t have been a bad idea if you’d told me,” said Ray slowly. “We-well —it’s hardly big enough to talk about, Ray. Heavens, I wasn’t with the man for more than ten minutes, and " “Oh. I know. I heard all about it.” Ray snapped. “And it’s bad enough to feel you’d accept a lift with a stranger, but when it’s a fellow who rants for a circus booth, I think it’s the limit. I suppose you wouldn’t like to say it was a different fellow? Perhaps an astonishing likeness, or a twin or something?” He was furiously angry, Joyce could see: and her own temper was on edge. She saw him put his foot down heavier then ever on the accelerator, and the car shot along, while neither of them spoke, and the tension between them grew worse. CHAPTER IV. It was Ray who broke the silence. They had reached; a nasty corner, and she was glad to see he was sufficiently in control of himself to slow down as they approached it. On the other side was a stretch of gorseland, and they had often pulled into the side, and walked across the heath. Today he went straight along, at forty miles an hour?” “Well, now who’s silent?” “There are times when it’s not wise to talk,” said Joyce quietly. “You’re being absurd, Ray, and we don’t want to start quarrelling on the only day we’ve had together for more than a month.” “I know we don’t, but heaven knows I’ve cause enough for being bad tempered. You took the fellow’s part last night, and—and when I heard you’d met him this morning ” “Putting it like that it sounds as if I had an assignation v/ith him, said Joyce, forcing her voice to keep steady. “I met him by accident, and I was surprised out of my life when the Rector introduced me. I’d no idea who it waa ” “You’d no idea how to decline an offer of a lift, I suppose?” Joyce went white to the lips. “As a matter of fact, I tried. It would have caused some disturbance if I’d really refused. Half the village was looking on, and I hardly imagined you’d like it to be the stock topic for weeks to come. Who carried the tale to you, anyhow?” “One of the gardeners. I’d a right to know, hadn't I?” “If it makes you behave like this, I can’t say that I think so,” said Joyce. “Will you stop the car?” For the first time he forgot his temper in surprise. He pulled up, more from habit than anything else, and when they were travelling at five miles an hour, he asked: “But why?”

"Because you and I are going to talk,” said Joyce quietly, “and not when the car’s travelling at speed.” He raised no more questions, but turned into the side of the road. Joyce opened her door, and he had to iollow her. For a few seconds thev walked side by side over the gorse, and then Joyce said in a strained voice: “Listen, Ray. You know exactly what happened last night, and I’ve told you what happened this morning. *” I’ll go further and tell you that the man Mason bothered himself to find out where 1 lived, and actually came to the village to sec me. But it was not because of anything I d c'one or said, and it s certainly no reason for you to behave as you are doing. Do you l remember when we quarrelled badly a year ago?” iTo be continued daily). „