The Two Miss Carrs

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 64, 7 June 1927, Page 16

T he Two Miss Carrs

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Thomas Cobb,

Author of “ Joanna Sets to Work” “The Late Mr. Beverly” &c., &c

SYNOPSIS OP PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. CHAPTERS 1 to IV.—Airs. Fentiman flatters herself that she does not look her aj?e, although she is 10 years older than Dick Warrender. He knows he lias only to say the word and the lady pud all her possessions are his. At six on Friday evening he enters her drawing-room. She is trying to gel him a post as private secretary to Sir Edwin Shaekel, and arranges an interview. which Dick promises to keep. Mrs. Fentiman returns from a visit to her mother on the following Wednesday. Sho sees Dick Warrender with a young Indy companion. She is handsomely dressed, and holds a Sealyham by the leash. I.ater in the day Mrs. Fentiman entertains Dick and taxes him about this young lady, whom Dick owns ne does not know. Although angry with him, she repeats her invitation to tennis oi Saturday. Or their way to tennis Luke Harborough notices that Dick Warvender waves his hat to a radiant-look-ing girl standing bareheaded at a cottage gate. On Monday Dick devotes the day lo Mary Carr and on that morning Mrs. Fentiman drives past in her car. She recognises the girl, and greets Dick with a distant bow. On Thursday afternoon Alary Is . staying, but Mrs. Dale says her lodger went away vesterdav afternoon. and is not expected back till Saturday. A little later, in Hyde Park, he comes arross another lady with a Sealyham. The dog recognises him, and Dick scrapes acquaintance with the girl He brings up the topic of Mary Carr, and his companion asks whether she has yet obtained a situation. Dick ’s astounded, and asks whether Miss Carr left her last situation on Saturday “Yes. last Saturday,” is the reply. Having made up his mind to forget Mary, Dick cioes not take her home on Sunday, hut, believing she wants a situation, he gets a Mrs. Harborough to call on the girl. Mary says she does not mind being a lady help. CHAPTER Vl.—(Continued.) “Most neople would certainly think so," was the significant answer. “Thank you so much for telling me," said Mary, with her head in the air, and, walking away from Virginia Cottage a few minutes later, Airs. Harborough was already thinking of those among her many acquaintances who were in domestic trouble. It was not everybody who would care to engage that type of young woman, she should not herself. Aliss Carr was above her station. Later in the afternoon, Mrs. Harborough went to Luke’s bedroom, opening his wardrobe and taking out the new evening suit, which on Dick’s introduction he had ordered from Yarrow and Son at a far higher price than he had ever paid before. He had an engagement that evening. She always took care that his invitation cards should be placed in a conspicuous position in the drawing room, so that visitors could not fail to see them. Airs. Harborough considered that he looked really quite distinguished in the new (By special arrangement Reuter's Worio Service. In addition to other specia* sources of Information, 1.3 used in the compilation of the oversea intelligence published iin this issue, and all rights therein in Australia a-d New Zealand are reserved.)

suit, though he never took any pains with himself, being unlike Dick in this regard. Still, he had succeeded after three wasted efforts in tying a nice white bow this evening, and he had time for a pipe after dinner. Setting out after spending a few moments over the detector crystal, he took the road by the common to the station. It was a beautiful evening, with the scent of May in the air and approaching Mrs. Dale’s gate, he saw Mary Carr helping the landlady to water her plants. In a simple, light blue gown, bare-headed, she walked along the path, a red can in her hand, watching the water as it sprayed over the delphiniums. Seeing Luke, she came to the gate, setting down the can and resting her arms on the top. “The water sounded so refreshing," she said, “that I couldn’t resist offering to help. Did you know ” she added with a rather mysterious smile, “that I had a visit from Mrs. Harborough this afternoon? She was talking about Mrs. Fentiman. I suppose you knew her husband.” “He was a patient of my father's,” returned Luke. “A sort of hypochrondriac, more than old enough to be his wife’s father. Within a year of their marriage he crocked altogether. He used to be wheeled about in a bathchair, with Airs. Fentiman by his side. She’s not half a bad sort, you know.” For a moment Mary was silent, then raising her eyes she looked full fnto Luke’s face. “She’s supposed to be going to marry Mr. Warrender.” she astonished him by exclaiming. “I shouldn’t accept that as a foregone conclusion.” he answered. “Mrs. Harborough does,” she insisted. “I can read between the hues. What a horrid position for a woman to be placed in.” “Mrs. Fentiman, do you mem?” asked Luke. “The very poorest may at least feel certain she’s wanted for herself. The richest can never tell.” “Possession is nine points of the law,” said Luke. “Of, if that is all you care about,” she cried contemptuously. “You’re young enough to be roman- 1 tic.” he suggested. “Romantic! To expect disinterestedness in the man who wants to be your husband. It must,” she added, “be very convenient for Mr. Warrender to feel that he has always such a resource in the background.” “Haven’t you seen enough of him.” demanded Luke, “to know that he is absolutely without a background? Dick

always makes a point of sticking all his goods in the window—good, bad or indifferent.”

“Are you going to Airs. Fentiman’s this evening?” asked Mary.

“To a sort of musical-at-home -at Lady Canningbury’s,” Luke answered, and, taking her arms from the gate, Aliss Carr stood suddenly erect. It was impossible not to notice her change of face. The conversation had surprised him from the outset; she had obviously dragged Airs. Fentiman’s name into it with th j object of learning something of her relationship to Dick Warrender. No doubt his mother had been gossiping. She could seldom resist the temptation. “Do —do you know Lady Canningbury well?” demanded Alary. “I’ve never even seen her,” was the reply. “Her son—Rupert Denison—has chambers under mine in D ope’s Court. • He made me promise to go, though he has left me in the cart. This afternoon he coolly said that he felt too seedy to put in an appearance. He can’t stick his stepfather, and I "han’t know a soul there.”

“You will be rather late,” murmured Alary, and he walked away feeling more conscious of the incongruity between her vivid personality arid his mother’s intention to find her a situation as a sort of nursery governess, than ever. Pie could not avoid a suspicion that there was something in the background, though he could not , imagine what. Why in the world 1 should Bunch’s owner have told Warrender anything but the truth? Yet she had said that Aliss Carr was 011 the look-out for a berth, that it was vitally important she should find one without loss of time. Luke felt perplexed about her and she still occupied his thoughts when he reached Sir Peter Canningbury’s house in Park Lane. lie could not forget Aliss Carr's sudden consternation on hearing where he was doing. CHAPTER VII. Lady Canningbury had a son by her first husband and a daughter by her second, Laura being by general admission one of the most beautiful of last season’s debutantes. She was. like her mother, of the tall and stately order, and though she had little to say for herself she could listen with the most delightful of smiles. Lady Canningbury was doing her best, and it really appeared as if Lord , Rothnill had been attracted. A man of forty, tall, massively built, he had a pompous manner, a handsome face and a large estate. It was said to • .have been a serious disappointment to i leave the House of Commons on his accession to the earldom three years | ago, and although he had two charming little girls he naturally desired an . heir. His wife having beer dead , eighteen months, he was expected to , marry again without much more delay. Lady Canningbury hoping that he would choose her daughter. ’ Her rooms were crowded this evening. Piranelli, the new violinist, had ; undertaken to play 7, but his manager

had sent an excuse at the last moment, and some of the guests who had come only to hear him, soon went away, while others constantly arriving kept up a buzz of conversation while the string quartet was play 7 ing. Luke Harborough quickly began to feel bored. He knew nobody amongst the throng, though he could recognise the faces of one or two distinguished men, Lord Rothnill amongst them. Lady Canningbury stood at the top of the wide staircase with an automatic smile on her face, while Sir Peter’s bald head could be seen bobbing about the. room. Still the evening had an unexpected importance for Luke, inasmuch as it brought him into contact with the other Aliss Carr. He had scarcely noticed her till he heard the name, though no doubt she would at once have been recognised by Dick Warrender. Luke was leaning against the wall, thinking that he might as well slip away, when his attention was suddenly arrested. “Ah, Miss Carr, good evening.” The stilted words came from Lord Rothnill, and, turning towards him, Luke, saw that he was moving away from a rather tall young lady, exceptional amongst those of her own age by the circumstance that her fair ha ; r was r-either bobbed nor shingled Aaoreover, she held herself quite erect, and her dark gown was not fashioned to disguise a womanly figure. Of course, the name was not t particularly uncommon one, and might not be spelt in the same way as Alary’s. Hers, he assumed, was “Carr,” but this girl’s might be, for all he could tell “Kerr,” or “Ker.” Remembering her namesake’s demeanour on hearing

a few hours ago that he was going to Lady Canningbury’s, Luke couid not help associating her obvious consternation with the presence of Lord Rothnill’s acquaintance. With that exception, she seemed to know no one in the room, though it could scarcely be suggested that she looked bored. Luke had the impression that she was enjoying the passing show, and he fancied there was a humorous twinkle in her eyes, though her expression on the was demure. By skilful manoeuvring he succeeded in making his way to her side, and, despite a reputation for bashfulress with women, ventured on* a remark concerning the uncomfortablycrowded rooms and the general disappointment at Piranelli s default. “1 should be quite thankfu*. to be able to sit down,” she said, ‘but there doesn’t seem much chance, and the car won’t be here for more than an hour.’ “Let me see what 1 can do,” suggested Luke, and after a little perseverance actually managed to find an unoccupied chair. “1 couldn’t help overhearing your name,” he said, standing just behind :t “1 happen to know a Aliss Can.” She turned her head, looking up deliberately into his face. “There are heaps of the name.’ she returned. “The young lady I know is Aliss Mary Carr,” said Luke. “So am I,” was the surprising response. “though my friends cad rne Molly. Where does your Aliss Carr live?” (To be continued)