Leaves of Destiny

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 397, 4 July 1928, Page 5

Leaves of Destiny

/5v

Dorothea Corboald

CHAPTER X (Continued) “I have offended you by saying that, have I?” Sir Lindsay said softly. “You must know that I think you the loveliest ” “I hate compliments!” Barbara said sharply, and then the curtain went up, and she gave all her attention to the stage, hut Sir Lindsay frowned. He was not getting on very fast, he told himself, in his endeavours to win this girl-—and he was beginning to get impatient. In the first interval there came a knock at the door of the box, and Sir Lindsay went to open it. The visitor was Captain Mordaunt. “Caught sight of you just now when I came back from taking Miss Cliampneys to a friend's box,” he said, “so thought I’d come here and —Miss Denning?” There was more than surprise in Teddy Mordaunt’s voice. There was incredulous amazement, and Barbara noticed and resented it. “Sir Lindsay has kindly given me the great treat of seeing the Russian dancers,” she said calmly. “I never thought I should ever get the opportunity.” “I see! Awfully good, aren’t they?” Captain Mordaunt took the seat next

Author or ” A Fats. Fr.endsh.pV “ Hi* Fair Enemy.’ Hem ,n Bondage." Ae. her, and after discoursing on ordinary topics, said abruptly: “Pity about Anstruther, wasnt it? I suppose you haven’t heard from him lately?” Barbara shook her head. “I have never heard from him since he left London,” she replied. “Indeed? He told me he had written to explain why he hadn’t fetched his hoy himself. Awfully nice little chap, Reggie. Talked a lot about his ‘Auntie Barb’ra. I stayed at Collingham Hall, you know, for Christ-, mas—of course Anstruther being laid up ” “Laid up?” Barbara's tone was sharply anxious. “Why—what has happened to him?” “Sprained his ankle badly just before Christmas and had to He up—jolly hard lines with people staying in the house——” “I suppose his fiancee, Lady Ida Cravenshaw, was there?” Sir Lindsay suddenly put in. “I was told the wedding was to be this summer.” “I don’t know about that. She was there, of course, but I haven't heard anything about any engagement, except that Mrs. Anstruther told the mater she hoped the match would come off soon— — Barbara turned to Sir Lindsay.

“Did you know of Mr. Anstruther’s accident?” she asked abruptly. “Why of course he knew!” Captain Mordaunt exclaimed before Sir Lindsay could reply. “I told him myself at the time, didn’t I, old chap?” “I —did you. I had forgotten.” Sir Lindsay tried to speak indifferently, but he had caught the angry gleam in Barbara’s eyes, and knew that she believed he was lying. CHAPTER XI. “He was better, but tried to walk too soon and got laid up again. However, I had a letter from him this morning saying he was all right and hoped to he in town —hello! Curtain going up? I must hurry or I shall catch it!” and Teddy was gone! It is doubtful how much of the play performed by a celebrated actor and actress Barbara heard. Her mind was full of what Captain Mordaunt had just been saying—of Anstruther’s accident which had been the real cause of his not having fetched Reggie himself, of his having written to her after all, and of how she had misjudged him. Meanwhile Sir Lindsay was telling himself that the time had come when he must declare his love and compel Barbara to accept it. This dillydallying with a fictitious friendship must come to an end, and so great was his vanity and his belief in his own powers of fascination, fostered by many a love affair in the past, that he had not the slightest doubt that this girl would be his for the asking. At present she was angry with him, he knew, for not having told her about Ansthuther’s accident. Could it he that there had been anything between them? Anstruther might he a formidable rival, he —Charters —would have little chance against him if Barbara loved him —Sir Lindsay set his teeth savagely. But then, on the other hand, if his seeming indifference had caused her feelings toward him to change, why, a few gently hinted remarks about his forthcoming marriage might serve to convince her that her hopes of winning him were vain.

As the curtain fell. Barbara made some comment upon the piece, and the performers, which showed that she did not intend to discuss Donald Anstruther, and Sir Lindsay following her lead, the conversation between them turned upon more congenial topics, and he made up his mind that, utter all, Barbara’s resentment against him had no tangible reason since his suspicions with regard to Anstruther and herself were unfounded. Could he but have known it, however, it was the very sentiment which he feared, that made Barbara determined not to show any resentment against him for having purposely misled her with regard to Donald Anstruther’s movements. Her secret was locked in her own breast, and it was not to Lindsay Charters's curious gaze that it would be revealed, especially as she realised that Anstruther’d engagement to Lady Ida Cravenshaw was an established fact and that he must be nothing more to her now for ever. She would give much to know the details

of Anstruther’s accident, but even on that point feared a misconstruction of her interest in his sprained ankle. Sir Lindsay, however, perhaps because he wanted confirmation of the fact that Barbara took no further interest in his rival, volunteered the information himself. “X didn’t know Anstruther's accident was so serious,” he remarked, as the curtain went down after the last enthusiastic recall of the artists, and he and Barbara prepared to leave the theatre, “he sprained his ankle on the golf links, I believe, but it seems to have been serious enough to lay him up for some weeks—l’m sorry ” “Yes, it is a pity,” Barbara replied, “but a sprained ankle is not dangerous, and Captain Mordaunt said Mr. Anstruther was all right again. Thanks I will have a taxi—l must get home quickly. And it is raining fast; I shall spoil my best hat!” laughing, “a serious consideration nowadays.” As Barbara was on her way upstairs, Mrs. Bloggs came hurrying after her. “I’ve got Mr. Smith in my parlour,” the latter said in a hoarse whisper, with a gesture of her thumb toward the apartment in question. ‘ ’e’ve come ter see you, Miss Dennin’, an’ as I knowed you’d not be late, I arst ’im ter wait a bit. My! but ’e looks quite the gentleman! No end of a swell —’e must ’a’ got a rise in that new job of his ” Anstruther in Town, after all, and waiting here to see her? Barbara could scarcely believe her ears, and her heart beat so quickly that she could feel it thumping against her ribs, while joy struggled with another feeling that was almost fear . “If you’d like ter see ’im in my room, you’re welcome,” went on Mrs, Bloggs. The next instant Barbara was calmly “Thank you—l will go ’’ shaking hands with her visitor, telling him she was pleased to see him, and inquiring for Reggie. “I left him well and happy,” was the reply. “Very anxious to see his Auntie Barbara and to know why she had not written to him yet." Anstruther’s eyes were taking in every detail of Barbara's appearance, telling himself that she was prettier and more adorable than ever, in her smart summer-like costume of the shade of blue he most admired, and the becoming hat, which set off her lovely face, with Its cheeks flushed — was it with pleasure at seeing him?— and radiant eyes—anl all the resentment he had tried to feel at her indifference with regard to his accident, and her friendship with Lindsay Charters subsided, he only thought of how much he loved her! “You never even answered my letter,” he added, as Barbara did not reply. “The one telling you of my accident which prevented my fetching Reggie myself.” “I have never received any letter from you since you wrote directly Marriott’s “House Warming” crowned with success. Further attractions, many more bargains, next Friday and Saturday.—2.

after you left here,” was the rather cold response. “And, as a matter of fact, i had never even heard of your accident till to-day, when 1 met Capt. Mordaunt and he told me. Your mother wrote, and I answered her letter.”

“Very strange!” murmured Anstruther. “X can’t understand it. When my mother suggested sending my old nurse, Susan Parsons, to fetch Reggie, as she and my father were so anxious to have him with them for Christmas, I wrote explaining everything, so that you should understand why it was impossible for me to undertake the journey then, but that I intended to see you later on. A set-back I had. however, made that impossible till now. I hope you have not been very lonely without Reggie, but from what I hear Charters seems to have come to the fore, to give you a good time

For the life of him Austruther could not refrain from mentioning the name of the man he felt was his rival, though he had made up his mind that at his first interview with Barbara, he would not spoil the pleasure ofl their meeting by introducing this — to him, unpleasant topic—it could keep, but somehow “Sir Lindsay has beeu very kind to me,” Barbara replied, and there was j no sign of embarrassment in her manner. “I have quite come to the conclusion that my former dislike of him was unjustified ” “Indeed?” Anstruther stiffened. “I am glad to hear it.” “He has tried to give me pleasure and to lighten my sad and lonely lot,” Barbara went on, unconscious of the passion of fury her words were arous ing in the breast of her visitor. “And I am grateful to him —l have been to a matinee at His Majesty's with him this afternoon” —this time her laugh was a little self-conscious —“I wanted to see the Russian dancers —it was all very delightful! ” “No doubt. I congratulate you on having found life so much more endurable,” with sarcastic emphasis, “and I am glad that my anxiety as to the effect of my taking your little companion away from you has been needless. I cannot, with my knowledge of Charters’s past record, quite j reconcile it with his role of a friend, but no doubt I am prejudiced. Of i course now, you having ceased to allow Bates to fetch you home from the ' theatre at night, is explained. I heard you had done so from his employers, not from him.” “I gave up the car because I knew you let me have it as a sort of return for my having looked after Reggie,” was Barbara’s reply, the colour deepening in her cheeks. “When he had gone the obligation ceased —and for this same reason I returned the £SO your mother sent me ” (To be continued.)