"Pretty Penelope,"

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 25 July 1913, Page 2

"Pretty Penelope,"

(OUR SERIAL

By tffie Adelaide Rowlands, Author oS "A Girl's Kingdom," "A Splendid Man" "Tbe Interloper," "A Kinsman a Sin, Brave Baibaia, etc.

CHAPTER XlV.—Continued

Several of these perplexed individuals paused before committing themselves by calling on the girl mistress of Thicket Croft; but their troubled minds were at once set at rest when it became known that old Lady Susan Versclioyle had actually braved the dangers of the east wind to drive a oouple of- mites to drink tea with Miss Desborough in her oozy ball. Lady Susan was the social barometer of Westshire, and what she did, so did all the .rest of "the world around <ind about her. Penelope's position was at once assured, although the girl had not troubled herself in the very least about her neighbours or about their possible opinion or non-opinion. .She was very busy on the afternoon of Lady Susan's visit. A whole vanload of rugs and curtains and draperies had arrived from Liberty's and some of the other big London shops; and, swathed in a brown holland apron, her pretty feet planted firmly on the top of same steps, her hammer working away like magic, while Kate and Downs below quarrelled fiercely in whispers, Penelope was scarcely ..in the smartest trim when her housekeeper, who was her faithful Kate's mother, announced the arrival of her first guest. •She received Lady Susan ■: With a blush iand an excuse, but her visitor had fallen in love with her at once. "I was told I would find a most charming little creature," ' by and by, when tea (had been brought, "and I was quite prepared to be pleased, Miss Desborough, fori have a lively recollection of your mother, and I remember I thought her one of the sweetest women I had ever met."

Any word of her mother touched the most vital part of Penelope's heart.

"1 think—l remember —I have heard lier speak of you,. Lady Susan," she said, her lips trembling a little, for tiipe had not yet cured flier grief. "You used to stay at Latimar Court, did you not?" Lady Susan absented.

A journey south had, of course, been recommended by Doctor Westall ; but nothing would induce Marcia to 'listen to this plan. "I am all right," ishe said over and over again to Denis, twlien he urged her to let him make arrangements for speedy departure. "I hate the Riviera, and I aim getting better every day. I shall certainly not go abroad this winter, at all events."

"Paul Lati-nar was my nephew. I am Denis' great-aunt, and I have a very great. affection for him.' I have seen very little of him of late years, owing to my many years of residence abroad; but I was deeply attached to both Paul and his wife, and, as a boy, I think Denis Avas the dearest little chap in tlhe world." Penelope bent over the teacups and said nothing. She was trembling a iittle from tlhe effect of Lady Susan's words. i She knew now how the warmth of Denis' love for her had found a vent, had discovered a means of doing something to please her to benefit her; for Penelope had learned, through Mrs Rochdale, that Lady Susan wag the one important person in the county, and knew the value sucfe ia> friendship must «bo to heir. . She would have been attracted to her visitor tinder any circumstances, but, coming as she did,, with the influence of Denis' thoughts aboiit her, Penelope felt, almost a love for the silver-haired old lady. ' -They talked a long while, and chiefly about Penelope's plansl for her house and for her future life.

"But," • Denis would begin, and then stop abruptly; for when Marcia flashed that sharp look at him from under hor heavy eyelids, t?ind pinched in her pale lips, he know he might as well have tried tn -nove a rock from its base as persuaded her against some sullen and, to 'him, incomprehensible reason that had formed itself into her mind.

' 'You are young to be mil one, my child," Lady Susan said; bait site did not speak reprovingly.,- "You must learn to run over to me now and then. I am sorry to say I oannot'always venture out in these early spring days, but we are not far apart., arc in ia trap or on Ihorsebaok—" "I am afraid I shall be a nuisance, I shall oorae so often," Penelope said with a moisture in her wonderful blue eyes. _ (

"You vill always be welcome, my dear," was the gentle, earnest- reply; "and then you must make use of .me. F know a little about the people hefre, and I oaii direct you. if you need any help in the .matter of choosing your acquaintances. Oh! lam not at all. kind. If you were not Mairgaret Latimar's .godchild and Denis' little friend, I am sure I .Should do just as much. Your face is your recommendation, my dear; I have Mien in love with you." Penelope made reply to this in her prettiest fashion, and then something moved her, urged hor to speak of him. ."Have—have you seen Denis lately?" she asked. "Is he well?" "I had a flying visit from him about a week or ten days ago," Lady Susan , s3iid, rising to depart. "He came before you arrived, and chiefly, 1 think, to tell me about you. I suppose, however, you go frequently to the Court? I have not been since —Denis brought his wife there. We met in town one day, and we did not —how shall I say it?—well, the old lady laiughod, "Mrs Denis Latimar is not quite sympathetic to me. I don't quite understand—" and Lady Susan patusod and frowned; she remembered all at once tlhat Denis had said that Penelope was related to his wife. "My dear," the old lady said, "I hope I do not offend you with my plain speaking? I forgot for the moment that Mrs Denis Latimar was a connection of yours. Now, mi ay I have a peep at your arrangements? Dear me, how I used to revel in upholstering when I was young; give me a hammer and a box otf nails, and a window to drape, and I was happy, though we had very little scope in my young days for all these picturesque effects. You aire quite an artist 1 Everything is charming!"' Mrs Rodhdale, of course, heard in some roundabout way of Lady Susan's early visit to Thicket Oroft. She was down at Latimar Court agai i for ia few days when this news came.

' M • rcia'/s greatest fault and folly in. her dealing with her husband was the

(To be Contln-iwd )

perpetual gloom with which she permeated tiheir mutual existence.

Had .she shown the smallest tact, the faintest intimation of ai true woman's nature and heart, had she made the very least overtures to 'his sympathy and to his tenderness, ;Marcia Latimar could have been almost a happy worn hi. Donis was so ready bo see good in her, to reciprocate that good, to live not only in peace, but in pleasant fellowship and communion with his wife, to try and atone in any way for the vital fact that he did not love her as lie .should have done, that 'Marcia would have found it an easy task to make for herself a life with him which, if lacking the deeper, stronger significance, could still have been a life with sunshine and gladness in it. Marcia, however, did none of these things, the faintest grain of philosophy was absent altogether from her composition, and she had no intention of being contented and satisfied with the real affection when she knew that his love would never ho hens. Hence the reason that Denis was always glad to see Mrs Rochdale. She was not only a relief from the heavy depression produced by Mmrcia's most illjudged manner, but she exerted herself in every way to l»e a companion and to supply iihe deficiencies of her daughter to the best of her power. Although Marcia Latimar was now regarded as something more than convalescent, she was by no means restored to hea - fomer health and strength, latnd both Doctor Westall and her husband, together with her mother,' were concerned at tlhe weakness which still hung about her.