PAID IN FULL

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21191, 14 August 1940, Page 5

PAID IN FULL

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H. S. Sarbert

An Invitation The sports car had pulled up, and the solitary occupant now jumped out. She was a girl of about twenty, tall and slender, beautifully dressed. She came towards them now. “You should not allow your child to play in the roadway, my good woman,” she said loftily. “You see things only from your own point of view. There might have been pretty bad consequences for me as well—the way I had to swerve.” Mrs Brown was not allowed to reply. It was David who did that —and his eyes blazed as he looked at the girl. “I don’t know who you are,” he stated, “but there’s one thing I do know, and that is that you should be downright ashamed of yourself! What this woman says is right. You were driving to the common danger, taking a corner like that. You might have killed this wee mite, and the least you can do is to apologise —instead of which you seek to justify yourself ” “My good man ” “I’m not you ‘good man. at all!” cried David Preston. “I’m old enough to be your father, I daresay, and if I was your father, I’d take that car away from you and see that you never drove another, until you learnt how to drive with care!” “How dare you ” Carrie Lucas did not finish the sentence, for someone else had come along. Harry Preston was looking from his father to the girl, and as she saw him, the frown went from Carrie’s face, and she extended her hand. “Why, it’s Mr Preston from the architects’ office, isn’t it?” she said. • How are you?” “I'm very well, thanks,” Harry replied, “and I'm feeling pretty flattered, too, that you should remember me, Miss Lucas.” Harry was tall—about his father’s height, but broader. His features were more delicate, too; his mouth more shapely and sensitive; his jaw not quite so firm. But the forehead and eyes were the same, and there was the same dark brown hair. It was easy to recognise them as father and son.

Harry made the introduction, stating that he had met Miss Lucas a few days before when he had gone up to the Hall on business. Carrie gave the father a cool nod, and turned to Harry again. “Well this is rather an extraordinary meeting,” she said. “And I am quite sure that your father will not approve of your knowing me. Mr Preston.” “Not approve?” Harry frowned. “But that is absurd, Miss Lucas!” “No, it isn’t, not if you ask him. I turned the corner too sharply to please your father. There happened to be a child playing in the roadway, and your father blames me for the accident that did not happen. He was just telling me all the things he would do to me if had been his daughter when you came up. I think he might even have thrashed me and locked me in a room.” David’s gaze did not waver. “I think perhaps I might have done that,” he stated, “after the way you have behaved.” Harry frowned again. It was not very often he frowned at his father, but he did so now, most distinctly.

“All this is absurd, dad,” he said quite sharply. “I am quite sure that it was the merest accident. 1 have the pleasure of knowing Miss Lucas. She has been very kind to me, and I am quite sure she would not—”

David did not wait to hear the completion of the sentence. For one thing, two customers had entered his shop; for another, he die not want to quarrel with his boy before this girl, who looked on with red lips curved into a sneering smile —this girl who did not seem to ! realise how near she had been to a | most serious accident, who did not j show the slightest sorrow for it. ! He turned on his heel and walked i away, but Harry remained talking to the girl for some time. He helpI ed her into the car, and stood in the | road while she drove away. Before she rounded the corner she I turned and waved to him. j “Don't forget—l shall expect you!'* i she called out. “It’ll be all right ! about the invitation. I’ll see to ! that!” j "I'll be there,” Harry called back. : “And thank you!” j Harry went in and had his tea, and i then got on with the accounts, as i he had promised. It was not until ! the shop had closed that David had a chance of talking to his son. He ! went into the room at the back of j the shop just as Harry was closing I the ledger. , j “I’ve balanced up, Dad,” Harry j told his father, "and you show a i profit of eleven pounds three shil- • lings for the month. That isn’t j so good, is it? But you didn’t expect a good balance, did you?”

David Preston shook his head. “No, Harry, I didn’t expect it,” he answered. “Thanks lor getting the ' job finished so quick*/ for me. And now I’d like to tell you exactly what happened.” He gave the particulars briefly. “I was angry,” Kte added. “I admit that I said just what was in my mind, and I feel that I was right. But I had no idea that you knew her.” Harry Preston flushed up. “Miss Lucas’s father is a wealthy London man, and they are staying as guests at the Hall just now,” he said. “I went up there on business and met Miss Lucas in the grounds. Our firm is fixing up a new summerhouse and an artificial lake, as I think I told you. Miss Lucas took me round and stopped with me while I sketched out the plans. She is very beautiful and very charming, Dad! She was particularly gracious to me, and I’m sorry that you have quarrelled with her. I think you said rather too much!” “You wouldn’t have said that if you had seen the whole thing—and the face of the child’s mother, Harry!” David Preston didn’t mention how near he had been himself to a serious accident. “Did I hear you say you were going up there again?” “Yes—next Wednesday,” Harry replied. “Miss Lucas has invited me to the Hall for dinner. She wants her father to see some of my sketches. I hope you’ll be able to meet again, Dad, and. put this matter right.” David made no reply, and presently the two men went out for their stroll. They strode along side by side, but somehow this evening was not quite as others had been. Harry did not talk such a lot. On other occasions he had always had plenty to tell his father about all that had gone on during the day; but today he seemed lost in thought for long periods, and David also found it difficult to speak. It was this girl who had made the difference, the elder man decided. Harry had not spoken of her before. He had seemed rather embarrassed about the whole thing. But one point was quite plain. He was angry with his father for having spoken in the way he had. He would like to have made him apologise, but David would not do that, for he knew he had been right. (To be continued)