Читать книгу The Broken O - Carolyn Wells - Страница 6

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Tony Gaskell turned to tell Coles what he thought of him, but suddenly decided not to. His work as best man was done now, his trust was over. And while he regretted Bob's rudeness, it was not now his business to remark upon it. Stepping past Coles as if he were not there, Tony turned his attention to Ellen Lovell.

"Everyhting went off all right," he said, cheerily, "but I'm quite done up. You fellers don't know what hard work it is to be best man. Well, anyway, it's a gorgeous night to go to Philadelphia in a car like that!"

It was about five o'clock of a crisp, clear October evening. The party watched for the last view of the speeding car as it made for New York, and then turned back to the house.

Tony still made no difference in his attitude towards Bob Coles, but kept his eye on the young man. What, he wondered, made the kid do that? Of course, he was in love with Perilla, but, for that matter, who wasn't? But one needn't behave like a boor. Chancing to catch Ellen's eye, he walked leisurely toward her, and said in a low tone, "Best let it pass?"

"By all means," she replied. "Talk to me about it later."

"I ought to go home," Gaskell said, hesitantly.

"Oh, no," she responded. "Stay overnight, anyway, for the dance at the club. Can't you remain a few days? We'd love to have you."

"Till to-morrow night, then," he agreed.

Meantime the big car bearing Mr. and Mrs. Corey Malden was speeding through the Hudson Tunnel. Perilla had taken off her hat and gloves, and after telling her husband he was a really lovely man, so he was, had calmly put her head on his shoulder and gone to sleep.

Not until they neared Trenton did she waken, and smiling into Corey's eyes began to talk. At the same time, making use of her vanity case, she discussed every detail of the wedding, pausing now and then to bestow rapturous caresses on the man of her heart, and to wonder if they would ever reach Philadelphia, as she was simply starving.

"And what about Bob Coles?" Corey asked. "Did you encourage him to give you that beastly kiss."

"I did not! How dare you hint such a thing? But he's not to be mentioned in polite society any more. And if you ever let him come near me, I'll get a divorce! Now, Corey, tell me all about it. Where are we going first?"

"To whatever hotel in Philadelphia you like best."

"Lordy, I don't care. I hardly know 'em apart."

"That's what I thought. So I just engaged a suite at the one I like best. I have to see Garth to-morrow, you know. Then do you want to stay another day, or push on?"

"Oh, push on. I want to get to Washington, and then on to see your mother, and then—what?"

"Let's wait and see how we feel about it when the time comes. Let's just drift."

"That's what I think. You're a lovely thinker, dear. Oh, look, we must be coming into Philadelphia. Isn't it exciting!"

"To-morrow we'll take a little drive along the Wissahickon, and still have time to see Garth, and push—"

"On to Richmond! But I'd love to take that river drive."

"Let's go to England, Perilla. Have you ever driven through Devonshire and Cornwall?"

"Do you mean go now?"

"Oh, no. After we get all settled in the apartment. Or whenever you like; but soon. And we'll do a bit of France too."

"Life seems like fairyland," and she sighed happily.

"It's going to be, for us," he declared.

But he spoke without a knowledge of the future.

Next morning Perilla said she would accompany her husband on his visit to the lawyer's house, where the important business was the signing and witnessing of Cory's will. It was a somewhat long document, but it had been prepared and drawn up days before, and Malden knew every word of it. The principal matter was that the great bulk of his immense fortune was left at his death to his wife, Perilla Fairfax Malden.

Lawyer Garth, quite familiar with the finances of the Malden family, was interested to see the girl who had won his client's heart.

But no one could be other than pleased at the delicate beauty of the face and form of the bride. Perilla's dark eyes were deeply lashed, and her olive complexion and small dainty features, accompanied by a birdlike poise of her head, made up a brunette beauty not often seen.

The will witnessed and stored away in Garth's safekeeping, he summoned his sister and a little celebration took place.

"Baltimore next stop," said Corey, in answer to Garth's inquiry as to their itinerary. "Then Washington and Richmond."

As they drove back to the hotel, they changed their minds about the river drive and decided to push on to Baltimore.

They reached there in time for a late dinner and found a sheaf of telegrams. Perilla seized on these gleefully, and took them with her to their rooms.

"You may have some of them," she said, picking out several addressed to Corey.

"We'll have dinner up here in our sitting room," she decreed, "Sarah, get me into a negligee and then you take yourself off to a movie. Tell Boynton he may go, too."

"Here, here," cut in Corey, laughing, "don't usury all my rights and duties. Sarah, you send Boynton to me, I'll give him his orders."

"Oh, very well," Perilla returned, "you see, I thought you were too idle to do anything. Your telegrams any good?"

"No, are yours?"

"On the contrary. But here's the waiter for our order, and here's Boynton."

It was not until they were eating their delightful and cosy dinner that Corey said, during an absence of the waiter, "What did you mean when you said your telegrams were contrary?"

"Leave that till after dinner, dear. I can't spoil my digestion for a silly old telegram."

Next morning proved to be beautiful, and the way to Washington was all too short. Perilla was dividing her attention among her husband, the scenery and the contents of her handbag, which she had just emptied into her lap.

"Good gracious, Corio, here's that telegram you wanted to see—I forgot all about it. Want it?"

"If you want me to see it, yes; if not, no."

"Awfully involved sentence, but I get you. And once for all, you may always see all my mail, telegrams or cables."

"All right, then, Prillillgirl, if I may see them, I don't care to. See?"

"Well, look at this one. It's from that Coles reptile."

"Then I don't want to see it! Throw it rway."

Corey tore the yellow paper into a dozen bits and flung them out on the road. "There," he said: "never use him as a topic of conversation. Better talk about this southern scenery you're passing through."

"It's lovely! Oh, I say, will your mother say I'm not a lady 'cause I wasn't born south of the Mason and Dixon line?"

"My mother? Do you mean our mother?"

"'Yes, one of our mothers."

"That's more like it! Oh, Pril, you must like Richmond! Or, any rate, Malden House!"

"Of course I shall. Will mother come to see us in New York?"

"She will if she's well, enough, be sure of that."

They found their hotel suite a veritable bower of flowers, and filled with parcels, books, letters, telegrams and cards of invitation.

"We'll have to stay here weeks, if we're going to accept all these!" Perrilia exclaimed, tossing over the piles of engraved stationery.

"Up to you, Cap'n. Now, listen a minute; I've got a lot of business matters here that must be attended to. Let's have lunch, and then you and Sarah go off on a little shopping or sight-seeing trip, with Boynton, and, I'll go to the offices and get a stenographer, and put my work over in short order and join you in time for the Carmichael tea. We must go to that, you know."

After lunch Corey hurried away, Sarah made Perilla ready, and then went for her own wraps. Left alone for a moment, Perilla stood looking about her and fairly gloating over the happiness that was hers, when a tap sounded at the door. Corey had told her never to open the door if she was alone, but she forgot that utterly, and flung the door wide open to see a charming looking young woman on the threshold.

"Mrs. Corey Malden?" the visitor asked, with a gay little smile.

"Yes," said Perilla, a little disturbed. "What can I do for you?"

"Ask me first of all, to come in, and then I'll tell you who I am."

"I think you'd better tell me that first," and Perilla gave her a pleasant smile, but still stood in the doorway.

"But, of course. I'm Connie Linton, and I bring you a message from Mrs. Malden, your husband's mother."

"Oh, then come right in—and do forgive my seeming inhospitality. My husband forbade me to open the door when I'm alone, but I'm afraid I forgot. Now, I'm glad I did. Sit here, Mrs. Linton."

"Miss," the visitor corrected. "I live in Richmond, and the message I bring is Mrs. Malden's greetings, and she sends her love and hopes to see you soon."

"Then you've known my husband a long time?"

"Years. Corey and I are neighbors, although the houses are pretty far apart. Of course, he's a lot older than I am—"

"Indeed, yes," and Perilla smiled, looking at the young face before her. But at this glance it seemed to her the youthfulness was accentuated by efforts other than nature's, and she considered her guest more closely. For some reason she didn't like her.