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SHORT STORY
CARD CASTLE
account.
He was there walting, very
THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 15, 1940
By Mrs. Victor Rickard
was on
an
Beussant-aux-Fraises, is, as all the But Mr. de Vin was staring in front HE was certainly a very handsome meet Mr. de Vin in the hall, and were
man, so Lady Gilsted thought as all going out to dinner together: she world knows, a charming little place of him with a set and concentrated to in Provence nestling in a valley, and gaže. Nor did he speak again all the she watched him surreptitiously from wanted to be beforehand so as
of hotels drive home, so that Lady Gilsted real- behind her newspaper.
have a chance of talking to him her- composed almost entirely
came she which are full of English people who ised what his view of people who She was travelling down to Folke self. Directly Grestida stone and beside her Gresilda May would grab and keep talking of this can afford to pay through the nose practise deception really was and how hopeless it was to think that he would hew sat, giving Lady Gilsted moral awful smart world in which, certain- and not in the ordinary way.
The Pavillon was one of the most ever pardon such a fault as hers. courage, for Gresilda was always so ly, Lady Gilsted had never lived or
Nor did she dare to mention what right. She wore the right grey flan- moved,
expensive and thither the traveller's nel tailor-made, knew the right people.
well were bound. It stood in a charming had occurred to Gresilda who was ob- and insisted upon being treated with dressed and all ready for his friends. gården full of bosquets and pools, and viously furious to find that she had deference, whereas Lady Gilsted, who They sat together and he ordered the view at every turn was magnifi- gone for a drive with Mr. de Vin, and asked her in tones of ice and iron it was the widow of Gilsted's Potted two cocktails while Pearl watched cent. Lady Gilsted's room
as Gresilda had she had been crying. Meat, had no savoire faire whatever, him in silent admiration. It
ground floor, was the
Lady Gilsted went to bed instead in spite of the fact that she could rather disappointing to find that he snatched the one with the balcony and
from write cheques for hundreds and thou wanted to know things about Gresil insisted that if she did not have it of going to dinner, and later
her window she saw Gresilda and sands of pounds in the exquisite se- da; and in a faltering and halting she would be unable to sleep. curity of an enormously solvent bank voice, for she did not want to talk. "Miss Mayhew
Mr. de Vin walking together, and in seems exacting,' about Miss Mayhew, Lady Gilsted Mr. de Vin remarked, "I could almost the stillness of the night she heard Gresilda saying. "Quite common and From where she sat she could see gave an account of her friend's an- wonder why-?" he half closed
A nobody. I only the dangling luggage lables on their tecedents. She was the only daught- expressive eye. "Of course," he add- newly-rich. respective dressing cases. Lady Gil-er of Lord Ballyporeen, an Irish Peer ed quickly, "she is probably accus- travel with her out of kindness. Noth- ing.else would induce me to be seen sted and The Honourable Gresilda whose house had been burnt in the tomed to being very grand indeed."
about with her.". Mayhew. It looked very well. Civil War. They were travelling to- Lady Gilsted bit her lip. "If only I
The man who sat opposite had a gether because Gresilda was so fond could
speak French," she said, as Next day he was gone and the flat- dash of Southern beauty and great of travel that she was hardly ever at though it was really an answer, which ness of despair fell upon Pearl Gil- personal charm; he was the type of home. Lady Gilsted herself had never it hardly seemed to be, and then at sted. Gresilda was in a permanently man who Lady Gilsted went to the travelled for Sir Obadiah had regard- once Gresilda joined them and said bad temper and quarrelled with every- pictures to look at. The sort of man ed anything beyond the English Chad That's that," in her high-handed one in the hotel, until after a week who understood women and under- nel as uncomfortable, so that she had abrupt way, having disposed of all of misery, Lady Gilsted decided that stood clothes, for he was well if slight- never before been further than Bog- opposition.
willy nilly she would go to Cannes to ly unusually dressed. His hair was nor Regis.or Eastbourne.
But what was it that Mr. de Vin see if she could find Mr. de Vin. She dark and his eyes full of a strange "Miss Mayhew knows the Contin- meant to say to her? Pearl Gilsted mentioned the fact to Grésilda, who ironic charm, like the hero of a French ont extremely well," Mr. de Vin said, longed to know, for by this time she seemed pleased and excited and im- novel, for indeed he was undeniably his eyes on Lady Gilsted's plump, was head over ears in love with him, mediately went off to make the ar- one of the conquering order. Prob- good-natured little face, "almost as and she had never been in love be rangements. ably Gresilda might regard him as too well as I do myself." "foreign looking" and be scornful, but Even as he spoke Gresilda joined you could feel romantic about, and it guerite or at the Grand Mogul?" she as she gave a covert glance in the them and they went out for an even- was all so wonderful. And yet he did asked, coming back to the lounge direction of Miss Mayhew she saw ing's pleasure. Probably Gresilda did seem to be so unnecessarily nice to where Pearl was sitting contemplat- that she too was taking stock of the enjoy it, for Mr. de Vin paid her Gresilda. Surely he wasn't a philan- ing herself sorrowfully in a mirror. man opposite with obvious interest. great attention. Though he seemed, at derer? That idea was too painful to "Which is the most expensive?"
"I'm so sorry" the gentleman in the same time, to preside over Lady consider, so she cast it from her at "The Grand Mogul." the corner seat apologised, for his Gilsted, know instinctively what
she once.
"Then we'll go there." foot had encountered the toe of Lady wanted, he hardly addressed a single How he managed at last to get her "Did de Vin say where he meant to Gilsted's sandal shoe, for the third or remark to her. But he squeezed her alone, Lady Gilsted hardly knew. But stay?" Gresilda asked rather sharply. fourth time, "I seem to be very hand as he held it to his lips and he did. He hired a car and took her "I thought he might have written." clumsy."
wished her pleasant dreams as they for a drive one evening when twi- "I got a box of orchids from Can- He had a delightful voice with just parted.
light was creeping up the valley, and nes," Lady Gilsted admitted. "Did. a faintly foreign accent which added
"I wonder if he has any money?" Gresilda was still playing tennis with he send you any flowers?" to its charm. He smiled winningly at Miss Mayhew said as they went up a group of heartles who were also at "He'd never dream of sending me Pearl Gilsted and made her, some- in the lift together.
the hotel.
flowers, it's so silly." Miss Mayhew how, feel young and beautiful and "Why not ask him?" Lady Gilsted Mr. de Vin was very serious. He said disgustedly. "He's Secret Ser- rich. She was already rich but it was said quite snappishly.
gazed at her with the utmost concern vice, of course. I suppose you guess- some little time since she had been
To be quite truthful, there was no and said that what he had to say, was ed that? I did. I told him I had, and. young and beautiful,
real love lost between Gresilda May likely to distress her, but as he was he didn't deny it. Very well then,. How easily the acquaintance open hew and Lady Gilsted, and before the leaving by a very early train it had to, the Grand: Mogul.” ed, and how delightful it was to three days in Paris were ended they he said, and he asked her pardon in She flounced off with a return of have such a fellow traveller. They were as far apart as the poles. Gre advance in case she resented it. her former ill-humour,
fore. Obadiah wasn't the sort of man
"Shall we stay at the Reine Mar-
were going to Beusseant-aux-Fraises silda seemed to be getting off with "Nothing you could say-nothing-" The next day they started for Can- and Mr. de Vin was on his way fur- Mr. de Vin, angular and hard as she she blushed and her eyes shone, and nes by car, and arrived at the vast ther south-in fact-Cannes-and had, was, She got up early to walk with at that he looked so pained and pale white Palace facing à Venetian glass. it transpired, a wish to see this new him and generally made it appear, by that she put her hand on his, and he sea. It was indeed an expensive spot, and fashionable resort for a day or hint if not by direct statement, that withdrew it slowly and sorrowfully, and even Gresilda wasn't quite her tivo en route.
he was coming to Beussant-aux- placing her small plump hand care- haughty self, though she was well able- "He seems a gentleman, even Fraises solely and only for her beaux fully back again on her lap.
to understand the importance of fac- though he is half French," Gresilda yeux.
"It's about Miss Mayhew."
ade. Miss Winklebaum (otherwise said as though it was a matter for Yet at the same time he seemed to "Oh?" her lips trembled. So it was Tobias and Co.) knew this of her. She surprise, and when he suggested their incline considerably, if more silently, Grosilda after all. ·
knew that Miss Mayhew never per- dining together she was quite plea- in the direction of Lady Gilsted. Once, "She is an imposter," he said slow-mitted herself to feel any human gra- sant about it.
when they were alone together he ly. "There is no such person as Lord titude towards those she accompan said quickly and in a low voice, "I Ballyporeen and she has no claim to fed from Victoria Station to the shall have something to say to you, being an Honourable."
Alpes Maritimes, and she usually ap..... before I leave Beussant.”
She sat portioned her as "Angel" to the ex- tremely rich who did not know the
Lady Gilsted did not sti?
"
And surely never had two wander ing Englishwomen found a more ready and considerate travelling companion. Oddly enough he was staying at their "What was it? What could it be?" very still, hotel in Paris, and by the time they "He knows Everybody," Gresilda "It is my business to know who' ropes. Lady Gilsted, who was rather had got there, Lady Gilsted began to said as once more she and Lady Gil- people are," he explained, "and I as- like one of the Babes in the Wood, wonder how she had ever lived forty sted went up in the lift, the night sure you that it distrasses me to think had been obviously. Miss. Mayhew's years of her life without such
an before they left Paris. "He couldn't that you who are so ill-fitted to cope bird. amusing and considerate friend, Gre possibly take me in, and must be in with life are being imposed upon. "Looks all right," she said, walking Bilda was not considerate. She was very good society, and he's really Will you ask her directly, if what I Into the enormous marble hall ahead haughty and high-handed and `al- rather sweet."
have told you, is true?"
of Lady Gilsted. "Where is the Hall ways took the best room, making the
"If he knows everybody, mightn't it ́ "But I know it is." Lady Gilsted Porter?" staff believe that Pearl was a poor come a bit awkward?" Pearl asked. gave a murmur of distress. "She is At the far end behind à polished.. dependant. And now she seemed dis- "I mean...”
an Angel."
counter a man was standing with his.. posed to grab Mr. de Vine, and show- Miss Mayhew gave a nasty laugh "Precisely," he said and his voice back-a vaguely familiar back to... ed every sign of wishing to mono- like an angry borse finding fault with was dry. "She is employed by Tobias them. Clad in a lovely pearl grey polise him: which was most unfair, Its oats, but made no other comment. and Co., who cater for lonely ladies, uniform with a silver collar. for it was Lady Gilsted who had stuck All the hot Journey in the train to Their so-called "Angels" are all pro- "Hall Porter," Miss Mayhew
said out her foot; and her feet were pretty Beussant, Gresilda seemed to be get- ficient linguists and good travellers." in her foud, commanding voiće. and really very small.
ting away with it. She spoke French "I got her from Miss Winkelbaum," He turned round. It was Mr. de Mr. de Vin knew all the right fluently with a very English accent, Lady Gilsted said, crimson to the eyes, Vin! people from Crowned Heads down- Pearl only spoke English and could "she said all her angels were ladies For one instant all seemed confu- wards, not that Lady Gilsted would not make her wants known in any born and bred and that they dressed sion and chaos, almost as though have been able to tell whether it was foreign tongue, but Mr. de Vin was exquisitely,' and she suggested I should card castle tumbled about their ears, pretence or fact, but Griselda trie, marvellous. He knew five languages call her a cousin or a niece as it and then Lady Gilsted ran--positive- - him out over a dimçult course of and spoke them all like a native, so sounded better, but Miss. Mayhew ly ran forward, holding out two plump. titled relationships and found that he that. Gresilda told him plump out said she'd like to be an Honourable, white hands. actually did know who was who, a that she guessed he was in the diplo- so we agreed to that. Ever since, she The Management, a portly gentle- even corrected har about * haud fervice. He said that he might has behaved as though I was dirt un- man in a well-cut morning coat, hur- Skate, the third husband of the Duchy most admit that such was the case, der her feet, and in the hotel in Paris ried forward and spoke to Mayhew. eas of Dunhopple, who was a friend He still managed somehow to infer to I had a maid's room under the roof. Gustave," he said over his should- of his and had given him a cigarotte Lady Gilsted that he liked her much and she had the suite to herself. But er, "these ladies- lighter which he showed with e amil- better than Grestida, though unfor- what could I do? I was so afraid "He turned round and stared in ing pleasure. There it was; Bobble' tunately the realised that he gave she'd make it worse and even leave amazement, for Gustave was holding B. to his valued friend G. de Vin, Gresilda exactly the same impression, me stranded. You don't despise me both hands of the stout, pretty liftie Lady Gilsted dressed as quickly as and the heightened temperatures of for having agreed to this pretence, lady who was laughing and crying she could so as to get downstairs be the two ladies did nothing to make knowing na Erench?” she looked up at and clinging to him gülte unasham- före Gresilda." They had arranged to for calm.
him tearfully
(Controued off Bade, 125.