THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 5, 1940
BOBBY--FROM 'DOWN UNDER
All day long the sewing-machines brain-wave. Why don't you go down night and a moon-washed garden "Miss Price, I want you to go along had whirred in Madam Perry's work to this riverside place of the Lunn's leading down to a silvery track. There to see what is the matter about those rooms and the throb of traffic had and let me stay in London?"
was tennis next day and river_hours. gowns you took to Miss Bayes, She come up from below. London pulsed Betty's brown eyes opened widely. And always there was Bobby Lunn, has asked for you, as you seem to be under her worst heat-wave of the "But-but they haven't asked me," "Bobby from 'down under"," he about her figure, but she doesn't ex- summer, panted, wilted a little, send- she said. "I don't know them."
called himself to her, and told her of plain exactly what is wrong. Maybe ing the thoughts of thousands towards "Neither do I know them," laughed the life on the great sheep farm. 'We it's something quite small—a trivial the cool glades of the country, Thelma. “It's a duty visit and they are more free than you are here," he alteration you could do on the spot if ́
Among them was Bettey Frice, gown wouldn't know it wasn't I if you went said. "I'd like you to see Australia, you took your things along with you. hand, whose fingers had been busy and posed for me. What do you say?" Maybe someday
"And he had As a rule she isn't so finnicky over her all day and whose slim young figure could find something to overrule every dared not say.
Betty said many things, but Thelma paused, his eyes holding, things he clothes. We usually manage to satisfy had been requisitioned several times
her absolutely. So do your best, child, a perfectly Monday morning had come all too and if you can fix things do so. I hate as "dummy" for the beautiful clothes objection. "I think it's
They pressed her to stay on. having my gowns returned for altera- they were making for a rich customer topping plan," she said. “You pretend soon.
to be me for a couple of days, have a "We'll get through to your mother on tions.” who was "just her figure.”
real good time, and it will do you the phone," said Mrs. Lunn. But Betty good. You say you love the river said she must get back. She had en- self as
Betty's heart leapt. She told her- she made her way towards well I hate it! I'll lend you some gagements in town. It had been very Knightsbridge that she might hear frocks--for we're just about the same lovely, but she must go. So it was news of Bobby. If he had been up to size, and I'll pay your fare and things Bobby who drove her to the station. town Thelma would tell her. Some- like that. Now do be a trump! If you "I shall see you again soon, very how, she felt sure that he would have only knew what it means to me to be soon," he said as held her hand much been. She could not forget the way free this week-end."
longer than the occasion demanded. he had looked when he had said "I guess shall be in town before goodbye at the station, many days have passed."
It was Friday and the frocks must be delievered that evening. Lucky Thelma Bayes! Oh, it wasn't that Betty was envious, but the week had been trying and the girls flagged. She could not help the wish which came -to have good times, pretty clothes, holidays, love! Such a wish is nat- ural enough to a girl of twenty-two, and Betty had so little in her life beyond work. If only
sometimes work might be varied by play! That was all she craved.
She explained a little. There was a special somebody and she could see him so rarely. With her mother away and the week-end free it would be a most wonderful chance. Wouldn't
Brown eyes told what the lips held back. Betty's face was like a rose and her eyes held a glow which made her Betty help her?
look very beautiful. "I'm glad we've Betty, romantic to the core, couldn't met," said Bobby. "Say you are resist her when she pleaded like that. too!" Besides, Thelma was so sure that it Betty said it. Bobby took a deep wouldn't matter. Just a duty visit and breath. "I'd come up with you for "Oh yes, Madam," said Betty, rais- a crowd of other people, and nobody two pins," he said. But just then the ing tired eyes.
"Miss Price!" It was Madam's sharp voice. "I think you go Knightsbridge way, do you not? You could take the dresses, I suppose."
Madam looked at her. She unbent a little. "You're looking tired, child," she remarked, "Take to-morrow morning off. You've had R hard week."
Betty thanked her gratefully. One long day of freedom would mean that
Short Story
By Joan Kennedy
+
"But if he has been he will know
now what a cheat I was!" she thought. "Perhaps he already hates me for do- ing what I did.”
For, of course, Thelma would have to explain.
Her heart did not beat quite so quickly when she realised that, when she pictured the disgust of Bobby. 'She was quite sure that he would be disgusted-a young man who was. so straight and decent himself.
Reaching the flat she was told by the maid that her young mistress had been obliged to go out,
“But she had left a note for you and I was to be sure to keep you until she came back. It was most import- ant, she said."
she could take the 'bus down to the would dream of suspecting her. She train began to move and he had to be river and sit beside the Thames all should have some pretty clothes, all content with the thought of a future So Betty was shown into the draw- day. That would be good. There was she wanted, and she would have a meeting. From the platform he ing room and the note was given her no one to take Betty on the river, but good time. Thelma pictured the watched the train carry her away, and by the smiling maid. "Make yourself she could have the next best thing. Lunn's place as her mother had des- the last thing Betty saw was that comfortable!" she advised.
As she walked along the park with cribed it, and Betty could resist no tanned young giant with ruffled hair the two pretty dresses of which she longer.
standing bare-headed as the train was making special delivery, the girl's
rushed her back to her real role in thoughts were tangled. Why did some
life. have so much and others so little? How muddled the world was.
Her peep within the luxurious flat where Thelma lived made a little ache come to her heart. She loved pretty things but there was only drabness in the Earlscourt boarding-house which was the only place she could call home. Between Thelma's home and hers was a gulf she could never bridge.
Then Thelma herself, exquisite, pampered Thelma, yet no prettier than was the work-girl who stood at her door. She had come through a far door and had caught sight of Madam Perry's artistic box..
"Oh, my frocks!" she cried. "I wondered when she was sending them! That's good." Then to Betty, "Hadn't you better come in and see me try them on?"
Betty stepped, inside.
"I expect Madam would be glad to know that they were approved," she said.
"If you are quite, quite sure that it would not be cheating "she be gan.
"Pouff!" cried Thelma. "They won't mind who turns up so that they get their old house-party made strong. They're rolling in money and you'll enjoy yourself."
And then there was a great busin- ess of ransacking drawers and fitting out Betty Price to pose. as Thelma Bayes. It became a great adventure when one caught Thelma's enthus- iasm.
cheated!
Betty Price, gown-hand! Oh, it was all over. If they knew how she had And Bobby would know when he came up to find her and met the real Thelma Bayes. Thelma would have to explain to him, of course, but see him she, Betty, would never again.
Betty opened her note.
Thelma's sprawling handwriting. stared up at her, the words dancing. But cut of the web of lines she could decipher one word-Bobby. In another minute she saw clearly, read what. was written.
"That young Bobby has been up here. after you," wrote Thelma, "and I've had to tell him the truth. There was. nothing else to be done when he came here and discovered me. I'm afraid I. didn't do as substitute. I saw that. "Oh!" She caught her breath, know- ing then that here lay her punish-Well, nothing would satisfy him but ment. She had met the one man in the that I must get you here. He insisted. that he must see you. So I made up world whom she could love. did Betty did enjoy herself. There was already love and when he knew what a tale about the frocks to Madam, and never any doubt about that. And she had done he would dislike her, asked for you to be sent along. We can kid her over that bit of it quite. Bobby Lunn, of that homely Men like Bobby would never forgive easily. The rest is up to you," couple who had taken the pretty deceit. He was so open and above-
Betty stared at the words. "The rest. riverside home for the summer, had board. Besides, she was only a work- is up to you!" What did Thelma'. more than a little to do with the mak- ing-girl and he was the son of rich ing of that week-end the most won- parents who could give him every- She sat down. In the distance she
son
derful time in the girl's life. There was only that inner knowledge that she was posing as another which spoilt Betty's radiant enjoyment.
thing he wanted. Well, she had had her one glorious hour of life, and now she must pay for it. Only the pay ing was so hard when it meant tear- ing from one's heart a dream.
If only she could have been just "Bring 'em into, my bedroom," call- Betty Price, the dress-maker, instead There were tears in Betty's eyes as ed Thelma, and led the way,, There- of pretending to be another girl! But she stepped from the train at Padding after there was a rustling of paper, then, if she had come as Betty Price, ton and made her way to the West little cries of delight. Customer and she told herself, this happiness could End work-room. Sweet though the work-girl were two Eves with a com- not have been hers. They liked her mon thought-clothes and the charm because she was the daughter of a friend, of course, but what would they say if they knew the truth?
of them..
But from clothes Thelma's interest gradually came to the other girl, young as she was, pretty, slim, but tired looking and a worker, while she was just a butterfly. She wanted to know something of the other's life.
"Don't you get fed up?" she asked. Betty smiled. She told of the holiday to come on the morrow. It would be a change from work for once -a whole week-end free. When Thel ma asked what she intended to do, she told of her intention to go down to the river.
"Goodness!” cried Thelma, “and there am I simply bormed to tears be cause I've got to go and spend a week- end beside the Thames. It's some Australian friends of my mother's; Mum is away just now, but she set- tled' I 'should put in a week-end with the Lunn's. I've never met any of them and they don't know me, and I'm sure to be bored. Besides, I spe- clally wanted to be in town this par- ticular week-end":
- Hard bies were mutinous. She star- ged at Betty. Then she jerked forward and her band caught at Betty's arm. she cried. "I've just had a
Pretty clothes to wear, freedom and pleasure, and always that stalwart, brown-faced young giant, who seemed only too willing to devote himself to making her happy!
memory was of that wonderful week- end, she knew that it would be a bit ter-sweet memory, hurting as well as giving joy. And, as the next two days passed, that knowledge was driven home many times.
She knew only too well what had happened to her. She had lost her heart to Bobby and they would never meet again......
mean?
heard a bell ring. Her heart was.. knocking again. So Bobby knew and he had asked to see her. Why? Would he show that he despised her, or...
The door opened.
Someone with a very brown_face. came into the room, eyes twinkling,. Jaw out-thrust in that determined way which Betty knew and secretly loved. Try as she would she could not hide the glad light which sprang to her eyes just then, nor could she control, the flush which stained her cheeks.
Bobby saw even before he had closed the door. It clicked and he was across the room.
“So she got you to comel” ̈*. He seemed to reach⠀⠀⠀ hér in two- strides, then he was towering above her, penning her in with his arms on.. the arms of her chair.
"I had to see you!" he said, "Oh, kiddie!"
Right from the very first 'moment of their meeting she had known that Well, she deserved it. "I should Bobby Lunn, the young Australian, never have gone,” she told herself. "It was her dream knight in the flesh. And was all wrong. I ought not to have Bobby, on his side, well! from the listened to Thelma Bayes.” way he monopolised a certain young But, though she reminded herself He slipped to his knees and his lady whose blue eyes held sunshine,, over and over again that she deserv- hands caught hers. Oh, he had a way must have felt more than attracted. ed to be punished for deceiving with him, had that young Australian, And even the old sun seemed to kindly people, that did not lessen the and there was no resisting him. You enter into the spirit of that week- acho at her heart, nor minimise that just felt that you wanted those warm, end, for he designed to shine his best inner longing. The only beautiful thing firm hands to hold yours for ever and.. and the weather was perfect.
left to her was a memory memory ever, amen. Those hours on the river would of a wonderful week-end. Often she-Those twinkling eyes but behind never be forgotten where Betty was found herself day-dreaming in the their twinkle something, which made - concerned, and every time she caught workroom as the week began to slip your heart do strange things. Knock, those twinkly brown eyes watching away. her she knew a thrill. There had never grew - hotter than ever. She ***” Who's there. been anyone to make her Heart go thought of the river with longing "Oh kiddie! he said again bumpetty-bump, bumpetty-bump be- the river
Just got me all ways. Say fore, and Betty did not ask herself brown_face and
But what Betty was to say what it meant. She was idatesk to looked superb in bask in the sunshine and that adora............... It was. Thursday tion she saw in a pair of brown eyes Madam came into the
There was dancing on the Saturday spoke to her.
-knock
(Continu
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