The Second Honeymoon

nary speck of dust from the shoulder of his dinner jacket, and momentarily sto

and quite passably good-looking, he had backed a couple of winners that day for a nice little sum,

allowed himself), but this-well, this was the real thing at last-the real, romantic thing of which author chaps and

. He took up a silver-backed brush and carefully smoothed down a kink of hair which stood aggressively erect above the

them, at which one could hardly wonder seeing that Cynthia-bless her heart!-was at present playing lead in one of the s

art he was confident that one day all London would be talking about her. Her photographs would be In ev

she only laughed and called him a "silly boy"; but h

at his immaculate figure, took up

suburban theatre before he climbed in out o

t of life and discovered the very ordinary material that lies beneath it. The glare of the footlights still blinded him. Like a chi

driver double fare when he reached the th

lar neighbourhood; he was generous with his tips for one thing, and fo

, as indeed he was. The doorkeeper bade him a respectful good evening

into the passage. A little flush crept into Challoner's youthful face. He passed a

d voice said

for a moment just inside

he first impression it gave one was

covered with pictures and photographs and odds and ends. The room was brilliantly lit, and at a dressi

rld Jimmy Challoner thought for the thousandth time as he stood in the doorway looking across at her with his foolish heart in his eyes. She seemed

, "Jimmy, didn't-didn

ed a little at the unusual greeting. It was impossi

id rather blankly. "What did you wr

ce rather furtively. "I'm in a hurry. Come round after the first act, will you?-that's the l

him. "Silly boy! do

ew her nearer to him. "I'm not

nthia Farrow half sighed, and for a moment a little line o

one, and be caref

on the lips. "Did you get

u so much, the

room to where several b

was only o

to stand by and allow other

the flowers lay. He was still frowning. Across th

with his own bouquet of roses; he bent and looke

infernal cheek of him to send you flowers

tanding leaning against the litte

ce, then; Challoner went ba

ut I can't stand it when these

d me you wou

tap at the door was followed by the ent

irst act, th

she did not

epression. Cynthia had not been pleased to see him-had not been expecting him. Someth

filled and his brow cleared. He hated Cynthia to

ed to him. Challoner stared, t

s was she, he

aired, and she had a girl in a

nd smiling. There was something ea

y were, but for the life of him he could not think. He met so many pe

mething very familiar in the face of the elder woman-

got all about them as the curtains ro

, word by word, as if he had never seen it before, till the big velvet

e door of the box to go to Cynthia when an at

you,

It was written in pencil on a

to me, sir," the attendant e

intly pencilled words. "Won't you come and speak to us,

se them. How could he have ever forgotten them? Of course, the girl in the white froc

years, but-dash it all! what an un

the sudden excitement of this meeting with ol

y seat beside her. "Christine saw you first, but we knew you had not the fainte

nuously. "But I am delighted-simply delighted to see you and Chr

ck smiled. "Yes, and I kn

rdly fulfilled all the promise she had given of being an equally pretty woman, he thought critically, not realisi

ch beautiful brown eyes they were-showed darkly against her fair

n the daughter, for though he and Christine had been sweethearts for a little while in her pinafore days, Jimmy Challoner had adored Mrs.

now, Jimmy?" Mrs. Wyat

you Jimmy?" she

ly. "I've got rooms in the Temple, and the great Horatio sends me a quarterly allowance, and expec

do! Is he s

e little inward qualms that shook him whenever he thought of his brother, and what that brother w

ed the stage. It was his one dread that some day the blueness of his blood might

d, of course?" M

ood Lord, no!" He leaned a litt

. "Has the perfect

d never marry until she found a perfect man. She had always had such qua

her head. "And you?" she

o tell them about Cynthia. The thought reminded him of his promi

appointment. If you'll excuse

ristine's beautiful eyes

king when he grew up," she said. "And yet

k him to dinner one night while we are in London. How funny, meeting him like this. I always liked him so much. I wonder he hasn't g

ried," Christine said. "He's not v

suppose he is-the t

imagine how on earth he had even for one second forgotten his appointment

atiently till Cynthia sent her away. It occurred to him

, and the door had hardly clo

hink I had forgotten? I met some old friends-at least, they spotted me from

her stiffly within t

in a whisper. "I'm so sorry. If you

sed he

a moment she let her head rest against his

he made a little eager movement to follow. "Stay th

emed to find it hard to begin what it was she wanted to say. She stood beside the dressing-table absently fingering the trinkets lying there. Among them was a por

you get my letter?" she broke out vehemently.

his feet. He was rather white about the lips

What is it you-you

ew before she told him

mmy, I'm sorry, but-bu

me. Challoner found himself listening to it dully. Everything felt horribly unreal. It almost seemed like a sce

his mirrored eyes, and a little wave of surprise filled him when he saw how white he

cracked, strained, ask

hy

ng and shutting a little silver powder-box lying amongst the brushes and make-

face. He made a sudden pas

n God's nam

his touch. For an instant she seemed to be deliberately

e my husband is

passed a hand over his eyes. He felt dazed. After a moment h

g! Are you-a

him. His first thought was one of ut

of impatience. "Yes," she said. She spoke so

g desperately to think, to straighten out this hopel

known her own mind, she had married a man-a worthless waster-who had left her within a few months of thei

ll he was s

ain, but as yet he could not realise

t it could not be true. But-but now I know it is. Oh, why d

p. "What can I say

r eyes as if she were trying to keep back tears. After a moment

turned his hea

cleverer man than Jimmy Challoner might have heard the little theatrical tou

against her hair; but he did not kiss her. Afterwards he wondered what instinct

l. You don't love him, and you do care for me. It can't be

she said again

ce in her hands. Once she looked at him through her white fingers to see how he was taking it. Jimm

"It drives me mad to see you cry. I'll find a way ou

very much in love, and now the thought of separation w

tily dried her eyes. She did not look

ll have to go. Don't k

ll see yo

me that, what

Darling, I'll come back for you when the show's over.

need t

notice it. He went back to the stage box f

es turned towards him again and again, but he never once looked her way.

row. He watched her with despairing eyes; life without her was a crude impossibility. He could not imagine existence

ot the smallest claim on her How. By the time the play was ended Jimm

e at the tense, unyielding attitude of his tall figure. He was standing staring at the stage as if for h

herself again. Challoner waited. He loved to see her come before t

his way round to the stage door it was only to be told that

She had done this deliberately to avoid him,

did she g

oking at him, "There was a gent wi

get back to the main street. Mrs. Wyatt and Christine were just enterin

im

He would have avoided them

with that brute, whil

mechan

going to walk, but if you will b

and passed a hand dazedly across his forehead before he clim

make conversation. "Well, an

. He wondered if they would not

t told him. "I've hear

en her before. She c

ful woman I have ever

were cats and never had a word of praise for on

on't you come back to the hotel and have some supper with us

lest intention of calling on Cynthia that night. He wished savagely that she could know w

was not going to spend the next hour or t

ia had gone, and if she

ling for her. He

tice his silence. Christine's voice reminded him a little of

go to her. He wished he had not accepted the Wyatts' invitation. He felt that it was heartless of

im. "I suppose you are

oolish and absent-minded. He rushed on to cover it. "I've seen this particul

ovely," said Chr

orner. He could only see her white-glove

that if he stopped talking for a minute he would make a fool of him

should love to go! Jimmy, do you-do you know

-yes. I know

I suppose?" she

I do," sai

light. "Oh, I wish I could

nd rush away; but he knew he had got to go through with it now, and presently he found himsel

th an effort. "Quite like the dear old days at Up

Mrs. Wyatt laughing. "Perhaps y

e scene of those days, he thought. He was so much changed from the light-hearted youngster w

little flush in her pale cheeks. She looked more l

e. "I used to kiss you in those days, didn't I?" he a

h serious eyes. "Yes," s

oner's heart. This girl had been his first love, and a man

wish we could have those d

beautiful brown eyes lit up radiantly. For a mome

er, had been seriously wounded that night. The tremulous hap

u wish it?" h

istine softly.