Part 55 (1/2)

Jacqueline slipped out of the room very gratefully. The tears had been welling up behind her eyes so fast that she was afraid some of them would spill over. She wanted desperately to be alone until she had accustomed herself to the thought of Channing with another woman. A blonde, pretty person, Jemima had said.--At least she did not sound like a person who could help him to write books!

CHAPTER x.x.xIX

As soon as they were alone, Jemima demanded explanations of her mother.

”What has happened to Jacky? Why, she's all eyes! I never saw such a change! Her smile makes you want to cry, somehow.--Mother, it can't be--Channing?”

”I am afraid it is--” sighed Kate.

”Then she really cared for him? Why, but that's incredible! Such a man, Mother! James has told me a good deal about him. He's a sort of male vampire, always needing a woman to pet and admire him--any sort of woman. And our Jacqueline!” Her lips set. ”Humph! If the child still cares for him, I'll see that she hears the whole truth about him.

Jacky's not lacking in pride.”

”I hope and pray it is only her pride that is suffering now,” said Kate, and took Jemima fully into her confidence. It was a great relief to talk it over with somebody. She realized how she had missed this cool and level-headed child of hers.

But when she had finished, Jemima was by no means cool and level-headed.

All her pretty married complacency had gone. She was more excited than her mother had ever seen her. She jumped up and began to walk around the room, muttering rather surprising things.

”Why did you let him go? The horrid beast! Oh, poor little Jacky, poor little Jacky! Why did you let him off, Mother? Why didn't you--shoot him?”

”Daughter!”

”Well, I don't care,” muttered the girl, defiantly. ”I can understand killing a man like that, I can!”

A queer little smile twitched at Kate's lips. ”Can you, my dear?”

Jemima stopped short, and her eyes met her mother's, widening. She realized of what Kate was thinking. ”Yes, I can,” she repeated, breathlessly. ”A man like that ... Mother! _Was my father--a--man like that?_”

But Kate spoke quickly, as if she had not heard. ”Then you think I did right in letting Jacqueline believe Channing had failed her?”

The girl thought it over. ”No,” she said at last, with her usual ruthlessness. ”I don't. No good ever comes of deception, Mother. Look what it has done already! Poor Mag ran away because she was afraid of not keeping your secret.”

Kate winced. ”But I have Jacqueline!”

”And of course,” conceded the other thoughtfully, ”Mag would have gone to the bad anyway, soon or late.--Oh, yes, she would, Mother! No use blinking facts. As she used to say, she was 'spiled anyway.' On the whole,” Jemima decided, ”I think you have done the best thing possible.

But I wish _I_ had been here!--What are you going to do with Jacky now?

Let her study singing?”

Kate realized the silence that had latterly fallen on Storm. The girl had not sung a note in weeks. Both piano and graphophone had been idle.

She spoke of this.

”That's bad! Music has always meant so much to Jacky. She'll have to have an outlet of some sort. Better let her come home with me, Mother.

I'll get her interested in something.”

Kate shook her head. ”Try, if you like, but she won't go. She's more 'mommerish' than ever just now, poor baby. She needs mothering, I think--and marrying!”

Jemima looked up quickly. ”You mean Philip? Surely, Mother, you've given up the Philip idea, after _this_!”