Part 3 (2/2)
The servant disappeared and Alicia resumed her work of drawing on her gloves in front of her mirror. How dare he write her such a letter? Was her house to be made the headquarters for his swindling schemes? Did he want to cheat more of her friends? The more she thought of all he had done, the angrier she became. Her eyes flashed and her bosom heaved with indignation. She wondered what her husband, the soul of honor, would say if he suspected that she had permitted a man of Underwood's character to use his home for his dishonest practices. She was glad she had ended it now, before it was too late. There might have been a scandal, and that she must avoid at any cost. Mr. Jeffries, she felt certain, would not tolerate a scandal of any kind.
All at once she felt something brush her cheek. She turned quickly. It was her husband, who had entered the room quietly.
”Oh, Howard,” she exclaimed peevishly; ”how you frightened me! You shouldn't startle me like that.”
A tall, distinguished-looking man with white mustache and pointed beard stood admiring her in silence. His erect figure, admirably set off in a well-cut dress coat suggested the soldier.
”What are doing alone here, dear?” he said. ”I hear carriages outside.
Our guests are arriving.”
”Just thinking, that's all,” she replied evasively.
He noticed her preoccupied look and, with some concern, he demanded:
”There's nothing to worry you, is there?”
”Oh, no--nothing like that,” she said hastily.
He looked at her closely and she averted her eyes. Mr. Jeffries often wondered if he had made a mistake. He felt that this woman to whom he had given his name did not love him, but his vanity as much as his pride prevented him from acknowledging it, even to himself. After all, what did he care? She was a companion, she graced his home and looked after his creature comforts. Perhaps no reasonable man should expect anything more. Carelessly, he asked:
”Whom do you expect to-night?”
”Oh, the usual crowd,” replied Alicia languidly. ”Dr. Bernstein is coming--you know he's quite the rage just now. He has to do with psychology and all that sort of thing.”
”So, he's your lion to-night, is he?” smiled the banker. Then he went on:
”By the bye, I met Brewster at the club to-night. He promised to drop in.”
Now it was Alicia's turn to smile. It was not everybody who could boast of having such a distinguished lawyer as Judge Brewster on their calling lists. To-night would certainly be a success--two lions instead of one.
For the moment she forgot her worry.
”I am delighted that the judge is coming,” she exclaimed, her face beaming. ”Every one is talking about him since his brilliant speech for the defense in that murder case.”
The banker noted his wife's beautiful hair and the white transparency of her skin. His gaze lingered on the graceful lines of her neck and bosom, glittering with precious stones. An exquisite aroma exuding from her person reached where he stood. His eyes grew more ardent and, pa.s.sing his arm affectionately around her slender waist, he asked:
”How does my little girl like her tiara?”
”It's very nice. Don't you see I'm wearing it to-night?” she replied almost impatiently and drawing herself away.
Before Mr. Jeffries had time to reply there was a commotion at the other end of the reception room, where rich tapestries screened off the main entrance hall. The butler drew the curtains aside.
”Mr. and Mrs. Cortwright,” he announced loudly.
Alicia went forward, followed by her husband, to greet her guests.
CHAPTER IV.
The richly decorated reception rooms, brilliantly illuminated with soft incandescent lights artistically arranged behind banks of flowers, were filled with people. In the air was the familiar buzz always present in a room where each person is trying to speak at the same time. On all sides one heard fragments of inept conversation.
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