Part 29 (1/2)
Mordaunt said nothing Bernard was often bitter, particularly when he had gout When a servant came to help the old man in, Mordaunt went to the library where he wrote a note to Ji its coan to doubt if it was advisable to let Jiined he could so turn a polished phrase that it would keep him away Mordaunt was clever at delicate implication and Jim's blood was red Perhaps, however, it was not prudent to use his talent, since Bernard ht want to see the note
CHAPTER IV
AN OLD MAN'S CAPRICE
Jih when he opened Mordaunt's note he meant to refuse A line added in a shaky hand persuaded him, for Bernard had written, ”I am lame and cannot come to you” Besides, the invitation was extended to his party and Jim wanted Bernard to see the Winters
They were his friends and he rather hoped Mrs Winter would talk about the store
The evening was cale half hidden by tall evergreens A screen of ironwork cut in fine black tracery against the light, and Jake reium, I believe,” Jim replied, and they rolled on down an avenue where sunshi+ne and shadow checkered the srass
The avenue had been planted before the new house at Dryholreen, but the beeches had begun to turn and their pale trunks glie and red On the hillside above the hollow, the birches hung sprays of shi+ning yellow against a background of somber firs All was very quiet and Carrie sensed a calm she had not remarked in the forests of Canada
There one heard the Chinook in the pine-tops and the rapids brawl
They sped past a tarn where swans floated a the colored reflections of ancient trees, and then Dryholm broke upon their view across its wide lawn For a uely disturbed She had seen Montreal and London, but the buildings there were croith occupants and this was one ed to people who built such houses She glanced at hiaze and gave her a sely English, but he was, for all that, the Jim she knew; and she studied the house with a pleasant thrill, as if she were ee and limmered in the sunset between shadooods The stone was crearay Cornices and pillars broke the long, straight front, and there were towers at the ends Carrie knew nothing about architecture, but she got a hint of strength and solidity
Somehow, she felt relieved; Mordaunt and Mrs Halliday would not have built such a house On the whole, she distrusted them, but it looked as if the head of the family was different
”It's very fine, Ji about it; so you don't feel at Whitelees The stone is curious”
”I believe it was brought from a distance, but, in a sense, Bernard Dearham built Dryholm of iron”
”Somehow it looks like that,” Carrie remarked
The car stopped in front of a plain arch and Bernard received the party in the hall, where they found Mrs Halliday, Evelyn, Mordaunt, and soave Jim his hand and for a minute or two kept Mrs
Winter and Carrie by him When they went to dinner Mrs Winter was put next to Bernard, and Carrie, sitting near, looked about with frank curiosity The room was lofty and spacious She had not seen such a roo Montreal hotel, but it had not the lavish decoration she had noted there At Dryhollittered and forced itself on one's glance
Carrie thought it was so quiet cathedral than the ornate Notre Da churches in Montreal
Thecoainst the yellow sky shi+ning water touched their feet and one could hear the sea It was getting dark, however, and soon electric lights began to glow on the paneled ceiling and along the deep cornice The las and one scarcely noticed theer
Then Carrie rehed
She had wondered whether she ought to give her h it would have hurt her pride; but she was glad she had not Bernard Dearhahed because he was alish people, but the dinner was obviously a for; and she studied her host She had at first re likeness to somebody she knew, and now she saas Jim The likeness was rather in Bernard's voice and h she found it there Then he looked up and asked:
”Do you like Dryholm?”
”Oh, yes,” said Carrie ”Al”
Bernard sive A house reed ”One feels it in England A house ive it a stao they leave an influence It's different in Canada When our houses get out of date, we pull them down”