He looked up at her admiringly. He was only a year from college, and he had been rather arbitrarily limited to the debutantes. He found, therefore, something rather flattering in the attention he was receiving from a girl who had been out five years, and who was easily the most popular young woman in the gayer set. It gave him a sense of maturity Since the night before he had been rankling under a sense of youth.
"Was I pretty awful last night?" he asked.
"You were very interesting. And--I imagine--rather indiscreet."
"Fine! What did I say?"
"You boasted, my dear young friend."
"Great Scott! I must have been awful."
"About the new war contracts."
"Oh, business!"
"But I found it very interesting. You know, I like business. And I like big figures. Poor people always do. Has it really gone through? I mean, those things do slip up sometimes, don"t they.
"It"s gone through, all right. Signed, sealed, and delivered."
Encouraged by her interest, he elaborated on the new work. He even developed an enthusiasm for it, to his own surprise. And the girl listened intently, leaning forward so that her arm brushed his shoulder.
Her eyes, slightly narrowed, watched him closely. She knew every move of the game she was determining to play.
Marion Hayden, at twenty-five, knew already what her little world had not yet realized, that such beauty as she had had was the beauty of youth only, and that that was going. Late hours, golf, perhaps a little more champagne than was necessary at dinners, and the mornings found her almost plain. And, too, she had the far vision of the calculating mind.
She knew that if the country entered the war, every eligible man she knew would immediately volunteer.
At twenty-five she already noticed a change in the personnel of her followers. The unmarried men who had danced with her during her first two winters were now sending flowers to the debutantes, and cutting in on the younger men at b.a.l.l.s. Her house was still a rendezvous, but it was for couples like the ones who had preempted the drawing-room, the library and the music room that afternoon. They met there, smoked her cigarets, made love in a corner, occasionally became engaged. But she was of the game, no longer in it.
Men still came to see her, a growing percentage of them married. They brought or sent her tribute, flowers, candy, and cigarets. She was enormously popular at dances. But more and more her dinner invitations were from the older crowd. Like Natalie Spencer"s stupid party the night before.
So she watched Graham and listened. He was a nice boy and a handsome one. Also he promised to be sole heir to a great business. If the war only lasted long enough--
"Imagine your knowing all those things," she said admiringly. "You"re a partner, aren"t you?"
He flushed slightly.
"Not yet. But of course I shall be."
"When you really get going, I wonder if you will take me round and show me how sh.e.l.ls are made. I"m the most ignorant person you ever knew."
"I"ll be awfully glad to."
"Very well. For that promise you shall have a highball. You"re an awful dear, you know."
She placed a slim hand on his shoulder and patted it. Then, leaning rather heavily on him for support, she got to her feet.
"We"ll go in and stir up some of the lovers," she suggested. "And if Tommy Hale hasn"t burned up the piano we can dance a bit. You dance divinely, you know."
It was after seven when he reached home. He felt every inch a man. He held himself very straight as he entered the house, and the boyish grin with which he customarily greeted the butler had given place to a dignified nod.
Natalie was in her dressing-room. At his knock she told the maid to admit him, and threw a dressing-gown over her bare shoulders. Then she sent the maid away and herself cautiously closed the door into Clayton"s room.
"I"ve got the money for you, darling," she said. From her jewel case she took a roll of bills and held them out to him. "Five hundred."
"I hate to take it, mother."
"Never mind about taking it. Pay those bills before your father learns about them. That"s all."
He was divided between grat.i.tude and indignation. His new-found maturity seemed to be slipping from him. Somehow here at home they always managed to make him feel like a small boy.
"Honestly, mother, I"d rather go to father and tell him about it. He"d make a row, probably, but at least you"d be out of it."
She ignored his protest, as she always ignored protests against her own methods of handling matters.
"I"m accustomed to it," was her sole reply. But her resigned voice brought her, as it always had, the ready tribute of the boy"s sympathy.
"Sit down, Graham, I want to talk to you."
He sat down, still uneasily fingering the roll of bills. Just how far Natalie"s methods threatened to undermine his character was revealed when, at a sound in Clayton"s room, he stuck the money hastily into his pocket.
"Have you noticed a change in your father since he came back?"
Her tone was so ominous that he started.
"He"s not sick, is he?"
"Not that. But--he"s different. Graham, your father thinks we may be forced into the war."
"Good for us. It"s time, that"s sure."
"Graham!"
"Why, good heavens, mother," he began, "we should have been in it last May. We should--"
She was holding out both hands to him, piteously.
"You wouldn"t go, would you?"
"I might have to go," he evaded.
"You wouldn"t, Graham. You"re all I have. All I have left to live for.
You wouldn"t need to go. It"s ridiculous. You"re needed here. Your father needs you."
"He needs me the h.e.l.l of a lot," the boy muttered. But he went over and, stooping down, kissed her trembling face.
"Don"t worry about me," he said lightly. "I don"t think we"ve got spine enough to get into the mix-up, anyhow. And if we have--"
"You won"t go. Promise me you won"t go."
When he hesitated she resorted to her old methods with both Clayton and the boy. She was doing all she could to make them happy. She made no demands, none. But when she asked for something that meant more than life to her, it was refused, of course. She had gone through all sorts of humiliation to get him that money, and this was the grat.i.tude she received.