"Love That Endures"

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 55, 5 April 1930, Page 15

"Love That Endures"

By Mrs. VICTOR RICKARD

— c ^ , u _ _ ^ ' i " { AN INTRIGUING R0MANCE 0F THE M0DERN VANITY FAIR

The i i Strange ! i Adventnres •; ; of aLoyely j i Mannepin i I

B Author of "The Light Above the Crossroads," "The House of Courage/* I i "Oathy Rossiter," etc., eto. 1 B ir .. jt r ...... . ^

SYNOPSIS. NANOE OSBOURNE, a lovely young London mannequin, who has been staying in the eountry, quarrels with the young man she is going to marry, LEO HENDRED, the sdn of a cohntty solicitor, because oue eVening she is late in meetiiig him. She was late because she had \yitnessed a inotor "crash" in which SIR NICHOLAS RAWNSLEY, a wealthy baronet. and a mysterious lady in a sahle Ooat had been involved. The lady, unknown to Natice, had thrust a costl^ pendant into her pocket, ahd this EEO found on the grass after the , quarrel. Next day Nance returned to her work in London. In the big store one day she is surprised to see the mysterious lady of the motor crash, who is revealed as PRINCESS ADINE, one of the most beautiful young widows in London society. Nanoe is still more surprised when the Princess asks her to becoihe her secretary, a OHAPTER IX. — (Continued). "T ET US UNDERSTAND each other at once,') he said, with more of his usual manner towards the staff. "You cannot count upon getting back here, if you change your mind. Not — certainly — without oue l>rovision. If you should wish to retuxm, you must do so in full accord with Princess Adine. Otherwise — " he got up with a shrug, which left no doubt at all as to wliat he meant. "Thank you Monsieur Cesar." Nance lowered her eyes and walked. to the door. There was nothing more to be said. She made no good-byes at Carrington's, feeling that the sooner she got a-way, the better it would he; and slippi'ng out oue of the many entrances, she avoided the door by which the staff xisually left, and. made her back to her room, where she packed up all her eimple belongings and paid her bill. Once that was done and the taxi waited for her at the door lier courage faltered and she clung to Miss Green with tears. "T WISH I FELT HAPPIER about J- it," she said, recovering herself, fbut it's so strange, so unexpected. I still feel that I must he coming baok to-night." "Your room is there for another week, Nance," Miss Green said, drying her eyes. "X wish I oould say it might stay empty, on the cliance of your eyer wanting it again. I can't do that, but if erer you do want a roof over your head, this house is mine and you are welcome here." Nanee tore herself away, with one parting word. ."Give my address to no oUe.'' Not an liour later, Miss Green had reasong to carry out the parting directions of Nance, for a young man with steel-grey eyes and a strong, sunhurnt face, came up the steps and asked for the young lady Who lived on the first floor. "You mean Miss Nance Osbourne?" she asked, looking at him with interest. H© was a dinstinguished, and verv attractive-looking man, even though he was Ugly, and he had a disarming smile. * YES," HE SAID. "Miss Osbourne. I didn't know she was called Nance." "I can't tell you where she is,", Miss Green shook her head sadly. "But she was here last night." "She has left siuce .them, and there is rio address'." "Does that mean that you don't know it, or that you are not to give it to anvone who happens to ask for it?" lie said quickly. "I cannot give it." Miss Green hardened her heart, and was firm. _ He stood looking down, thinking. "I see," he said slowly. "She may come back?" "She is sure to do that.' ' "Will you tell her that — Nicholas Rawnsle.v called." He looked up again and smiled a sudden and delightful smile. "She may not care to know that I did come, 'but she once came to me, and I have not forgotten it." * * * "jtflSS GREEN WATGHED HIM go -LT.JL xvith a sigh. There was a man after her own heart, after the heart of any woman, if it came to that, and Nance was gone! She had never spoken of Nicholas Rawhsley, and Miss Green knew only of the broken '"ement between her and Leo Heiu.r-'d. Tn spite of his good kioks and a certain amount of soft sawder, which Leo proffered to Miss Green when tliey met, she disliked the young man intensely and .was fully prepared to deny him the least atom of inforrnation ooncerning Nance and her movements. Rnt this other man was so different . She watclied him go along the street in lii's smart town clothes which fitted him so' perfectlv, and she liked the rather co"ksure and even assertive tonch of arrogance in his bearing. which was, somohow, mysteriously lieightened by the slight limp with which he walked. ^ V7"ERY SOON "AFTER her arrivnl at * Shnndon House, Nance decided that the friendship which was supposcd to exist between her and Princess Adine, was as artificial as paper flowers She was not lier secretaiw, and she was not her fftaid. Sometimes she was asked to go downstairs when a large partv was going on, but often she was left alone for days in the seelusioft of her own rooms. She had honrs of unoccupied time on lier hands, and yet there was something strange and attractive about tlie new life she was leading. She took the great white Borzois, Lisette and Jttan, out for walks in the park, and she b'egan to aequire a taste for exuensive dresses. In that manner the Princess Adine .was extremely generous and heaped ;preseiits of clothes on Nance.. Dresses she had worn only a few times, lovely gannents of bewildering'charm. Nance knew, wliat every girl ltnows,- that good, clothes make an enorrhous . differenee to the appearance of even a plain girl, and Nance was , alfeady unusually pretty. Dressed in the lovely creations of a French modiste. she was* lovely. , Her beauty was different fr'qm the shining- blonde of Princess Adine, but there was a freshness and directness and a free unhesitating charm about her which the more beautiful sophistication of the Princess lacked. T^TANCE* HAD TIME to read and time to think during the weeks .iXFat passed pn into months, gnd she

went again and again to see Miss Green and sit in the little old room which had once been hers. "My dear, you're a real beauty now," Aliss Green said, admiringly, I shall tell him where to look for you." Nauce flushed sudden ly. She knew that Nicholas Rawnsley had been dining with Princess Adine tlie night before. but she had not been asked to come down. She had seen him arrive from her window, aiid had seen him go up the steps. It had hurt lier like the stab of a knife. "I must go." She sprang to her feet. _ "Lisette and Juan don't get any exercise if I sit here talking to you, Miss Green."' Her old landlady looked up into the glrl's face. "Are you happy, Nance?" she asked a little pleadingly. "I feel — somehow — that everything is not just right with you." "Why shouldu't it be?" Nance shook her head and smiled. She went into the narrow hall, and the leaping dogs greeted her, eager to be gone. "Nance," Miss Green laid her hand 011 the girl's arm, "Leo Hendred lias been here since, more than once. He's no good. I've had to shut the door in his face. If ever you com© across' him again don't have anything to say to him." CHAPTER X. 1 T WAS TOWARDS THE END of the second nionth of her residence in Shandon House that Nance me* Madame Tempalario. Princess Adine, aware perliaps that the girl was Jonely and neglected, suddenly turned the warmth of her aflectionate prote.stati.ons towards her again. She sent for Nance to go to the gleaming, shimmering boudoir where she spent the lazy liours of the day, and throwing herself 011 a sofa, lighted a cigarette and hegan to talk' to Nance With a wonderful openness, which was part of her charm. / "I've been liateful, haven't I, Nance?" she said. But you see it's life, and I can't help it. I should be far happier if I could Ieave London and live in the eountry away from it all. I've been unha,ppy of late and very worried, Nance, she moved in her graceful, feline way, and put a seagreen cushion behind her head. "will you do me a great favour? Will you give me back the diamond pendant I gave you that night on Paradyne Hill? Pll give you anything you like instead. Nick Rawnsley gate it to me, and he and I have quarrelled. He wants it because there is a miniature of his mothfer in the back of it—" v % ' T>RINCESS," NANGE OAME to the sofa and stood staring down at her "you said once hefote that you gave me a jewelled penclant. But you didn't. You really didn't. If you had I should have known of it, kept it, valued it, and of£ course I would have returned it to you."' , ^ . Princess Adine made a quick movement of dismay. "Nance! This is awful I took it off tlie chain I was wearing round my neck and put into the pocket of your coat. I thought yott'd find it there, and know who gave it to you. I thought Nicholas — would — " ' she faltered. "You know what I thought !" "I know," Nance said, slowly. "Give it back to me, Nance," she held out her white arms entreatingly. With a sudden pang, the knife-edge of revelation was thrust upon Nance Osbourne. Princess Adine believed her to have sokl it. "If I had it I would give it back." NaT#e stood in the window and' looked steadily at the beautiful creature who Bad clasped her hands behind her head and seemed to have forgotten her, (To be Continued.)