The Vanishing of Betty Varian. Wells Carolyn

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СКАЧАТЬ Landon said, “they’ve only been in that house about a week. Haven’t you been rushing things?”

      “I knew them before,” said Granniss, simply. “I’ve met them in New York.”

      “Oh, well, then their dislike of you is evidently well-founded!”

      But this impudence of Landon’s brought forth no expression of resentment from its victim. Granniss only winked at Ted, and proceeded to look over his letters.

      It was the first time in the memory of any of the present habitués of Headland Harbor, that the house on the rocks had been occupied. Built long ago, it was so difficult of access and so high priced of rental that no one had cared to live in it. But, suddenly, and for no known reason, this summer it had been rented, late, and now, toward the end of July, the new tenants were only fairly settled.

      That their name was Varian was about all that was known of them, until Mrs Blackwood’s call had been hospitably received and she brought back favorable reports of the family.

      It seems Betty was anxious to meet some young people and Mrs Varian was glad to learn from her caller that small picnics were among the favored modes of entertainment, and she decided to begin that way.

      Next day, she explained, a few house guests would arrive, and if Mrs Blackwood would bring two or three young men and come herself, perhaps that would be enough for a first attempt at sociability.

      This met Mrs Blackwood’s entire approval, and she proposed Rodney Granniss’ name, all unsuspecting that he would not be welcomed.

      “He’s all right, you understand,” Mrs Varian had said, – Betty not being then present, – “but he’s too fond of my daughter. You can tell, – you know, – and I want the child to have a good time, but I want her to have a lot of young acquaintances, and be friendly with all, but not specially interested in any one. Her father feels the same way, – in fact, he feels more strongly about it even than I do. So, this time, please leave Mr Granniss out of it.”

      This was all plausible enough, and no real disparagement to Rodney, so Mrs Blackwood agreed.

      “Can I do anything for you?” she asked her hostess at parting. “Have you everything you want? Are your servants satisfactory?”

      “Not in every respect,” – Mrs Varian frowned. “But we’re lucky to keep them at all. Only by the most outrageous concessions, I assure you. If they get too overbearing, I may have to let some of them go.”

      “Let me know, in that case, and I may be able to help you,” and with a few further amenities, Claire Blackwood went away.

      “But if I were one of her servants I shouldn’t stay with her!” she confided later to a trusted friend. “I never saw a more foolishly emotional woman. She almost wept when she told me about her cook’s ingratitude! As if any one looked for appreciation of favors in a cook! And when she talked about Betty, she bubbled over with such enthusiasm that she was again moved to tears! It seems her first two little ones died very young, and I think they’ve always feared they mightn’t raise Betty. Hence the spoiling process.”

      “And it also explains,” observed the interested friend, “why the parents discountenance the attentions of would-be swains.”

      “Of course, – but Betty is twenty, and that is surely old enough to begin to think about such things seriously.”

      “For the girl, – yes. And doubtless she does. But parents never realize that their infants are growing up. It is not impossible that Rod Granniss and Miss Betty have progressed much further along the road to Arcady than her elders may suspect. Why did the Varians come here, – where Rod is?”

      “I don’t suppose they knew it, – though, maybe Betty did. Young people are pretty sharp. And you know, Rod was here in June, then he went away and only returned after the Varians arrived. Yes, there must have been some sort of collusion on the part of the youngsters.”

      “Maybe not. I daresay Miss Betty has lots of admirers as devoted as young Granniss. Can’t you ask me to the picnic?”

      “Not this one. It’s very small. And there are to be some guests at the house, I believe. The family interests me. They are types, I think. Betty is more than an ordinary flutterbudget, like most of the very young girls around here. And the older Varians are really worth while. Mr Varian is a brooding, self-contained sort, – I feel sorry for him.”

      “There, there, that will do, Claire! When you feel sorry for a man – I remember you began by being sorry for Lawrence North!”

      “I’m sorry for him still. He’s a big man, – in a way, a genius, – and yet he – ”

      “He gets nowhere! That’s because he isn’t a genius! But he’s a widower, so he’s fair quarry. Don’t go to feeling sorry for married men.”

      “Oh, there’s no sentiment in my sympathy for Mr Varian. Only he intrigues me because of his restless air, – his restrained effect, as if he were using every effort to keep himself from breaking through!”

      “Breaking through what?”

      “I don’t know! Through some barrier, some limit that he has fixed for himself – I tell you I don’t know what it’s all about. That’s why I’m interested.”

      “Curious, you mean.”

      “Well, curious, then. And how he puts up with that hand-wringing ready-to-cry wife! Yet, he’s fawningly devoted to her! He anticipates her slightest wish, – he is worried sick if she is the least mite incommoded or disturbed, – and I know he’d lie down and let her walk on him if she even looked as if she’d care to!”

      “What a lot you read into a man’s natural consideration for his wife!”

      “But it’s there! I’m no fool, – I can read people, – you know that! I tell you that man is under his wife’s thumb for some reason far more potent than his love for her, or her demand for affection from him.”

      “What could be the explanation?”

      “I don’t know. That’s why I’m curious. I’m going to find out, though, and that without the Varians in the least suspecting my efforts. Wait till you see her. She’s almost eerie, she’s so emotional. Not noisy or even verbally expressive, but her face is a study in nervous excitement. She seems to grab at the heartstrings of a mere passer-by, and play on them until she tears them out!”

      “Good gracious, you make her out a vampire!”

      “I think she is, – not a silly vamp, that the girls joke about, – but the real thing!”

      CHAPTER II

      Betty Varian

      “Dad, you’re absolutely impossible!”

      “Oh, come now, Betty, not as bad as that! Just because I don’t agree to everything you say – ”

      “But you never agree with me! You seem to be opposed on principle to everything I suggest or want. It’s always been like that! From the time I was born, – how old was I, Dad, when you first saw me?”

      Mr Varian looked reminiscent.

      “About СКАЧАТЬ