The Powers and Maxine | Page 5

established."
"Nonsense!" Di broke out, her cheeks very pink. "As if Ivor were the
kind of man to think of such a thing!"
"He isn't very rich, and he is very ambitious. It would be bad for him to
marry a poor girl, or a girl who wasn't well connected socially. He has
to think of such things."
I watched the effect of these words, with my eyes half shut; for of
course Di has all her mother's money, two hundred thousand English
pounds; and through the Mountstuarts, and her aunt who is married to
the Foreign Secretary, she has got to know all the best people in
England. Besides, the King and Queen have been particularly nice to
her since she was presented, so she has the run of their special set, as
well as the political and artistic, and "old-fashioned exclusive" ones.
"Ivor Dundas is a law unto himself," she said, "and he has plenty of
good connections of his own. He'll have a little money, too, some day,
from an aunt or a god-mother, I believe. Anyway, he and Miss de
Renzie had nothing more than a flirtation. Aunt Lilian told me so. She
said Maxine was rather proud to have Ivor dangling about, because
everyone likes him, and because his travels and his book were being a
lot talked about just then. Naturally, he admired her, because she's
beautiful, and a very great actress--"
"Oh, your Aunt Lilian would make little of the affair," I laughed. "She
flirts with him herself."
"Why, Lisa, Aunt Lilian's over forty, and he's twenty-nine!"
"Forty isn't the end of the world for a woman, nowadays. She's a beauty

and a great lady. Ivor always wants the best of everything. She flirts
with him, and he with her."
Di laughed too, but only to make it seem as if she didn't care. "You'd
better not say such silly things to Uncle Eric," she said, staring at the
pattern of the cornice. "Aren't those funny, gargoyley faces up there? I
never noticed them before. But oh--about Mr. Dundas and Maxine de
Renzie--I don't think, really, that he troubles himself much about her
any more, for the other day I--I happened to ask what she was playing
in Paris now, and he didn't know. He said he hadn't been over to see her
act, as it was too far away, and he was afraid when he wasn't too busy,
he was too lazy."
"He said so to you, of course. But when he spends Saturday to Monday
at Folkestone with the godmother who's going to leave him her money,
how easy to slip over the Channel to the fair Maxine, without anyone
being the wiser."
"Why shouldn't he slip, or slide, or steam, or sail in a balloon, if he
likes?" laughed Di, but not happily. "You're looking much better, Lisa.
You've quite a colour now. Do you feel strong enough to go upstairs?"
"I would rather rest here for awhile, since you think Lord Mountstuart
is sure not to come," said I. "These pillows are so comfortable. Then
perhaps, by and by, I shall feel able to go back to the den, and watch
the dancing. I should like to keep up, if I can, for I know I shan't sleep,
and the night will seem so long."
"Very well," said Di, speaking kindly, though I knew she would have
liked to shake me. "I'm afraid I shall have to run away now, for my
partner will think me so rude. What about supper?"
"Oh, I don't want any. And I shall have gone upstairs before that," I
interrupted. "Go now, I don't need you any more."
"Ring, and send for me if you feel badly again."
"Yes--yes."

By this time she was at the door, and there she turned with a remorseful
look in her eyes, as if she had been unkind and was sorry. "Even if you
don't send, I shall come back by and by, when I can, to see how you
are," she said. Then she was gone, and I nestled deeper into the sofa
cushions, with the feeling that my head was so heavy, it must weigh
down the pillows like a stone.
"She was afraid of missing Number 13 with Ivor," I said to myself.
"Well--she's welcome to it now. I don't think she'll enjoy it much--or let
him. Oh, I hope they'll quarrel. I don't think I'd mind anything, if only I
was sure they'd never be nearer to each other. I wish Di would marry
Lord Robert. Perhaps then Ivor would turn to me. Oh, my God, how I
hate her--and all beautiful girls, who spoil the lives of women like me."
A shivering fit shook me from head to feet, as I guessed that the