A. Merritt's Fantasy Magazine, April 1950 — page 34: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

34 A. MERRITT’S FANTASY all. He’s broken down. He may get here this afternoon. There’s the wire.” Glancing at the top of the message, she saw it had been handed in at Ludlow at 8:38 A. M., and put it down to turn to Tony. “T will order the car for you, dear,” she said, and, advancing one slippered, tiny foot, set it on a bellpush in front of her. After that, she seated herself, and gestured him to the place opposite her. “So—I must tell him you have gone,” she said. “Or leave word for him, per- haps. Darling, get me one kidney, and no bacon.” Going to the sideboard, he uncovered the dish, and hesitated. “They look badly underdone, to me, Cleo,”’ he said dubiously. “But they are not, really,” “One, please.” Carefully, even distastefully, he trans- ferres two halves of kidney from the dish to a warmed plate, which he put down be- fore her. The service gave him oppor- tunity to lean down and kiss her. “You're so lovely, Cleo! I hoped you’d she said. _ have been down sooner, since it’s my last morning here.”’ She laughed. “Until Friday—five days! Darling, this is very early for me. I come alive at night, not with the morning.” A wizened, wrinkled, five-foot-nothing, white-haired, clean-shaven man, with startlingly youthful blue eyes entered noiselessly. He said: ‘““You rang, mad- am?" “Quite five minutes ago, Saleh,” Cleo -Kefra answered. “You will be ready with the car to take Mr. Briggs to Chelt- ee Sel Pee Ce HUG We enham in half an hour. That is all.” “Thank you, madam,” and he closed the door, leaving them alone again. Whereupon Tony bent down for another kiss, but her hand restrained him. She said, “No, darling. Else, you would go back starved.” “T do,” he said significantly. But—”’ He went to the sideboard, and chose a slice of cold ham and a poached egg. She - poured his tea, and coffee for herself. The halves of kidney showed crimson and ‘dripped redly as she cut them, but the coffee urn and spirit kettle masked her eating from Tony’s sight. He caught her eae at him, and sighed. “Five days, darling,” he said. must you come here?” “But such days!” she told him, iad laughed. “Cleo, how soon will you marry me?” he asked abruptly, leaning toward: her across the table.” She laughed softly. “Is it not yet a week since we became engaged.” “T know, but—how soon, darling?” She shook her head. “I cannot tell you et.”’ ‘Is there—you have only yourself to consider ?”’ he asked, anxiously. “Only myself,” she answered slowly. “T am quite alone.” “Then why—?” he began, and broke off. “Not yet—I cannot tell you yet,” she repeated, and rose to come and stand be- side him. “Do not insist, Tony—let it wait for a time. We can be together, as 93 * now. “T want all of you, Cleo,” he said rather indistinctly. “So?” She spoke the monosyllable softly, thoughtfully. One less blind than was he might have said that she was quite unimpressed. But he lifted the hand she had laid on his shoulder, and put it to his lips. ' “Your friend—when will he arrive?” ““My— Oh, you mean Gees! I’ve no idea, darling. Too late to get me to Lon- don in time, or he wouldn’t have sent that wire. He says four o’clock, but since he’s had some sort of breakdown it may be later.”’ “Does a Rolls-Bentley break down? rad she asked thoughtfully. “He may have hit something. But— Did he tell you he drives a Rolls-Bentley, darling?” he inquired, gazing at’ her with surprise. She nodded. him,” she said, . “T don’t remember—” He was frown- ing in an effort at recalling any mention of Gees’ car when Cleo drew her hand away and -stood back from him as the door opened to admit a tall, elderly wom- an. Tony rose to his feet. ‘Good morn- ing, Lady Benderneck,” he said. “Morning, Tony. Cleo, my dear, [I must go back to town. I’m very sorry— “When we lunched with a case of illness in the family. Can you bot D (S. seont “al ei @) Nil = “ - - - = ——s FESS = - a ™ : - = = fur >a oe