Marjorie Bowen

“ Elfrida's whole personality was at this moment like an echo. "A good time."
"I'd like to do what you want," said Mrs. Delaney, but with the complacency of one who expects no opposition. "If there is anywhere you prefer to Florence——"
"There's nowhere I would prefer," smiled the daughter.
"Then we might call that settled."
Illustration: "'You might have told me before it was too late.'"
And so, with no more discussion than that, it was settled. ”

“ Her mother looked at her affectionately "I'm not the wealthy woman that I was—the children have cost a good deal, one way and another——"
"I know," said Elfrida: she had cost nothing beyond her keep.
"And I'd like to go on helping Belle and Tom—and there's all Grace's expenses; they don't get less."
"No, of course not."
No, Mrs. Delaney was no longer anything but comfortable; it would be the tiny flat and one maid and a little modest travel on well-beaten tracks, staying at cheap hotels. ”

“ Another door seemed to close—saving for one's old age—the end drawing nearer—two ageing women being careful—travelling about decorously and being careful. Elfrida had had a long training in being careful, careful in everything, in every way; for none of the others had been careful, and Mrs. Delaney herself, an over-anxious mother, was apt to "lose her head" on occasion and to require Elfrida's sure touch to rescue her from dilemma, perhaps disaster. ”

“ Mayrick had not spoken—if Elfrida had not bought the hat——
Mrs. Delaney turned the hat about—Belle had had hats like this—Grace certainly would have them—but she had never thought of Elfrida with these floating, pale plumes——
She went, heavily, into the tiny dining-room; Elfrida was writing labels.
She looked up, composed, even smiling.
"That hat——" murmured Mrs. Delaney.
"Mother," answered Elfrida tenderly, "don't worry—I'll change it for something really useful——"
"No," said the mother. "No—I've never seen you look so nice. It suits you, Elfrida." She sat down, trembling a little. ”

“ Delaney, looking at her affectionately, thought what a delightful companion she would make and how pleasant it would be to show her Florence.
"We really deserve a little time to ourselves," she smiled. "We've been doing something for the others for years."
"I suppose we have." Elfrida smiled too; she was knitting a coat for Belle's last baby now. ”

“ She avoided extremes of fashion from a nervous sense of her own insignificance, and in these days of well-dressed women she was always rather notably dull and ordinary in her appearance.
Now she was going shopping without much heart—"Oh, well," she thought to herself, "it doesn't really much matter what I buy." ”

“ Delaney and Elfrida were going to Florence in the spring, of course, and to quite a good boarding-house.
"We can sub-let the flat," said Mrs. Delaney, "and take a much smaller place—one maid would do—we've no boys, no young people, two women can manage very well." ”

“ PLUMES
By MARJORIE BOWEN
Author of "Stinging Nettles," "The Presence and the Power," "Five People," "Boundless Water," etc.
ILLUSTRATED BY P. B. HICKLING
IT all narrowed down to Elfrida; the others had each, somehow, secured direct destinies of their own.
Belle's future might have as well been written in letters of light among the golden diadem of curls on her candid brow, so clear it was; at twenty she was married.
Tom had what he called his career, what others called his job, and Grace possessed a definite talent for music; she was studying in Dresden, happy, secure in her work. ”