Crossroads of Desire by Amos Hatter — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER SEVEN fe world that Connie awakened to was a cheerless place, even to a scudding overcast sky. She opened her eyes. Her? tears of the night before had dried on her lids, making them. 2 heavy and uncomfortable. A great weariness had descended, on her aching body. For the first few seconds of her return to © consciousness her mind struggled to comprehend what was the matter with her. The next instant reality returned with a rush. The pain of it distorted her features and her anguished eyes stared up into Space as if peering into doomsday itself. Her thoughts probed for some means of escape but found none. Further sleep was impossible, though it was not even ten o’clock. Connie arose and dropped her tired legs over the side of the bed. She took a deep, halting breath. When she exhaled, it was a long, heartbroken sigh. She stood up and plodded dismally to the bathroom, where she stood under a cold shower for seven painful minutes. The shower helped but little to alleviate her physical suffer- ing. It did nothing at all to relieve her tortured mind. After drying herself she got into a warm, quilted robe and went to the kitchen. As she was making herself some coffee Yvonne appeared, “Mademoiselle, what is it?” she asked, searching Connie’s face worriedly. “I—I just thought some black coffee might do me some good,” Connie replied, not looking at the girl. “Sit down. Please do. I’ll fix it for you.” Connie sank onto one of the cushions in the breakfast nook and Yvonne took over. A few minutes later the maid poured her a cup of steaming black coffee. She stood there for a moment looking down at Connie. “Do not think me forward, mademoiselle, but I should like to drink some coffee with you, if I may. I’m so ashamed—so terribly ashamed of myself and Gene last night.” “Sure. Pour yourself a cup and sit down,” said Connie indifferently. 52 CROSSROADS OF DESIRE Yvonne joined her and gazed across at her mistress contritely. “When you hadn't come home by three I remembered what you said last night and permitted Gene to stay. Ooooo,” the little maid shuddered, “I was so terribly embarrassed, and that stupid Gene was so startled that he did nothing but stare at you.” “Don’t worry. Forget it. It was all my fault.” Connie’s frustration of last night leaped into her mind. Once again emotion threatened to choke her. She brushed aside a tear and fought for control. “You're not feeling well,’ Yvonne observed anxiously. “Tm all right.” “But I knew the moment I saw you last night that something had gone wrong.” “Tl say it did!” Connie replied, showing a spark of life for the first time since awakening. Yvonne waited for her to go on. She never pried into her employer’s affairs and when Connie didn’t say anything she discreetly sipped her coffee. “T’m sorry, mademoiselle.” Still Connie didn’t speak. She sat there, brooding over her coffee with her eyes lowered to the table, as she considered the injustice that had befallen her last night. Suddenly she looked up. “Yvonne, have you ever caught Gene in some other girl’s arms?” “Oh, no,’ answered the maid, startled. “Well don’t, or yowll never know happiness again.” Yvonne puzzled over this advice for a moment. ‘“At-least I’d know the happiness of bashing his head in,” she said stoutly. “That’s what happened to me last night. Not once, but twice. Besides that, I was left alone for dinner after the performance and had to eat by myself. “What in the world?” cried Yvonne aghast. “Philip never did come for me. I finally caught up with him in his apartment. He was with a blonde and he was dead drunk!” Connie revealed with growing indignation. “Oh, how awful!”’ Yvonne looked at her wide eyed. She was one of Connie’s most loyal admirers. It was inconceivable to her that anyone would treat her mistress so shamefully. [email protected] im