Gates of Dawn by Susan Barrie Page A

and sparkling, and with a look of something not altogether unlike admiration in their cool depths as they took in the youthful perfection of her cheek and chin and brow.
    He endeavored suddenly to include Noel in the conversation, and leaned a little towards them.
    “ Is there anything you two girls would like to do before you leave London? ” he asked.
    Melanie hesitated.
    “ It ’ s Noel ’ s birthday next week. She will be sixteen, ” she added.
    “ Great Scot! ” he exclaimed, looking at the small, shrinking figure of Noel. “ Almost completely grown-up! Then we must celebrate, of course. ”
    Melanie hesitated again.
    “ But first, ” she said—paused, and then rushed, on determin ed ly— “ first I think Noel would like to acquire a few more clothes—some things she can really wear. At the moment she is rather sadly reduced, with little or nothing that fits. ”
    “ Good heavens! ” He looked shocked. “ Is that really so? Then I must give you a cheque and you must take her shopping. I can ’ t allow myself to be disgraced by the possession of a shabby niece! ” He was teasing her, but the painful self-conscious color which rolled up over her face and neck disturbed him a little. He said more gently: And what about a cinema or a show of some sort on the great day? There ’ s a very good film on at the Orion, and we could have tea afterwards at the Savoy, or somewhere like that—since you both appear t o be very fond of tea! ” Melanie thought his eyes had quite the nicest expression she had seen in them yet as they rested on his niece, and even Noel roused herself from her welter of shyness and uncertainty to thank him in trembling tones.
    “ That would be lovely, ” she said. “ I ’ ve hardly ever been to a cinema, ” she confessed.
    “ Too bad. Then it ’ s high time we did something about it. ”
    On their way home in a taxi Melanie was pleased to observe that there was quite an animated color in Noel ’ s cheeks, and her eyes were bright. But whether her animation was due to the prospect of a shopping expedition, a visit to the cinema or her uncle ’ s unusual condescension she could only guess.
    As they passed the Orion she glanced at the huge letters above it which announced that Morning in Spring had been running for several weeks, and was apparently an unqualified success. It also proclaimed the name of the star to be Sylvia Gaythorpe!
    “ She ’ s pretty, isn ’ t she? ” Noel murmured, leaning forward to gaze at an outsize portrait of the titian-haired attraction which was placed prominently beside the entrance. “ She ’ s some sort of connection of my mother ’ s family, you know, and very like my mother—in fact, much more like her than I am! ”
    “ Really? I didn ’ t know. ” Melanie stared at her thoughtfully. So that, no doubt, explained the reason why Richard Trenchard, who had probably already seen the film, felt capable of gazing at it again and again—or gazing at Sylvia Gaythorpe! For had he not once been in love with Elaine ... ?
    “ I didn ’ t know, ” she repeated.

 
    CHAPTER SEVEN
    THE next few days were occupied in getting together a suitable outfit for Noel, the cost of which the really handsome cheque which Richard Trenchard had supplied easily defrayed. Melanie, despite her own limited number of years, had excellent taste, and she was able to advise in the choice of neat, ready-made suits and jumpers, and all the accessories which went with them, which would be suitable for a remote spot like Murchester, where durability would be more important than ostentation. But for the birthday outing—looked forward to almost childishly by Noel, whose previous celebrations had left much to be desired—she encouraged the purchase of a fine wool afternoon frock of a misty shade of blue which looked enchanting on the petite figure of the sixteen-year-old, with her cornflower-blue eyes and pale gold hair. And with it she wore a little dark blue velvet