slender arms bare were attached to a closely fitted bodice that continued to a deep point on her flat stomach. The dress was cut quite low, displaying lovely ivory shoulders and the swell of her pushed-up breasts. Its waist was very tight and the skirt was molded snugly from her rounded hips down to her knees, where it flared dramatically, making it possible for her to walk and to dance.
Her golden hair was parted in the middle, pulled to the back of her head, and caught there with a pearl-and-gold barrette. Glowing, perfumed curls fell halfway down her bare back and danced prettily with every step she took. Pearl earscrews clung to her small shell-like ears, and a long strand of cultured pearls caressed her bare throat. Her gloves were white satin, as were the dainty dancing slippers peeking from beneath her rustling white silk skirt. She carried in her hand a fragrant white gardenia.
Martay reached the bottom of the stairs and, not bothering to take one last look in the tall hall mirror, swept into the drawing room, where her father and the Emersons were gathered. Pausing in the arched doorway, she waited until all three pairs of eyes were on her. Then she smiled, held out her arms, and spun about so that they might get the full effect.
They did.
Though all were used to her spectacular beauty, she took their breath away. Never had she looked lovelier, more fragile, more innocent. Betty Jane Emerson clasped her thin hands to her breasts and sighed. Colonel Dolph Emerson, bolting up out of his chair, rushed to take her hand, saying, “Child, you are truly a vision in gold and white!”
Her father, rising also, remained where he stood, his green eyes locked on his lovely daughter, his chest filled with pride and with fear. God, she was so breathtakingly pretty and so damned naive for all her coquettishness. Was such a dazzling creature ever safe? Could he trust even Major Berton not to take advantage of this fair child? Would Almighty God watch over such appealing innocence?
“Daddy, you are staring at me,” said Martay as she entered the big room on Dolph Emerson’s offered arm.
“Yes,” he said, and smiled at her. “I am staring. I’m staring just as every other man will stare at you this evening. You’re exceptionally lovely tonight, angel. Prettier than I’ve ever seen you.”
Dropping Colonel Emerson’s arm, she came to her father, stood on tiptoe, kissed his cheek, and teasingly accused, “You’ve said that before, Daddy.” Before he could reply she had hurried to the long brocade sofa where Betty Jane Emerson was seated. Dropping down beside the older woman, Martay took one of Betty Jane’s hands and lamented, “I do so wish you and the colonel and Daddy were coming to the party.”
Betty Jane smiled. “So do I, dear, but Regina Darlington explained that she is having only the young set this evening because she thought you’d enjoy it more.” She squeezed Martay’s slim fingers. “I think that’s very thoughtful of Regina, and perhaps it will be fun for you young folks to be free of the elders for one night.”
“Well, I disagree and I think it’s …” Martay was interrupted by the loud hammering of the front-door knocker.
“That’s your young man,” said Colonel Emerson, and went to let him in.
In his dress military blues with his face scrubbed shiny clean and his blond hair carefully brushed, Major Lawrence Berton, smiling broadly, entered the room looking boyishly handsome and appealingly bashful. When he caught sight of Martay, the big smile left his face and he swallowed hard. Courteously shaking hands with General Kidd and bowing politely to Betty Jane Emerson, he stared, speechless, at Martay as she rose gracefully from the couch and said, “Hello, Larry. How nice to see you this evening.”
Not trusting his voice, Major Lawrence Berton just nodded and grinned and was grateful when Colonel Emerson clapped him on the back and said, “Son, what you need is a drink.”
The
Her golden hair was parted in the middle, pulled to the back of her head, and caught there with a pearl-and-gold barrette. Glowing, perfumed curls fell halfway down her bare back and danced prettily with every step she took. Pearl earscrews clung to her small shell-like ears, and a long strand of cultured pearls caressed her bare throat. Her gloves were white satin, as were the dainty dancing slippers peeking from beneath her rustling white silk skirt. She carried in her hand a fragrant white gardenia.
Martay reached the bottom of the stairs and, not bothering to take one last look in the tall hall mirror, swept into the drawing room, where her father and the Emersons were gathered. Pausing in the arched doorway, she waited until all three pairs of eyes were on her. Then she smiled, held out her arms, and spun about so that they might get the full effect.
They did.
Though all were used to her spectacular beauty, she took their breath away. Never had she looked lovelier, more fragile, more innocent. Betty Jane Emerson clasped her thin hands to her breasts and sighed. Colonel Dolph Emerson, bolting up out of his chair, rushed to take her hand, saying, “Child, you are truly a vision in gold and white!”
Her father, rising also, remained where he stood, his green eyes locked on his lovely daughter, his chest filled with pride and with fear. God, she was so breathtakingly pretty and so damned naive for all her coquettishness. Was such a dazzling creature ever safe? Could he trust even Major Berton not to take advantage of this fair child? Would Almighty God watch over such appealing innocence?
“Daddy, you are staring at me,” said Martay as she entered the big room on Dolph Emerson’s offered arm.
“Yes,” he said, and smiled at her. “I am staring. I’m staring just as every other man will stare at you this evening. You’re exceptionally lovely tonight, angel. Prettier than I’ve ever seen you.”
Dropping Colonel Emerson’s arm, she came to her father, stood on tiptoe, kissed his cheek, and teasingly accused, “You’ve said that before, Daddy.” Before he could reply she had hurried to the long brocade sofa where Betty Jane Emerson was seated. Dropping down beside the older woman, Martay took one of Betty Jane’s hands and lamented, “I do so wish you and the colonel and Daddy were coming to the party.”
Betty Jane smiled. “So do I, dear, but Regina Darlington explained that she is having only the young set this evening because she thought you’d enjoy it more.” She squeezed Martay’s slim fingers. “I think that’s very thoughtful of Regina, and perhaps it will be fun for you young folks to be free of the elders for one night.”
“Well, I disagree and I think it’s …” Martay was interrupted by the loud hammering of the front-door knocker.
“That’s your young man,” said Colonel Emerson, and went to let him in.
In his dress military blues with his face scrubbed shiny clean and his blond hair carefully brushed, Major Lawrence Berton, smiling broadly, entered the room looking boyishly handsome and appealingly bashful. When he caught sight of Martay, the big smile left his face and he swallowed hard. Courteously shaking hands with General Kidd and bowing politely to Betty Jane Emerson, he stared, speechless, at Martay as she rose gracefully from the couch and said, “Hello, Larry. How nice to see you this evening.”
Not trusting his voice, Major Lawrence Berton just nodded and grinned and was grateful when Colonel Emerson clapped him on the back and said, “Son, what you need is a drink.”
The
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