She had informed him that she had sufficient money to keep
her "long enough," but the doctor had his misgivings and directed his
lawyers to pay the rent of the room and make an arrangement with a
neighboring restaurant to send in her meals. Then he had gone off on
a sea voyage. Holt had seen him driving his double team the day
before, evidently on a round of visits. The sea, apparently, had done
him little good. Nothing but age, no doubt, would shatter that superb
constitution, but he had lost his ruddy color and his face was drawn
and lined.
Madeleine had not raised her eyes. She looked like an effigy of well-bred
contempt, and Holt did not wonder that she suffered briefly from
the attentions of predatory males in search of amusement. Moreover,
she was very thin, and the sirens of that day were voluptuous. They
fed on cream and sweets until the proper curves of bust and hips were
achieved, and those that appeared in the wrong place were held flat
with a broad "wooden whalebone."
Holt was surprised to find her so little changed. It was evident she
was one of those drinkers whom liquor made pallid not red; her skin
was still smooth and her face had not lost its fine oval. But it was
only a matter of time!
"Mrs. Talbot."
She raised her eyes with a faint start and with an expression of
haughty disdain.
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