There Will Come A Stranger by Dorothy Rivers Read Free Book Online

heard through the closed door. One of these evenings, Valerie thought, I may be laughing with them ... I may be going dancing, too!
    Over their coffee they talked chiefly of ski-ing. The Prescotts advised the sisters as to their procedure next day, and gave them various tips for making their currency stretch as far as possible. Valerie was full of eager questions. Vivian, determined that the others, and in particular John Ainslie, should realize that she was perfectly capable of fending for herself and Valerie as well, and had no intention of “tagging on” to their new friends, kept saying, “But we needn ’ t bother you about that!” and “We can find out that for ourselves to-morrow.”
    Only John Ainslie did not have much to say. But though he did not speak much, he was silently observant. Valerie, he thought, was delightful in her unaffected pleasure and excitement at the novelty of her surroundings. Probably a secluded life accounted for the diffidence that mingled with her radiance; staying for a few weeks in this atmosphere of cheerful comings and goings, mixing with young people of various nationalities and types, should bring her out and give her confidence.
    But it was Vivian who intrigued him most. He wondered—as he had wondered when he saw her for the first time in the train—what caused the sadness in her eyes, the wistful curves about her mouth when it was in repose. Was she unhappy in her marriage ? Lonely for the husband she had presumably left behind her in America? Or had they parted company for good? Attractive, young, and soign é e, Vivian was so far from his conception of a widow that this possibility did not occur to him. He wondered whether it could be some matrimonial trouble that accounted for her evident desire to make it plain that she was self - sufficient, independent of advice and help? Had some disillusioning experience decided her to stand alone in future, relying only on herself? ... Being as a rule incurious concerning other people and their affairs, he was surprised by his interest in the two attractive sisters.
    Vivian and Valerie had gathered from the Prescotts that the most enthusiastic skiers usually started off soon after nine, although at that hour it was still very cold and rather cheerless. “If I were you, I wouldn ’ t set out till about ten, particularly on your first day,” Susan had advised them, adding a good deal of information as to how they should go up on the funicular as far as the nursery slopes, where they could hire skis and book instructors.
    After the early start of yesterday (how far away it seemed now, that awakening in the drizzling dark of London!) they were glad enough to sleep late on their first morning at the Casque d ’ Or, until they were awakened by the departure of those hardy folk who were already starting for the heights. Valerie, eager to inspect their new surroundings, so far only seen by starlight, sprang out of bed and hurried to the window. Vivian joined her there a moment later. Below them, scattered on the mountain side, they saw hotels and chalets, pensions and shops, a little church, the station where they had arrived last night, the railway track zigzagging down towards the shadowy valley till it vanished among firs half buried in the snow. The light was pale and cold. Only the soaring mountain peaks were tipped with rose and flame and coral, but even as they stood there looking out sunlight began flowing from the heights in tides of molten gold, staining the snow, banishing the shadows.
    Evidently the way to the funicular lay past their own hotel, for skiers in twos and threes and larger groups were passing by, and others, emerging from the door immediately below their window, turned in the same direction.
    “And they ’ re all of them wearing pretty much the kind of clothes we ’ ve got ourselves!” said Valerie, her voice relieved.
    Vivian laughed. “Thank goodness—so they are! I knew that girl in Harridge ’ s wouldn