The Follower Read Online Free PDF Page B

suitable a time as any to explain certain things to you. My wife and I have tried to be good parents to Ellie. We have given her every advantage and attempted to set her a good example. But for several years she has chosen to lead a frivolous and worthless life with what we consider idle and vicious associates. It has not been easy for us to see our only daughter systematically destroying herself, but you can hardly expect us to encourage that process.’
    He paused. ‘We always hoped that these — these dissipations were a passing phase. We were pathetically prepared to believe that she might marry Corey Lathrop and become a responsible citizen again. But instead of marrying Corey —’
    He looked down at his carefully manicured hands. ‘We have nothing against you as a man. How can we? We know nothing about you and were given no chance to. But we have everything against you as a factor in Ellie’s life. In the past we have helped her out of many scrapes and received precious little gratitude for it. After this — er — irresponsible marriage was thrust upon us we put down a foot which should have been put down much earlier. We told Ellie that in future we would give her no financial aid whatsoever. She has her own income from her grandmother. It should be more than sufficient to support in luxury both herself and any impecunious husband to whom she chose to attach herself.’
    Mark’s anger rose to the obvious goad, but he was even more shocked than angry. His own parents would have disapproved of gambling too. But if Ellie had been their daughter they would have stood by her to the last ditch and the last debt. It was inconceivable to think of them adopting this glacial washing of hands attitude.
    Suddenly he imagined Ellie as a little girl growing up in this bleak, loveless mausoleum. For the first time he saw pathos in her as well as brilliance. It added a new tenderness to his feeling for her. Poor kid, with a couple of icebergs for parents, no wonder she had run to ‘idle and vicious associates’ for warmth and affection. This was enough to have soured anyone on respectability for life.
    The clock on the mantel chimed softly again. It was an idiot clock that had lost contact with time. A slight draught from somewhere made one of the golden balls on the Christmas tree nod.
    ‘She tried to borrow from Corey too.’ The words burst out of Mrs Ross as if there was some masochistic streak in her that enjoyed reopening wounds. ‘Imagine trying to borrow from Corey after jilting him the way she did. Corey asked Mr Ross what we wanted him to do.’
    ‘We told him,’ said Mr Ross, that he was on no account to lend her anything.’
    ‘Of course,’ said Mrs Ross She added suddenly: ‘Perhaps there aren’t even any debts. She lies. She always has ever since she was a little girl. You can’t tell what’s true and what’s false. Perhaps there aren’t any debts at all.’
    Mark wanted to slap her face.
    He said: ‘Then you can’t help me in any way?’
    ‘In no way whatsoever,’ said Mr Ross.
    Mark started for the door. Behind him Mrs Ross’s voice, fine and brittle as porcelain, rose again:
    ‘John, dear, you’d better drink your coffee. It’s getting cold.’ Mark reached the door. Down in Gramercy Park a child shouted.
    ‘There, dear,’ said Mrs Ross behind him. ‘Drink it. You know how you hate your coffee cold.’

5
    Out in Gramercy Park again, Mark hurried past the sedate, snow-covered gardens. The Lorton Club would be closed at this hour, but Ellie would certainly have Victor’s number in her telephone book at home. And he knew he had to see Victor at once.
    Mark had seen enough racketeers around the athletic gymnasiums to know how the underworld mind operated. If Ellie owed Victor money and couldn’t pay, the fact that she was just a crazy kid and a personal friend wouldn’t help her at all. Victor would stop at nothing to see that the debt was settled.
    What if he’d put the screws on