Picture Show (Oct 1920 - Apr 1921)

1G Figure Show, Ap.il 16///, 1921 The Splendid Story of a Second Wife Who Was Overshadowed by the Memory of the First FILMER JESSON, M.P., was a man who took life and himself much too seriously — especially himself . • y The wealthy owner of Overbury Towers, he had been brought up since childhood to believe that the Jessons were not as other people. His father and mother and all his relatives had perpetually dinned into his ears that the Jessons had. always been honourable men and their wives saintly women, and when his parents died, the eider, oldmaid sister of his dead wife Aunabelle had carried on i lie bad work. Annabelle had died in tragic circumstances. She had left word that she was going to visit a sick tenant, and was returning in her car at a fast pace when the car turned over in the drive and killed her. To Gcraldine, the fact that Annabelle had been on an errand of mercy when she met her death was proof that Annabelle had been a saint on earth. As a matter of fact, Annabelle (who was totally unlike her sister) had nevcr^vished to be a saint on earth. She had not been to visit a sick tenant, and the real cause of the fatal accident was that she was so scared she would not be in time for dinner — which was a sacred institution at Overbury Towers — that she had ordered her chauffeur to exceed the limit of speed which combined safety. Annabelle's death had been a real blow to Filmer Jesson, who at heart was not a bad sort of man, but throughout his life family tradition had been too much for him. It had smothered his better nature, until, as he was approaching middle age, it had become hi3 complete master. It was family pride that was worrying him now as he looked out on the lawn and watched his little son Derek playing with his governess, Nina Graham. Filmer Jesson's handsome face lighted up as he shifted his gaze from his son to the girl. Nina Graham was certainly good to look upon. To have called her pretty would have been a libel on the wondrously moulded oval face, the deep, velvety eyes and gorgeous golden-brown hair. She was beautiful. " Why should I worry about what Gcraldine will say," Filmer Jesson thought as he looked at her. " I'm not fool enough to think that Nina is in love with me ; but I think she might learn to care for me in time. And Derek worships her as much as he dislikes Gcraldine. Poor little kid ; he scarcely knew iiis mother." Mr. Jesson suddenly took an intense dislike to Gcraldine and the family pride. " I'll ask her to marry me to-day," he said aloud, " and if she won't I can at least make a variation ot the old tag. Instead of letting her tell me that she will be a sister to me, I will ask her if she will continue to be a " mother ' to Derek." Filmer Jesson laughed at the thought. He had always been taught that humour was one of the next sins to the seven deadly ones. " It's either the spring air, or I am getting sentimental in my middle age," he muttered. " All the same, I mean to ask Nina." Filmer Jesson's idea of proposing to Nina Graham would not be worth twenty feet, of film on the movies, or a page in a novel. He sent Derek indoors on a fictitious errand, and then asked Nina if she woidd marry him in much the same way that the chairman of an old-established and prosperous company tells a board of directors that it will be advantageous for the company to link up with, or absorb, a younger company. And Nina ! Candidly, Nina was staggered. Being a woman, she was not altogether unconscious of the fact that Filmer Jesson had shown her more than the ordinary courtesy due from the owner of Overbury Towers to one who was his son's governess. .Sometimes she had wondered ; sometimes she had been half afraid. But not being a designing woman (and there arc many such, despite what cynics may say), she had never contemplated matrimony with her employer as the bridegroom. She had often wondered what she would do when Derek grew up and went to school, but being young, she had not worried much. Suddenly faced with this somewhat cold-blooded proposal, she did not know what to say. Before she could frame an answer, Jesson was speaking again. "I don't expect you to say you love me, Nina, though I know I love you. Tell me that you do not love anybody else and I will go on." " I certainly do not love anybody else," said Nina, glad for the respite that had enabled her to collect her thoughts. " Do you like me at all ? " " I have always liked you. You have been kind to me." " There was a hint of tenderness in her voice but Jesson was impatient. " I don't mean that kind o liking," he said, almost angrily. " I mean — do you think you could care for me as a husband ? " " I think I could," said Nina. " But you must remember that I am only Derek's governess. I have not much knowledge of life, but I am not entirely ignorant. I have heard so much about, ' What will the county say ? ' that I am afraid —for you." " If that is all," said Jesson rising, " do not worry about the county. I am sure you will faithfully observe all the traditions of the county, and — cr — my family. I shall tell Geraldine to-night that we are engaged, and I think we ought to get married at once. I love you, Nina. I know I love you. I can only hope that one day you will love me." With a passion that startled Nina he drew her to him and kissed her. As a matter of fact, it startled Filmer Jesson much more. Had anvbodv told him at noon that day that he would have so far forgotten his position, the traditions of the family, the memory of Annabelle, as to make violent love to his son's governess in broad daylight, he would not have laughed at them — he would have been verv angry and very dignified. Something of this came into his mind as he looked around with the guilty look of a small boy caught fishing on a Sunday, or stealing jam. At once he became Filmer Jesson, M.P., owner of Overbury Towers. " I think we will go in," he said, almost coldly. He felt a worm as he said it. Something told him : " Here is this glorious young woman whose smile is worth a million times more than society's frown, who brings to you jewels set in her eyes far rarer than the Jesson diamonds ; whose lips make Aunt Caroline's rubies seem dull, red stones ; bending so far as to let you kiss her. Can't you see, man ? Strip yourself of the raiment of family pride ,' forget Overbury Towers ; just imagine you are a primitive man seeking a mate, and then realise that, although you have no right (and certainly not the might were vou living in an age when men had to light for women) to ask her— that she has promised to be your wife." • Which shows that Filmer Jesson's heart was right. Unfortunately, family tradition is hard to kill. Jesson knew he was a wprm when he announced his engagement to Geraldinc, in the same cold tone that he proposed to Nina before he made love to her. He had not the courage to boast of his triumph ; nor the generosity tosay he was the luckiest man alive. Little Derek had a wider understanding. He had seen his father kissing Nina. He did not quite realise what it meant, but he knew that peoplo only kissed like that when they were happy, and sinco he loved them both, he was happy. Unfortunatelyf he rnn straight away and told Aunt Geraldine. He' thought Aunt Geraldine would have been happy, too, but he was quickly undeceived. Aunt Ueraldine simply said : " It is time you were in the nursery, Derek. Miss Graham seems to have forgotten her duty. I will take you myself." Had it not been that Derek, by that instinctive knowledge that is the natural inheritance of children, horses, and dogs, knew he had made a mistake, Aunt Geraldine would not have got him to bed so easily, for he disliked her with that calm, certain knowledge of childhood that defies politeness. 4 As it was he went quietly and sobbed himself to sleep, feeling that he had betrayed Nina, his pal. Therefore it was that Gsraldinc was not surprised whqn her brother-in-law made his announcement. She bowed coldly and went straight to the portrait of Annabelle In the hall. " Bear witness, my sister," she said, in a voice she intended should reach Jesson and Nina. " that I do not sanction this slight upon your sainted memory." Having thus rebuked the living and paid her tribute to the dead Geraldine went to bed. After the Wedding. THE marriage of Filmer Jesson and Nina provided the usual nine days' topic of conversation in the county and the clubs. In the county Nina was referred to as a designing woman and Filmer as a man who would live to regret his folly ; in the clubs the At the fancy dress ball. ELSIE FERGUSON as Mrs, Jesson in the Paramount-Artcraft photo-play, general verdict was that that pompous ass, Jesson had got a woman who was much too good for him. The marriage was not an unhappy one, as such marriages go — at least for the first few weeks. True, Nina had to suffer the patronage of the county — the congratulations and good wishes of women who smiled at her with their eyes and snubbed her with their eyebrows as soon as her back was turned : and her husband had to go through that ordeal ofhearing mothers with marriageable daughters express the Impthat he would be happy, when the acid of reality, biting through the collodiun of convention, told him plainly that they all hoped he would be very miserable. But. the first real blow to Nina came when she was seated on the deck of a cross-channel boat going tu Boulogne, on her honeymoon. ' Jesson's parliamentary duties had delayed this trip. She overheard Mr. and Mrs. De Stnnton, who owned the estate adjoining Overbury Towers, discussing her and her marriage. " Only a governess ! " said the man. " And so dowdy," said the woman. It was the last remark that made Nina think. In deference to Aunt Geraldine and the family tradition she had deliberately hidden her beauty iu quiet clothes. Like many other women in a similar position she had 6iink herself to try to please others. For the rest of the boat trip andlhc railway journey, Nina thought only of Paris frocks. And there was almost the fervency of a prayer in Nina's thoughts as she said to herself : " And when I get them, may Mr-. De Stanton be there to Tee me 1 Women will understand Nina in this and all men will be proud of her. Filmer Jesson had decided on a trip to Paris becausa he wanted his brother Hillary (a member of the staff ot the liritish Embassy) to see his wife and praise her. He was that kind of man ; never really secure on the foundations of his own opinions until some other person had tested the concrete. The De Stantons happened to see Hillary Jesson first. They described Nina in the same terms that they had talked about heron the boat, but with mora disparaging adjectives. Hillary, who knew his brother's weakness for respectability pictured the bride as one of those wellmeaning persons who believe their duty in life is to be good and look unhappy. He wondered if he could frame any decent excuse to miss meeting Kilmer's wife. Hillary was naturally joyous and always polite. He was a straight man, and hated telling lies, and there had been times when truth and politeness clashed so violently that he had been most unhappy. He thought out the situation over a drink and a cigarette, and decided that duty compelled him to meet Filmer and his bride. Therefore it was a very bored Hillary who listened to his brother's explanations that his wife was dressing, but that she would not be many minute* before she came down. As they stood talking, one of the most radiantly beautiful women Hillary had ever seen camit through the swing doors. Hillary followed her with his eyes as she looked around the lounge. Then he saw his brother starts as though faced with some apparition from the past. Hillary womitred what was the best thing to do. (Continutd on pagt 18 )