down her chin. She turned, ran out of the room crying, and leaned on the lift button, holding her bloody face. The door slid open and George stepped out. She had a fleeting glimpse of his shocked expression as she stepped quickly in to the car and jabbed at the button continuously. As George stood and watched her crying, the lift doors closed slowly.
Once Florentyna had reached the street, she took a cab straight to her own apartment. On the way, she dabbed at her cut lip with a Kleenex.
Richard was already there, standing under the marquee, head bowed and looking miserable.
She jumped out of the cab and ran to him. Once they were upstairs, she opened the door and quickly closed it behind then4 f~eling blessedly safe.
'I love you, Richard!
'I love you too,' said Richard, as he threw his arms around her.
'I don't have to ask how your father reacted,' said Florentyna, clinging to him desperately.
'I've never seen him so angry,' said Richard. 'Called your father a liar and a crook, nothing more than a jumped - up Polish immigrant. He asked me why I didn't marry somebody from my own background!
'What did you say to that?'
'I told him someone as wonderful as you couldn't be replaced by a suitably Brahmin family friend, and he completely lost his temper!
Florentyna didn't let go of Richard as he spoke.
"nen he threatened to cut me off without a penny if I married you,' he continued. 'When will they understand we don't care a damn about their money? I tried appealing to my mother for support, but even she could not control his temper.. He insisted that she leave the room. I have never seen him treat my mother that way before. She was weeping, which only made my resolve stronger. I left him in midsentence. God knows, I hope he doesn't take it out on Virginia and Lucy. What happened when you left?'
'My father hit me,' said Florentyna very quietly. 'For the first time in my life. I think he'll kill you if he finds us together. Richard darling, we must get out of here, before he finds out where you are, and he's bound to try here first. I'm so frightened.'
'No need for you to be frightened, Florentyna. We'll leave tonight and go as far away as possible and to hell with them both.'
'How quickly can you pack?' asked Florentyna.
'I can't,' said Richard. 'I can never return home now. You pack your things and then we'll go. I've got about a hundred dollars on me. How do you feel about marrying a hundreddollar man?'
'As much as a shop girl can hope for, I suppose - and to think I'd dreamed of being a kept woman. Next you'll be wanting a dowry,' Florentyna added while rummaging in her bag. 'Well, I've got two hundred and twelve dollars and an American Express card, so you owe me fifty - six dollars, Richard Kane, but I'll consider repayment at a dollar a year.2 In thirty minutes Florentyna was packed. Then she sat down at her desk, scrawled a note and left the envelope on the table by the side of her bed.
Richard hailed a cab. Florentyna was delighted to find how capable Richard was in a crisis and it made her feel more relaxed. 'Idlewild,' he said, placii~g Florentyna's three cases in the boot.
At the airport he booked a flight to San Francisco; they chose the Golden Gate City simply because it seemed the most distant point on the map of America.
At seven thirty, the American Airlines Super Constellation 1049 taxied out on to the runway to start its sevenhour flight.
Richard helped Florentyna with her seat belt. She smiled at hirn.
'Do you know how much I love you, Mr. Kane?,'
Wes, I think so - Mrs. Kane,' he replied.
Chapter 34
Abel and George arrived at Florentyna's flat on East Fiftyseventh Street a few minutes after she and Richard had left for the airport. Abel was already remorseful and regretting the blow he had struck his daughter. He did not care to conjecture about what his life would be like without his only child.
He thought if he could only reach her before it was too late, he n - xight, with gentle persuasion, still talk her out of marrying the Kane boy. He was willing to offer her anything to stop the marriage.
George rang the door bell as he and Abel stood outside her door. No one answered. George pressed the bell again, and they waited for