ELIZABETH VISITS AMERICA BY ELINOR GLYN Author of "Three Weeks," "The Visits of Elizabeth," "The Reflections of Ambrosine," "The Vicissitudes of Evangeline," "Beyond the Rocks," "The damsel and the Sage" 1909 [Illustration "the Marchioness of Valmond" (Elizabeth)] CONTENTS Heaviland Manor Tonnerre Cannes Lusitania Plaza Hotel, New York Speistville Plaza Hotel, New York Latour Court, Long Island Plaza Hotel, New York Ringwood, Philadelphia Plaza Hotel, New York Niagara Chicago Going West San Francisco On the Private Car Osages City Camp of Moonbeams On the Private Car Again Osages City Again Elizabeth Visits America After a few years of really perfect domestic bliss Elizabeth and her "Harry" had a rather serious quarrel, which ended in Lord Valmond's going off to shoot big game in the wilds of Africa, leaving Elizabeth, who (in the absence of her mother and her favourite cousin, Octavia, abroad) had taken refuge with her great aunt Maria at Heaviland Manor, in an obstinate and disconsolate frame of mind. Lord Valmond was two days out on his voyage when Elizabeth wrote to her parent: HEAVILAND MANOR Heaviland Manor Dearest Mamma,--I hope you are taking every possible care of Hurstbridge and Ermyntrude and seeing that the sweet angels do not eat pounds of chocolate between meals. If I had known how Harry was going to behave to me over such a simple thing as the Vicomte's letter, I could never have let you take the children with you to Arcachon for these next months--I am feeling so lonely. I came to great aunt Maria's because on Saturday night when Harry refused to say he was sorry, it seemed the only dignified thing to do. I never thought of course that he would rush off to Africa like this, and although I feel I was perfectly right and should act in the very same way again--still--well, there is no use talking about it, dearest Mamma--and please don't write me a sermon on wifely duty and submission--because it will only make me worse. I don't know what I shall do next or where I shall go--I mean to take the first chance of having some fun I can get. If he could go off in a huff--but I won't speak of him even--I am going to forget I am married and have a good time like everyone else does. Naturally, I haven't told a soul but you about it all--our quarrel I mean--and Aunt Maria thinks I am a poor ill-used darling to have a husband who wants to shoot lions, but Uncle John said it is quite natural, and Aunt Maria heard that and said, "Tut tut," at once.