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occurred. Then she saw the swift change of expression', the dropping
of a mask that revealed a switch of mood from contrition to anger, and
Alaine steeled herself for the impact of it.
'You told me you were a model. That's obviously not true?'
'No.'
His lips snapped together.
'You also said you knew many men. Was that a lie too?'
Alaine averted her head.
'Yes, it was.'
An awful silence followed and after what seemed an interminable
period of unspoken censure Alaine ventured to raise her head. His eyes
were glinting and darkly accusing, but at least the merciless
implacability of a few moments ago was lacking.
'I don't know why I said that about men,' she faltered, twisting her
hands together nervously. 'I expect it was just to match your own
mood.'
The black eyes narrowed, but she met their penetrating gaze. This
Cimon she held in awe but not in " fear; it was the other - the cold
unemotional Cimon - who had sent sheer terror rippling through her
whole body.
'I could strangle you,' he declared softly at last. 'Deliberately indulging
in all that deceit, taking on an unnecessary pose '
'It wasn't unnecessary,' she was driven to interrupt. 'Surely you're not
blaming me for the fact that your intended mischief went awry.'
'Be careful,' he warned softly. 'You're not out of danger yet.' But there
was anger only in that threat and she sensed that he must be smarting
inwardly at having made such an appalling blunder. He pointed to a
chair. 'Sit down and tell me the whole story,' he commanded, still in
those softly dangerous tones. 'What were the circumstances of this
switch-over? Why didn't Estelle take the cruise?'
Alaine explained, noting his darkling frown when she mentioned the
passport.
'Didn't you know that such an action was illegal?'
She nodded.
'Yes, I did, but I felt it would be a waste of money for me to have one
of my own. You see, there isn't much likelihood of my ever going
abroad again.'
'You certainly take risks, don't you?' A glowering look accompanied
the words and Alaine was stung to retort,
'There was not much risk with the passport, and as for the other - the
mischief you were bent upon - how was I to know that Sulas's uncle
would be on the ship?'
'No, I give you that,' he conceded with an unexpected softening of
manner. 'Did your sister tell you all about her affair with Sulas?' he
then asked after a small pause. 'Did she give you any indication as to
just how badly she had treated him?'
Alaine was reluctant to talk about Estelle, now that everything had
been cleared up, but on reading Cimon's expression she was not so
imprudent as to hedge; he was in a reasonable frame of mind and she
meant to keep him that way.
'She told me everything, and - and showed me the presents Sulas had
given her.'
A return of his previous anger was portrayed in the white drifts
creeping under the deep mahogany of his skin. She had failed in her
endeavours, it seemed, and such was the nervous aftermath of her
recent terrifying experience that tears rose swiftly to her eyes. He saw
them, yet for a long- moment he merely stared with a gaze dark and
impersonal as the distant cliffs she could see out there, high above the
unfolding coastline. Filtering sunbeams caught the tears and his
expression underwent an immediate change. Alaine brushed a hand
across her eyes and he said, with what seemed to be an uncharacteristic
shade of emotion,
'Tears are quite unnecessary, Alaine. You have nothing to fear from
me ' He stopped as she brushed her eyes again and then asked if she
had a handkerchief. She shook her head, amazed at this prosaic
question, then became more amazed as, taking his own handkerchief
from his pocket, he leant forward and dropped it into her lap.
'Mine are all in my suitcase.' She sent him a glance of inquiry after
drying her eyes.
'Both your suitcases are over at the castle.' He rose and rang the bell,
ordering the man, when he entered, to go over and bring them to the
house. 'Put them in the best guestroom,' he added, faintly amused by
Alaine's start of surprise.
'I'm not staying in this house,' she declared emphatically. 'I want to go
home - now!'
'Home?' he repeated, frowning. 'You're returning to the ship, surely?'
Alaine shook her head, saying she just wanted to go home. A stir of
memory brought back that night when Estelle had given her the ticket
and lent her the clothes. A holiday at last! How excited she had been,
especially when Aunt Sue had made everything easy by encouraging
her and offering without hesitation to look aiter Jinx. Tears filled
Alaine's eyes again and she used the handkerchief to wipe them away.
'It was my first holiday for six years,' she quivered. 'I couldn't believe it
when Estelle gave me the ticket - and you've spoiled it all for me. I
wish I could pay you back!' she flashed, repeating what she had
already said.
Cimon's face was a mask, but behind his eyes she clearly read
contrition and self-blame. So he was not quite so unfeeling as she
imagined, it seemed. Walking across the elegantly-furnished room, he
took possession of a wide upholstered window-seat.
'Tell me about yourself,' he invited. 'You mentioned an aunt with
whom you live. Have you any other relatives - other than this sister?'
'No - just my aunt.'
'You live alone with her, then?'
The merest hesitation and then Alaine nodded her head. She saw no
reason why she should talk to this man about Jinx.
'Yes, I live alone with Aunt Sue.'
'She's ill, you said?'
'She has arthritis and I think she has something else wrong with her.
She hasn't told me, because she knows I'd worry, but I feel that she is
having trouble with her heart.'
His eyes flickered strangely.
'You'd worry ...' He considered this before adding, a distinct sneer of
contempt curving his mouth, 'So you and your sister are identical only
in looks. She would not worry about anyone. In fact, she disowns all
her relatives, apparently, as she told Sulas she was entirely alone in the
world.'
'It's her own business,' Alaine felt forced to say and then wished she
hadn't because Cimon was quick to agree, saying that 'business' was
the operative word.
'What is your job?' he then asked, a glimmer of amusement resulting
from her sudden flare of colour at his outspokenness regarding her
sister. Alaine lifted both hands to her cheeks, wishing she did not blush
so easily.
'I work in a shop. I'm a counter assistant.'
'Then why in the name of heaven did you lie?' he demanded after a
small frowning silence. 'I fail to see the need for it.'
She moistened her lips in a little nervous gesture.
'I shouldn't have lied,' she admitted. 'I suppose I wanted you to think I
had a more glamorous occupation than serving behind a counter.'
'You're a stupid fool!' he declared wrathfully. 'living a complete lie
like that! And the name - you'd no need to call yourself Estelle!'
'Yes, I did; it was Estelle on the passenger list.' [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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