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apparent by the languid way in which the fishermen sat on the warm rocks
mending their nets and chatting together under a clear Grecian sky from
which the sun poured forth its dazzling light. Tiny caiques and other sailing
craft lined the quayside or lay at anchor some small distance out, while on
the misty horizon the white silhouette of a luxury liner could be discerned,
cruising the magic waters of Greece. Behind the harbour dark grey rocks,
superimposed one upon another in a series of ridges and scarps, formed a
spectacular backcloth for the lush green slopes lower down where flourished
the exotic vegetation which itself formed an enchanting setting for the pretty
white villas with their red roofs and flower-bedecked verandas and patios.
Here and there, standing in a sort of proud and grand isolation, there rose a
mansion occupying far more than its share of the landscape. Sula's house
was one of these, but it lay on the other side of the island, over the mountain
crest.
After doing her shopping and strolling around the small town for a little
while Lisette sat down and the owner of the pavement cafe appeared on the
instant, smiling and allowing his dark eyes to sweep over Lisette's lovely
slender figure. She ordered coffee and leant back, her eyes wandering - as
they had on several occasions as she had strolled about - to the hotel where
she and Dick had met - and parted. No word had come to her from him -
neither reassurance nor threat, and a week had passed. How long before she
felt a hundred per cent confident? She was glad in a way that Sula was in
Athens. Had he been at home he might have asked her to marry him. As it
was, Lisette was being given time, and this time was vital. For if only
another week could go by without any communication from Dick she would
then be able to accept Sula without any qualms of fear pressing down to mar
her happiness. Dick must have changed his mind, she told herself, as
otherwise he would have contacted Sula in the beginning, coming over to
the house as he had threatened to do. He must be in England by now, she
decided, and perhaps he had found a new job already and was prepared to
throw himself into it, and to forget the past. He lived with his parents and an
elder brother. They were a happy family who had been delighted with
Lisette, declaring that Dick was exceedingly fortunate in finding her.
On finishing her coffee Lisette ordered a taxi and was driven along the now
familiar road across the mountains on the other side of the island.
Sula telephoned during the evening, saying he would not be home until
Saturday, when he hoped to be in time for lunch.
'Sorry, dear,' he ended. 'I hate this interlude as I have so much to say to you.'
Warm and reassuring words which sent a flood of happiness surging through
her despite the fact that her feelings were mixed regarding this forced
absence of his. Here was the time she needed and yet she missed Sula
abominably. But the time would soon pass, and with it the uncertainty which
with every passing hour was becoming less and less until, by Friday
afternoon, Dick scarcely intruded into her mind at all. And so it was with an
almost paralysing shock that she heard Chrystalla say, as she came into the
lounge after answering the doorbell,
'A visitor, Miss Lisette - a gentleman.' Curious gaze and puzzled tone.
Lisette felt the colour drain from her face.
'A - visitor?'
'He asked for Mr. Sula, but I said he would not be at home until tomorrow.
The gentleman then asked for ... his fiancee, Miss Tracy.'
'Show him into the large sitting-room, please, and tell him I'll be there in a
few moments.' Lisette's voice was tight because of the fear and despair rising
within her. Why had Dick waited so long? Had he been on the island all the
time? Surely not Putting a brake on these questions which she could not
answer, Lisette waited until Chrystalla had left the room before she herself
moved. And when she did her legs felt so weak that she could instantly have
sat down again.
He was standing by the window, looking out on to the lovely scene of temple
and mountain, of islands in the calm blue sea and, much closer to, the lovely
gardens of the villa from where sweet exotic fragrance drifted on the Etesian
wind, so cool and welcome in the great heat of the summer. Lisette stopped
just inside the room, her face pale as alabaster, her hands clenched tightly as
if by this she would still the wild beating of her heart.
'Dick - why have you come?' She spoke with difficulty, moving further into
the room. He turned and she gave a little start, for he was thinner of feature
and his eyes were dulled. Was his love so very great, then? Had she made a
mistake in believing him to be shallow? His eyes raked her in a way that
instantly robbed him of the sympathy she was ready to extend.
'You know very well why I've come. I said I would. I want to see your fine
Greek and let him know you're engaged to me.' There was something
indefinable in his manner and Lisette gained the impression that he was
about to impart some momentous information to her. But for the present he
remained quietly waiting for her to speak and she asked him why he had left
it so long before coming to the villa.
'Have you been to England in the meantime?' she ended, and he nodded his
head.
'I was taken ill just after you left the hotel and a doctor was brought. I had
food poisoning and the doctor advised me to return to England if it was at all
possible, as to be ill here would cost a great deal of money. As the damned
thing had not yet got a firm grip on me I did as he advised and flew to
England after the doctor had taken me to Piraeus on his own private launch.'
'I'm very sorry, Dick.' She felt inadequate, looking at his face again and
realizing that the illness had taken a great deal out of him. She had not yet
invited him to sit down, the omission being the result of her own agitation of
mind. She now indicated a chair and Dick sat down, Lisette taking
possession of a chair opposite to him. 'You're feeling much better now?' For
answer his eyes glinted in a way that plainly gave the impression that he
treated with extreme scepticism any show of concern on her part. She
swallowed the misery and despair gathering in her throat as she asked him
again to go away and leave her to be happy with Sula.
For a long moment he stared at her across the lovely room and no sound
broke the silence until a dog barked somewhere in the distance. The glint
remained in his eye as he said, slowly and with a distinct sneer edging his
voice,
'Did you know that your precious Greek was once in love with Lana? - and
he still is, according to her, because he's never married in all these years. He
was twenty at the time and she eighteen. And that's a long while ago, so it's
feasible that he still cares for Lana.' He stopped, an unconcealed light of
gloating in his eyes as he saw what his words had done to her. She was white
and trembling, recalling Sula's words about this aunt having helped him to
get his values straight. Lisette had sensed at the time that he was referring
indirectly to a woman who had at one time played an important part in his
life. But that it should have been Lana! It wasn't possible ... and yet what was
it going to profit Dick to lie about such a matter?
'It - it isn't true,' she whispered tremulously. 'Sula would never be attracted to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]