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know.
 I have one for casual wear, and one for dress occasions, he admitted.  How about
having a drink with me? I ll even wear something decent for the occasion,
although I ll have to admit that I prefer what I have on.
 Thanks anyway, she said.  But I have a demanding boss who only lets me out for
minutes at a time under guard. I m due back any minute.
 What does this tyrant do for a living?
 He owns the hotel, among other things.
 Oh. He sighed.  So much for moonlight seduction. Okay, how about a rain check
on the drink, in broad daylight next time? Even your boss couldn t make much out
of that.
He wouldn t care at all, she started to say, and realized with a feeling of panic that
it hurt.
 Maybe, she agreed.
 Tomorrow?
She grimaced.  I ll be up to my neck in work tomorrow.
 If I give you my phone number, you could call me when you re free, he prodded.
 I m here for three weeks.
 Well& .
 Be a sport. Say, yes, Bart.
 Yes, Bart, she said agreeably.
 Good girl. He drew her along with him back to the hotel.  I ll get the number for
you and write it down. Too bad I don t carry my pad around with me on the beach;
I guess I ought to in case I meet any pretty girls, he teased.
 You really carry a pad around with you? she asked, noticing as they moved into
the well-lit hotel property that his face had sharp features and his eyes were a
playful green as different a green from Garet Cambridge s deep set eyes as night
from day.
 I m a reporter, he replied, taking in her expression with a grin.  Don t panic, I
don t do news. Just feature material, travel stuff. Right now, I m doing a piece on
the island. Fascinating place, part French, part Dutch, part paradise, and you can
see the Atlantic on one side of it, and the Caribbean on the other.
 How long have you been here? she asked.
 Today. You?
She laughed, tossing her mane of blonde hair.  Same here.
 Something in common already, he teased.  Sure you won t have that drink?
 I d love to, she said,  but here comes my boss s butler now, she added as she
saw Yama coming out of the entrance to the hotel.  I ll just come down if I can
tomorrow instead of calling, how about that?
 Suits me, he said with a ready smile.
 If you re really sure& .
His eyes traveled over her appreciatively.  Boy, am I sure. I shall sit alone in my
room and not move until I hear from you, even though I may starve and thirst to
death.
She shook her head.  How do I get involved with people like you?
 You have rare good luck, he told her.  Good night.
 Good night, she called over her shoulder, and ran to meet Yama.
 You must not tell boss you meet strange man, Yama cautioned as they sped
toward the villa on the hill.  He funny about things sometimes and I not like to see
you get in way of his temper more than you already have.
 You re nice, Yama, she said genuinely.  I seem to set him off by breathing lately.
It s his eyes, of course. He just can t adjust to being blind, even if it s only
temporary. Maybe&  she chewed her lip,  maybe his sight will come back.
 Maybe whales fly, Yama said sadly.  Who man you meet on beach?
 A reporter.
 Hai? Oh, no! Yama burst out.  Boss kill us both!
 Not that kind of reporter, she replied calmly.  He only does features about tourist
meccas like this one. He was careful to make sure I understood that, she added
absently, and wondered dazedly why he d been so careful about that point.
 Anyway, she went on,  he doesn t know who I am or who I work for.
 He know by morning, you bet, Yama said.  He ask questions until he finds
answers. If he find out who Mr. Cambridge is, we both out of job, Miss Kate.
Nothing boss hate more than press, and now that eyes no good& .
 He won t do anything about Mr. Cambridge, Kate said doggedly,  I ll see to that.
Yama, I& I like him, and I need some company.
Yama smiled.  You nice lady, Miss Kate. Boss not sweet to you, but it hurt him all
same if you leave. He think much of you.
She blushed like a schoolgirl.  He hides it well, she said with a little of her old
audacity.
 He hides much. He lonely man, Miss Kate. Fiancée hurt him when she leave, and
not first time. When they first become engaged, year ago, he catch her out with
some other man. He take her back against much good advice. She not worth his
little finger, but it hard to tell man in love that his woman no good. Now maybe he
begin to understand what she really like.
 Was she very beautiful, Yama? Kate asked.
 Only on outside. Inside, she ugliest woman I ever see. Hard and calculating. She
like boss s money very much, Yama said coldly.  And he give her plenty. Only
time I ever see him let woman get so close. Better he stay like he used to be, hard
as nails.
She only nodded, remembering the side of him she d seen that was ice cold, before
she came to work for him. She shuddered in spite of the heat.
Seven
 W ell, what did you think of it, Kate? Cambridge asked when Yama had left the
flat envelope from the hotel on the desk and retired to his room.
 The beach, you mean, she muttered.  It was beautiful.
 I m glad you could see it, he said deliberately, turning away to light a cigarette.
 I wish you wouldn t be so bitter, she said timidly.
 Do you? There was a low, threatening note in his deep voice. He blew out a
cloud of smoke and shifted the cigarette in his hand.  I don t give a damn what you
wish, Kate.
She closed her eyes.  No, sir, I never imagined that you would.
 Don t humor me, damn it! he growled, whirling toward the sound of her voice.
 I ve had just about enough of that kowtowing manner of yours, Miss Priss!
She bit her lip.  I d like to go to bed& .
 No doubt you would! He blew out another cloud of smoke.  But we  old men
have to be humored, didn t you know?
Her eyes widened and she stared at him. Surely that mild teasing before she and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]