[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

believed.
'I'd love to see it. May I?'
'Of course.' The answer came at once and it did seem to Juliet that he
showed more than a little eagerness to have his old flame aboard his
yacht.
'Fine!' Tanya favoured him with a dazzling smile, and as far as she
was concerned, Dorian's lovely young bride might not have been
there at all. "When, Dorian?' she asked, leaning towards him so that
heir bare arm was in contact with the sleeve of his jacket.
'Tomorrow?'
Dorian shook his head, saying that as the yacht was damaged, it
would be better to wait until Saturday, which was three days hence.
'If that doesn't suit you,' he added, 'then you yourself can make the
date. You're here for two weeks, you said?'
That's right. Yes, Saturday will do fine.'
'It's settled, then.' Dorian seemed to be deliberately avoiding his
wife's eyes, an action that infuriated her. Also, both he and Tanya had
ignored her when making the arrangements, and now Tanya was
actually smirking! with satisfaction at the way Dorian had left his
wife out of the discussion. Although she tried her best to keep a rein
on her temper Juliet found herself saying sharply,
'Am I not to be consulted about this?'
Both her companions stared at her, and she found herself colouring.
She was so filled with anger that she could have got up and stalked
away, but she thought twice about such an action, for she was not
going to leave these two alone.
'I'm sorry,' said Dorian, surprising her. 'I took it for granted that this
arrangement would suit you.'
Juliet bit her lip, aware that she had come out of this in a very bad
light.
The drinks arrived and as Juliet's spurt of anger had died by this time,
the conversation progressed on friendly lines. Tanya and Dorian were
talking of experiences and various aspects of their lives since last they
had met, and as she listened Juliet waited all the while for Tanya to
mention her marriage and its breakdown, but the girl's confidences
fell short of this. Nor did she mention her father's losses, and the great
foil in the value of his estate. In fact, decided Juliet, Tanya was not
saying very much at all. And, strangely, neither was Dorian. Within
her Juliet knew a profound feeling of restlessness and anxiety. For it
would seem that these two would much rather have been on their own
... so that confidences could have gone much deeper.
During the conversation Juliet learned that her aunt had been ill, and
the doctor had advised a change of scene and climate. So, said Tanya,
they decided to take a holiday in Rhodes, since they had enjoyed
themselves so much on that other occasion.
"What a coincidence,' she went on, 'meeting you here again like this.'
She was leaning towards Dorian and again his wife might not have
been there for all the notice she took of her. However, Dorian soon
brought her into the conversation, but as soon as she spoke she saw
Tanya's eyes flicker, and a thin line of concentration appear along her
forehead. It was as if she were striving to recapture something as
elusive as a dream. Amused, Juliet found all at once that she was
really enjoying herself, disguised in this way, and being so confident
of the impenetrability of that disguise. And so she began to ask
questions, delighting in the answers she received.
'How "long is it since you and Dorian met here, Tanya I can call
you Tanya, can't I?'
'But of course!' Tanya was gushing suddenly. 'How long...? It was
over nine years ago; I was here on holiday with my mother and
father.'
'So you haven't seen each other for nine years?'
'Dorian came over to England about a year later well --' she looked
at Dorian. 'It was a little less than a year, wasn't it?'
No answer; Dorian's whole attention was with his wife and she knew
he was somewhat nonplussed that she should be talking in this way to
a woman who, he had freely admitted, was at one time more than a
friend.
'Tanya's asked you a question, Dorian.' Juliet would have very much
liked to insert the word darling, but she feared that her husband's
surprise would be such that he might just give a visible start. But
undoubtedly the situation was diverting, even without the
endearments, since Juliet could without much difficulty sense her
cousin's jealousy.
How satisfying it would be to tell Tanya who she was!
'Umm? What did you say, Tanya?'
'It wasn't important. Juliet was wanting to know how long it is since
we last met.' She paused, but he did not vouchsafe the information
asked for.
'You stayed with Tanya's parents?'
He nodded and frowned.
'Yes.'
Juliet turned to Tanya.
'Whereabouts do you live?'
'West Havington. Do you know it?'
'I've certainly heard of it.'
'Where was your home?'
Juliet told her, mentioning only the town where she had lived with Mr
and Mrs Manley. Like Dorian, Tanya assumed that Juliet had lived
with her parents. To Juliet's relief she probed no further regarding
these 'parents' but did go on to ask how Juliet came to know West
Havington.
'My friend and I went for a run in the car one day,' answered Juliet
imperturbably. 'We came upon this village it was becoming built
up, of course, but I could imagine it being a rather pretty place at one
time.'
'It's built up?' from Dorian in some surprise. 'That's rather a pity.
What about your place? Has it been affected?'
Tanya nodded her head.
'Unfortunately, yes. We've a new estate which has come right up to
the borders of our land. It's blocked our view altogether.'
'Your father will be upset about that.'
'He's had a breakdown over it.'
'I'm sorry.' Dorian sounded sincere, but yet Juliet had the impression
that he was not too interested in the misfortunes of the Lowthers. This
impression brought back an idea she had a long time ago, when
Dorian was the Lowthers' guest. He had seemed faintly contemptuous
of them. 'Why doesn't he sell out and find somewhere more
secluded?'
A small hesitation from Tanya and then,
'The house has lost its value, Dorian. No one wants it any more.' She
paused and frowned. 'In those days when you were our guest our kind
of house was at a premium. Everybody wanted that type of
place secluded, with magnificent views --' She shrugged her
shoulders and lapsed into silence.
Juliet said quietly,
'You live with your parents, then?'
Tanya nodded, but she looked away as she spoke.
'Yes; I live with them at the Grange.'
'You never married?' It was Dorian who spoke, and Juliet noticed
that he was watching her cousin closely.
'I did, yes, Dorian --' Tanya looked into his eyes...
and her own shadowed. To Juliet it seemed that her cousin was trying
to send him a silent message. 'It was a mistake ... I ought to have
known it would be... The look was fixed; Dorian's face was devoid of
expression and so his wife had no means of learning just how he was
taking this.
'You're divorced?' he inquired, and Tanya had said yes, she had been
divorced for some years. 'Never mind, you'll probably have better
luck next time.'
'There won't be a next time, Dorian.' Tanya's glance shifted to Juliet,
and that baleful light once again entered her eyes. 'I feel that the
mistake was made a long time ago ... before I met George and married
him.'
Juliet could have gasped. What blatant outspokenness! She was
actually telling Dorian that he should have married her.
'Have you no brothers and sisters?' from Juliet who, although aware
of her hypocrisy, was, nevertheless, enjoying herself immensely.
'There are only the three of you?'
'Yes now, there are.'
'Now? Emily left, then?' Dorian spoke without much interest, little
knowing just how his words were affecting his wife. 'She didn't
manage to find herself a husband, surely?' At this addition Juliet
experienced a deep and burning conflict of emotions, her anger
battling with an almost irrepressible desire to laugh. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]