stirred inside her. If she could not pretend that she was indifferent to Nicholas's contempt, she could nonetheless understand it, had resolved to endure it for as long as she had to. But the fact that he had criticised her to this beautiful girl with the cold eyes and the hostile voice was not to be borne.
Her instinct was to shove the plate away from her and leave the table. But that would give the other girl a satisfaction she did not deserve. Not for nothing had Kelly spent so much time at banquets and cocktail parties. As her father's emissary these were functions she had had to attend. She had rarely enjoyed them, but they had at least taught her how to present a surface veneer of politeness and composure.
Now she forced herself to smile at Serena, a dazzling smile of unconcern intended to show that the barb had not succeeded in meeting its mark. Ignoring the veiled accusation, Kelly said instead, 'The Pear Helene is superb. You don't know what you're missing.'
The pouted lips parted incredulously. Serena understood that she had been put in her place. But as Kelly forced herself to finish her dessert, she felt no satisfaction. Artifice was something she had resorted to so easily only because she had seen it so often. It was not a natural part of her personality. Even the momentary lift at the corners of Nicholas's lips did not raise her spirits. The exhilaration which had been with her when she had sat down to dinner had vanished. She felt sickened and a little drained.
She finished eating and waited for the waiter to take her plate, then she stood up. 'Will you excuse me?' she said politely. 'I too have a date.'
Andrew Lang was alone at a table on the verandah. He stood up smiling when he saw her approach. 'I was hoping you'd come,' he smiled.
He drew a chair for her, waited while she sat down, and then took the chair beside her. His natural good manners warmed her. Gary could be attentive and charming when he chose to be. Nicholas showed her only contempt. It seemed a long time since any man, especially one as pleasant as Andrew, had treated her like a woman.
A waiter took their orders: a sherry for Kelly, a gin and tonic for Andrew. It was refreshing on the verandah. During the day it had been hot, but now it was just cool enough to be pleasant.
Talk and laughter filled the air. Children played on the dark lawns, and on the verandah each table was occupied. Kelly saw that the engineers who had arrived earlier in the day were enjoying the holiday atmosphere which was a respite before the start of the convention.
'Your fiancé doesn't mind you being here alone?' Andrew asked.
Kelly looked down at her ring. Strangely the question was more difficult to answer than it should be. 'I don't suppose he likes it,' she said slowly. 'But he doesn't object?'
Kelly caught a note in Andrew's tone which indicated more than casual interest. She chose not to answer the question directly. 'Gary didn't have much choice really,' she said lightly. 'I'd decided to come back to the hotel, and that's all there was to it.'
'Strong-minded female!'
Andrew's smile was friendly, but it was evident that he would not press her. She could easily have left the matter at that. Yet, strangely, she was driven to defend her fiance. 'Gary couldn't have come with me. He had to be in Durban today.' She wondered if the excuse sounded as lame to Andrew as it did to her. She changed the subject. 'Tell me about yourself. About the convention.'
He was a civil engineer, he told her. He built roads and bridges. The convention at Great Peaks was one he had been looking forward to for some time, it would deal with innovations and improvements in his field. Almost in passing he mentioned that he had never married. Till now his career had taken him to the lonely places of the world, places where he had not felt it fair to take a wife. Now, however, he had a consulting position in Cape Town, and finally he felt the need to settle down.
He spoke casually,
Her instinct was to shove the plate away from her and leave the table. But that would give the other girl a satisfaction she did not deserve. Not for nothing had Kelly spent so much time at banquets and cocktail parties. As her father's emissary these were functions she had had to attend. She had rarely enjoyed them, but they had at least taught her how to present a surface veneer of politeness and composure.
Now she forced herself to smile at Serena, a dazzling smile of unconcern intended to show that the barb had not succeeded in meeting its mark. Ignoring the veiled accusation, Kelly said instead, 'The Pear Helene is superb. You don't know what you're missing.'
The pouted lips parted incredulously. Serena understood that she had been put in her place. But as Kelly forced herself to finish her dessert, she felt no satisfaction. Artifice was something she had resorted to so easily only because she had seen it so often. It was not a natural part of her personality. Even the momentary lift at the corners of Nicholas's lips did not raise her spirits. The exhilaration which had been with her when she had sat down to dinner had vanished. She felt sickened and a little drained.
She finished eating and waited for the waiter to take her plate, then she stood up. 'Will you excuse me?' she said politely. 'I too have a date.'
Andrew Lang was alone at a table on the verandah. He stood up smiling when he saw her approach. 'I was hoping you'd come,' he smiled.
He drew a chair for her, waited while she sat down, and then took the chair beside her. His natural good manners warmed her. Gary could be attentive and charming when he chose to be. Nicholas showed her only contempt. It seemed a long time since any man, especially one as pleasant as Andrew, had treated her like a woman.
A waiter took their orders: a sherry for Kelly, a gin and tonic for Andrew. It was refreshing on the verandah. During the day it had been hot, but now it was just cool enough to be pleasant.
Talk and laughter filled the air. Children played on the dark lawns, and on the verandah each table was occupied. Kelly saw that the engineers who had arrived earlier in the day were enjoying the holiday atmosphere which was a respite before the start of the convention.
'Your fiancé doesn't mind you being here alone?' Andrew asked.
Kelly looked down at her ring. Strangely the question was more difficult to answer than it should be. 'I don't suppose he likes it,' she said slowly. 'But he doesn't object?'
Kelly caught a note in Andrew's tone which indicated more than casual interest. She chose not to answer the question directly. 'Gary didn't have much choice really,' she said lightly. 'I'd decided to come back to the hotel, and that's all there was to it.'
'Strong-minded female!'
Andrew's smile was friendly, but it was evident that he would not press her. She could easily have left the matter at that. Yet, strangely, she was driven to defend her fiance. 'Gary couldn't have come with me. He had to be in Durban today.' She wondered if the excuse sounded as lame to Andrew as it did to her. She changed the subject. 'Tell me about yourself. About the convention.'
He was a civil engineer, he told her. He built roads and bridges. The convention at Great Peaks was one he had been looking forward to for some time, it would deal with innovations and improvements in his field. Almost in passing he mentioned that he had never married. Till now his career had taken him to the lonely places of the world, places where he had not felt it fair to take a wife. Now, however, he had a consulting position in Cape Town, and finally he felt the need to settle down.
He spoke casually,
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