involved with the immediate
problem of getting rid of him to pay much attention to the question.
"That sounds rather mysterious," he observed, sitting down at one end
of the huge oak table.
Cassie deliberately sat down at the far end, putting as much distance
between them as possible. "There's nothing mysterious about it! I'm here
to discover my true creative potential. What are you laughing at?" she
added irritably. She could actually see laughter in his eyes. It was odd to
see real emotion there, any kind of emotion. He usually looked so cold and
aloof.
"Nothing, really. It's just that you look rather amusing sitting in that
huge chair with your hair in that crazy little topknot."
Instantly Cassie lifted her hand to feel the knot of hair. It was already
coming loose, as usual. She frowned severely and went back to munching
cereal.
"I like you better without that eye makeup and odd lipstick you were
wearing the night of the party," Justin went on smoothly. "Jeans and a
sweater sort of suit you."
"Look, Justin, if this is your idea of a seductive conversation, I've got
news for you. I know damn well how I appear when I'm dressed for a party
and I know how I look in jeans. Believe me, I'm not thrilled with the fact
that I can't wear beautiful, sophisticated clothes very well. Telling me
jeans and a sweater 'sort of suit me' is not going to make any points!"
"Okay, how about if I compliment you on what I hear is your
phenomenal ability in the stock market? Your sister tells me you've got the
Midas touch."
"I find the subject distinctly boring."
"Making money is boring?" He sounded genuinely surprised.
"Making money in the stock market is. For me at any rate. I've got all
the money I could possibly use and what good does it do me? My Ferrari
pings, my four-thousand-dollar Swiss watch doesn't work, I get runs in my
Dior stockings and I look funny in designer dresses! I wasn't made to be
rich and live a sophisticated kind of life the way Alison does. I was made
for something else. I'm thirty years old, Justin. I'm going to find out what I
was really cut out to do in this world." Cassie flushed as she realized how
she'd let herself be goaded into the intense little speech. Deliberately she
shrugged as he stared at her. "Now you know what I'm doing here."
"This is where you're going to find your…uh, potential?" he asked
carefully.
"My true creative potential." Excitement at the prospect of what lay
ahead of her during the next month seized Cassie. She waved her cereal
spoon in an energetic arc. Leaning forward intently, she told Justin. "I'm
going to explore my abilities in art and poetry and writing. I feel certain I
have some talent in one of those directions. All I need to do is open myself
up during the next few weeks and explore ! I'm going to let the real me
come through. I needed a place with atmosphere. A romantic, moody
background to help release the inner creative drive. You can't do that very
well in a city, you see. I read this book a couple of months ago that says
you have to remove yourself from the stifling, imprisoning forces around
you and catapult yourself into a totally new environment if you want to
free your inner self." She sat back in defiant triumph.
Justin looked at her as if totally fascinated. "Amazing," he finally said
very dryly.
Cassie plunged back into her cereal. "You can see why I really don't
want to take the time to get myself seduced," she said caustically. "I have
much more important things to do while I'm here. Leave, Justin. Get in
your car and leave me alone!"
"How could I possibly walk out now? I want to stick around and explore
your creative potential with you. I can't wait to see the results," he said
with suspicious politeness. Then he surprised her by adding, "I think I'll
take a walk on the beach below the cliffs after breakfast. A beach after a
storm is an interesting experience. Will you join me?"
"No, thank you," she
problem of getting rid of him to pay much attention to the question.
"That sounds rather mysterious," he observed, sitting down at one end
of the huge oak table.
Cassie deliberately sat down at the far end, putting as much distance
between them as possible. "There's nothing mysterious about it! I'm here
to discover my true creative potential. What are you laughing at?" she
added irritably. She could actually see laughter in his eyes. It was odd to
see real emotion there, any kind of emotion. He usually looked so cold and
aloof.
"Nothing, really. It's just that you look rather amusing sitting in that
huge chair with your hair in that crazy little topknot."
Instantly Cassie lifted her hand to feel the knot of hair. It was already
coming loose, as usual. She frowned severely and went back to munching
cereal.
"I like you better without that eye makeup and odd lipstick you were
wearing the night of the party," Justin went on smoothly. "Jeans and a
sweater sort of suit you."
"Look, Justin, if this is your idea of a seductive conversation, I've got
news for you. I know damn well how I appear when I'm dressed for a party
and I know how I look in jeans. Believe me, I'm not thrilled with the fact
that I can't wear beautiful, sophisticated clothes very well. Telling me
jeans and a sweater 'sort of suit me' is not going to make any points!"
"Okay, how about if I compliment you on what I hear is your
phenomenal ability in the stock market? Your sister tells me you've got the
Midas touch."
"I find the subject distinctly boring."
"Making money is boring?" He sounded genuinely surprised.
"Making money in the stock market is. For me at any rate. I've got all
the money I could possibly use and what good does it do me? My Ferrari
pings, my four-thousand-dollar Swiss watch doesn't work, I get runs in my
Dior stockings and I look funny in designer dresses! I wasn't made to be
rich and live a sophisticated kind of life the way Alison does. I was made
for something else. I'm thirty years old, Justin. I'm going to find out what I
was really cut out to do in this world." Cassie flushed as she realized how
she'd let herself be goaded into the intense little speech. Deliberately she
shrugged as he stared at her. "Now you know what I'm doing here."
"This is where you're going to find your…uh, potential?" he asked
carefully.
"My true creative potential." Excitement at the prospect of what lay
ahead of her during the next month seized Cassie. She waved her cereal
spoon in an energetic arc. Leaning forward intently, she told Justin. "I'm
going to explore my abilities in art and poetry and writing. I feel certain I
have some talent in one of those directions. All I need to do is open myself
up during the next few weeks and explore ! I'm going to let the real me
come through. I needed a place with atmosphere. A romantic, moody
background to help release the inner creative drive. You can't do that very
well in a city, you see. I read this book a couple of months ago that says
you have to remove yourself from the stifling, imprisoning forces around
you and catapult yourself into a totally new environment if you want to
free your inner self." She sat back in defiant triumph.
Justin looked at her as if totally fascinated. "Amazing," he finally said
very dryly.
Cassie plunged back into her cereal. "You can see why I really don't
want to take the time to get myself seduced," she said caustically. "I have
much more important things to do while I'm here. Leave, Justin. Get in
your car and leave me alone!"
"How could I possibly walk out now? I want to stick around and explore
your creative potential with you. I can't wait to see the results," he said
with suspicious politeness. Then he surprised her by adding, "I think I'll
take a walk on the beach below the cliffs after breakfast. A beach after a
storm is an interesting experience. Will you join me?"
"No, thank you," she
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