you, my only crime was to give you some pleasure.’
‘ Do you think it gives me pleasure to be ordered to wear certain clothes? To be driven around the whole island by a servant who knows perfectly well what I really want? You told him to do that, didn’t you? Don’t let her get too close to other people, or they’ll notice she isn’t Bianca. Isn’t that what you told Dino?’
‘Why should I?’
‘ That’s what I’m asking you. Why? There’s a gate leading to a path down to what looks like a private beach. It was open yesterday. Today I found it padlocked. Was that because I tried it yesterday and someone thought I might go down there and be seen?’
‘ I didn ’ t know about that. Did you actually g o through the gate?’
‘ A few yards only.’
‘ The path is dangerous. Probably Dino locked it because he feared you might slip and fall. Our guests are our responsibility. The path leads only to our private beach. If you want to go, I will take you.’
‘ Thank you. I had a longing to swim in the sea, that’s all . We have a pool at the hospital. Not as beautiful as yours, and there are no lilies overhanging the water. But the sea—that’s quite something.’
‘Very well. We’ll swim this evening. I shall be ready at five.’
She swallowed. What could one do, with a man like Marco! He made one feel so deflated. She felt like saying I don’t want to go now ! but he would merely point out how childish that was; besides, it was untrue. She did want to go.
‘ At five. That is kind of you, Marco. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll read my letter now.’
He called her back. ‘ Also I should tell you, your passport is ready, and new travel documents. I telephoned the Consul’s office. I also enquired at the bank. Your money should be there tomorrow. If I do not need the boat, Dino can take you all the way to Naples. Otherwise, I will take you as far as Ischia and you can catch the ferry from there. If you will not consider me too much of a little snob, I will lend you the money to finance your trip, and you can pay me back when you return in the evening.’
‘ You took all that trouble for my affairs, when you had business of your own? Marco, I shouldn’t have called you a snob, but you just made me so angry I couldn’t help myself. You’re lucky it wasn’t something worse.’
‘Don’t apologise, my dear Jan. You look lovelier than ever when you are angry, and we Italians enjoy watching a woman in a passion. A touch of hot ginger in a dish lends added pleasure.’
Francesca arrived to clear the luncheon table and seemed confused to find them still there. She made to go away, but Marco called her back, saying he and the Signorina were going.
‘ You to your siesta, Jan. And I to my work. We shall meet again at five.’
Michael wanted her. The letter was a despairing cry from the heart, but it left Jan cold.
So the other girl had let him down. Just as he had let Jan down. She hadn’t wailed for sympathy, and all the tears she had shed had been in private. But this— ! She shrugged helplessly. It was just a load of self-pity, which even a month ago would have fooled her, sent her running to poor Michael with little cries of sympathy. Not now.
Sorry, Michael, she said as she tore the letter into narrow strips and dropped them in the wastepaper basket. Seems like you’re going to have to do some growing up, boy. But not at my expense, thank you.
The louvred shutters were closed against the afternoon sun; the room was cool and dark, smelling of flowers. As Jan drifted into a light sleep, the thought came to her that she had grown out of Michael because she’d met a real man now. The thought must have amused her, for she slept with a little smile on her lips.
She woke with a feeling that something pleasant was about to happen, and lay idly watching the narrow slits of sunlight on the closed shutters. She felt relaxed and rested, the sharp skirmish with Marco half forgotten. In this
‘ Do you think it gives me pleasure to be ordered to wear certain clothes? To be driven around the whole island by a servant who knows perfectly well what I really want? You told him to do that, didn’t you? Don’t let her get too close to other people, or they’ll notice she isn’t Bianca. Isn’t that what you told Dino?’
‘Why should I?’
‘ That’s what I’m asking you. Why? There’s a gate leading to a path down to what looks like a private beach. It was open yesterday. Today I found it padlocked. Was that because I tried it yesterday and someone thought I might go down there and be seen?’
‘ I didn ’ t know about that. Did you actually g o through the gate?’
‘ A few yards only.’
‘ The path is dangerous. Probably Dino locked it because he feared you might slip and fall. Our guests are our responsibility. The path leads only to our private beach. If you want to go, I will take you.’
‘ Thank you. I had a longing to swim in the sea, that’s all . We have a pool at the hospital. Not as beautiful as yours, and there are no lilies overhanging the water. But the sea—that’s quite something.’
‘Very well. We’ll swim this evening. I shall be ready at five.’
She swallowed. What could one do, with a man like Marco! He made one feel so deflated. She felt like saying I don’t want to go now ! but he would merely point out how childish that was; besides, it was untrue. She did want to go.
‘ At five. That is kind of you, Marco. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll read my letter now.’
He called her back. ‘ Also I should tell you, your passport is ready, and new travel documents. I telephoned the Consul’s office. I also enquired at the bank. Your money should be there tomorrow. If I do not need the boat, Dino can take you all the way to Naples. Otherwise, I will take you as far as Ischia and you can catch the ferry from there. If you will not consider me too much of a little snob, I will lend you the money to finance your trip, and you can pay me back when you return in the evening.’
‘ You took all that trouble for my affairs, when you had business of your own? Marco, I shouldn’t have called you a snob, but you just made me so angry I couldn’t help myself. You’re lucky it wasn’t something worse.’
‘Don’t apologise, my dear Jan. You look lovelier than ever when you are angry, and we Italians enjoy watching a woman in a passion. A touch of hot ginger in a dish lends added pleasure.’
Francesca arrived to clear the luncheon table and seemed confused to find them still there. She made to go away, but Marco called her back, saying he and the Signorina were going.
‘ You to your siesta, Jan. And I to my work. We shall meet again at five.’
Michael wanted her. The letter was a despairing cry from the heart, but it left Jan cold.
So the other girl had let him down. Just as he had let Jan down. She hadn’t wailed for sympathy, and all the tears she had shed had been in private. But this— ! She shrugged helplessly. It was just a load of self-pity, which even a month ago would have fooled her, sent her running to poor Michael with little cries of sympathy. Not now.
Sorry, Michael, she said as she tore the letter into narrow strips and dropped them in the wastepaper basket. Seems like you’re going to have to do some growing up, boy. But not at my expense, thank you.
The louvred shutters were closed against the afternoon sun; the room was cool and dark, smelling of flowers. As Jan drifted into a light sleep, the thought came to her that she had grown out of Michael because she’d met a real man now. The thought must have amused her, for she slept with a little smile on her lips.
She woke with a feeling that something pleasant was about to happen, and lay idly watching the narrow slits of sunlight on the closed shutters. She felt relaxed and rested, the sharp skirmish with Marco half forgotten. In this
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