the guests will be able to go from one hotel to another for entertainment and even food.’
‘You mean, they can dine at any of the three hotels?’
‘That’s right, but of course they’ll have to book in advance.’
‘It sounds too good to be true,’ she breathed, leaning forward and looking up into his face. ‘Will there be tennis and golf and such things?’
‘Everything they could want for passing a pleasant time within the precincts of the hotel. Of course, they can come and go as they like, but there isn’t much room on the island for long tramps,’ he added on a note of amusement. ‘You can walk from one end to the other in less than half an hour.’
‘Shall you be able to have floor shows?’
‘I do plan to have a floor show once a week at each hotel, and that’s why I’m making it possible for people to interchange for dinner—and allthe other meals if they so wish. But with dinner—well, there are bound to be many Darbys and Joans who will want to dine cosily and romantically by candlelight and so they can get away from the floor show if they want.’ He stopped slowly and she saw that he was lost in dreams. What a surprising man! An idealist when she had branded him hard and calculating, believing him to be a man who would not stop at spoiling an island if by so doing he could put wealth into his pocket. How very wrong she had been!
‘You’ve not told me yet how I can help,’ she reminded him. ‘We digressed, I think.’
Luke brought his attention back to her, his dark eyes unfathomable as he watched her sip her drink. Clare met his gaze, half-inclined to tell him that she knew why he was wanting her to assist, that it was in order to help her forget the past. But she decided against it, since it was of no importance anyway. She had no intention of forgetting the past.
‘I would like you to take over, completely, the decor and furnishings of all three hotels,’ he told her, smiling in some amusement at her gasp of disbelief.
‘Really, Luke! You really want to give me all that responsibility?’
‘I know you can do it,’ was all he said by way of answering her. ‘I’ve already got everything else moving.’
She looked at him from over the rim of herglass, and his eyes flickered with humour again at her eagerness. But she was thinking of her job and wondering how she would fit in all the extra work. She had a good deal of time off, though, and every week-end she was relieved by Mary.
‘It sounds fabulous, Luke! Oh, I shall love having a free hand to decorate and furnish to my own taste!’ She had forgotten what he had done to her earlier, forgotten everything as already her brain was working, making pictures of lovely rooms tastefully equipped by her alone. Oh, but it really was something to look forward to!
‘I take it,’ remarked her companion suavely, ‘that you’ve accepted the commission?’
She laughed . . . and noticed that nerve in his neck pulsating.
‘I couldn’t possibly refuse! I know it’s going to be hard work, doing two jobs, but as I have plenty of spare time I’m sure I can manage.’
‘That’s my girl—’ He broke off abruptly as if he realised he ought not to have said it. She sent him a startled glance, wishing she could read his thoughts. My girl. . . . He was coolly beckoning a waiter and Clare decided that it was merely a figure of speech which meant nothing. Yet why had he stopped so abruptly? In fact, his whole manner was strange, she now realised. Some sixth sense seemed to be telling her that there could be an altogether different reason for his interest in her. . . .
Chapter Four
‘So Windward Cay will be advertised as suitable for Senior Citizens
only?’
Clare and Phil and Luke had been discussing the new project all through dinner, and as Phil put the question he was already preparing to leave them, as he had work to do in his office, he said.
‘That’s the idea.’
‘Well, you have my good wishes,’ returned
‘You mean, they can dine at any of the three hotels?’
‘That’s right, but of course they’ll have to book in advance.’
‘It sounds too good to be true,’ she breathed, leaning forward and looking up into his face. ‘Will there be tennis and golf and such things?’
‘Everything they could want for passing a pleasant time within the precincts of the hotel. Of course, they can come and go as they like, but there isn’t much room on the island for long tramps,’ he added on a note of amusement. ‘You can walk from one end to the other in less than half an hour.’
‘Shall you be able to have floor shows?’
‘I do plan to have a floor show once a week at each hotel, and that’s why I’m making it possible for people to interchange for dinner—and allthe other meals if they so wish. But with dinner—well, there are bound to be many Darbys and Joans who will want to dine cosily and romantically by candlelight and so they can get away from the floor show if they want.’ He stopped slowly and she saw that he was lost in dreams. What a surprising man! An idealist when she had branded him hard and calculating, believing him to be a man who would not stop at spoiling an island if by so doing he could put wealth into his pocket. How very wrong she had been!
‘You’ve not told me yet how I can help,’ she reminded him. ‘We digressed, I think.’
Luke brought his attention back to her, his dark eyes unfathomable as he watched her sip her drink. Clare met his gaze, half-inclined to tell him that she knew why he was wanting her to assist, that it was in order to help her forget the past. But she decided against it, since it was of no importance anyway. She had no intention of forgetting the past.
‘I would like you to take over, completely, the decor and furnishings of all three hotels,’ he told her, smiling in some amusement at her gasp of disbelief.
‘Really, Luke! You really want to give me all that responsibility?’
‘I know you can do it,’ was all he said by way of answering her. ‘I’ve already got everything else moving.’
She looked at him from over the rim of herglass, and his eyes flickered with humour again at her eagerness. But she was thinking of her job and wondering how she would fit in all the extra work. She had a good deal of time off, though, and every week-end she was relieved by Mary.
‘It sounds fabulous, Luke! Oh, I shall love having a free hand to decorate and furnish to my own taste!’ She had forgotten what he had done to her earlier, forgotten everything as already her brain was working, making pictures of lovely rooms tastefully equipped by her alone. Oh, but it really was something to look forward to!
‘I take it,’ remarked her companion suavely, ‘that you’ve accepted the commission?’
She laughed . . . and noticed that nerve in his neck pulsating.
‘I couldn’t possibly refuse! I know it’s going to be hard work, doing two jobs, but as I have plenty of spare time I’m sure I can manage.’
‘That’s my girl—’ He broke off abruptly as if he realised he ought not to have said it. She sent him a startled glance, wishing she could read his thoughts. My girl. . . . He was coolly beckoning a waiter and Clare decided that it was merely a figure of speech which meant nothing. Yet why had he stopped so abruptly? In fact, his whole manner was strange, she now realised. Some sixth sense seemed to be telling her that there could be an altogether different reason for his interest in her. . . .
Chapter Four
‘So Windward Cay will be advertised as suitable for Senior Citizens
only?’
Clare and Phil and Luke had been discussing the new project all through dinner, and as Phil put the question he was already preparing to leave them, as he had work to do in his office, he said.
‘That’s the idea.’
‘Well, you have my good wishes,’ returned
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