The Tender Years by Anne Hampton Page A

didn’t want to—to intrude.’
    Luke, who was now in buff-coloured slacks and a casual overshirt, opened his eyes wide at her sullen tone. ‘That’s an odd word to use, isn’t it?’
    ‘Clarice and you—’ She broke off and began again. ‘I’m not happy at playing gooseberry.’
    An exasperated sigh issued from his lips. ‘What the devil’s got into you now?’ he demanded, coming close to tower above her. ‘You came here with me and it’s my duty to see you enjoy yourself!’
    ‘Duty?’ She lifted her eyes, saw him frown as he guessed she was close to tears. ‘Why should you feel you have a duty towards me? It’s natural that you want to be with Clarice, and if I’d known she was coming here, then I’d have stayed at home. You should have told me she was going to be with us.’
    ‘I didn’t know she was coming here,’ he snapped. ‘I phoned her when we arrived and it was a mistake—’ Glowering at Christine as if it were her fault he had made the slip, he swung away abruptly to the other side of the room but turned to face her. ‘She decided to come over—’
    ‘Without asking you?’ interrupted Christine.
    ‘Yes—she didn’t know I had anyone with me.’
    ‘I see.’
    ‘You don’t see at all! However, it doesn’t matter. That you resent her is plain but there’s nothing I can do about it. She’s here and you can get used to the idea. She’s been friendly towards you and she’s mentioned what a charming child you are, so why this antagonism?’
    ‘She called me a child?’ No answer from Luke, who merely threw her an impatient glance. ‘I’m not antagonistic,’ she went on to deny. ‘Nor do I resent her being here. What troubles me is the knowledge that you and she would prefer to be alone. It’s a pity I came with you,’ she added. Then, stung to a retort by his sudden gleam of contempt, she threw in for good measure, ‘I’m sorry I’ve cramped your style!’
    Luke gritted his teeth. ‘You have not cramped my style! If I want to be alone with Clarice all I’ve to do is pack you off back to Pirates’ Cay on the next flight out!’
    Christine’s lips quivered. ‘Luke . . . this is the first time you and I have quarrelled.’
    His eyes were almost hostile. ‘It’ll not be the last if you go on like this. It’s the crush you have on Steve, and the sooner you make up your mind to forget him the sooner you’ll be a nice person again. As it is—you’re peevish and truculent and bad-tempered—’ He wagged a finger at her threateningly. ‘You’ve said you wished I were your guardian, your adoptive father. Well, you can thank your lucky stars that I’m not, because if I were I’d throw you over my knee and give you the spanking you deserve.’
    She stared, the hot blood surging into her cheeks. ‘Why, you—!’ she began, then broke off as the door opened.
    ‘I hope I’m not interrupting anything,’ came the voice of Clarice at its sweetest as she sailed into the room. ‘But I forgot to tell you, Luke, darling, that I’ve a hair appointment in ten minutes and so I could be a little late for lunch. Shall we make it for a quarter past one instead of one o’clock?’ While speaking to Luke her eyes were nevertheless flickering to the angry, flushed face of the girl who was standing in the middle of the room, her fists tightly clenched at her sides.
    ‘That’ll be all right, Clarice; we’ll be in the lounge having an aperitif.’
    ‘I shan’t be having lunch,’ from Christine tautly. ‘I’m not hungry,’ and with that she turned away, swiftly, because her eyes were brimming with tears of self-pity and anger.
    She bumped into Kevin as she came out of the lift. ‘Oh—hello,’ she greeted him. ‘Er—about this evening. Is the invitation still on?’
    ‘Of course,’ he replied eagerly. ‘You’ll have dinner with me?’
    ‘I’d love to.’ She paused fractionally. ‘Lunch—I’m on my own for the rest of the day.’
    She was being horrid and