Unknown by Unknown Page B

dance, but surely this could not account for the depression which gripped her. No, it was his expression when he had caught James kissing her which stuck in her mind. Though he had apologised, something told her he had not been surprised. Surely he couldn’t suspect her of carrying on an affair with her own cousin right under Grandmother’s nose?
     

CHAPTER THREE
    The feeling of deflation and anti-climax followed Davina upstairs to bed, for she had not found the lavish celebration party an unqualified success. She wouldn’t admit to herself that this feeling was in part due to Rex’s unspoken disapproval, and it did not salvage even a shred of self-confidence to find next morning he was leaving.
    She came downstairs shortly before ten o’clock to find the big hire car at the door and Rex himself loading the boot. Davina stood at the open front door and watched as he stowed his luggage and locked up.
    As he turned and saw her he said shortly, ‘You’re down at last. I was just off. I thought I’d have to leave a message with James.’
    Davina thought it wiser to ignore the implication in this last remark. ‘I didn’t know you were going so soon,’ she answered slowly.
    Rex reached her side and halted long enough to say, ‘While I have the car and a few days at my disposal it seemed stupid to miss the opportunity of seeing Italy. The rest of your family will be going back to London anyway tomorrow, I gather, and in any case, I’m sure your grandmother won’t want me hanging around. I believe I’ve passed the test,’ he gave her a slow meaningful smile and Davina flushed. ‘Give me your telephone number again,’ he finished, the tone an order, not a request.
    Wishing she had the courage to tell him she’d changed her mind and that he could keep his job, Davina complied. She was letting his offhand manner get under her skin. Usually she took people as she found them, so what was so special about this tall, brown-faced man? she wondered as with a brief, ‘So long. See you in London, then,’ he strode on past her into the house, presumably to say his goodbyes to her grandmother.
     
    During the days which followed, Davina made a determined effort to put Rex Fitzpaine to the back of her mind, but she could not fool herself into believing she was finding the beautiful Swiss mountain scenery and the cooking of Frau Wilhelm as enjoyable as on previous visits. In fact, she was quite relieved when it was time for her and Catrin to pack their bags in preparation for the long train journey home. She saw Catrin on to the train for Wales, then went slowly down the escalator to take the Tube to her digs in Harrow, relieved to find the first rush hour was over and the trains relatively empty.
    For the first time since her grandmother s birthday, she felt a stab of excitement as she put her key in the door and spotted the letter awaiting her. The name of the magazine was stamped across the left-hand corner of the envelope and dropping her suitcase, Davina tore the letter open.
    It was short and friendly but simply confirmed that they were awaiting her first two short stories, ‘which if suitable will be published in our January editions.’ Stopping only to tell Mrs Styles she was back, Davina went to her bedsitter and squatting on the bed, read through the letter again.
    Would there be time to write one before Rex contacted her? It was over a week since she had seen him and apart from a ‘thank you’ letter to her grandmother, there had been no word. Perhaps he was still touring on the continent. She’d ring James to see if he’d heard anything at the office, Davina decided, as with a yawn she lay back, her mind switching to the embryo plot she was toying with as a possible for her first professional short story.
    There had been no rest on the long overnight journey, and still clad in all her outdoor things, Davina shut her eyes and fell asleep right in the middle of her eighteen-year-old heroine’s first encounter