Free Devil and the Deep Sea by Sara Craven

women.'
    'Solange!' Roche's voice was like the crack of a whip. 'You will stop
    this nonsense at once, do you hear? And you will apologise ...'
    'I will not. It is not nonsense. She will leave. They all do.' She
    glared at Samma. 'Go, madame, while you are still safe.'
    Coming from an angry little girl in broad daylight, it should have
    been ridiculous, yet Samma felt herself shiver involuntarily.
    'You are insolent and unkind, ma fille,' Roche said icily. 'If you are
    not prepared to welcome Samantha, then you may go to your
    room—and this time remain there.'
    Solange looked as if she was on the verge of protest, then thought
    better of it, and left the salon, shutting the door behind her with
    more than a suspicion of a slam.
    Samma realised she had been holding her breath, and released it
    slowly.
    'You must excuse her, Roche.' The other woman, who had been a
    silent spectator until then, rose from her chair, and came forward. 'It
    is natural she should find her first meeting with her belle-mere a
    traumatic one.' She smiled pleasantly at Samma. 'Please make
    allowances for la petite, madame.'
    'I've been a stepdaughter myself,' Samma said neutrally. 'I know
    what the problems are.'
    'And I have been neglecting my manners,' Roche said, frowning.
    'Samantha, may I present Liliane Duvalle, who is our closest
    neighbour?'
    They shook hands. It occurred to Samma that her new acquaintance
    was slightly older than she'd originally thought, but she was
    startlingly attractive with her magnolia skin and slanting brown
    eyes, coupled with an entirely French air of confidence and chic.
    ' La petite is not the only one to have had a shock,' Madame Duvalle
    was saying with a humorous grimace. 'You kept your marriage
    plans a great secret, mort ami.'
    He drawled, 'I feared the gods might become envious and steal her
    from me, Liliane.'
    She laughed. 'A romantic notion! Allow me to welcome you to
    Grand Cay, madame— also a place of romance.'
    'If that is how you regard murder, robbery and rape,' Roche agreed
    levelly. He turned to Samma. 'Liliane is writing a guide to the
    island, ma belle, which naturally includes the history of the
    Delacroix family.'
    Liliane Duvalle smiled. 'Which your husband would prefer
    forgotten. But that is impossible, mon ami. Le Diable and his
    exploits—the tourists find them fascinating.'
    'Solange seems to be equally interested,' Samma remarked. 'Not a
    very savoury subject for a child of her age, I would have thought.'
    She paused, then said, trying to sound casual, 'What is this curse
    she mentioned?'
    Roche snorted. 'An old and foolish legend. It is said that Le Diable
    was cursed by one of the prisoners he held to ransom. The surprise
    is that it was only one of them,' he added cynically. 'But, of course,
    when any tragedy befalls the Delacroix name, it is said immediately
    to be the family curse.'
    'Well, Solange clearly believes in it,' Samma said, half to herself.
    Liliane Duvalle shrugged. 'Perhaps—but it is part of her blood—her
    heritage. It is natural she should be intrigued.' She smiled at
    Samma. 'They say, too, Madame Delacroix, that the ghost of Le
    Diable walks at Belmanoir.'
    'Then they do not say it to me,' Roche said grimly. 'I have no
    patience with such idiocies.'
    Liliane Duvalle heaved a sigh. 'I withdraw my earlier statement,
    Roche. You are not at all romantic, after all.' She patted his arm.
    'And do not frown, mon vieux. Remember, this is your
    honeymoon—and I am intruding,' she added with a pretty moue.
    'Forgive me. I only wished to see Solange safely home.'
    'We are about to have some champagne,' Roche said. 'Won't you
    stay and drink our health?'
    'Not this time.' She smiled at Samma. 'But perhaps in a week or so,
    you will give me the pleasure of dining with me. In the meantime ...'
    She paused.
    'Yes?' Samma prompted.
    Liliane looked faintly embarrassed. 'I am so fond of la petite. Will it
    be in order for me to continue my visits here? I would not wish