Free For Ever and Ever by Mary Burchell Page B

Italian who would not step forward with me in her defence.’ Many Italians still believe that the curse of Garibaldi followed them throughout the war, and that because of their ignoring his advice to posterity, Italy lost while England won.”
    “You don’t say!” exclaimed the American girl again, but a little puzzledly this time because, as a devotee of the art of the film, she naturally thought the Americans had won the war. “Well, now I shall be even more interested in seeing Naples.” And she smiled at Nicholas Edmonds with that air of friendly courtesy which is peculiar to the Americans when information is given—even if it is given ungraciously.
    Leonie, who had observed this scene with amusement and listened to the quotation with genuine feeling, still did not lose sight of the fact that something more than carefree pleasure was to be her portion that day.
    She made no attempt to keep Claire in sight until the moment of disembarkation came, for she was anxious to avoid an appearance of anything more deliberate than a tiresome determination to share Claire’s sight-seeing.
    Consequently, she was alone when Mr. Pembridge, making his way slowly through the people on deck, sought her out, as she stood by the ship’s rail, alternately watching the view ahead or the varied crowd around her.
    “Ah, here you are!” He seemed pleased, and triumphant, to have found her. “I thought I might not catch you in time. I’m going to manage to go ashore, after all, for a short while, and if we get a fast car, I think we can manage Pompeii.”
    “P-Pompeii?” stammered Leonie, who had completely forgotten her previous request. “But—do you mean Mr. Stour is not going ashore, then?”
    “Mr. Stour?” The Senior Surgeon looked taken aback and not particularly pleased. “I suppose he is. In fact, I’m sure he is. He made a special point of it, and he has the whole time free.”
    “But I thought you couldn’t both be away at once?”
    “On this particular occasion, I arranged it,” Mr. Pembridge said, and she realized suddenly, from the dryness of his tone, that he was not specially gratified by her reception of his news.
    “I’m terribly sorry!” She was agitated and showed it. “But I couldn’t possibly come. I mean”—at the faintly haughty look which came over his face, she groped for something more gracious—”I appreciate your kindness, but—but I’m going with Claire and Mr. Stour. It’s all arranged. We shall be together the whole of the time.”
    “In that case, please don’t worry,” Mr. Pembridge said, politely but coolly. “I hope you enjoy yourself.”
    And he turned away and left her—no doubt to find someone who would more truly appreciate the compliment of being taken ashore by the Senior Surgeon.
    Leonie could have cried with vexation, for nothing would have delighted her more than to spend the day in Mr. Pembridge’s company. To her surprise, she realized that now. But instead, she had to hold herself ready to catch the exact moment when Claire and Kingsley Stour went ashore, and firmly attach her unwanted self to them.
    When the time came, it was even more embarrassing and shame-making than she had expected. Claire had said nothing more to her, and undoubtedly she and Kingsley Stour had intended to slip off without discussing the matter further.
    But Leonie, who kept an eagle eye on disembarking passengers, hurried up to join them at the very last moment, exclaiming with rather overdone heartiness, “I’ve been looking for you everywhere! Thank goodness I just caught you. I was beginning to think I’d have to go alone.”
    Neither of them managed to say a word, and he at least looked little short of disgusted, but Leonie went on talking eagerly, as though all her life she had studied the technique of forcing herself on people who did not want her.
    She hated every moment of it. And she quite hated herself, too, even though she knew she was playing this horrid ro1e in the best