Free Lost heritage by Rebecca Stratton Page B

supposed the girl had had litde choice but to recognise her existence. 'Bonjour, mademoiselle.' She returned the greeting coolly, remembering the circumstances in which she had seen Annette Villeaux last.
    Ignoring her coolness, perhaps even relishing it, the bright red mouth curved into a derisive smile and she made no attempt to leave as yet. *Did you enjoy your diner yesterday evening?' she asked, and her boldness took Charlotte unprepared.
    Last night's tete-i-tete was the last thing she expected to have mentioned and she realised with dismay that it was her own colour that rose at the prospect of discussing it;

    Annette Villeaux showed no such sign of embarrassment. Last night Charlotte would have told her exacdy what she thought of her, but now that the opportunity was there, caution warned her to tread carefully.
    *I enjoyed it very much, thank you, Mademoiselle Villeaux,'' she said. *Did you?'
    This time the challenge was hers and she found it hard to beheve that far from being resented it was received with a glowing gleam of malicious sadsfacticm in the dark eyes. *Naturellement,'' she was told. *I am always happy in the company of—a friend.'
    The pause was effective and quite deliberate, so as to leave no doubt of her meaning, and Charlotte thought she had seldom disliked anyone as much as she did Annette Villeaux at that moment. *You delight in it, don't you?' she accused in a voice she found hard to control. *It doesn't
    matter to you that poor Madame Lizette is ' She broke
    off hastily, squirming under the mockery in the other girl's eyes.
    ^Pauvre Madame Lizette!'
    She laughed, and Charlotte felt her anger becoming too much to contain. Not simply because it was Madame Lizette who was being so cruelly mocked, but because of the sheer malice that prompted the mockery, 'Doesn't it trouble your conscience at all?' she demanded. *Don't you ever stop to think that you're amusing yourself at the expense of a woman who can't defend herself?'
    Something, just for a moment, suggested that the shaft had gone home, but the expression was too fleeting to define accurately, and Annette Villeaux was laughing once more and shaking her head. ^ImhecileP she jeered. *Do you think I have to persuade him to me? Huh?' Laughing, she fanned out the letters in her hand and waved them provocatively before her face while she winked one eye and pursed her lips. *You know nothing, if you think so!'

    Thoroughly incensed, Charlotte held her ground and the fact that the other woman was several inches taller than she was did not deter her in the slightest. 'There's a name for women like you!' she declared angrily, *but I prefer not to repeat it. Mademoiselle Villeaux! Just let me say diat I hope you get everything you deserve from your—^association ! Both you and Monsieur Michel—^I hope you liv^ to regret it, both of you!'
    'Mademaistilki'
    Both girls swung round, but Charlotte was perhaps the one who saw the arrival of Raoul at that particular moment as inevitable. She was less quick to recover her composure too, and whereas Annette Villeaux stood with her eyes downcast, long lashes brushing modesdy on her smooth cheeks, Charlotte was unmistakably angry. Her eyes gleamed sapphire bright with the hght of batde, and her cheeks were flushed as she looked at him, breathing a litde unevenly in the passion of her anger.
    Annette Villeaux stood by, waiting, the perfect secretary, ' while Charlotte looked at him as if she meant to involve him too, and she knew that he must have heard at least her last few words. It was Charlotte he addressed, Charlotte on whom he turned those steely grey eyes and it needs be Charlotte who answered him.
    •Monsieur Raoul, I '
    *Pardon, monsieur^ Annette Villeaux's quiet voice cut across her attempt and she showed him the letters she had in her hand. 'Les lettres, monsieur, puis-je *
    *Mais oui* Raoul answered her impatiendy, Ures hien, mademoiselle, allezP
    Leaving Charlotte to face him alone Annette Villeaux