Free Stormy Haven by Rosalind Brett Page B

You ’ ve just said that Mindoa suits me. ”
    “ So it does. Your looks have improved. ”
    She knew that this was not intended as a compliment. Stephen was the most aggravating and elusive of me n. B efore she could answer his fingers brushed her shoulder, moved around to the back of her neck and gave a sudden twist to the necklace. Her hand flew up to her throat.
    “ Stephen! That hurt. ”
    “ Surely not, ” he said mockingly but with steel in his voice.
    “ How c ould Ramon ’ s diamonds hurt? But maybe the little blocks of amber have sharp corners. Did you go shopping with him and hold the thing in a pale palm while you crooned how marvelous it was? That method got results before, and the Spaniard is easier meat than I, and reckless with his father ’ s money. ”
    She gazed at him, stupefied, saw him cool and cruel in the white moonlight, his teeth closed in a malici o us smile. Her breath caught.
    “ The ... little amber carving. You remember it? ”
    “ It ’ s hardly history, yet. You seem to have a weakness for amber. ”
    “ Stephen —” It was odd how desperately urgent it had become to have truth between them. “ I want to tell you about that carving. ”
    “ I know already. You gave it to Elfrida—pretended you had bought it for her. ” Evenly, he explained, “ She showed it to me on the Tjisande . ”
    “ You didn ’ t say. ”
    “ I didn ’ t say because I didn ’ t care. I don ’ t care now. Forget it. ”
    It was as if every light in the world had gone out and left her groping. If he didn ’ t care why was he so icily angry? Did he think her a cheap liar for her own gain.. .and did he really believe that she had been glad to accept the necklace from Ramon? How was one to shake a man like Stephen, compel him to see her clearly and sympathetically?
    He bent around to look over the parapet and spoke without expression. “ How far have you been outside Port Fernando? ”
    It was fully a minute before she could reply naturally. “ We went for a picnic to Pointe Douce one day. We haven ’ t swum much because various people have told us it ’ s dangerous. ”
    “ Been out to the reef ?”
    “ Elfrida doesn ’ t fancy the canoe trip. ”
    “ What about you? ”
    “ I ’ m hoping someone will take me, one day. ” But she couldn ’ t think about the reef while her neck still stung from that vicious little twist. “ Stephen, I didn ’ t want this necklace. I tried not to take it. ”
    “ But you ’ re wearing it—and why shouldn ’ t you? In your shoes I ’ d stick hard to Ramon. Go on playing your cards well and he ’ ll marry you. ”
    She swallowed painfully. “ You ’ re so horribly cynical. One would think you ’ d never known a decent woman in your life—only those who are out for a good time or a rich husband. ”
    His mouth was sarcastic. “ Are there any others? ”
    “ Yes, there are! Lots of them. But you ’ ve never stayed in one place long enough to meet them. ”
    “ Don ’ t get heated up ... chica .”
    Now he was baiting her, but not companionably. She strove to ignore his hard undertone, to persuade the conversation into less harrowing channels.
    “ What does chica mean? ”
    “ It depends on the way he says it, little one. The shades of meaning are all in the tone. Inserted into an ordinary sentence it merely conveys ‘ my dear. ’ But when Ramon breathes it cl ose to your ear he ’ s calling you ‘ darling. ’ And in case you should wish to use the-masculine form, it ’ s chico .”
    “ When I call a man ‘ darling, ’” she said, “ it ’ ll be in plain English ... and I hope he ’ ll be an Englishman. ”
    “ Cheers, ” he said with soft derision. “ That ’ s what I call patriotism. ”
    He was infuriating, and woundingly inconsiderate of her feelings. Melanie was silent, watching the people who passed the end o f their lane. Then she moved a little, and Stephen became the focus of her vision. His shadowed face looked