by Anne Hampson
‘Yes, Gale, it is wonderful.’ He spoke at last and she smiled up at him; he responded, saying, although rather absently, that it was time they were returning to the party.
‘I expect we should be getting back,’ Gale agreed... and yet, for some quite incomprehensible reason, she had the most strange desire to stay here with this handsome Greek, to stay and see what happened.
What did happen was something for which she was not in the least prepared, since she was expecting Julius to fall in step beside her as she moved away from the shade of the overhanging branches above her. Instead, he shot out a hand and caught her, pulling her up abruptly. In a flash she was in his arms, crushed against a body hard as steel, and his lips pressed hers in a kiss so ruthless and demanding that it might have come
from Satan himself. There was no escape; Gale struggled
vainly in his relentless grip, her body feeling bruised and her mouth crushed beneath his.
‘I’ve wanted to do that from the first moment I saw you,’ he said at last when, having satisfied himself, he drew away from her and gazed down into her hot face. ‘I wonder if you know just how beautiful, and how tempting you are?’
Her eyes blazed; she lifted a clenched fist as if to strike him, but it was caught and held and Julius actually laughed as she fought to drag her hand away.
‘You despicable - cad!’ she cried, still pulling against his strong and easy hold upon her hand. ‘How dared you? - and it wasn’t as if I gave you the least atom of encouragement!’
‘No?’ with faint satire. ‘You did, Gale— No, don’t deny it, because that would be dishonest, and dishonesty in you would prove to be a disappointment to me. You were a trifle halfhearted, I admit, but that was merely owing to your indecision.’ He stopped and then, coolly, his eyes intently fixed upon hers, ‘You were endeavouring to decide whether or not to try out your wiles on me, as you have so often tried them out on others
— with great success, so I have been informed.’ His rich yet quiet voice, made more attractive by the trace of an accent, was edged with censure not untinged with humour. It would seem that while he disapproved of Gale’s behaviour he at the same time had little sympathy for her victims. But this passed
almost unnoticed by Gale, who literally gasped at his uncanny perception. It was incredible that he should make so accurate a reading of her mind. Mingling with her astonishment, however, was the equally strong emotion of anger; it mounted until it actually formed a hard blockage in her throat and for a while she found it impossible to articulate words. When at last she did speak, her voice quivered with fury.
‘So you’ve been discussing me behind my back? I should like to know with whom! ’
Julius smiled, that humourless smile she had seen on several previous occasions.
‘It is not my intention to divulge the name of my informant,’ he replied in cool dispassionate tones. ‘As for our discussing you - a beautiful girl is always the object of discussion, you should be fully aware of that.’ His grip on her hand slackened; she seized the opportunity of releasing it but, still aware of the pressure, she glanced down. A deep red mark portrayed the strength of the hand that had held hers and Gale’s fury threatened to burst into an all-engulfing flame as she continued to stare at the mark which, even as she kept her gaze upon it, gradually took on a purple tinge. Julius stood looking down at her, his eyes glinting now, and before he spoke Gale had made a guess at his thoughts. ‘You could have tried out your charms, Gale, but, with me, you’d have waited until hell freezes before you’d have made any headway.’
So soft the tone, yet vibrant with meaning. Gale went red, this time with discomfiture rather than anger. Here was a man to be avoided, she thought, recalling that, so short a time previously, her brother had firmly declared that Julius Spiridon would never go down in any battle, especially one involving a woman. Endeavouring to forget that kiss, and also her anger,
she said, deciding on a dignified retreat from a formidable and impregnable adversary,
‘We obviously understand one another, Julius. I’m sure you’re wholly immune to the wiles of women - perhaps owing to considerable experience,’ she could not resist adding with a sudden quizzical smile which served only to bring back the glint to his eye. ‘Shall we return to the others? Our friends will be wondering where we are.’
For a long moment he made no move to comply with her suggestion, but stood there, gazing down into her face, an enigmatical expression on his.
‘You’re a strange girl,’ he remarked at last, and his gaze now seemed to strip her naked. ‘A very strange girl indeed - and a challenge. I’d like to see you again quite soon, but unfortunately I’m returning to Greece in a couple of days’ time.’
Gale lifted her chin.
‘It so happens, Julius, that I have no desire to see you again -
‘Don’t lie,’ he cut in calmly, suiting his pace to hers as she slowly began to walk away. ‘I intrigue you just as much as you intrigue me. You’d dearly love to watch me succumb to your charms, just for the pleasure and satisfaction of throwing me over and letting me go off somewhere to lick my wounds, as so many others have been forced to do. I on the other hand would very much like to see you succumb to my — er — advances, shall we say? - as I’m not quite as confident of my charms as you are of yours.’
‘How modest you are!’ with undisguised sarcasm as Gale stopped and turned her head to look at him. ‘I daresay, though, that you are well aware of your attractiveness as a man.’ To her surprise he frowned heavily at this, just as if such outright flattery irritated him. He maintained a silence, the silence of admonition, and Gale was urged to terminate it before it caused her too much discomfort. ‘So you would enjoy making me fall in love with you? - just for the pleasure of throwing me over?’ His dark eyes roved her again, unrestrained sensuality in their depths.
‘Were I to make you fall in love with me,’ he drawled, his tones adopting a rather lazy accent, ‘there would be other pleasures to be enjoyed before I finally threw you over.’
Gale went hot, flashing him an almost murderous glance. Yet she was honest enough to admit to having asked for what she had received. Once again she resorted to icy reserve in an endeavour to extricate herself with dignity.
‘Well, Julius,’ she said, ‘as neither of us will ever have the opportunity of deriving enjoyment from the other’s downfall it seems we are to part friends. Shall we make it now, before either of us takes a step that might carry us over the border between friendship and enmity?’
His mouth curved; her blush deepened as she saw that he received her efforts at rhetoric with the utmost derision. He said, in that lazy drawl which was designed to supplement the impression of contempt he wished to convey,
‘Our au revoir will come at the end of the evening, naturally, when the party breaks up. But we shall meet again - you know very well we shall - at another function such as this, just as we’ve met before.’
Gale frowned; she was not at all sure that she wanted another encounter with this dark and formidable Greek whose sparring finesse far surpassed her own. With men she liked to be in a position of superiority; if snubs were to be handed out she wished to be the one to do it. Such a position would never exist between Julius and herself - just the reverse, in fact, and this idea did not appeal to Gale in the least. Without commenting on his words she fell into step beside him as he began walking towards the lawn, on which several couples were dancing. The night was balmy and warm, the air sharp with the aroma of pines. Above, a full moon shed its light over the chalk down-lands and the higher hills beyond. It was a night of unusual softness and Gale wondered if Julius had noticed its similarity to the atmosphere to which he was used, on his island in the Aegean. Strangely, the long silence existing between her and Julius held not a trace of awkwardness. On the contrary, it was almost companionable and Gale felt - much to her surprise - that had they not sparred in the way they had she could have derived an odd sort of pleasure from this quiet stroll.
On reaching the lights proper she was claimed for a dance and she had no further words with Julius until they were saying goodnight on the illuminated forecourt where most of the cars had been parked.
‘Goodnight, Gale ... until we meet again.’ Soft and subtle words, accompanied by a hint of amusement in his tone and a humorous lift of his straight dark brows. ‘I shall be back in England next month.’
‘We might not see one another,’ she returned, unaware of the defensive quality of her voice. ‘There aren’t any parties in the offing that I know of.’
‘Afraid?’ he inquired, fixing her gaze. Her chin lifted. She said firmly,
‘What have I to be afraid of? No man has ever put fear into me, Julius, and I’m very confident that none ever shall.’
‘No man has ever put fear into you,’ he repeated, still holding her gaze. ‘Unhappiness ... but not fear. And because one man caused you unhappiness every other man with whom you come into contact must suffer—’ He broke off' and laughed, shaking his head. ‘No, that’s not true, for not every man is stupid enough to fall victim to your wicked little schemes.’ He remained amused - by his thoughts, she realized, wondering just what they were. She fell also to wondering who it was who had talked to Julius about her. It was faintly disconcerting to feel that her activities were known to others besides her brother and one or two of her friends. None of these would discuss her with Julius, she was absolutely certain of this. ‘You’ll learn in time, Gale -but you might find yourself getting hurt badly before the lesson finally gets through.’
‘I’ll not get hurt,’ with confidence produced by past successes. ‘I’m too hard-boiled for that.’
Humour lit his eyes, yet he was shaking his head in a sort of admonishing way.
‘Bravado, my dear Gale,’ he began, when she interrupted him.
‘No such thing! I know what I’m about, Julius; make no mistake regarding that.’
He shrugged and said, carelessly now as if the subject were beginning to bore him a little,
‘Watch you make no mistakes, Gale. Some women succeed brilliantly as adventuresses ... and some fail. They’re not clever enough, nor are they cut out for that particular kind of life. Take heed of my warning before it’s too late.’
CHAPTER TWO
Just over a month later Gale received an invitation from Tricia’s mother. Would she spend the week-end at Moorcroft House, as Tricia was ill and Mrs. Sims hoped that Gale’s presence in the house would make her feel better.
Frowning, Gale stared for some time at the letter, then decided to telephone Mrs. Sims. What she heard made the blood freeze in Gale’s veins. Tricia had been jilted and already there were rumours that Trevis was interested in the daughter of a titled man living in Cumberland. Gale knew that Trevis had a small fishing lodge up in Cumberland, and this was how he came to meet the girl, her father’s estate being close to the place where the lodge was situated. Trevis’s visits to the lodge, while Tricia was left behind, had always been a sore point with Gale, who had been Tricia’s friend for several years. Gale had secretly thought that Trevis should have spent all his leisure time with his fiancee, but instead he liked to go to the lodge where, he said, he could rest from the rigours of business life. At first he had gone up there about once a month, but recently he had been spending almost every week-end at the lodge and although Tricia was naturally upset about this she was also very sweet and understanding about it, telling the indignant Gale that Trevis really did need the rest. Rest! thought Gale now as she stood by the phone, having replaced the receiver after promising to go over to the Sims’ home first thing the following morning and staying until Sunday night. Men! Rotters, all of them! How Gale wished she could work some miracle that would result in Trevis receiving the punishment he so thoroughly deserved. The thought of this remained with Gale as she drove her car along the lovely lane leading to the small village of Denehurst in Kent where the Sims’ eighteenth-century house was situated.
Tricia was upstairs in her bedroom when Gale arrived. She spent all her time there, Mrs. Sims told Gale, actually weeping as she talked. Gale swallowed something hard and painful in her throat, thinking of the lovely wedding dress already partly made, and the bridesmaids’ dresses too. Gale was to have been the chief bridesmaid and already she had had several fittings. History repeating itself - and no one could know better than Gale just what her friend was suffering. This was probably the chief reason for Mrs. Sims sending for her, since she knew that the same thing had once happened to Gale.
‘We can’t do anything with her,’ wept Mrs. Sims, her face pale and drawn. ‘She’s going to be ill - have a breakdown or something if she continues like this. All she does is lie on her bed and cry. It’s dreadful to see how she suffers!’
Fury surged within Gale. She felt she would have murdered Trevis had he been present. How could he be so utterly heartless? And Tricia so gentle and so very lovely, with her soft brown eyes and elfin-like features. She had been so trusting, too, never for one moment suspecting her fiance of doing anything more than resting, and of course fishing, a pastime which he liked immensely, he had once told Gale. Fishing! thought Gale now, her mouth curving into a cynical line that was far from pretty to see. Fishing! Well, that was what he had been doing -in his own particular way.
‘You said on the phone that already there were rumours about Trevis and this girl. How have they got round so soon?’
‘Perhaps you don’t know, but Trevis lets his friends have the lodge when he’s not using it himself. It seems that one of them was up there with his wife and it was she who heard the gossip in the village post office. The story soon spread once this couple got home and naturally it reached Tricia’s ears. She tackled Trevis and — and—’ Mrs. Sims broke off, overcome by her tears. ‘Trevis admitted it,’ she added at length. ‘And he told Tricia that he was breaking the engagement, as he wanted to marry this other girl. I’m sure it’s mainly because of her father’s position — his title, I mean, since Trevis himself will be a very wealthy man some day, when anything happens to his uncle.’ ‘He’s actually got as far as wanting to marry this girl?’ Gale’s voice was sharp with disgust and her lovely mouth was drawn into a thin and almost ugly line. ‘He must have been carrying on with her for some time, that’s pretty obvious.’ She was thinking of Malcolm, who had been two-timing her for a long while before someone took it upon herself to put Gale in possession of the fact.
‘Yes, he must have been seeing her regularly, every time he went up there. It’s easily explained now why he began going so often - and there was my poor Tricia, defending him, saying he required complete rest because he was overworked.’
Gale was silent a while and then, rising from her chair,
‘I’ll go up to her. She doesn’t know about my coming, you said?’
‘No, I felt she might not like the idea, so I didn’t tell her. Go up, Gale dear, and see if you can do anything to comfort her.’ Mrs. Sims shook her head miserably ‘Time is the only thing - as it was with you.’
Gale nodded, too full to speak. It hurt abominably to see her friend’s mother like this. But it hurt even more when she saw her friend, lying face downwards on the bed, her shoulders heaving as the silent sobs racked her small slim body. Standing by the door, Gale could not stem her own tears and as Tricia had not become aware of her presence she went along to the bathroom and splashed cold water over her eyes, drying them on a towel. It would not do Tricia much good to see Gale crying, or even to notice evidence of tears, and so Gale waited a few moments until, a glance in the mirror telling her all traces of her own emotion were erased, she returned to the bedroom and, bending over the weeping girl, put a gentle arm around her, speaking soothingly to her as she did so. Startled, Tricia turned on her side, blinking at Gale through her tears. Her face was blotched and swollen, her eyes glazed by misery.
‘Your mother asked me to come for the week-end,’ Gale explained at once. ‘Why didn’t you yourself contact me, Tricia, and tell me what had happen
ed?’
‘I couldn’t tell anyone—’ Tricia stopped as a great sob rose from the very heart of her. ‘You s-see, I th- thought he would c-come back to me.’
‘We all do, when anything like this happens.’ Gale’s voice was grim despite its soothing edge. ‘You don’t realize it now, Tricia dear, but he isn’t worth a thought.’
‘That’s what Mother and Father say, but if he were to come back to me I’d forgive him.’
Gale was silent; she herself had felt like that for weeks after Malcolm had let her down. It was only with the passing of time that she had come to admit that he was not worth having. It would be the same
with Tricia, but unfortunately there was much suffering to be endured before the stage of forgetfulness was reached.
‘Come,’ Gale encouraged, ‘get up and we’ll go into town. I’ve a present to get for my mother’s birthday and you can help me choose it.’
Tricia was shaking her head even while Gale spoke.
‘You’re kind, Gale, and Mother meant well when she sent for you, but I don’t want company. I just want to stay here by myself.’ Her voice broke and tears flowed once more. Gale said gently,
‘Remember that I know exactly how you’re feeling. I also know that I myself would have been far better off had I listened to the well-meaning people who tried to help me, but like you I wanted only to be alone. Eventually I did snap out of it and accept help, and you’ll see, Tricia dear, that I’m right when I say you’ll feel a little better if you talk, and if you come down -stairs instead of remaining up here. Have you had anything to eat today?’ And when Tricia shook her head, ‘Then we’ll call at that nice Swiss restaurant and have lunch. We went there the last time I was here, remember?’