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her cigarette. Her eyes were fixed on the fob watch,
and Liane strongly suspected that she was comparing it
with the beautiful and expensive cocktail watch she
herself was wearing. Small and dainty, it was studded
with tiny diamonds, and it had a diamond clasp. Em-
bellishing the smart white trouser suit she wore was
a diamond dip which was fixed to one of the lapels.
'Will you ever come here again?' inquired Alma
after a space.
'One day, I suppose. But it will be in the far distant
future.' Liane glanced up, to meet Flint's eyes as he
appeared at the table with Alma's drink. 'It's an ex-
pensive trip, and also one needs to have the time.'
'How drear not to be mistress of your own time.'
Liane had no patience to continue the conversation
and she fell silent, sipping her drink. Presently she
heard Flint say, in that quietly modulated voice she..
now knew so well,
'What about your glade, Liane? Aren't you going to
want to visit it from time to time?'
She coloured slightly, while Alma turned her head
abruptly to send Flint an interrogating glance. She
spoke before Liane had time to answer Flint's question.
'Glade? What's all this?'
'Liane owns one tiny piece of Africa,' said Flint. 'I
gave it to her.'
Alma's expression underwent a staggering change.
147
Her eyes became hard, her mouth tight, and when she
spoke her voice was almost harsh.
'You gave Liane some of your land, Flint? made
her a present of it?' Amazement mingled with the ris-
ing anger in her expression. 'I don't think I under-
stand?'
Liane, becoming more and more uncomfortable,
drained her glass and prepared to rise and leave the
two together. Lights were flickering in the distance and
she surmised they were from the cars of guests who
would be arriving within the next few minutes.
The glade bordering my forest,' Flint was saying
pleasantly. 'We've called it Liane's Glade.'
'You've given her that?' Alma glanced at Liane, fury
in her eyes. 'Whatever for?'
'She liked it,' was Flint's reply. 'Liane, your glass is
empty. Can I get you another drink?'
She shook her head, aware of her heightened colour.
Flint noticed it, and his eyes flickered strangely. There
was something profound in the air; Liane sensed it,
and, with dawning bewilderment, she found herself
once again alone with Flint. Alma was as nebulous and
unimportant as Richard had been a short while pre-
viously. There seemed to be a message in Flint's
hooded eyes, and a certain tenderness in the slight
curve of his lips. Alma, glowering at them in turn,
noticed the bright gleam of Liane's russet hair, the
alabaster skin and exquisitely-moulded features, the
arched neck above sloping shoulders ... and hatred,
dark and venomous, erased every other thought from
her mind. Reflected in her eyes, this hatred was com-
municated to Liane on the instant and she shivered as
a chill swept over her, bringing up the fine hairs on her
148
forearms; she felt Aem rise beneath the sleeves of her
sweater and automatically pressed her hands against
them.
Flint frowned suddenly at the change in Liane's
expression, and it was plain that he was puzzled. How-
ever, before he had time to say anything two cars, one
closely following the other, swept round the wide curve
leading from the road into Flint's drive and, excusing
himself, he left the two girls to go and welcome his
friends.
'I fail utterly to see why Flint should make you a
present of that glade.' Alma spoke as soon as he was
out of earshot. 'What good can it do you?'
Liane looked at her; the hatred still lingered in
Alma's dark eyes.
'None, I suppose,' she replied, deciding she must be
guarded as, after all, she was only a guest here, while
Alma was a favoured guest.
That glade,' submitted Alma, drooping her lids so
as to hide her expression, 'is a favourite place for Flint
and me. We go there in order to be quite alone ... and
private.' A slight pause in order that this might sink
in, and then, 'I expect Flint gave it to you because of
the quarrel we had. He was terribly upset at the
time- but he took the quarrel far too seriously, think-
ing I no longer cared for him.' Another pause ensued.
Liane, taut and aware again of that chilling sensation,
waited for the girl to continue, which she did, still
hiding her expression by the lowering of her eyelids. 'I
seem to remember his saying something about the
glade having no meaning for him any more, and that
he didn't think he would ever go there again. However,
he must have done, because he showed it to you. And
149
 he gave it to you.' Alma looked straight at Liane now as
she added, 'You can see for yourself the stupidity of his
action. The glade's no good to you, is it?'
Automatically Liane shook her head. She had
thought at the time that the gift could not do her any
good, seeing that she would be living so far away from [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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