[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
but she's always back before Peter comes in. She
knows more about what he's going to do than I do.'
86
^' '
I 'She certainly sounds fishy,' Molly said. 'I'll just
I: hang these shirts up. Keep an eye on Wendy.'
p ' Of course.' Claire went and knelt by the playpen,
; playing with the little baby who was chuckling away,
; her blue eyes so right with her soft blonde curly hair.
; How wonderful, Claire was thinking, to be like
s Molly, married to a man you love, and who loved you,
: for Reg certainly did, and have a baby like Wendy . . .
Her eyes suddenly hot, her nose prickling, Claire
suddenly knew she must get away quickly or else she
would find herself telling Molly everything, and Molly
would certainly advise an immediate return to Eng-
land. And that was something Claire knew she could
never do.
Standing up, she waited for Molly to return and
gathered her handbag. ' Afraid I can't stay any longer,
Molly, I have to go back.'
' So soon?' Molly sounded disappointed. ' I was
hoping you'd babysit this evening so Reg and I could
go dancing. We never seem to get out these days.'
Claire felt badly about it, for both Reg and Molly
had been so good to her, yet she still wanted to flee.
' I'm awfully sorry, but I must go back,' she said,
aware that she was not a good liar and hoping Molly
would not guess the reason for her flight. ' I'll try
and arrange with Peter to have a whole evening off.
The trouble is I must sleep there.'
' Is he really so worried about gossip?' Molly asked,
as she walked to the front door with Claire. ' I mean,
it doesn't make sense with my idea of Peter. I'd have
thought he'd have said what the hell does it matter
what people say 1'
' I know. I thought that at first, but as Mrs Parsons
says, there are some very nasty columnists who will
write anything to get a scoop, and in Peter's job, he
has to ... well . . .'
87
' Be like Caesar's wife?' Molly laughed. ' I don't
believe it. It doesn't make sense. Why didn't he put
the girl into a hotel? He can afford it. That would
be the solution.'
Claire wanted to run. ' I know. As I said, I just
can't understand him these days.' Not that she ever
had understood Peter, Claire knew very well. In fact
since Deirdre came to live in Vauduse, Claire had
seen far more of Peter than she had ever hoped to do.
Yet it was the wrong kind of Peter, not the Peter she
had dreamed of! ' Goodbye, I'll see what I can do
about coming to babysit . . .'
' Not to worry,' Molly sounded tired. ' I wouldn't
like you driving across Sydney in the early hours of the
morning alone.'
' Peter may go away, then I could leave Deirdre
there. I mean, he does often go. Actually I've been
wondering why he hasn't gone before,' Claire said,
and kissed her sister. ' Anyhow, I'll see you.'
She almost ran across the hall and out into the hot
sunshine. The seat of the car was hot, too, and as
she drove down towards Sydney bridge, she wondered
what to do. She had no desire to go to Vauduse and be
there alone.
She decided to go up towards Colloroy. Several
friends of Peter's lived up there and were always asking
her to visit them, but they never made a date, just
saying: 'Drop in some time' and so far she hadn't
liked to do so. She was used to a proper invitation
and hated the idea of walking in perhaps at the wrong
time 1 However, she decided to go to see them then;
anything was better than being alone.
She drove up the coast, admiring the great diffs.
And found that each of the three families were out 1
It was a beautiful afternoon and the sandy beaches
were inviting, so she turned off the main road and
88
parked above the golden beach that was covered with
sunkissed people, half asleep as they basked in the
heat.
She lay down, dosing her eyes, reminding herself
that she must remember the power of the Australian
sunshine, and how easy it was for her to go red!
As she lay there she thought of Deirdre. Claire
found herself wondering if she was being stupid about
the whole thing, building up a frightening, even
threatening mountain when all Deirdre was, was just
a little mound of annoying and obstructive soil. She
had to laugh where had she got those words from?
she wondered. Just be patient and play it cool, she
told herself. Be friendly and kind to Deirdre; in time
a man like Peter will get tired of it all, will feel what
her father or was it her grandfather had called the
bug.
It was pleasant lying there, idly, doing nothing, so
relaxed, she told herself, and knew that not a word
of that was true! She found herself worrying about
the house at Vauduse. Had there been any important
phone calls? she wondered. Mrs Parsons was on duty,
but she had an unfortunate habit of falling asleep
in the afternoon!
Where were Peter and Deirdre at that moment?
Would they go home to dinner? she had arranged
a pleasant meal that Mrs Parsons could handle.
Suddenly the prickling of her nose began and she
turned over, hiding her face in her folded arms. Then
a deep voice demanded, ' Are you cutting me dead or
ought you to wear glasses?'
' Simon!' Claire exclaimed, recognising the voice at
once. She turned over, gazing up at the sandy-haired,
befreckled man standing by her side, and smiled.
' How nice to see you,' she said, and really meant it.
' I didn't see you though, honestly.'
89
He laughed as he sat down by her side. ' I forgive
you. How come you're on your own? Breathing a
bit of fresh air?'
They both laughed, for this was a day when there
wasn't even a breath of fresh cool air as the sun beat
down mercilessly. The roar of the waves as they came
racing in made them have to shout.
' My day off,' she explained, and added with a bitter-
ness that shocked her, ' I'm only the housekeeper, you
see.'
He smiled. ' If I had a house, I'd steal you from
Peter. I travel too much and don't want to settle
down.' He held out his hand. ' This is too hot to
be enjoyable. Let's go and get something cold to
drink, then we'll have dinner. How about dancing?'
Claire hesitated, looking down at her white crimp-
lene frock. Luckily it didn't crease. As if Simon
guessed her thoughts, he laughed. ' You look smash-
ing to me.'
That settled things. Claire laughed. ' Thanks, kind
sir. Your suggestion sounds fabulous.'
' I'm glad,' he said, jumping up and pulling her to
her feet. ' Pity you've got the car with you, but you
can follow me. I take it you don't want to get home
too late?'
Claire lifted her head. What did it matter if Peter
was mad? It was her day off and she had a right to
enjoy herself.
' That doesn't matter at all,' she said and, amazingly
to her, it didn't.
Claire drove back to Vauduse after a pleasant relaxed
evening, Simon driving behind her. He turned his
car, waved goodbye, and as she let herself in the front
door was startled to see Peter come out of his study.
He was frowning. ' You're very late.'
90
She stared at him, surprised. Why should he mind?
Then she found herself comparing him with Simon.
Peter was so big, strong and authoritative so different
from Simon's lean body, sandy hair, freckled face and
gentle manners. ' Am I?' she asked, and glanced at [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl freetocraft.keep.pl
but she's always back before Peter comes in. She
knows more about what he's going to do than I do.'
86
^' '
I 'She certainly sounds fishy,' Molly said. 'I'll just
I: hang these shirts up. Keep an eye on Wendy.'
p ' Of course.' Claire went and knelt by the playpen,
; playing with the little baby who was chuckling away,
; her blue eyes so right with her soft blonde curly hair.
; How wonderful, Claire was thinking, to be like
s Molly, married to a man you love, and who loved you,
: for Reg certainly did, and have a baby like Wendy . . .
Her eyes suddenly hot, her nose prickling, Claire
suddenly knew she must get away quickly or else she
would find herself telling Molly everything, and Molly
would certainly advise an immediate return to Eng-
land. And that was something Claire knew she could
never do.
Standing up, she waited for Molly to return and
gathered her handbag. ' Afraid I can't stay any longer,
Molly, I have to go back.'
' So soon?' Molly sounded disappointed. ' I was
hoping you'd babysit this evening so Reg and I could
go dancing. We never seem to get out these days.'
Claire felt badly about it, for both Reg and Molly
had been so good to her, yet she still wanted to flee.
' I'm awfully sorry, but I must go back,' she said,
aware that she was not a good liar and hoping Molly
would not guess the reason for her flight. ' I'll try
and arrange with Peter to have a whole evening off.
The trouble is I must sleep there.'
' Is he really so worried about gossip?' Molly asked,
as she walked to the front door with Claire. ' I mean,
it doesn't make sense with my idea of Peter. I'd have
thought he'd have said what the hell does it matter
what people say 1'
' I know. I thought that at first, but as Mrs Parsons
says, there are some very nasty columnists who will
write anything to get a scoop, and in Peter's job, he
has to ... well . . .'
87
' Be like Caesar's wife?' Molly laughed. ' I don't
believe it. It doesn't make sense. Why didn't he put
the girl into a hotel? He can afford it. That would
be the solution.'
Claire wanted to run. ' I know. As I said, I just
can't understand him these days.' Not that she ever
had understood Peter, Claire knew very well. In fact
since Deirdre came to live in Vauduse, Claire had
seen far more of Peter than she had ever hoped to do.
Yet it was the wrong kind of Peter, not the Peter she
had dreamed of! ' Goodbye, I'll see what I can do
about coming to babysit . . .'
' Not to worry,' Molly sounded tired. ' I wouldn't
like you driving across Sydney in the early hours of the
morning alone.'
' Peter may go away, then I could leave Deirdre
there. I mean, he does often go. Actually I've been
wondering why he hasn't gone before,' Claire said,
and kissed her sister. ' Anyhow, I'll see you.'
She almost ran across the hall and out into the hot
sunshine. The seat of the car was hot, too, and as
she drove down towards Sydney bridge, she wondered
what to do. She had no desire to go to Vauduse and be
there alone.
She decided to go up towards Colloroy. Several
friends of Peter's lived up there and were always asking
her to visit them, but they never made a date, just
saying: 'Drop in some time' and so far she hadn't
liked to do so. She was used to a proper invitation
and hated the idea of walking in perhaps at the wrong
time 1 However, she decided to go to see them then;
anything was better than being alone.
She drove up the coast, admiring the great diffs.
And found that each of the three families were out 1
It was a beautiful afternoon and the sandy beaches
were inviting, so she turned off the main road and
88
parked above the golden beach that was covered with
sunkissed people, half asleep as they basked in the
heat.
She lay down, dosing her eyes, reminding herself
that she must remember the power of the Australian
sunshine, and how easy it was for her to go red!
As she lay there she thought of Deirdre. Claire
found herself wondering if she was being stupid about
the whole thing, building up a frightening, even
threatening mountain when all Deirdre was, was just
a little mound of annoying and obstructive soil. She
had to laugh where had she got those words from?
she wondered. Just be patient and play it cool, she
told herself. Be friendly and kind to Deirdre; in time
a man like Peter will get tired of it all, will feel what
her father or was it her grandfather had called the
bug.
It was pleasant lying there, idly, doing nothing, so
relaxed, she told herself, and knew that not a word
of that was true! She found herself worrying about
the house at Vauduse. Had there been any important
phone calls? she wondered. Mrs Parsons was on duty,
but she had an unfortunate habit of falling asleep
in the afternoon!
Where were Peter and Deirdre at that moment?
Would they go home to dinner? she had arranged
a pleasant meal that Mrs Parsons could handle.
Suddenly the prickling of her nose began and she
turned over, hiding her face in her folded arms. Then
a deep voice demanded, ' Are you cutting me dead or
ought you to wear glasses?'
' Simon!' Claire exclaimed, recognising the voice at
once. She turned over, gazing up at the sandy-haired,
befreckled man standing by her side, and smiled.
' How nice to see you,' she said, and really meant it.
' I didn't see you though, honestly.'
89
He laughed as he sat down by her side. ' I forgive
you. How come you're on your own? Breathing a
bit of fresh air?'
They both laughed, for this was a day when there
wasn't even a breath of fresh cool air as the sun beat
down mercilessly. The roar of the waves as they came
racing in made them have to shout.
' My day off,' she explained, and added with a bitter-
ness that shocked her, ' I'm only the housekeeper, you
see.'
He smiled. ' If I had a house, I'd steal you from
Peter. I travel too much and don't want to settle
down.' He held out his hand. ' This is too hot to
be enjoyable. Let's go and get something cold to
drink, then we'll have dinner. How about dancing?'
Claire hesitated, looking down at her white crimp-
lene frock. Luckily it didn't crease. As if Simon
guessed her thoughts, he laughed. ' You look smash-
ing to me.'
That settled things. Claire laughed. ' Thanks, kind
sir. Your suggestion sounds fabulous.'
' I'm glad,' he said, jumping up and pulling her to
her feet. ' Pity you've got the car with you, but you
can follow me. I take it you don't want to get home
too late?'
Claire lifted her head. What did it matter if Peter
was mad? It was her day off and she had a right to
enjoy herself.
' That doesn't matter at all,' she said and, amazingly
to her, it didn't.
Claire drove back to Vauduse after a pleasant relaxed
evening, Simon driving behind her. He turned his
car, waved goodbye, and as she let herself in the front
door was startled to see Peter come out of his study.
He was frowning. ' You're very late.'
90
She stared at him, surprised. Why should he mind?
Then she found herself comparing him with Simon.
Peter was so big, strong and authoritative so different
from Simon's lean body, sandy hair, freckled face and
gentle manners. ' Am I?' she asked, and glanced at [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]