Summer Lightning by Jill Tahourdin Read Free Book Online Page A

she laughed and shrugged.
    She was too shrewd to insist. But she meant to have this girl out of Santa Clara, by hook or by crook, by fair means or foul, before many days had passed. It didn’t suit her at all to have her there; though the girl was no fool, it should be easy enough to drive her away. Meantime, better make some sort of a show of amiability; no point in letting Dominic realize what she wanted—yet.
    On the terrace, now flooded with hot afternoon sunlight, Lotta had set the tea table beneath a pergola curtained in purple red bougainvillea. Massive silver, delicate china, a rich fruit cake and piles of melting pastries, filled with a creamy cheese mixture.
    “They’re a Maltese specialty, and really scrumptious,” Mark said greedily.
    “Please pour out for us, Louise,” Dominic said.
    “Of course, my pet. Sugar and lots of milk—you didn’t suppose I’d forgotten?”
    Chloe wondered how she dared. You don ’ t look very happy, my love, she thought, looking at Dominic. She suppressed with something like panic the idea that he was fool enough to love Louise still, and might feel it was worth being unhappy to have her there.
    Conversation during tea was patchy. Dominic seemed preoccupied. Chloe was struggling with the strange tongue-tied state her electric awareness of him induced in her. Mark was frankly gorging, like a schoolboy at a party. Only Louise, poised and very much at home, chatted with undiminished vivacity.
    “My first evening here—what shall we do, darling?” she asked. “Shall we go out somewhere?” Her eyes danced at him over the flame of the lighter he was holding to her cigarette.
    He gave her a cool, level look. “Sorry, Louise. For me—and Miss Linden and Mark—the program this evening is work. Miss Linden will only be here for three months. There’s a mass of detail to discuss and arrange if she’s to get through all I want her to do in that time.”
    Louise’s eyes narrowed. “But it can’t be all that important, can it? If it’s only to do with this old temple or graveyard or whatever that you’ve found? I mean, surely your hobby can wait?”
    He threw her a look of exasperation.
    “I’m afraid it can’t.”
    “Oh, but I insist,” Louise said easily. “Actually, I promised the Hallorans we’d join them for dinner. They traveled out with me, perfect pets they are. I simply won’t take no for an answer. They’ll want to go dancing afterward, And Monty knows of a naughty nightclub in Floriana.”
    Dominic’s eyes were cold. “I should have thought, under the circumstances, Louise...”
    She flared up at once.
    “You mean Dick, I suppose?”
    “I do mean Dick.”
    “Then let me tell you once and for all that I refuse, absolutely refuse, to behave like a mourning widow. Dick chose to leave me and join this idiotic expedition—if he’s dead he’s only got himself to thank. He was determined to enjoy himself in his own way—he didn’t consider me. So now I intend to go on enjoying myself in mine.”
    “Even so, I’m afraid I must ask you to excuse me this evening.” There was ice in both look and voice now.
    Louise sprang to her feet. Her eyes flashed dangerously. “Then you won’t mind if I make my own plans?”
    “No. By all means, go ahead.”
    His blandness infuriated her. She rose and made as sweeping an exit as her sheath dress and spindle heels allowed.
    Chloe avoided meeting anyone’s eyes. She put her crumbly cheesecake down on her plate with a feeling that if she tried to eat it she would choke. She hated scenes. They made her feel hot and cold and horribly embarrassed.
    There was quite a pause before anyone spoke. Then Dominic asked for a second cup of tea.
    “If you’ll both come down to the library in half an hour, we can begin planning and get something done before dinner.” His voice was taut; as soon as he had emptied his cup he set it down and with a word of apology left the terrace.
    “First round to Dominic,” Mark said.