[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.In fact I had been lying drowsily in the limbo between sleep and waking remembering the evening spent with Neil.Then, suddenly, the anxious crowds and the cold wind blowing.“Where the hell were you last night?”I jumped and turned to meet Ray’s belligerent gaze.The word ‘Ronaldsway’ came instinctively to my mind but I blocked it off and answered as levelly as I could, “Playing squash.”“You knew I was going to phone.”“But you didn’t say what time.Did you expect me to wait in all evening?”“I certainly didn’t realize I had to queue for your favours!” His eyes held mine, furious but with an underlying bewilderment which, to my consternation, I found rather touching.He had obviously expected my instant capitulation to whatever plans he had for me, and the first hint of defiance left him floundering.“Anyway,” I added more calmly, “it was only to make arrangements for Saturday, wasn’t it?” And I realized as I spoke that my brief moment of sympathy had irrevocably committed me to a full day in his company.He stared at me a moment longer, his mouth still sulky, then he relaxed.“O.K.Ten o’clock suit you?”“I’ll be ready.”Neil didn’t come to the kitchen to see me.There was, of course, no reason why he should.Once as the door swung to behind one of the hurrying girls I caught a quick, unwelcome picture of him sitting beside Pam, their heads together laughing at something.Either she had forgiven him for the previous evening’s defection or she was taking extra care that it shouldn’t happen again.I tugged off my apron and hung it on its hook.The tight band round my head was threatening to turn into a full-scale migraine and the lingering smell of food in the small room added to my malaise.With a sense of relief I pulled the door to the quadrangle shut behind me, welcoming the cool breeze on my face.Directly opposite a stone archway led through the science wing to the college gardens and, unwilling to face the immediate prospect of the car journey home, I made my way towards it, emerging from the shadowed archway into brilliant sunshine.The playing-fields stretched away to my left behind the assembly hall and I could see a few boys in the distance kicking a ball about before the game began.Ahead of me, beyond the stretch of neat lawns and flowerbeds, the five boarding-houses stood in a row like ancient guardians.I stood for a moment looking across at them, but the sunlight was too strong for my aching eyes and flowers, grass and glinting grey stone merged into a blinding kaleidoscope.I was just deciding to return to the car after all when the sound of footsteps made me turn in the sudden hope that Neil might be hurrying after me.But it was John Stevens who joined me with a smile.“I believe we have you to thank for saving us from the rigours of starvation? On behalf of us all, much thanks!” Automatically I fell into step beside him.“It’s a pleasure.I’m quite enjoying it.”“Confidentially, there’s been a distinct improvement in cuisine the last couple of days! Annette St Cyr’s a nice little thing but it’s her husband who’s the real chef and he keeps well away!”The path we were walking along had been winding its way between the sweeping lawns but now it divided, one fork leading to the houses and the other back in the direction of the main gates.John hesitated.“Are you making for anywhere in particular?”“No, just trying to shake off a headache.”“Oh, bad luck.I’d better leave you then.I have to collect a couple of books from Staff House and class begins in five minutes.”He set off down the path and I had started along the other one when suddenly, with an incredulous shaft of fear, I seemed to see him lying on the ground covered in blood.I spun round, wide-eyed.He was still in sight walking quickly away from me.I tried to call out but no sound came.He had almost reached the house and a clock in my head started on an ominous count-down to disaster.Frantically I hurled myself forward over the grass, my feet seeming hardly to move as I fought my way through the sudden density of the atmosphere.Stop! I shrieked silently.Don’t go any further! Wait! But he didn’t stop, or even look round until, just short of the shallow step leading to the porch, he became aware of my pursuit and turned in surprise
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]