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.‘Well?’ The hard eyes were narrowed as they looked intently into hers.‘You’re not sure, is that it?’Dazedly she shook her head, gazing at him in open wonderment, thunderstruck by the revelation that was slowly dawning in her mind.Impossible that she could be in love with this monster! —this pagan Greek who never missed an opportunity of showing her his mastery, of mocking her in that arrogant way of his that was designed—she was sure—to demonstrate his superiority over her.‘I—I am s-sure—yes!’He laughed at her and said with a lift of his brows,‘Who are you trying to convince, Tara?’ All the self-assurance was back and the hint of humility gone.This was the Leon she knew so well and had become used to… and … loved.No use denying it! She tried to shake it off, seeing life without him.Life would be good! Of course it would—with no one bossing her about, giving orders which she was compelled to obey.She would be free….But did she want to be free? Life without him.She closed her eyes, trying to shut out the bleak and lonely path which went endlessly on before her.The future, with his memory ever fresh and clear—— No! She was not so stupid as to have fallen in love with him.He was a brute and always would be.‘I’m not in love with him,’ she cried silently over and over again.‘And even if I was,’ she added inconsistently, ‘I wouldn’t want to stay with him, simply because of his beliefs that men in this part of’ the world are everything and women nothing!’‘I asked who you aye trying to convince.’ Her husband’s voice came quietly and she raised her eyes, bewildered eyes and almost tearful.What upheavals there were in her life, and all on account of this man’s criminal act in snatching her from the man she loved.Yes, it was David she loved! She had known it all the time.This husband of hers gave her only physical satisfaction, but David could have given her that and more important things besides.‘I know it’s David I love, and I believe we would have been happy all our lives.’‘Tell me about him?’ A frown now to accompany the words, and a return of that brooding, depressed manner.‘What is he like in appearance?’She told him, then explained all the things they had had in common.She talked nostalgically about the furnishing of the smart little house they had taken a mortgage on.She talked of the thrill of waking up on her wedding day and finding it was bright and sunny.‘My dress was beautiful—’ She stopped and a tear strayed through her long curling lashes to settle on her pale cheek.She noticed the way Leon swallowed, as if trying to remove something in his throat; and his hands were clenching and unclenching—an unconscious movement, she decided, to release some strong and troublesome inner emotion.What was he thinking about? Always she had found him inscrutable and he was no different at this moment.‘You didn’t think my dress was beautiful,’ she continued with a catch in her voice, ‘so you threw it in—in the sea.’She did not mean it as a barb, or anything to hurt at all., but to her astonishment she saw him wince.‘I think we shall change the subject,’ he decided shortly, and glanced at his watch.‘I shall have to work in my study for the next couple of hours, but after that I’ll join you in the garden.’He stood up; Tara lifted her head, tilting it right back, and said after a small hesitation,‘Are you letting the matter drop—about my trying to escape, I mean?’The eyes, dark and intense, lingered on her face a he replied,‘One day the truth will out, I suppose, but for the present—’ He flicked his hands, palms upwards.‘There doesn’t seem anything to be gained by any more investing.I’m puzzled, naturally, because I am sure it wasn’t one of the servants, and I don’t know who you are acquainted with outside this house—’ He stopped abruptly, his mouth going tight.He looked at her, looked directly into her eyes.‘Have you had a visitor while I’ve been away?’ he demanded raspingly.‘A visitor?’ she repeated, playing for time.She suspected at once whom he had in mind, because she had chatted with Nico for practically the whole time at the dinner party.‘Er—did you s-say a v-visitor—?’‘Nico!’ he blazed.‘Nico was here, wasn’t he!’She shook her head, and at that moment she saw Elene sitting on the couch, pulling at a cigarette.‘Elene was here,’ she told him, still playing for time and hoping this diversion would make him forget Nico.‘Elene?’ he frowned.‘It was she who helped— No, she couldn’t have got that ladder up there!’‘What makes you suppose that Elene would help me to get away?’ asked Tara with a sort of acid sweetness.‘Perhaps she would, though,’ musingly and with a sidelong glance at his chiselled face, which at present was like a thunder-cloud.‘It would serve her purpose to get me out of the way, wouldn’t it, Leon? What was the quarrel about that made you throw her over and marry me on the rebound?’He looked at her sharply.‘Did she tell you we had quarrelled?’‘Yes, she did.’‘What else did she tell you?’ He was curious, and suddenly Tara was reluctant to have a discussion about the girl she had destested on sight.‘I’d rather not say.We’ll let it drop, if you don’t mind?’‘What reason did she give for coming?’ he asked interestedly.‘She wanted to see you about something to do with the coming fashion show in Athens.She was sorry she missed you.I expect she’ll be getting in touch with you as soon as she knows you’re back.Then you can question her as to what she told me
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