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And naturally she set her steps towards the castle, finding herself
hurrying, so eager was she to see the Luciens again, especially Julie,
the lovely girl who, according to Conon, had been forced into
marriage, only to find romance later, and to become a happily
married woman with the added blessing of a son. A son...
Something cold crept along Alana's spine. So that was the reason
why Conon disliked the Luciens, why he would not encourage them
as friends. He was envious of their child.
Julie was in the garden when Alana arrived at the gate; it was swung
open immediately and she was invited in by the smiling wife of
Doneas Lucien.
'How nice of you to come again so soon! Do stay for a little while,
won't you? My baby is sleeping, but I'd love you to meet him. He'll
waken in about an hour or so.'
'I'll stay,' returned Alana with enthusiasm. 'My husband's gone away
for a few days, so I'm on my own.'
Julie looked perceptively at her and for a moment Alana thought she
was going to make some remark about Alana's being free for a
while. Alana was glad that she had refrained, for she was unwilling
to hear anything that would put her husband in a bad light. Julie, she
was soon to learn, was a girl of great tact and understanding, and a
girl with a heart as soft as her own.
'Will you stay for lunch, then? Doneas is busy in his study and I
mustn't disturb him and so, in a way, I'm also on my own.' She was
eager, and encouraging, and Alana felt her spirits rise. She had
found a friend, and nothing Conon could do or say would be
effective in keeping her away from the castle.
'I'd love to stay.' Alana glanced round the garden, then raised her
eyes to the roof. 'Is that another garden, up there?' she asked and,
when Julie nodded her head, 'It must have magnificent views?'
'It has. I was quite fascinated the first time I went up there. Come
on, we'll go up, and have our coffee there - or would you prefer a
cool drink?'
'A coffee will be fine.' Following Julie across the lawn fronting the
castle, Alana recalled her resolve to tell her something about Conon
as she had known him in the past, and she hoped also to learn
something about him from Julie.
Once on the roof, though, Alana could only stand and stare, twisting
around so that she could take in the view from every angle - the
mountains with their rocky peaks, the lower hills, green and gentle,
with the white cubic houses nestling in their midst. Gleaming in the
sun was the snow-white campanile of the church and, above it all,
the azure sky of Greece and the golden rays of the sun adding a
brittle splendour to it.
'What a picture!' she gasped. 'Oh, but if I lived here I'd be up on the
roof all the time!' Her eyes scanned the immediate spectacle of
colour - the mauves and pinks of the bougainvillaeas, the crimson of
the hibiscus, the jasmine and roses and beautiful passion flowers.
'But you have a marvellous view too,' returned Julie graciously. 'I
love your house; it has such a delightful setting. We lack the vista of
wooded countryside that can be seen from your villa.' Alana nodded
in agreement at this, for undoubtedly the villa did have one of the
most spectacular views on the whole island. 'Do sit down,' invited
Julie, offering a brightly-upholstered garden chair. Alana took
possession of it and sat back, relaxing and admiring the small
fountain as it glistened in the sun, creating rainbow colours in its
spray. Julie went off and returned quite soon, bringing the coffee on
a tray. 'One of our maids is away visiting her son, so I'm relieving
the other two by doing odd jobs myself.'
The smiling explanation was accompanied by a rather wry twinkle
in Julie's eyes. 'I sometimes think a little hard work would do me
good, but Doneas won't hear of it.' The tone of her voice changed
quite perceptibly as her husband's name fell from her lips and Alana
found herself experiencing a twinge of envy at the sublime
happiness of the other girl's life.
-Julie talked, and Alana learned that their child was now about the
age that Conon's son had been when he died. Although Julie did not
at first mention Conon, she did answer when eventually Alana [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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