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foundations of the house. Rain, flayed by Ae fury of
the wind, lashed the roof and window-panes, and the
stream which meandered through both Mark's land
and that belonging to Flint, was already a foaming
river.
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 'I never realised it could be like Ais,' she breathed
at last in an awed tone of voice. 'You'd think that
every plant would be washed away.'
'Many will be,' he told her, adding that predous
topsoil would also be lost. 'However, we need the rain,'
he went on, passing her the scones. This is Africa,
Liane.' He paused a moment. 'If you do decide to live
here then you'll have to get used to it.'
She accepted a scone from Ae plate and put it on
her own.
'You're Ainking that I don't like Ae storm?' she
said, reaching for the butter.
'Do you?'
'I love it! It's all part of nature.' Her lovely eyes
glowed with radiance. 'Any act performed by nature
is a miracle and I believe in miracles.' She took some
butter and spread it on her scone. Flint said, passing
her the jam and cream,
'You sound remarkably happy for one who has lost
so much.' His tone was brusque, and tinged wiA sar-
casm.
- 'I don't understand?'
This Richard. You're not still brooding, over what
you've lost.'
She looked at him, attempting to read his mood. He
appeared to be feigning indifference one moment, but
the next he v/as referring to her former employer. He
was slowly buttering a scone, and she found herself
more Aan ever affected by his attractions. His firm
features, bronzed and finely-chiselled, were excep-
tional; his bearing which spelled superiority and self-
assurance Aese also were exceptional. Liane caught
her breaA, reflecting on her folly, when she had al-
180
 lowed the picture of Richard to loom like a high
blockade, hemming in her vision so that she could not
see that her feelings for Flint were growing far beyond
the bounds of mere friendship. She recalled his numer-
ous admiring glances, his flattery ... and all she could
do was wish it were Richard who was with her. Fool
that she had been holding on to the dross and allow-
ing the gold to trickle through her fingers.
Well, she had lost Flint, and she had no one to blame
but herself. Would he marry Alma? No, she was very
sure he would not. The girl had tried, but Liane some-
how knew she would never succeed in winning Flint
for a husband.
'You haven't commented on my remark, Liane.'
There was a strange unfathomable insistence in Flint's
.voice now and she looked bewilderedly at him across
the table. Outside, the thunder continued to clap with
deafening intensity, and the rain was still a deluge
dropping from the grim dark sky above.
'About Richard, you mean?' He nodded his head but
made no reply. And for some quite incomprehensible
reason Liane felt a dart of anger, and without stopping
to think she retorted, lifting her chin a little,
'I didn't lose him! He asked me to marry him, so
there!'
'He  !' Flint's eyes opened very wide. 'What did
you say?' he demanded almost harshly. 'Repeat it!'
His manner subdued her and for a moment she was
silent.
'Richard asked me to marry him,' she said at length.
'And you refused?'
She nodded, putting down Ae piece of scone she
181
had in her hand. Somehow, she wasn't hungry any
more.
'I found I didn't love him, after all,' she admitted,
feeling rather foolish as she recalled her frank admis-
sion Aat she would be the happiest woman alive if she
were engaged to Richard.
'I did say it was merely infatuation, if you remem-
ber?'
She nodded, swallowing uncomfortably.
'Yes, I remember,' she said.
'Do you also remember that evening, in your glade,
when  ?'
'Oh, please  !' She looked beseechingly at him.
'Don't remind me of that!' Distress brought a sudden
brightness to her eyes. Flint noticed Ais and a wise
little smile curved his lips.
'Why shouldn't I remind you of it?' he asked, un-
caring that he might be adding to her distress. 'You've
recalled it many times  No, don't you dare deny it!
I've remarked on your honesty before now  '
'Flint, what are y-you trying to say to to me?' Her
heart was racing madly, and every nerve in her body
seemed to be affected by it. She had lifted her cup with
Ae intention of taking a drink, but her hand was so
unsteady that she put it down again. It met the saucer
wiA a loud clatter which brought a hint of amusement
to Flint's eyes.
'In that glade, I said it was me you loved, and not
Ais fellow Richard.' Flint paused, his intent gaze fixed
on her lovely face. 'You have recalled that evening
many times, haven't you, Liane?' She nodded without
speaking and he added, a wealth of tenderness in his
voice now, 'And you've regretted Ae answer you gave
182
me.' This latter was a statement, and as he made it
Flint rose from Ae table, came round it and, taking
her hand in his, he drew her gently to her feet. 'When I [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]