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all.'
She nodded, turning at the door.
'I'll tell him you're tidying yourself and changing. You see, he'll have told
Spyros to come up and unpack for you.'
'I see.' A small pause and then, glancing round and taking in the luxury for
the first time, 'This is all very grand, Judi.'
'It is, Father, but it will mean nothing when Vidas isn't here to share it with
me,' and because the burning tears seared the backs of her eyes she left her
father abruptly, running to her own room to bathe her face before going to
join her husband on the terrace.
Rising as she appeared, he brought forth a chair for her.
'You've been a long time ' He stared a moment. 'Darling, what's happened
to make you cry?' So concerned his voice, so tender his glance. 'Your
father's in some sort of trouble?'
Judi caught her lower lip between her teeth. How difficult it was going to be
to lie to him, but what could she do? It was no help to tell herself that they
were only white lies, because her father really was unhappy with his wife.
Vidas's question, going unanswered for the moment, was repeated in his
glance and at length she began to talk. But her story was halting and she saw
at once that Vidas was puzzled by her manner. His concern was patent,
however, and when during a pause he expressed his deep sympathy for her
father she could not any longer hold back the tears, and she wept on his
breast, his tender arms holding her protectively, his voice soothing and a
little husky because of his anxiety for her, in this most unhappy mood. It was
the very first time, she thought, that they had been like this; both had hitherto
been happy and content, despite the shadow which hung so close. For a
while he seemed at a loss as to how he could comfort her, but eventually he
held her from him, drying her eyes as he said,
'Darling, we can't do a great deal to help, but at least we can give him a
memorable holiday while he's with us. We'll have a talk and make some
plans. The cruise you mentioned - we couldn't take a long one, but we could
pick up a ship at Piraeus and go off to one or two islands. Then we could fly
back here for the last couple of days or so.'
This had the effect of producing even more tears and Judi half expected her
husband once again to give her a sample of his sternness. But instead he held
her closely, kissed her brow and then just waited until she had collected
herself.
'You're so good and kind Vidas,' she cried suddenly, 'I love you so.
Believe that - whatever happens!'
'Sweetheart. . . .' He held her from him, examining her expression through
critical eyes. 'What a strange thing to say! How could I ever be in doubt of
your love!" Frightened now, Judi merely shook her head, and gave him a
deprecating look as if to tell him she was overwrought and did not know
what she was saying. 'You've given me proof and more, my sweet angel, of
the love you have for me.' Caressing as the breeze at sundown was his voice,
his breath cool and clean as his lips touched hers, so lovingly.
At last she managed a wan smile, but somehow she felt awkward with her
husband for the very first time and it was a relief when presently they were
joined by her father. A quick glance passing between them was noticed by
Vidas; a frown knitted his brow and he pursed his lips thoughtfully. Swiftly
Judi spoke, afraid because of her husband's awareness of that glance and his
obvious puzzlement regarding it. An almost physical pain touched her heart
as she dwelt on the perfection that had been theirs for three idyllic months,
and now. ... She admitted it was imagination and yet she felt that something
was creeping into their relationship. Were the days of perfection already
gone? Happiness would still be theirs for a little while longer, since her
stepsister was not yet in England, but Judi had the painful conviction that by
the very presence of her own fear there must inevitably occur some change
in the bond of intimacy which had been their precious shared possession up
till now.
Her reverie was broken suddenly by her husband's saying,
'So we're all agreed, are we? You'd like that, wouldn't you, dear?'
'Like ?' She blinked, having not the slightest idea what had been said to
lead up to this question. 'I didn't quite catch what you were saying, Vidas?'
Her cheeks were red, she knew, and once again her husband's expression
frightened her.
'We've been discussing your father's holiday. . . .' He tailed off, casting a
half-glance at Bill as if he would surprise another interchange of looks
between him and his daughter. 'Are you all right, Judi?' [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]