[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
she felt sure, since this was the obvious follow-on to what she had just
said. But to her surprise he changed the subject almost abruptly,
beginning to talk about the farm and the struggles they were facing.
He was interested, a circumstance which naturally surprised her,
seeing that he had such a poor opinion of women.
"Undoubtedly something can be made of Ngumi," he added,
surprising her even more, because she would have expected him to
have little or no confidence in the three girls' capabilities. "The land's
good basically, as I've already told you. In fact, I myself would have
bought the farm, had Mr Lumley agreed to sell it to me."
Clair said, hoping she sounded casual,
"You and he didn't get along, from what I've gathered?"
An expression of grim amusement settled on his bronzed face.
"Quite right, Miss Duncan, we didn't get along." Shane looked up as
the waiter appeared. The drinks were placed on the table, paid for,
and then once again Clair and Shane were alone. She stole a glance
towards the corner table at which Jean and Sharon were seated, with
the two brothers. Sharon caught Clair's glance and gave a slight
grimace, as if sending out a telepathic message of sympathy to her
cousin. Unfortunately this gesture was noticed by Shane and he
instantly stiffened, obviously having read its meaning.
"Mr Lumley was the most obstinate man I've ever known," he added,
and somehow, Clair was convinced that this was not at all what he
had originally intended saying to her. In fact, she had the very strong
impression that he had been more than a little concerned about her
and her partners ... or was it sympathy she had sensed in his manner ?
- sympathy towards herself? A strange idea indeed, she thought, as
there was no reason at all why he should feel sympathetic towards
her. Besides, he was not the man to be associated with that kind of
emotion; on the contrary, he was cold and impersonal, concerned
mainly with his estate and the efficient running of it.
"I expect Mr Lumley wanted nothing more than to be left alone."
Clair spoke mechanically, aware that her companion expected a
response to his comment. "Some people are like that."
Shane's grey eyes sought hers, a brittle quality in their depths.
"If that were the case, then he had his wish," he said curtly.
"You decided not to have anything at all to do with him?"
"Yes, Miss Duncan, I decided not to bother with the man at all." His
steely grey eyes looked directly into hers. "Perhaps you, too, would
prefer to be left alone?"
"We would like to think we can manage, yes "
"Most commendable," he interrupted shortly. "I hope you can
manage."
Clair bit her lip, annoyed with herself for her lack of diplomacy, but
even more annoyed with Shane for taking offence so easily. Proud,
arrogant man! Ever conscious of his own superiority simply because
he was a highly prosperous farmer owning mile upon mile of forest in
addition to vast citrus orchards and the lush arable lands adjoining
those of Ngumi Farm.
"We shall try, Mr Neville," Clair assured him at length. "I expect, like
all beginners, we shall learn by our mistakes."
"And lose by them," was his caustic rejoinder.
"But that's so like a woman," he added, just as if he had to, and a trace
of humour lit his eyes as he saw Clair's chin come up.
"That," she said with fine dignity, "was a totally unnecessary
remark."
"But one that appears to have made some impression."
"An extremely bad impression, Mr Neville."
For a long moment he regarded her in silence, and she was reminded
of the times when Keith had told her she looked adorable when she
was angry.
"Your flushed face and quivering lips, the way your lovely eyes flash
- and even that frown has something inordinately attractive about it."
Disconcerted by her thoughts, she averted her head. Shane broke the
silence at last, sending her completely off balance by asking her what
she was thinking about.
"Your mind is a long way off," he added. "Perhaps you're back home,
in England ?"
"I was," she found herself answering, her thoughts still with Keith,
whose face was clear, whose smile was tender. Tears gathered in her
eyes, but she remained unaware of this, so absorbed had her
reflections become. Keith. . . . He wanted her back. She had only to
say the word and everything would be right again But no! How
could she permanently exclude from her thoughts the miseries of the
past? - the humiliation and the hurt, suffered by her parents as well as
herself? Memory would surely force its way into her mind over and
over again, no matter with what effort she commanded herself to
forget.
"You have parents?" Shane's voice broke almost gently into her
reflections and she glanced up, nodding as she did so.
"Yes, I have."
"They didn't mind your coming away like this?" he asked, and Clair [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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she felt sure, since this was the obvious follow-on to what she had just
said. But to her surprise he changed the subject almost abruptly,
beginning to talk about the farm and the struggles they were facing.
He was interested, a circumstance which naturally surprised her,
seeing that he had such a poor opinion of women.
"Undoubtedly something can be made of Ngumi," he added,
surprising her even more, because she would have expected him to
have little or no confidence in the three girls' capabilities. "The land's
good basically, as I've already told you. In fact, I myself would have
bought the farm, had Mr Lumley agreed to sell it to me."
Clair said, hoping she sounded casual,
"You and he didn't get along, from what I've gathered?"
An expression of grim amusement settled on his bronzed face.
"Quite right, Miss Duncan, we didn't get along." Shane looked up as
the waiter appeared. The drinks were placed on the table, paid for,
and then once again Clair and Shane were alone. She stole a glance
towards the corner table at which Jean and Sharon were seated, with
the two brothers. Sharon caught Clair's glance and gave a slight
grimace, as if sending out a telepathic message of sympathy to her
cousin. Unfortunately this gesture was noticed by Shane and he
instantly stiffened, obviously having read its meaning.
"Mr Lumley was the most obstinate man I've ever known," he added,
and somehow, Clair was convinced that this was not at all what he
had originally intended saying to her. In fact, she had the very strong
impression that he had been more than a little concerned about her
and her partners ... or was it sympathy she had sensed in his manner ?
- sympathy towards herself? A strange idea indeed, she thought, as
there was no reason at all why he should feel sympathetic towards
her. Besides, he was not the man to be associated with that kind of
emotion; on the contrary, he was cold and impersonal, concerned
mainly with his estate and the efficient running of it.
"I expect Mr Lumley wanted nothing more than to be left alone."
Clair spoke mechanically, aware that her companion expected a
response to his comment. "Some people are like that."
Shane's grey eyes sought hers, a brittle quality in their depths.
"If that were the case, then he had his wish," he said curtly.
"You decided not to have anything at all to do with him?"
"Yes, Miss Duncan, I decided not to bother with the man at all." His
steely grey eyes looked directly into hers. "Perhaps you, too, would
prefer to be left alone?"
"We would like to think we can manage, yes "
"Most commendable," he interrupted shortly. "I hope you can
manage."
Clair bit her lip, annoyed with herself for her lack of diplomacy, but
even more annoyed with Shane for taking offence so easily. Proud,
arrogant man! Ever conscious of his own superiority simply because
he was a highly prosperous farmer owning mile upon mile of forest in
addition to vast citrus orchards and the lush arable lands adjoining
those of Ngumi Farm.
"We shall try, Mr Neville," Clair assured him at length. "I expect, like
all beginners, we shall learn by our mistakes."
"And lose by them," was his caustic rejoinder.
"But that's so like a woman," he added, just as if he had to, and a trace
of humour lit his eyes as he saw Clair's chin come up.
"That," she said with fine dignity, "was a totally unnecessary
remark."
"But one that appears to have made some impression."
"An extremely bad impression, Mr Neville."
For a long moment he regarded her in silence, and she was reminded
of the times when Keith had told her she looked adorable when she
was angry.
"Your flushed face and quivering lips, the way your lovely eyes flash
- and even that frown has something inordinately attractive about it."
Disconcerted by her thoughts, she averted her head. Shane broke the
silence at last, sending her completely off balance by asking her what
she was thinking about.
"Your mind is a long way off," he added. "Perhaps you're back home,
in England ?"
"I was," she found herself answering, her thoughts still with Keith,
whose face was clear, whose smile was tender. Tears gathered in her
eyes, but she remained unaware of this, so absorbed had her
reflections become. Keith. . . . He wanted her back. She had only to
say the word and everything would be right again But no! How
could she permanently exclude from her thoughts the miseries of the
past? - the humiliation and the hurt, suffered by her parents as well as
herself? Memory would surely force its way into her mind over and
over again, no matter with what effort she commanded herself to
forget.
"You have parents?" Shane's voice broke almost gently into her
reflections and she glanced up, nodding as she did so.
"Yes, I have."
"They didn't mind your coming away like this?" he asked, and Clair [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]