Follow a Stranger

Mrs. Lillitos leaned back. “Tell me about yourself, my

dear. Do you like teaching music?”

“I like teaching anyone as talented as Pallas,” she said

frankly. “It’s a great pleasure to feel that one is able to

help someone with her gifts.”

Mrs. Lillitos did not reply directly. After a pause she

said, “And yourself? Are you musically talented? Did you

ever want to be a professional pianist?”

“How did you know I was a pianist?” Kate asked in

surprise.

“I heard you playing to my son last night. It was very

pleasant. You must play for me again some time. Did you

enjoy exploring the island today?”

Kate blinked. “I ... I didn’t go with Pallas and Sam,”

she said slowly. “I went to the temple.”

“To Angkistri?” repeated Mrs. Lillitos. “Are you

interested in archaeology? We have a young man here

now, studying the temple.”

“He is my fiancé,” Kate explained, smiling in surprise.

Why hadn’t Marc told his mother that she and Peter were

engaged?

Mrs. Lillitos stiffened and stared at her. “Fiancé?” she

repeated. “Fiancé?”

Kate would have thought she did not know the word,

but she remembered that Mrs. Lillitos was French and

must be perfectly familiar with it.

“Didn’t Marc tell you?” she asked. “Surely Pallas must

have mentioned it to you?”

Then she saw that Mrs. Lillitos was very pale. Her frail

hand was groping for the stick which stood propped