Follow a Stranger

“There’s no need,” Kate protested.

He turned on her, his dark face savage. “You’ll see

him! Even if you pay him yourself!”

There was an astounded silence as he slammed out of

the room. Kate forced a laugh, conscious of her burning

cheeks.

“I’m afraid he’s cross this morning. The boat is a total

write-off, you know.” She looked at his mother

nervously.

Mrs. Lillitos watched her thoughtfully. “Don’t worry

about it, my dear. Marc is a man of great depths of

emotion. He is quickly angry, quickly calm. Next time

you see him he will be his usual self, I’m sure.”

Kate doubted that. After what she had said to him,

Marc would dislike her intensely. His expression had

been dangerously violent when he turned on her just

now. She had had the impression that he could almost

have killed her.

She went to her room, meeting Pallas on the way, had

a short chat with her, and then, with relief, had a long,

hot bath. She lay soaking in the water, thinking back

over the events of the last few hours. She must try to

keep her temper. Marc couldn’t help treating everything

as a commodity to be paid for, could he? It was the way

he had grown up, in a mercenary world.

I must see Peter again, she thought. Already the day

she had spent with him seemed an eternity ago, as

though she had travelled hundreds of miles and changed

totally in the meantime.

She must reassure herself. She got out of the bath,