She slept all the next day, dreaming constantly of Marc. She
seemed to be fighting her way towards him, through thick
jungle, constantly aware of snakes underfoot which
uncurled and slid away from her, hissing, making terror
flare inside her. She kept catching sight of him, tall, dark
and elegant in formal clothes, with a woman on his arm.
Jealousy and despair made her fall back, sobbing, but then
she would hurry onwards. Always he was just out of her
reach.
Then, just before she woke up, she finally caught up with
him, and he turned and looked at her with cold, indifferent
eyes. She gave a cry of pain—and woke up, the cry still on
her lips, to find herself in the darkened bedroom.
She sat up and looked at the tiny jade clock which stood
on her bedside table. It was four o’clock, she saw. She
swung her legs o
ut of the bed and went to the window. The
shutters swung back, letting the sunshine stream into the
room. The light made her blink and her head throbbed. She
sat down on the end of the bed, stretching sleepily.
There was a knock on the door a moment later. Kate
called, “Come in,” expecting Sophia, but it was Mrs. Lillitos
who entered, smiling at her as she slowly limped across the
room.
“I was in my room when I heard your shutters open,” she
said. “I have rung down for your breakfast, my dear.”
Kate laughed. “Breakfast? I’m afraid I’ve slept later than
I intended. I’m so sorry.”
“Nonsense. You had every right to sleep after being up
all night. I slept very late myself. I thought we might eat