Follow a Stranger

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