She stood on tiptoe and whispered in his ear, her face
very close to his, “When you dance with Pallas tell her how
pretty she looks tonight.”
He looked puzzled. “I thought I was not to dance with
her? I thought I was to ... be indifferent?”
“Alter tactics now and then,” she advised, still
whispering. “See what a little change brings.
The record came to an end. Kate moved out of Jean-
Paul’s arms, nudging him discreetly. He turned to Pallas
and asked her to dance with him next, and she flushed and
glanced uneasily at Kate, who smiled cheerfully and took
Sam’s hand.
“Come on, brother, let me teach you how to do these oldie
dances now!”
Marc interrupted her abruptly, leaving Marie-Louise and
pushing Sam aside.
“No, no, we cannot have brother and sister dancing—
Sam can learn the steps from Marie-Louise.” He slid his
arm round Kate’s waist and she felt her heart squeezed
inward, as though by a giant hand.
Marie-Louise looked hard at them, her eyes brilliant
with fury. Sam stood awkwardly, trying to smile at her, but
she pushed past him, flinging a careless, “I am going to get
myself a drink ...” as though he were a little boy.
Kate looked up at Marc. Didn’t he realise how Marie-
Louise resented his dancing with her? He was gazing past
her, his jaw taut, the grey eyes hidden by drooping lids. She
could not read his expression at all.
Anyway, she thought defiantly, why should she worry
about Marie-Louise? Let Marc deal with her. She was here,