Follow a Stranger

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,