in his arms, for a brief while, and she determined to enjoy
it.
As though he read her thoughts he glanced down, the
arrogant mouth relaxed. “We dance well together, don’t
we?” he said, very softly, his arm tightening round her
waist.
She laughed, a little breathless with excitement, and a
pink flower bloomed in each cheek.
His left hand gripped hers more firmly, his thumb sliding
over the back of her hand and touching her ringless finger.
“There is a white band where your ring was,” he said
teasingly. Over dinner he had mentioned, very casually,
that Peter had already left the island.
Kate threw a glance up at him. “You know I’ve broken my
engagement, then?” she asked unsteadily.
He grinned wickedly. “I heard every word,” he admitted
shamelessly. “I was eavesdropping.”
She flushed hotly. “How could you?” she burst out. “You
shouldn’t have ...” She remembered the conversation
between herself and Peter. Marc had had no right to listen.
He pulled her nearer to him, bending his head to whisper
to her, “You took my advice, though,” he said with irritating
self-assurance. “I knew you did not love that fellow.”
Burning with humiliation, she tore herself away and ran
out of the room, through the front door and out into the
quiet garden. As she plunged beneath the cypresses she
heard him following her and turned angrily to face him,
chin tilted defiantly.
“Please leave me alone,” she said, her voice wavering.
Marc stood, facing her, very tall and dominating, his