CHAPTER EIGHT
‘WHAT on earth is going on?’ Marina wandered into the studio a few minutes later, beautiful as usual in a pale blue cotton top and matching thigh-length shorts. ‘Paul arrived looking like a thundercloud, and left looking even blacker, and Adam—after spending most of the afternoon up here with you, I might add,’ she pouted complainingly, ‘is in the kitchen charming a second ice-pack out of Mrs Hodges. What on earth happened to his chin?’ she probed, her eyes widely curious. ‘You didn’t hit him, did you?’ She gasped as the idea suddenly occurred to her.
‘Of course not,’ Eve dismissed scathingly, the question really requiring no answer.
‘Well, it certainly wasn’t Paul, so——’ She broke off speculatively as Eve’s cheeks blushed hotly. ‘Good heavens, he didn’t?’ she breathed disbelievingly, coming to sit on the edge of the table that stood next to Eve’s easel and canvas, with little regard for her expensive clothing. ‘What did Adam do to cause that reaction?’ she prompted eagerly.
‘I didn’t say Paul had hit him …’
‘You didn’t have to,’ Marina scorned. ‘Good lord, I still can’t believe it of old Paul,’ she said in amusement, shaking her head.
‘None of this was Paul’s fault,’ Eve snapped defensively.
‘Then whose fault was it?’ her cousin pounced.
She realised, too late, that she had admitted more than she had wanted to. Marina, as she knew of old, wasn’t going to stop pestering her now until she had the full story out of her.
She gave a heavy sigh, deciding to keep this as brief as possible. ‘You may as well know that I’ve decided to put off my wedding to Paul for a while,’ she revealed stiffly.
Marina’s eyes widened. ‘You mean you’ve jilted him?’ she gasped disbelievingly.
Eve’s cheeks were flushed. ‘I didn’t say that.’
‘Yes, you did,’ her cousin dismissed scathingly. ‘Goodness, he must still be wondering what’s hit him!’ she said with obvious relish.
Eve gave her a reproving look. ‘Paul is naturally upset that I——’
‘Upset?’ Marina echoed scornfully, her brows raised incredulously. ‘I should think the poor man is gnashing his teeth down to the gums!’
She frowned. ‘It isn’t going to be an easy time for any of us——’ She broke off as Marina’s gaze once again became speculative. ‘I’m just a little uncertain about getting married at the moment, that’s all,’ she insisted. ‘I still love Paul——’
‘Just not enough to marry him,’ Marina mused, her leg swinging casually back and forth.
‘Marina,’ she began warningly at her cousin’s obvious enjoyment of the situation.
‘OK.’ She held up her hands submissively. ‘But I really would like to know what you and Adam were doing in here when Paul arrived, to make him actually resort to hitting Adam.’
She gave a heavy sigh at her cousin’s persistence. ‘I didn’t say we were doing anything.’
‘You mean Paul just walked in and jumped to the conclusion that you were?’ Marina nodded with tongue-in-cheek understanding. ‘Did you tell him before or after he hit Adam that the wedding was off?’ she added innocently.
‘Marina!’ said Eve exasperatedly. ‘The wedding has only been cancelled,’ she insisted again firmly, ‘until I feel more sure about things.’
‘You’ve loved Paul since the year dot and you suddenly feel “unsure” of things?’ Her cousin shook her head incredulously. ‘I think my idea of marrying for money has a lot to be said for it, after all!’
‘It’s cynical and—and underhand,’ Eve rebuked frowningly.
Marina shrugged. ‘It’s only underhand if the other person doesn’t know about it.’
‘You mean the poor man would know you were only after his money?’ She gasped at this unexpected honesty.
‘And life-style.’ Her cousin nodded, pouting thoughtfully. ‘Anything else would be underhand.’
Marina’s philosophy on life and love was completely foreign to her! ‘Then why on earth should he marry you, knowing you only want his money—and life-style?’ she pointed out practically.
Her cousin stood up, grinning. ‘Because all that money will ensure that I’m completely faithful, and also suitably adoring. And besides,’ she added saucily as she stood up, ‘I have a great body!’
Eve was still shaking her head dazedly long after Marina had gone back downstairs. How could they, two women who had the same upbringing, have such different outlooks on life?