Follow a Stranger

“You changed my whole attitude to life. Even Marc had to

agree that that was so! Now look, he is letting me study in

Paris. A year ago he wouldn’t hear of that! It is all your

doing!”

“I’m glad I helped,” said Kate. Her throat was dry. So

Marc agreed that she had changed Pallas? She could

believe that, but he had not intended to be flattering, no

doubt. He did not approve of the changes in his little sister.

It was difficult for her to say goodbye to Mrs. Lillitos.

The older woman seemed quietly disapproving, as though

Kate had hurt her in some way. Not that she said anything

to her, but there was a puzzled, sad expression in the dark

eyes as they said their farewells.

She looked down at the island as they flew far above it.

The sea ran round the shores, deep blue as the sky, with

white frothy foam topping the waves. The hills and valleys

were levelled from up here. It looked unreal, dreamlike.

That was what it was, she thought. An island of dreams.

For her they had been unhappy dreams, but they had been

beautiful, all the same.

She did not, in the long run, repent or regret anything.

She still loved Marc, even though she despised him. He was,

after all, a rich and attractive man. No doubt many women,

in the past, had been only too happy to amuse him. He could

not have realised how differently she felt. She remembered

the evening when he had taken her to the Black Swan, the

obsequious waiters, the curious stares, the whispering.

Living in that artificial atmosphere, it was not strange that

for him love should merely mean pleasure, a commodity to

be bought like any other.