Illyrian Summer (13 page)

She found Pepica, the woman who looked after the house, and was
given a room overlooking the sea. She was glad to take Edmund
’
s advice, and after a shower she flopped on the bed and went to sleep almost immediately.

In the early evening she rose and showered again for the sheer sensual delight of it. She dressed leisurely in a turquoise jersey dress, brushed out her hair and delighted in giving herself all those small attentions she had missed in the last few days—careful makeup with eye shadow and mascara, scent spread behind the ears and on her wrists, and the final touch of earrings and necklace.

She gathered the day
’
s newspapers from the living room and took them out to the terrace. Edmund came after a while and joined her.

“
Sarah, I feel we ought to talk about your future,
”
he said suddenly.

She smiled. It was ironic that while she had been speculating on his future, he was concerned with hers.
“
Yes? What about it?
”

“
I take it that you
’
re not seriously thinking of tying yourself up with Daniel, are you?
”

“
If I were, would you object?
”
she queried.

“
I don
’
t know,
”
he answered thoughtfully.
“
I
’
ve no right to decide these matters. I admit I
’
ve warned you several times against him, but not because he
’
s in any way a bad type. It
’
s only that, er, well, frankly, Sarah, you
’
re too nice to have to put up with the rough-and
-
tumble of Daniel
’
s kind of life.
”

“
You think I
’
m not tough enough to take it if he should fall in love with me—and then fall out again?
”

“
Something like that, I suppose. Anyway, you
’
re too young to make up your mind about marrying,
”
Edmund said,
“
and I feel responsible for you.
”

“
Don
’
t let the matter bring wrinkles to your brow,
”
she told him.
“
Daniel is a very pleasant companion, but I
’
m not thinking of him as a possible husband.
”

Edmund sighed with relief.
“
Good. That removes one of my headaches. Now the money has suddenly gone tight. The company says I have to cut down every possible expense, and in a couple of days
’
time we shall have to move from here back to the studios in Italy. I
’
m pretty sure that I could keep you on the staff, but what sort of job or status you
’
d have—that I don
’
t know. Or you could go back to the London office and take up where you left off before you became tangled with this ragtime outfit. Will you think it over, Sarah?
”

“
Of course, Edmund, and I
’
ll do whatever is most convenient for you. Apart from these alternatives, you know, of course, that Melanie—Miss Roche, I mean—offered me a post as her secretary at her house near Venice?
”

“
Yes. One more of Melanie
’
s quick-fire decisions. I hope you didn
’
t take that seriously. She doesn
’
t mean a word of it.
”
Edmund laughed.
“
In fact, if you reminded her and said you
’
d accept, she
’
d raise those devastating eyebrows and ask what in the world you were talking about.
”

“
Even if she meant it sincerely, I couldn
’
t work for hen I
’
d say the wrong things and get myself into hot water.
”

“
I wonder what her idea was,
”
mused Edmund.
“
Merely separate you and Daniel, I suppose.
”

“
Perhaps. It doesn
’
t matter now.
”

“
Well, tell me tomorrow what you decide to do, Sarah.
”
It was tempting to go to the Italian studios, but it would be unrealistic to expect to remain on this happy level indefinitely. If she removed herself, Daniel would soon find someone else to take her place. She would return to London and, if necessary, find another job. Only in that way could she cut herself off from Adam.

It was no surprise to Sarah that after Edmund
’
s talk of
“
a couple of days,
”
the film unit was still in Dubrovnik at the end of a week. Time schedules seemed to mean very little in the film world, she thought, in spite of the lament that all possible expenses should be saved.

Sarah had already told Edmund of her decision to return to London.
“
But please don
’
t tell Daniel yet,
”
she said.
“
He
’
ll accuse me of running out on him and try to persuade me to go to the Italian studios.
”

“
As you wish,
”
Edmund agreed,
“
but when he knows
that you
’
re booked on the plane from Dubrovnik, what then?
”

“
Too late then.
”

Radmilla had arrived at the villa the previous day to collect her clothes and personal oddments, and Sarah was glad of her company.

“
I am sorry to leave you all, but I am so happy. Edmund has paid me very generously for my work, and now I can spend a little and help my parents also until they have a new home.
”

“
When are you returning to Sarajevo?
”
asked Sarah.

“
In one day or two days, perhaps. But I am then going on to Krasnograd. Oh, I must work there. So much to do.
”

“
I wish I could come with you,
”
murmured Sarah wistfully.

“
Why not?
”
Radmilla
’
s dark eyes were aglow, and somehow Sarah had the impression that her Slav friend had resolved some of her recent problems. There was a lovely radiance about Radmilla
’
s face.

“
No, it wouldn
’
t be—no.
”
Sarah took refuge in incoherence, remembering that she could not face Adam again.

“
Let us go out tomorrow together,
”
Radmilla suggested happily,
“
and buy presents
a
nd enjoy ourselves.
”

“
With pleasure. I also have my golden handshake from Edmund.
”

“
His handshake? Golden?
”

Sarah dissolved into helpless giggles while she tried to explain the phrase to Radmilla.

“
I shall miss you, Radmilla, when I am back in England,
”
she said.

Next day Melanie arrived unexpectedly from her short trip to Greece, and almost immediately, it seemed to Sarah, the happy mood at the villa was destroyed.

Whatever the cause of Melanie
’
s ill temper, she vented it on everyone—Edmund; Daniel; Pepica, the housekeeper; Senka, the cook. Sar
a
h and Radmilla
kept out of her way as much as possible, but Sarah had the bad luck to be typing a few letters for Edmund when Melanie came storming into the room.

“
I have some correspondence I want you to type,
”
Melanie began abruptly.

“
Certainly, Miss Roche.
”
Sarah picked up her notebook and waited.

“
I hear that Edmund is arranging a job for you in the Italian studios,
”
Melanie said accusingly. Before Sarah could answer, Melanie continued,
“
You
’
re not very sensible, are you?
”

On her guard, Sarah asked,
“
In what way?
”

Melanie flung out her arms dramatically.
“
In Daniel
’
s way. And that exactly expresses the situation. You
’
ve planted yourself right across Daniel
’
s path!
”

“
I don
’
t really think I
’
ve done quite that,
”
Sarah protested mildly.

“
My dear child
,
you don
’
t know what you
’
ve done! You
’
ve gone a long way toward wrecking Daniel
’
s career. I warned you. I even offered you a job at my own villa. You weren
’
t satisfied until you wheedled him into going to the earthquake town, where anything might have happened to him, any accident or injury. Then when you
’
d got him there you tried to play him off against Adam
Thorne
.
”
Melanie laughed without amusement.
“
I imagine you found Adam a rather tougher proposition that you had supposed!
”

Sarah had risen to her feet to meet this onslaught. Her eyes blazed with anger
“
I don
’
t know why you
’
re attacking me like this. If you think that Daniel—
”

“
Oh, please don
’
t play the little innocent!
”
Melanie interrupted.
“
You
’
ve twisted Daniel round your little finger until he
’
s gone to pieces, his acting is ruined. The only way to save him is for you to leave him alone.
”

“
Leave him alone?
”
Sarah exclaimed.
“
You don
’
t realize how extremely funny that is, Miss Roche.
”

“
Only a girl with her eye to the main chance would find it so amusing.
”

Melanie swung away with violent fury, took three steps and turned to face Sarah again. Sarah had the distinct impression that Melanie was dramatizing as though she were on the stage or a film set.

“
What action do you intend to take, Miss Roche?
”
asked Sarah quietly. In the circumstances she thought she could afford to be politely hostile. If Melanie had been misinformed, Sarah had no intention of enlightening her.

“
I shall insist that Edmund sack you and send you back to England.
”

“
You must do what you think best,
”
Sarah returned evenly.

Melanie gave a little sneering smile.
“
Oh, Edmund will also think it best, you may be quite sure. You don
’
t suppose he
’
s going to have one of his best actors ruined by a little typist in the company.
”

“
I wonder!
”
Sarah said softly.

“
What are you wondering?
”

“
Whether it
’
s Daniel
’
s career or Daniel
’
s marriage that you
’
re taking so much to heart.
”

“
Both. One is bound up with the other. You must feel that you
’
re in a very strong position if you can afford to be so impertinent.
”

“
I
’
m sorry,
”
Sarah apologized in that decisive tone that negates contrition.
“
I didn
’
t mean to sound impertinent, but I thought we were trying to discuss a situation you find particularly unpleasant, if not dangerous.
”

Melanie stared at Sarah, who returned the scrutiny without flinching.
“
I shall go to Edmund at once,
”
Melanie declared,
“
before matters get completely out of hand.
”