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' More likely Aunt Lil discovered the kind of man
- Paul's father was and jilted him. Paul thinks up
some funny stories.'
' His mother told him.'
' Do you honestly think your Aunt Lil would
bear malice all those years? Do y.ou believe she
would allow herself?'
' No, I don't. I was surprised,' Cilia confessed.
' I'm surprised you even believed it fora moment.
I thought you knew Aunt Lil better than that.
Paul just making up something to make him seem
the victim . . .'
A tall Creole girl with beautiful features and
long black hair brought out a tray with the coffee.
' Thanks, Ermyntrude,' he said. ' Like to play
mother. Cilia? I like mine black, please, and four
lumps of sugar.'
' Ermyntrude ... . what a strange name,' she com-
mented.
' You'll coqie across some odd names here. I
7»
think it dates back to the days when the slaves'
children were given their master's name or that of
one of his family Hildegarde, Josephine, Carme-
lite. Sometimes it's the name of a saint, that usually
comes when they live near a Mission.'
' Are there schools and hospitals here?'
' Of course there are. This is a sophisticated,
civilised place. Unfortunately for us though for-
tunately for the locals more and more tourists and
retired people are coming here, to visit or even live.'
' Like you.'
. He smiled. ' Touche! Yes, I know it's a good
thing for the islands, but it is rather spoiling things.'
' Progress always does,' she sighed.
' I often wonder what is progress,' Theo mused.
' Maybe these locals were happier before the tour-
ists came. Maybe they weren't.'
'Hi, Uncle!' Anthony came running. He
seemed so full of life that he couldn't waste time by
walking. Cilia thought. How lovely for him if his
parents liked the island and decided to settle here.
If they decided to settle down anywhere, that was
the problem. Cilia realised. ' You know that stal-
lion, Kamasta? Well, he's sort of limping. I wish
you'd come and see. Pierre says it's nothing, but...'
' We'll have a look.' Theo stood up, smiling at
Cilia. ' Well, Cilia, it's been a pleasant day but
hot for you, so I expect you're eager to get back to
Joanna's and have a bath. We'll be seeing you,' he
said. ' Goodbye.'
Feeling as if the chair had been taken away from
under her and she tipped out. Cilia stood up
quickly. ' Goodbye.'
Anthony grinned. ' 'Bye. See you? You'll come
72
riding?'
' I'd love to.'
' She will,' Theo said curtly. ' Let's get going.'
He strode away across the lawn. Anthony close be-
hind.
Cilia finished her cup of coffee as she stood up.
Well, Theo could not make it more plain if he
spelled out the words. She was merely a responsi-
bility he would keep his word to Aunt Lil and
look after her ' young niece '. Also, Cilia realised,
he was going to make use of her where his nephew
was concerned. Otherwise she was a nothing. She
might just as well be a robot, something so imper-
sonal that you didn't know it was there.
She walked to her car, wishing she could see the
inside of the house, or the dogs and horses. Why
had Theo stopped her from seeing them? One
thing, when she was living there with Anthony, she
would be able to explore, so she must just be patient
and wait.
T»
CHAPTER VIII
The next few weeks passed quickly, with Theo tak-
ing Anthony and Cilia out every day as he had
promised, to the different islands where Anthony
used his new camera, his young face so happy that
it made Cilia want to cry. Anthony was really
enjoying every moment. He had even got an exer-
cise book in which he carefully wrote down notes.
' So I can tell Mum,' he explained gravely to
Cilia one day. ' She'll be interested,' he added as
he gave her the book to read.
I do hope so. Cilia thought as she read the notes.
' We saw a weaver bird, it's called toc-toc, but I
don't know why. We also saw a chameleon. It has
tunny long legs, walks slowly, and if it is frightened,
it stands still, twisting itself so that it looks just like
a leaf. We also saw kestrels. They eat dead lizards.
I like lizards, they move so fast. We saw lots of
spiders. They are huge but don't hurt you. The
white terns make strange screeching noises. We
also saw giant tortoises, two hundred years old.'
' I think Aat would make a good ornithologist,'
was Theo's comment.
' What's an ornithologist?' Anthony asked. Cilia
had to admit that she didn't know either.
Theo laughed. ' Someone who studies birds and
their habits. You have to go to college to study, of
course, but then you can travel anywhere in the
world.'
' Sounds good, but . . .' Anthony paused, obvi-
ously uncertain. Cilia smiled at him sympathetic-
7A
ally, for she knew he longed for a permanent home
one where he could have a horse and dogs.
It was strange, but Cilia saw little of Paul these
days; he brought home work with him and immedi-
ately after their dinner would vanish into his study.
Not that it made Joanna any more friendly, as it
was obvious she was annoyed because Cilia was
going out every day with Theo and Anthony. Not
that she said anything, but there was a silent sort
of atmosphere in the house which Cilia hated. It
grew worse when the invitations out to dinner or
to parties came in for Cilia, who was always escorted
by Theo.
'Why is Theo taking you out all the time?'
Joanna asked once after he had phoned. ' Are you
having an affair?'
Cilia had to laugh. ' An affair? Why, we fight
most of the time. He's only doing this because he
promised Aunt Lil he would look after me.'
Joanna laughed scornfully. * As if you need
looking after! You're with me and . . . well, I
can't see why he need take you everywhere. Are
you sure he isn't in love with you?'
Again Cilia had to laugh. ' We're always argu-
ing or fighting. He's just doing his duty. He's
taking me out on purpose.'
'On purpose?' Joanna, beautiful as usual,
looked sceptical. ' For what purpose?'
Cilia hesitated and then decided to tell the truth.
' Because he wants to stop the talk about me on the
island.'
' What talk?' Joanna asked, but Cilia saw the
red flush that slid over her sister's face.
' You know very well what I mean,' she snapped,
" 7B
suddenly angry, for Joanna's behaviour hadn't
helped at all. Cilia mimicked an affected voice and
said: ' Is this the cruel, selfish sister who stole all
the money from poor Joanna?'
Joanna's cheeks were bright red and she fidgeted
as she lay on the swing chair in her yellow kaftan.
' That's absurd. No one says that.'
'Don't they?' Cilia laughed bitterly. 'They
may not always say it in those words, but they
imply it.'
' That's ridiculous! You're making it up.'
' I am not!' Cilia's voice was angry. ' Theo
knows that, too, and that's why he takes me out
and introduces me to people to show them that he
doesn't believe I'm that sort of girl, who would
make Aunt Lil forget you were her niece. If any-
one did that, Joanna,' she finished, standing up,
' it was you. You never wrote to Aunt Lil. She
used to worry about you. You believe I did it
deliberately, don't you? That's why I hate living
here with you. I know you and Paul don't want
me...'
Joanna sat up quickly. ' That's absurd. We
like to have you with us. I'm sure you're imagin-
ing it all. Cilia. I can't think anyone would believe
you did it on purpose.'
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