Island of escape Read Free Page B

tossed up between a casual, Yes—it is nice, isn't it?' and a strong desire to tell him to mind his own business, and the latter impulse won.
    `I don't know quite what you're suggesting,' she said distantly, 'but I think you have a nasty mind, and I wish you'd mind your own business. I—I didn't invite you to join me.'
    `I don't have a particularly nasty mind,' he said calmly, 'but I happen to be a realist. As for invitations —your eyes have been throwing them around very generously tonight. And a display of female charm is an invitation in itself at any time.' His greenish eyes moved from her face to the smoothness of her shoulders and the swelling curve of her breasts beneath the soft stuff of her gown. Then he leaned forward and looked intently into the blue of her eyes, his shoulders against the light broad and intimidating. 'Your boy-friend's
     
    too old for you,' he said flatly.
    Ellis gasped and stifled a retort as the drink waiter set two glasses on the table, and though she had not meant to touch hers, she raised it to her lips and took a long swallow to cool herself down before she said frigidly, 'You're—you're insufferable! And for your information, Jake's not—he—he happens to be an old family friend.'
    The sensual mouth curved mockingly as he picked up his Scotch.
    `That sounds like a bedtime story to me. I've watched you together—his eyes were clambering all over you like a bee bumbling about in a flower cup full of honey ... What are you going to tell me next? That it's your twenty-first birthday and he's giving you a good time because you're a poor little orphan with no one to love you?'
    Her cheeks flamed, more at the way he was looking at her than at what he actually said, and she stammered confusedly, `I—I am an orphan, and he's giving me a good time because ' She stopped and swallowed. Next thing she'd be telling him about Paul and her broken love affair, and heaven knew what interpretation he'd put on a confession like that. She tried again and told a blatant lie, surprising even herself. 'As a matter of fact, this bracelet happens to be a—an engagement present.'
    An unguarded flash of surprise lit the cynicism in his eyes, and he looked over his glass at her ringless left hand.
    `An engagement present of such quality—but no engagement ring. Looks like somebody's slipped up.'
    She had, he meant, of course, and she improvised swiftly, 'I don't have a ring yet because—because it's only just happened today—over the telephone. My
     
    fiancé lives on—on Flinders Island. I'll be joining him there in a day or two—I'll get my ring then.'
    That, she thought with a small feeling of triumph, appeared to have put him in his place, for he said nothing more until he'd finished his whisky. Then he commented thoughtfully, 'I wouldn't have imagined you were Flinders Island material. Have you been there?'
    `Not yet. But I've read something about it.'
    `I wouldn't mind betting there's a shock in store for you. It's hardly like the Casino Hotel, you know—it's the other end of the earth, in fact.'
    She shrugged indifferently. 'I happen to like quiet places.'
    His lips quirked. 'That's just a little too hard to believe. Well, here comes the old family friend, so I'll leave you to his tender care.' He rose to his feet, bowing slightly, and Ellis noticed for the first time how big and powerfully built he was. Then before he sauntered away, he told her mockingly, 'We'll meet again, without a doubt.'
    `I hope not,' she breathed, but she didn't think he heard her.
    Jake had two members of the cabaret cast with him, and he looked pleased with himself. He sent Ellis a questioning look, motioning with a slight gesture of his head towards the man who had been occupying his seat and was now making his way to the exit.
    Ellis murmured with a strained smile, 'It's all right, Jake,' and then Jake introduced the two dancers, Sherry and Michael, and there was a bit of business about finding a larger table.