Shades of Gray Read Free

nothing gilded about it.
    She stood there at the bow, face into the wind, trying not to think. Trying not to remember.
    But when the island first came into view, she was surprised by the surge of emotion she felt, and unnerved by the flood of memories that came to mind. It was such a beautiful island, especially from a distance—before the underlying rot became visible.
    She flung the empty wineglass overboard with a stifled cry, then gripped the brass railing hard as she stiffened her shoulders and began dragging all the emotions into the dark room where she’d placed them more than two years ago. By the time the harbor came into view, she was calm again.
    Not much had changed in two years, she thought. Not, at least, at first glance. It was a good harbor with plenty of room for the score of vessels riding at anchor and tied up to the dock.Except for a few fishing boats, all were military vessels, and all were armed to the teeth.
    A cluster of buildings, mostly warehouses, stood near the dock. Off to the left was the striking vista of towering mountains and rolling hills that helped to make the island so beautiful, and off to the right, whitewashed and shining in the bright sunlight, was the island’s only real city, and the home of most of its people.
    No building rose more than five stories, and all the bright whitewash couldn’t hide the scars of a country in turmoil. There was some construction going on but not much, and shorn buildings showed like broken teeth in the rubble of the bombed remains of cars, trucks, and buildings.
    She swallowed hard, still fighting for emotional control. Nothing had changed, not really. She had kept up with news reports almost against her will, and knew that the “rebels” still came down from the hills and raided periodically, making it impossible for Sereno to put his economic development plans into effect. Kadeira was a torn country, a wound bleeding its life away.
    Soldiers on the docks slung their rifles over their shoulders long enough to tie up the boat, and she paused only a moment to once more give the captain a mocking salute before jumping onto the dock. Ignoring the soldiers, she walked steadily forward to greet the slender man with a military carriage who was waiting for her near a long black limo.
    “Colonel,” she said briefly.
    “Miss Marsh.” Expressionless, he held the door for her.
    She got into the car and looked steadily out the window during the ride, saying nothing more to Colonel Durant. She had liked him once, but she was afraid to let herself feel anything right now. They drove by the old presidential palace, now a hospital. And if she winced at the evidence of recent fighting—buildings she remembered as relatively intact were now in rubble—at least it was inwardly.
    The limo passed through the guarded gates and wound its way up the drive to the plain stucco two-storied house. As she got out of the car she saw that the flowers she’d planted inwindow boxes were still alive and obviously cared for. But the bars on the windows, ornate though they were, were still visible, still a grim testament to their purpose—like the soldiers who constantly patrolled the grounds.
    She followed Colonel Durant into the house, steeling herself against her memories. When he silently indicated that she should wait in the book-lined room she had once loved, she went in with gritted teeth.
    The memories … She went to the French doors and stared out into the garden, her cold hands in the pockets of her jeans, her back stiff. Oh, Lord, the memories!
    “Sara?”
    She didn’t move, didn’t say a word. Her eyes closed and she swallowed hard. For a long moment she stood with her back to him, wondering dimly how many times she had heard his voice say her name—in her dreams.
    Sara Marsh moved slowly, bracing herself even more as she turned to face him. He hadn’t changed much in two years. He was unusual among his countrymen in that he was over sixfeet tall and