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'I know what my eyes can see!' Her face was white and the beads of
perspiration were more pronounced than ever. 'What was there
between you before? Why did you part ? No, don't interrupt! He has
something against you, it's obvious, but he - he wants y-you .. Her
voice dropped to a whisper and Melanie thought at first that she
experienced a choking feeling resulting from the strength of her
emotions, but to her amazement she realized it was a sob that had
halted Olga's words. 'Go away! It was me he wanted until you came
-me!'
Her face as white as Olga's, Melanie advanced into the middle of the
room and stood with her hands resting on the back of the chair, for
she felt she needed support. Olga's assertions had shaken her to the
very core even though she felt they sprang from her jealous
imagination. For only now did the astounding revelation come to her
that she had never really forgotten Lean. Only at this moment did she
stop to ask herself why there had never been another man in her life
since the moment Lean had left her, with ringing in her ears that
warning uttered in tones vibrating with bitterness and hate. She had
given up the boy who had supplanted Lean, given him up instantly
and thrown herself into work and study, determined to break away
from the fruitless round and find fulfilment in a career. And what of
Richard? For a long while he had merely been her boss, but then he
had suddenly noticed her as a woman. Some sort of relationship had
developed ... but Melanie now knew it was one-sided. Had he
proposed she would have given him a definite no for an answer.
Aware that Olga was more controlled and awaiting some response
from her, Melanie said she was allowing her imagination to run away
with her, that she, Melanie, was no more to Lean than any other of his
employees. And then she added grimly,
'Also, thanks to you, he considers me to be a thief, so I don't think
there's the remotest possibility of his switching his affections from
you to me.'
Switching his affections. ... What were his feelings for Olga? Sandra
had believed her to be no more than a diversion - although she had
later qualified that saying he might marry her, Melanie recalled,
frowning.
'Yes, yes, I'm sure you're right and I have been imagining things.'
Olga spoke in her customary arrogant way; it was plain that she had
fully recovered from the violent impact of her emotions, and if she
regretted her loss of control she did not appear unduly embarrassed
by it. 'If I were in your shoes,' she added baldly, 'I'd leave without
waiting to be sacked.'
A faint smile touched the corners of Melanie's mouth.
'But then you're not in my shoes, are you?' she said, and without
giving Olga the opportunity to say anything to that quietly left the
room.
For a while Melanie debated on whether or not to go back to Lean and
tell him of the admission Olga had just made concerning the theft of
the earrings, but she abandoned the idea. Olga would deny everything
and she, Melanie, would merely be subjected, to further
embarrassment.
'It isn't all that important,' she told Sandra resignedly. 'So long as it's
kept from the rest of the staff I don't care. Lean's opinion of me was as
low as it could be before this happened; he told me that a short while
ago.' It was the following day and Melanie had come to Sandra's
room for the coffee break, having taken her at her word about using
her room just whenever she wanted. For it was almost impossible to
sit in her own room; not only was it necessary to have on the electric
light all the time, but now that the weather had warmed up the air in
that tiny space was always stifling. 'Mrs. Skonson's had her earrings
returned, you say?'
Sandra nodded a little disgustedly.
'They're lying on her dressing-table again this morning! I expect he
returned them to her himself explaining that they'd been stolen and
asking her to keep quiet about it. She would, I'll admit that, because
she's awfully nice ... though she looked a trifle suspiciously at me,'
went on Sandra reflectively. 'Do you know something, Melanie - it's
now struck me that she thinks I'm the guilty party.'
'No - oh, I'm sure you're wrong.' Melanie felt distressed - and
strangely guilty. 'I'm terribly sorry if that's the case '
'Don't worry yourself about it,' cut in Sandra carelessly. 'I'm not in the
least troubled about Mrs. Skonson's opinion of me.' She shrugged and
went off into the kitchen to make the coffee. 'In any case, she'll be
gone in a day or two and I'll never set eyes on her again.'
'But you'll lose such a good tip,' Melanie pointed out, still faintly
distressed at the idea of Sandra's being regarded as a thief by the
woman who would have tipped her most generously.
'Perhaps.' Sandra merely laughed at Melanie, who had followed her
into the kitchen and was reaching for the tray. 'Don't worry, I've said.
A tip's lost, so who cares? Some don't tip - think they've done enough
when they've paid the ten per cent. Come, let's have our coffee on the
balcony. My vine's growing right over the supports now and I've a
lovely shady corner.' Sandra had two very comfortable garden chairs
which she had 'snaffled' from the terrace down below. She also had a
small wicker table which she had actually taken from the lounge.
There were dozens, she had said, so one would never be missed.
'I believe in making myself comfortable.' Sandra gave a continued
sigh as she sat down under the shade of the vine. 'You're stupid,
putting up with that room as it is. I'd at least have a rug on the floor
and some decent furniture around me.'
Melanie's mouth curved bitterly.
'And be hauled into Lean's office on another charge of theft?'
'It wouldn't be theft - merely borrowing.' Sandra poured the coffee
and placed Melanie's cup on the table beside her. 'Have a biscuit.'
From the trees came the continuous chirping of the crickets; day and
night it went on, ceaselessly. There was never a moment of complete
silence. Suddenly the noise of the insects was lost as a loud and
imperious knock sounded on the outer door. 'Who can that be?'
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