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building programme, and she sought for the right words to convey what was on her mind. 'You buy and sell land?' she said at last, recalling that he had owned vast donums of land covered by orange groves in Cyprus. 'I have been doing, yes,' he answered. 'I've acquired some land here and am intending to build an hotel. Then I shall sell it. I've a buyer waiting, as a matter of fact.' 'We we don't want an hotel on Coral Cay,' she said, at once aware that whatever she should say it would have no effect on his plans regarding the hotel. But she hoped he would not be able to acquire the land at Clearwater Cove. She had an idea that she could persuade her stepfather to buy it, and that would put an end forever to any plans which Darius or anyone else for that matter might have regarding its potential as a building site. 'You live here, you said?' 'My parents have a home here. Roger's business is in Miami, though, so we have a house there as well. But Roger will be retiring soon and he wants to live here permanently. We don't want an hotel and hundreds of tourists. The island's not big enough.' She looked at the dark angular features; they were inscrutable, as unresponsive as a statue's. He would not abandon his plans, no matter what objections the residents of Coral Cay might raise. 'As I said, I've acquired the. land. The hotel is definitely going up.' Alida lifted her glass to her lips, aware of an aching sensation at the back of her throat. He was as heartless as ever, she thought, and all the bitter hatred she had felt for him during those long pain-weary months of carrying his child returned with an almost savage intensity. Yes, she hated him and always would! Already a millionaire, he would despoil this little piece of Paradise in order to get more. She said huskily at last, 'I can only hope that something happens to prevent your plans from materialising.', She looked at him, noting the fine-drawn intentness of his eyes. 'It would have to be a miracle,' she added on a note of despair which had no effect on him at all. 'Such as my dropping dead,' he murmured with irony. 'It's a million to one chance, Alida, so I think you would be wasting your time wishing for it.' 'I don't wish you dead.' He heard the flash in her voice and looked sceptical. 'Despite your indignation I rather think you would be relieved to hear that I had met with a fatal accident.' She shrugged and put her glass down. The ice tinkled in it and for-a fleeting moment their attention was caught. 'If that's what you think, then I can't stop you,' she said indifferently. Darius changed the subject abruptly. 'You've grown very beautiful, Alida. Why is it that you aren't married?' 'I've told you -I haven't met the man I shall eventually fall in love with.' Yes, he had changed, she thought again, recalling his possessiveness, his wild uncontrolled fury when the divorce was granted, and his assertion that he would always look upon her as his lawful wife. It seemed that this idea had died a long while ago. He certainly did not consider her his wife now. His total indifference was more than enough proof of that. 'You're nearly twenty-six. You could be left on the shelf.' 'I'm not a Cypriot girl with the fear of spinsterhood that they have. I'm perfectly happy as I am. It's been a good life since--' She stopped, her pulse quivering at the nearness of the slip! Darius was regarding her curiously and questioningly. 'Since I found my mother,' she ended, picking up her glass again and taking a sip of her drink. 'You're perfectly happy, you say?' His glance was sceptical. 'You are the sort of girl who needs fulfilment. Spinsterhood can hardly be fulfilling, can it?' 'It depends on one's interpretation of the word fulfilling. We live a good life, my parents and I. We're very lucky to be on this island--' Her voice trailed and her lower lip was caught suddenly between her teeth. 'I expect Roger will find another lovely haven of peace,' she quivered, glancing away and then seeing Vance coming along with two glasses in his hand. "Thanks,' said Darius briefly as one of the glasses was put before him. 'Are you dining in the restaurant, Mr Valaris?' Vance- had asked the question before realising it was superfluous. The man would scarcely dress if he was having his dinner sent up to his room. 'Yes. I was expecting a friend he was bringing his yacht over, but something must have delayed him.' Alida cast him a swift glance. She could not have explained it, but some instinct told her that the man with the yacht was the owner of the land at Clearwater Cove. If only she could manage to meet him before Darius did.... 'Will he be over later tonight?' she asked. Darius shrugged and said he could not say. 'However, he'll be over tomorrow some time. I shall stay here for a few days anyway---' He stopped as a waiter approached with three menus and handed them one each. 'You have some business with this man?' Alida attempted to sound merely interested in a casual way, but immediately she noticed the expression of sardonic amusement that came to his face she realised that she had not been very successful. 'Yes,' he said briefly as he began to peruse the menu, 'I do have some business with him.' It was Vance who invited Darius to join them for dinner. Alida did not know why he should have thought it necessary, but he told her later, when they got up to dance between the first and second courses, that he had been in a quandary, because he was not sure if Darius was a friend. 'But even if he were a more acquaintance it wouldn'thave looked very nice, letting him dine alone.' He glanced down at her. 'You're not pleased, are you?' 'It's just that I don't like him,' she said, but added quickly that it did not matter, Vance must not worry about it. 'I'm wondering if that person with the yacht is the owner of Clearwater Cove in fact, I'm fairly sure he is.' 'Did Mr Valaris -mention anything about the hotel while I was away getting the drinks?' He looked concerned and yet hopeful. Alida said flatly, 'He's definitely building. He's already got a buyer for the hotel.' 'What a damned shame! How he managed to get permission beats me! He must have influence somewhere!' 'Not necessarily in fact, I'm sure he hasn't influence. That sort of thing wouldn't get him anywhere in, any case, not if the authorities decided this island was to be preserved. No, I think that the development of some of the Out Islands is planned, and you can understand that this must be so, as the economy depends on tourism in a lot of cases, but I do think they could have chosen a larger island than this.' 'If we get one large hotel complex, in addition to this small one, you can bet your life we shall have a forest of concrete blocks before a couple of years have passed.' 'I agree.' She hated Darius with a black venom! What right had he to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |