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'The man. He has gone, I know, but you, madam? Please ' Katrina
broke off, wringing her hands. 'You are leaving my master?'
'Why do you ask, Katrina?' Alana's eyes dropped to the woman's
hands. You have upset yourself quite unnecessarily.'
'Have I, madam? Oh, have I? My man and I have talked, you see,
and decided that you would leave my master and return to your own
country.'
'But I'm still here,' was Alana's gentle reminder. 'Isn't that all the
proof you need?'
The woman shook her head; it was an involuntary movement.
'We thought that you would follow later, when you have seen my
master.'
Faintly Alana smiled.
'At least you gave me credit for informing him in advance of any
intentions I might have.'
Katrina nodded, but her brow was furrowed in perplexity. Realizing
that she did not quite understand the words, Alana re-phrased the
sentence, putting it more plainly. And now Katrina nodded more
vigorously.
'We know you honourable and would not run away in sneaky
fashion, while my master was from home.'
'But you did think I would leave him?' Alana found that there was
no resentment at this conversation with the maid. Intimate it might
be, and not of the kind usually conducted, but there was something
so pathetic about Katrina, such anxiety in her manner, that Alana's
only desire was to reassure her.
'We worried because ' Katrina stopped and her glance was
pleading. 'Madam,' she resumed when Alana showed no signs of
speaking, 'if I say all I want to say, you will not be angry with me?'
'No, Katrina. Please say what is in your heart.'
'My heart... That is a very good way for you to put this, madam, for,
you see, it is my heart that aches for my master.'
'It has no need to,' returned Alana gently. 'I am not contemplating
leaving my husband. However/ she added looking interrogatingly at
the maid, :'I would like to hear what you were about to say.'
'My man and I were worried because we know you unhappy ever
since you come here, and we wonder why. Then after little while we
guess that you the English girl who my master love long time since
and we see that there some strange thing going on.' She stopped and,
frowning in puzzlement, Alana prompted quietly,
'Strange thing, Katrina?'
The woman nodded.
'Some mystery, I think you say in your language. We were feeling
that my master force you to marry him, and that he not good to you
because he want to punish you for not marrying him long time since.
And so we wonder if you will leave him, but we will be very happy
now that you say you stay with him. Madam, he will be good to you
some day if only you be patient.'
Alana smiled and replied tremulously,
'That is what I am hoping for, Katrina.'
The woman managed a smile through her tears.
'You very good woman, and Mr. Conon very good man, so
everything must be right in the end.'
'Yes, I agree,' was Alana's gentle rejoinder. 'Thank you for your
concern, Katrina.'
Thank you, madam, for being so kind to me.' Without waiting for
any response to this Katrina went from the room, closing the door
softly behind her.
Alana washed and dressed for dinner and then turned with the
intention of leaving, aware as she glanced at her watch that the meal
would be on the table within a few minutes. But for some reason she
never was able to explain, she crossed towards the door leading into
Conon's bedroom and, pushing it inwards, she entered - for the first
time, although she had often seen the room from the open doorway.
Sparsely furnished and with dark drapes and carpet, it was so very
austere that Alana almost shuddered. The room suited the character
of its occupier and as she stood and glanced around her, she began
to wonder if she could ever reach a man who could do this to
himself. For it was not difficult to see that Conon had wished for a
cold unhappy environment; he had not desired any comforts, or
brightness. It seemed morbid in the extreme and Alana was just
turning to go when her eye caught the book lying on the heavy oak
table by the bed. A snapshot - which might have been used as a
book mark - had slipped from its pages and on impulse Alana went
over and picked it up.
The child ...
Conon's baby son. A beautiful child with jet black hair and bright [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]