The Wings of Love Page 16

  'Thanks, but it's nothing, really. I expect she's met some friends or something. Good night.' She put the receiver down quickly, afraid he might insist.

  The clock clicked slowly round for another interminable hour and struck one on a dismal note. It was still early of course by Monte Carlo standards, but in the circumstances . . . Picking up the phone again she had Nora paged in all the night-clubs and restaurants they had visited with Cris and Michel, but drew a complete blank. So then there was nothing else for it, and running up to her room, Tressy put on a pair of jeans and a lightweight sweater, then left a note in case Nora turned up, before letting herself out of the house and hurrying to get the scooter.

  Looking for one young girl in night-time Monte Carlo was like looking for a very small needle in a very large haystack, but Tressy was nothing if not resourceful and scoured the streets systematically, getting off the bike to go and look in cafes and discos. Ater an hour she went back to the house, but there was still no sign of her cousin.

  By this time Tressy was getting pretty desperate, but she decided to have one more try. The pavements were slightly less crowded now except where knots of people were coming out of different night-spots. Tressy looked at them as closely as she could as she rode by, but some people glared at her suspiciously, thinking that she was one of the young thieves who rode up on scooters and motor bikes to snatch the handbags of women walking near the pavement edge. Once she thought she had found Nora, but it turned out to be a Scandinavian girl of about the same height and colouring.

  By four in the morning, Tressy knew that she was not going to find Nora by herself and that she would have to get help, so she turned back towards Cap Martin, taking the road that skirted the private beaches, the gaily-coloured umbrellas and loungers all locked away for the night now. She saw some people on the beach, almost hidden in the dark shadow of a tall stack of wooden loungers, and slowed down, her eyes probing the darkness. Stopping at the kerb, she took off her crash helmet and heard the sound of male laughter, not the amused kind but a lewd, excited laugh. Then she heard a female voice. Without hesitation, she got off the bike and ran down to the group of figures, her feet making no sound on the soft sand.

  There were four youths, standing in a small circle, and they were passing a tall, fair-haired girl from hand to hand. Literally from hand to hand, for Nora's dress was pulled down to her waist so that they could fondle her, and one youth put his hand up her skirt. Tressy descended on them like a hell-cat, lashing out at the youths with her crash helmet and screaming at them at the top of her voice. They didn't know what had hit them and didn't stop to find out, taking to their heels and running as Tressy picked up a handful of pebbles and threw them at them, several of the stones finding their mark as the youths yelped in pain and fright as they ran.

  But there were four of them and only one of her, so Tressy knew that she'd have to get her cousin away quickly before the youths recovered and came back. But Nora was as drunk as only a girl who isn't used to a lot of strong alcohol can be. She had sunk down on to the ground and was looking vaguely round, her head swaying as if her neck couldn't support it properly. Tressy put her arms into her dress and zipped it up for her, then hauled her to her feet. 'Come on, Nora. I'm going to take you home.'

  'Don't wanna go home.'

  Nora pulled back, but Tressy hauled her up the beach towards the road. 'Yes, you do. You're very tired and you want to go to bed.'

  They reached the scooter and Nora drew back. 'Not going on that. Wanna go in a car.'

  'We haven't got a car. You'll have to go on the bike.

  It'll be all right. Here, put my crash helmet on.'

  'No. Don't wanna go,' Nora protested childishly, her face setting into petulant lines.

  Tressy was tired and afraid that the youths would come back, and there was no one around now who could help them. 'Nora, will you for God's sake shut up and get on the bike?' she yelled fiercely.

  Nora stared at her owlishly for a moment, then she obediently hitched up her skirt and got on the passenger seat. With a sigh of relief, Tressy got on herself. 'Now hold tight,' she commanded. 'We'll soon be home.'

  They set off with Tressy steering with one hand whenever it was possible so that she could hold on to Nora's arms round her waist, afraid the other girl might fall off. She turned inland as soon as she could, to get away from the youths, and took the steeply climbing road towards Roquebrune, but she had only gone about half a mile when Nora shouted in her ear. 'Tressy. Tressy, I feel sick!' she wailed.

  Cursing, Tressy came to a stop near some trees and helped her cousin behind a bush, where she was horribly sick. Afraid that she might want to be ill again, Tressy sat her down against a tree trunk, but this proved to be a mistake, because Nora just fell asleep. 'Oh, Nora! Come on, wake up.' But even though Tressy shook her exasperatedly, all Nora did was to mumble a protest and didn't even open her eyes. 'Hell. Now what am I going to do?' But Tressy knew that there was no way she was going to get her cousin home on the bike in that state.

  Leaving Nora where she was, Tressy found a phone box and for the second time that night rang Michel. To her surprise it was answered almost at once. 'Michel, it's Tressy again. No, I'm not ringing from home, I'm in Monte Carlo. Yes. Yes, it's all right, I've found her.'

  'How is she? Is she all right?' Michel demanded anxiously.

  'Well, yes, but she seems to have had a lot to drink and she's passed out on me. I can't get her home. Michel, could you ... ?'

  'Mais certainement.' He agreed instantly. 'Tell me where you are.'

  On the Roquebrune road, near the Monte Carlo country club.'

  'I know. I will be there in ten minutes.'

  'Oh, thank you, But, Michel-you will come alone, won't you? You-you won't bring Cris?'

  'Cris is not here. He has gone back to his boat.' Michel was better than his word, arriving just over five minutes later, a worried frown on his face. He picked Nora up and put her into the car, then said, 'We cannot take her home like that. We will go to my apartment and try to make her more sober.'

  Between them they managed to get Nora up to his third floor flat and laid her on the bed. Michel gently tried to wake her while Tressy made black coffee. When she came back from the kitchen Nora was held in Michel's arms and she was sobbing helplessly into his shoulder. But what really made Tressy stare was the fact that Michel was murmuring endearments to her in French, calling her his poor darling and little cabbage, patting her shoulder and kissing her hair. Quickly Tressy set down the coffee and went into Michel's bathroom, amazed at what she had seen. So Michel really cared for Nora! He had always shown a preference for her company, of course, when they had been out as a foursome, but he had never let his feelings show. Probably because Nora had always made it clear that she preferred Cris.

  There was an aerosol can of shaving cream on Michel's washbasin; Tressy· picked it up and drew a sad clown's face on the mirror, with triangular eyes and woeful, down-turned mouth. Why couldn't love be simple, with people loving those who loved them? But better still, perhaps, not to feel love at all; think what a lot of problems it would solve in the world. Nora wouldn't have slashed her wrist over Cris, and Michel wouldn't have had to stand by and watch the girl he wanted making a fool of herself over someone else. And Cris? And herself? They would never have made love on the beach. She would never have known . .. Tressy resolutely thrust the thought aside and looked at her watch. Ten minutes. Nora should have recovered herself a little by now.

  She went back into the bedroom where Nora was trying to sip coffee, but she was more than half asleep. 'I think we'd better let her sleep for a couple of hours,' suggested Michel. 'What about her parents?' 'They're in bed. They don't know she's out.' Michel nodded and laid Nora down on the bed, gently taking off her shoes and pulling the cover over her. His gentleness tore at Tressy's heart and she could hardly swallow the lump that came into her throat.

  Michel went to move away, but Nora caught his hand. 'Don't leave me. Please,
Michel, don't leave me!'

  He looked at Tressy and she nodded. 'Go ahead. I'll sleep on a chair.' At the door she looked back and saw Michel stretch out on the bed beside Nora, on top of the covers, his arms round her comfortingly. She turned off the light and softly closed the door.

  At seven-thirty in the morning they sneaked Nora into the villa and she stayed in bed all day, not getting up until dinner. Tressy wasn't so lucky and had to cope with Aunt Grace being unusually demanding. She was at home all day, but Uncle Jack took himself off soon after breakfast carrying his golf clubs, and from the way they snapped at each other, Tressy soon put two and two together and found out that Uncle Jack had been caught paying too much attention to Mrs Young. So, all in all, it wasn't a very happy household, and Aunt Grace, even fatter now from the weeks of rich living, took it out on Tressy by giving her loads of work to do.

  Michel came round that evening and Nora greeted him rather shyly at first, having woken up with him lying beside her and not remembering much about how she had got there. He soon put her at ease, though, and now he let his feelings show so that she flushed and began to smile again. Whether she remembered what had happened to her the previous night before Tressy had found her, they didn't know and Nora didn't say. It would be much better if she had forgotten.

  For the next few days Michel was a constant visitor, sometimes taking Nora out when she wanted to go, but Nora seemed oddly chastened and was content at the moment with a quiet life, swimming in the pool or going down to the beach to sunbathe with him. Tressy kept out of their way, sometimes taking the scooter into Monte Carlo or one of the other Riviera towns, but finding no enjoyment in being alone. Cris's name was carefully not mentioned by any of them, although Tressy would have given a great deal to find out what had happened between him and Nora. He was constantly in her thoughts and in her dreams and it was hard not to let it show. Every day when she went out she took the road that overlooked the harbour, but his boat had gone and left only an empty space, like a gap in a set of teeth. Well, it was hardly surprising that he had gone, after the way she had turned on him. Rejection was something that most men couldn't take.

  Or women, either, if it came to that, Tressy thought, remembering Nora's desperation.

  One evening, she came across Michel sitting outside on the terrace alone, waiting for Nora to finish getting ready.

  'Hi. Going somewhere interesting?'

  'I am taking Nora to have dinner with an aunt of mine who lives in Villefranche.'

  Well, that sounded promising. Tressy sat down in the chair opposite him and they were silent for a while as Tressy tried to stop herself asking about Cris. But she just had to know. As casually as she could, she said, 'I notice that the Chimera is gone from the harbour.'

  Michel turned to look at her. 'Yes,' he said unhelpfully.

  'Has he-moved on?' 'Who?'

  'Cris, of course,' she answered tartly. 'Why? Are you interested?'

  Tressy frowned. 'Don't play games with me, Michel. If you don't want to tell me or have been told not to, then just say so. But don't play games.'

  He looked at her face intently for a moment, then sat back in his chair. 'Cris is still in France but has moved farther along the coast. I do not know whether he will be coming back this summer or not.'

  'I see.'

  'If you wish I could perhaps contact him for you.' 'No.' She stood up. 'Please don't bother. I'm really not that interested. Excuse me, will you?' And she went inside.

  Nora and Michel were quite late coming home that evening and Michel didn't come round until after lunch the next day. In the morning, to Tressy's surprise, Nora came to join her where she was sitting by the pool, mending an evening dress belonging to Aunt Grace that had been torn at the hem.

  'Busy?' asked Nora, sitting down beside her.

  'Not terribly. Why, what do you want done?' 'What? Oh, nothing. I just wondered-Michel said

  Cris had left Monte Carlo?'

  'So I understand.' Tressy said it steadily, but the needle trembled in her hand. 'What time's Michel coming?' she asked, trying to change the subject.

  But Nora wasn't to be sidetracked. 'Did you-like Cris?'

  Tressy shrugged and kept her eyes fixed on her work. 'He was okay.'

  'Why did he leave?'

  At that, Tressy looked up. 'You tell me,' she said sharply. 'You saw him last.'

  'But I didn't do or say anything to . . . It was the other way ... .' Nora stopped, a puzzled frown on her face.

  Tressy waited for her to go on, but when she didn't asked, almost reluctantly, 'Just what did happen that time you met Cris for lunch?'

  But a closed obstinate look that she recognised appeared on Nora's face and she knew even before her cousin spoke that she wasn't going to get anything out of her.

  'It's none of your business. I just wondered what made Cris go away, that's all.' And she got up and walked away, which left Tressy wondering just which man her cousin was interested in, and whether she was still hoping that Cris would come back.

  When Michel came the two seemed to have a lot to talk about, but Tressy left them to it. She went into Monte Carlo and walked up to the leather shop where she had seen the snakeskin bag. She had looked at it several times since and fallen more in love with it every time. Now, to cheer herself up, she decided on impulse to treat herself and buy it, but to her extreme disappointment the shop was shut. There was a notice on the door saying that the proprietors had gone to a funeral but the shop would be open tomorrow. And tomorrow was the last day of the sale. Tressy could imagine the bag being beyond her reach again just as she had made up her mind to buy it, and determined to come again in the morning to make sure she got it.

  That evening, Michel surprised her by asking her to go out with them on his yacht the next day.

  'But surely you don't want me along?' she demurred, not even sure that she wanted to go and play gooseberry all day anyway.

  'But we insist. Nora feels a little nervous about sailing boats, and it would be good if you came, too.'

  To act as nursemaid to Nora and to crew the boat, Tressy thought wryly. Still, it would be better than staying home alone. She nodded. 'Okay, I'll come along. But I have to go into Monte Carlo first to get something.'

  'Bien. I will bring the boat round to the harbour and meet you both there at ten-thirty. That will give you enough time, n'est-ce pas?'

  Tressy assured him that it would, and rather wondered what she'd let herself in for. But she arrived at the harbour the next morning in good time, dressed in shorts and a top over a bikini, and carrying the precious handbag, carefully packed into a box. She saw Nora waving to her and walked along the quay to have a look at Michel's boat. It was larger than she had expected, about twenty feet long, and had beautifully graceful lines. It was comparatively new and looked as if Michel lavished a great deal of care on it, the deck well varnished and clean and all the chrome and brass sparkling in the sun.

  'Come and look in the cabin,' enthused Nora. 'It's really neat.'

  Tressy went aboard and was genuinely surprised. 'It's a beautiful boat,' she complimented Michel. 'Why didn't you take us out on it before ... ' She broke off, not knowing how to finish.

  'I lent it to a friend for his honeymoon,' he told them with a smile. 'It makes a good boat for a honeymoon, non? As long as you do not rock it too much.'

  As the girls laughed at him the boat tilted as someone else came on board.

  'Anyone at home?'

  Tressy stood very still as she heard Cris's voice.

  Then she looked quickly at Nora and Michel and found them watching her, quite unsurprised. So they'd planned this. Stiffly she said to Michel, 'Is there somewhere safe I could put my parcel?'

  'Of course. In this drawer,' He pulled it open for her and then went on deck to greet Cris.

  Tressy looked at Nora and saw that she was a little pale under her tan. Maybe she had reasons for not wanting to see Cris again as well. But she turned and went on deck ahead of Tressy.
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  'Hallo, Crispin, how are you?'

  'Fine. And you're looking very well, Nora.'

  For once she didn't object to him shortening her name, and merely nodded and went to help Michel cast off.

  Cris turned as she came slowly out of the cabin and said evenly, 'Hello, Tressy.' He was dressed in the usual holiday wear of shorts and cotton T-shirt, but he didn't look in a holiday mood, his lips were set into a grim line and there was a guarded look in his eyes.

  Tressy wanted to go to him, to reach out and touch him, but her courage failed her and she answered woodenly, 'Hello, Crispin,' and went to find herself a place on the foredeck out of the reach of those dark eyes.

  It felt strange and yet somehow familiar for them to be out in a foursome again. But now everything had changed and the tension between Tressy and Cris crackled like volatile electricity. She caught him looking at her and flushed deeply, knowing that he was remembering that tempestuous hour on the beach when they had lain naked in each other's arms, lost to everything but the gratification of their sexual hunger. She had been exposed, then, to his eyes, to his mouth and hands. A shudder ran through her and she turned quickly away to hide it, wishing that the day would end, unable to stand the torture of seeing him.