page11 (1/2)

'Mm'

Perhaps he thought she had been; after all she hadn't told anyone she was going down to the cabin Perhaps Rafe had thought she was still in her rooant devil 'Did you tell hi?'

Trisha nodded 'I explained that ere all going to the pool He said he didn't want to disturb you'

'Oh well,’ Hazel shrugged, 'I could probably have done with the rest, especially as ere going out tonight' She sounded cal Rafe was interfering even o, and it couldn't be allowed to continue

'That's e thought Have you given anyto do now that you're home?'

'Rafe's asked me to stay on as his secretary'

Trisha's eyes widened 'I bet that doesn't please Celia'

Hazel grimaced 'That's the understatement of the year!'

'But you're staying anyway?'

Hazel nodded, knowing that she could stand any of Celia's insults if it e House—with Rafe

Trisha squeezed her hand 'Good for you!’

'Here we are,' Carl put her drink in front of her 'Are you up to dancing?'

Hazel laughed 'I' with hierate: things,' she explained lightly

Carl held her close in his arms as they moved to the music 'Like I said, I can understand that Your—er— your cousin Celia is very beautiful,' he added

'Very,' she agreed distantly

'She was very char to me just now'

Obviously not what he had been expecting She wondered what stories he had heard about Celia; it couldn't have been anything good, by his surprise at her charreed When she wanted so, which made her wonder why she had bothered with Carl He wasn't like the wild permissive crowd she usually went about with Hazel felt that Carl would be al

Carl's boyish face was flushed 'Will she be coht?'

She was beginning to feel chilled by his interest in Celia 'Didn't you ask her?'

‘I didn't like to'

‘Oh, you should have done,' she encouraged with a trace of sarcas she had never co her date to the devious Celia And it wasn't an experience she was enjoying, even if Carl could only ever have been a mild flirtation on her part

He looked down at her eagerly 'Do you really think so?'

'Oh, I'm sure of it' Celiato have besotted him in such a short time And that made Hazel suspicious Celia didn't usually put herself out for the friends of Rafe's unwanted ward

'We went swie the subject 'We did call you'

'So Trisha said' The evening no longer had the enjoy After Rafe's chilly behaviour towards her she had needed a bolster to her self-confidence, but it seeet it from Carl

Her hunger had been replaced with a raging thirst and she drank the Bacardi and Coke Carl had got her as soon as they returned to the table After that the drinks flowed thick and fast, and by ten o'clock she ell on the way to being drunk Not that she was unused to drinking, she had often attended parties with Jonathan while in America and it had seemed only natural to have one or two drinks while she was there

But tonight was different; tonight she had a dent in her ego the size of a crater and the drink was helping to fill it Theall her attention, She danced with one after the other of theain

'You see yourself,' he remarked coolly

She laughed gaily T a wonderful time It's almost as if I'd never been away'

'I noticed,' he said dryly

Hazel threw back her head, her eyes shining brightly ‘You surely aren't annoyed? I haven't seen these people for years'

'I'm not annoyed, I' over her shoulder across the room

She didn't bother to turn and look 'How nice for you,' she remarked tartly

Carl looked puzzled 'Why should it be nice for me? It's just one more man to hold your attention away from me What's the matter with you anyway? You------'

'Man?' she frowned 'What man?'

'Your cousin Rafe, of course,' he said i with------'

'Rafe?' she queried sharply 'What are you talking about?'

He sighed 'He just ca redhead,' he added

'Rafe did?' Her head shot round just in ti shown to a table Carl was right, the redhead was beautiful And she was clinging to Rafe's arrily away