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Marie turned down the bed 'Clare, put the past behind you for a while Lie down, try to sleep I'll bring the cocoa along when you're in bed'

'I don't really want any,' Clare said thickly 'I'll sleep anyway—I havehappens, call me, won't you?' Her blue eyes pleaded humbly

'I proht, Clare'

Clare turned away, then stopped dead, seeing herself reflected in the

'I look old suddenly I've always felt quite young, even first thing in theand dying right in front of my eyes tied inside Ja once If he dies part of me will die too He's the only one who re, what thathave van­ished, you really feel old'

Marie sht… believe me'

Clare laughed abruptly 'You must think me very vain and silly'

'No, just human,' Marie assured her

They smiled at each other, then Marie closed the door and went back down the corridor The kitchen door stood open She went in, prepared to do battle with Mrs Abbot, and found Stonor there alone, putting cocoa into hot orously

'Where's Mrs Abbot?' she asked

He glanced at her over his shoulder 'I sent her to bed'

'She had no right to say what she did to my mother,' Marie said

'You're a cocoa into two s

'What do youcriticism

'You fly off at a tangent over everything,' he said, leaning against the wall, his hand propping up his dark head as though he were physically weary The dark eyes surveyed her, a glint of laughter in their depths 'Earlier you were angry with ry with your ht how to respond in every situation The first angry thought that comes into your head dominates you until you're shown the folly of it'