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'That's the last tirimly He shot her a look 'Come on, who's that fellow? A bit taciturn, isn't he?'

'He told you his naiven Peter any inforht annoy Stonor if she told anyone who he was—she knew hih by now to know that his trip to Jedhpur was probably basically a business trip Whatever he was planning, he obviously did not want anyone to know about it

'Yes, but who is he? What does he do? What on earth was he doing out in the jungle?'

'He's in business,' she said carefully 'I ether'

'What sort of business?' Peter asked

'I think he's in the hotel business,' she said truthfully enough A lie of o, she told herself

'But why should he be wandering around the jungle?' Peter asked insistently

She hesitated 'I expect he was looking for me He kneas out here, and my father probably asked hi to such a remote spot'

Peter shrugged 'I suppose that er, wasn't he? A grim sort of chap I didn't take to him'

'He's… rather alarreed quietly

Peter gave her a furtive glance 'You… like him, do you?'

For a moment she did not answer, then she s

aid evasively, 'He can be a bit overwhel at times' It seemed an enormous understatement, but it was honest as far as it went

CHAPTER SEVEN

NEXT one to the stilt hut to work, Marie took Jere at the market, as she had proht Jeremy the new pencils he needed and a stick of chewy liquorice toffee, Marie left hih thehad built some years earlier