“You changed my whole attitude to life. Even Marc had to
agree that that was so! Now look, he is letting me study in
Paris. A year ago he wouldn’t hear of that! It is all your
doing!”
“I’m glad I helped,” said Kate. Her throat was dry. So
Marc agreed that she had changed Pallas? She could
believe that, but he had not intended to be flattering, no
doubt. He did not approve of the changes in his little sister.
It was difficult for her to say goodbye to Mrs. Lillitos.
The older woman seemed quietly disapproving, as though
Kate had hurt her in some way. Not that she said anything
to her, but there was a puzzled, sad expression in the dark
eyes as they said their farewells.
She looked down at the island as they flew far above it.
The sea ran round the shores, deep blue as the sky, with
white frothy foam topping the waves. The hills and valleys
were levelled from up here. It looked unreal, dreamlike.
That was what it was, she thought. An island of dreams.
For her they had been unhappy dreams, but they had been
beautiful, all the same.
She did not, in the long run, repent or regret anything.
She still loved Marc, even though she despised him. He was,
after all, a rich and attractive man. No doubt many women,
in the past, had been only too happy to amuse him. He could
not have realised how differently she felt. She remembered
the evening when he had taken her to the Black Swan, the
obsequious waiters, the curious stares, the whispering.
Living in that artificial atmosphere, it was not strange that
for him love should merely mean pleasure, a commodity to
be bought like any other.