“Nothing about you interests us, Mr. Lillitos, sir. But next
time you look at Pallas remember she’s an ordinary teenager
of sixteen, not a nun, and think what you’re doing to her!”
She walked to the door and held it open, glaring at Sam, who
shot her a grin before vanishing down the hall. “Goodbye,
Mr. Lillitos. It may sound trite, but your money is just a
millstone round your sister’s neck. So give her a chance to
find out what sort of human being she really is, and stop
trying to force her into an iron mould marked Lillitos.”
He stared in total silence, as she spat out the last words,
then walked out of the room.
CHAPTER TWO
When he had gone she sat down on a chair, feeling her legs
giving way beneath her, and tried to stop herself trembling.
Now that her blind rage had faded, she was ashamed of
herself. He would certainly take Pallas away from Cheddall
after her outburst, and all the good they had tried to do
would be undone.
The thought of Pallas made her mouth go down at the
corners. Poor girl. No wonder she had lacked self-confidence,
always being reminded by Big Brother that men were only
interested in her money, never in herself. It would sap
anyone’s self-respect.
Sam came in, grinning, and hugged her. “You were
fantastic! I was proud of you! He came out of here like a jet-
propelled rocket. I bet no one ever told him a home truth
before in his luxury-padded life!”
“Oh, Sam,” she wailed, “but what have I done to Pallas? If
only I hadn’t lost my temper!”
Sam’s face fell. “I’d forgotten that angle. You reckon he’ll