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raising of his eyebrows and because she knew what he was going to
say to her.
"I believe I asked you to call me Shane."
"Perhaps you don't care for it? I have another - Robert," he added,
amusement glinting in his eyes. "Would you prefer this very
English-sounding name?"
"No, I like - like - Shane& "
"And now we've surmounted that little obstacle, we'll talk about this
visit. But first " He stopped, considering her thoughtfully,
examining her features, her eyes. "Have you reached a decision yet
regarding this Keith?"
A small silence ensued before Clair spoke.
"I've decided to stay here."
Another silence and then, "A most wise decision. Clair. I'm relieved
for you; it would never have worked."
She looked at him across the table, looked into a face of severity and
into eyes that had gone hard and brittle. She could not resist saying,
"You sound so sure that it would never have worked."
"I am sure." Clair waited expectantly, hoping he would" mention his
sister. It was not that she felt any idle curiosity, but naturally she was
interested, as it was a strange coincidence that she should meet, and
get to know, someone who was related to a girl who had suffered a
similar hurt and humiliation to that which Clair herself had suffered.
But Shane spoke again of her parents' visit, this time asking how the
girls were going to put them up.
Clair explained, adding with a wry grimace,
"It'll be a bit of a squash for everyone. The rooms at Ngumi are all so
small."
Shane made no comment; his brows were drawn together in a
thoughtful frown.
"I have plenty of room," he said at last. "They're very welcome to
sleep at Watsonia Lodge."
Watsonia Lodge.... Although Clair had not yet been inside Shane's
white colonial mansion, she had seen it several times from the
outside. Flower- bedecked - with many glorious blooms climbing up
impressive stone pillars - it stood in elegant seclusion on a small rise,
surrounded by exotic gardens embellished by statuary and fountains,
and with a wider circle of mature oak and cedar trees. A veritable
palace for her parents to stay as guests of Shane.
"I don't know what to say," she told him. "You overwhelm me with
such a kind offer."
Shane's fine lips twitched.
"You never expected your neighbour to be so accommodating ?"
She had to laugh then, and said,
"We all decided to have the game, seeing that we'd the name. We
intended being obstinate if and when you might offer suggestions as
to the running of our farm. We said we'd act as if we'd neither wit nor
nous."
His laugh rang out, and Clair's mingled with it.
"Mr Lumley must have been particularly trying that day, for I assure
you, my dear, that I'm not normally so ill-mannered or critical."
"But you did compare Mr Lumley with my sex," she reminded him a
little tartly. "We concluded that you hadn't much time for women."
At this he looked hard at her.
"I didn't, I must admit."
Didn't. . . . What did that mean? Clair's pulse raced again, and she was
thankful for the chair beneath her - because her legs were suddenly
feeling rather shaky.
"We have another visitor coming," she told Shane. "A friend of
Jean's. I think Jean was seriously considering putting her off, or
making her stay at the hotel here. This was after Jean was told of my
parents' projected visit. However, Christal will now be able to come.
We'll have a houseful," she added happily. "It'll be fun, cooking for
them and bringing them into town for the odd meal."
"We shall have to put on a little entertainment," he decided. And then,
curiously, "Christal? That's a glamorous sort of name. It conjures up a
golden blonde with a sylph-like figure and the face of an angel." He
was laughing with his eyes, but Clair was grave all at once. She
suddenly wished Christal was not coming.... But how silly, and how
selfish. Jean would be delighted that her friend could be put up at
Ngumi Farm, after all. "You haven't yet said whether or not you're
going to accept my offer," Shane was reminding her as the waiter
appeared with the tray.
"But of course I'm accepting, on their behalf. And thank you very
much, Shane. It'll save us some money, too, because we'd have had to
buy a bed for them. We'll only have to buy one now - a single for
Jean's friend."
"We'll see about that later. I can either put the girl up or lend you a
bed."
"I'm sure Jean would prefer Christal to stay at Ngumi. But she'll be
grateful for the bed."
CHAPTER SIX
THE tea was served and Clair poured out, her whole mind on the
words she had just uttered. Why had she been so quick to declare that
Jean would prefer Christal to stay at Ngumi? It would be far simpler
for the girl to stay at Shane's home; there would then be no necessity
to decorate the spare room, or to find furniture for it, from other
rooms. And what of Jean's wishes? She might jump at the chance of
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