by Hilary Wilde
his suddenly still body. as a tall woman swept towards them. A beautiful woman, and yet ... yet there was something lacking in her face. Was it the lack of warmth? Her eyes were hard and shrewd, her mouth a thin determined line. Her jet-black hair was knotted low on her neck. She wore an exquisitely-cut black suit, with a cascade of white ruffles at her neck and a diamond spray on thelapel of her coat. "Welcome to the Island Hotel," she said in a flat voice. "You must be . . ." She paused, her eyes running over Nick's slender tall figure, hiswell-cut dark suit, his black smooth hair. Nick gave a jerky little bow. "How right you are. Yes, we are the dancers." He sounded ironical. "Natalie and Nicholas Natal, at your service. How charming of you to spare time to welcome us personally. Miss . . ." His voice was veryfaintly insolent. The woman's blank eyes seemed to come to life. "I am Miss Hunter," she- said arrogantly. I manage the hotel and engage all staff." She ignored Lauren completely, her eyes concentrated on Nick's face. "You should go down well withthe ladies." Her voice was as insolent as his. Lauren stared at them unhappily and looked away, trying to detach herself. Why must theybehave like this? As if they were a couple of dogs sparring before a fight started. She was suddenly afraid. How would they get on if Miss Hunter disliked them from the beginning? Natalie had told her about their experiences at different hotels and that you had to be'have arrogantly or you were treated as dirt. Was that why Nick was starting this way? She was really frightened by now, sure she had made a mistake in saying she would helpNick and Miss Cartwright. It could only lead to humiliation. "Have fun," Natalie had said. It 18 didn't look as if it was going to be much fun , o, It had all begun on that same foggy day after Deborah and her nannie had gone off. Lauren had been sent for by Miss Cartwright, the owner and Principal of the Cartwright School of Dancing. She was a tyrannical woman of seventy-eight,with terrific ambition and energy, and a habit of ruling her staff with the proverbial rod of iron hidden in a velvet glove.In some fear, for Miss Cartwright only sent for you if she was angry, Lauren had gone to seeher, and had been surprised to find that Miss Cartwright was asking a favour of her. It seemed that two of their ballroom dancers were booked to spend three months at the famous Island Hotel and that one of them, Natalie, was ill. Nick, Natalie's husband and partner, was in the room, and he told Lauren of Natalie's sudden spasm of pain and of the specialist's decision that an immediate operation was imperative and that it might be months before she could dance again. "I hate leaving her," Nick had said worriedly, "but at least I'll be with her until after the op, and a job is a job, after all." "Of course it is," Miss Cartwright had snapped. "The dance must go on. I have never let down a client yet and I don't meant to start now." Nick and Natalie Natal were, in reality, Sam and Betty Johnson, but they had bowed to MissCartwright's love of alliteration. Lauren had often been to their flat in Bayswater for coffee and a chat. In the end, Miss Cartwright had bluntly asked Lauren if she would replace Natalie and go to the Island Hotel with Nick. Lauren had been startled and afraid. "I've never done any exhibition dancing, Miss Cartwright. Natalie is so good . . . I've got a badknee, you know." She had tried to think up ex19
cuses, but she knew it was useless. When Miss Cartwright made up her mind . . . Nick was smiling at her, and he had been encouraging. "Of course you could do it, Lauren. You danced with James when Josie was ill." Lauren had shuddered, remembering James's impatience. "And your knee hasn't troubled you for months," Miss Cartwright had pointed out. "Look, honey child," Nick had said. He called all the girls "honey child"; he said .it was easier than trying to remember their names! "We're good friends. Three months of being cooped up in a deadly luxury hotel on a small island can try the patience of saints, but we get on well. I'll teach you. I can make the dances seem more dramatic than they really are, at first, until you get the hang of things. You're a good dancer, and I need your help badly." There had been a desperate note in his voice that she could not resist. "All right," she agreed reluctantly. "I'll do my best, but . . ." Miss Cartwright had beamed and said that she had always known Lauren was a good girl, and Nick had heaved a sigh, of relief and began to make plans instantly. Six hectic days had followed. Six days, packed with hours of practising, of Nick being very patient and encouraging as he taught her the different lifts, how she must help, brace herself; how to dramatize the full skirts of the lovely dance gowns. Days of her muscles aching and her head throbbing; of hours of, try ing on the beautiful gowns providedfby Miss Cartwright for Natalie's professional wardrobe. Then a quick visit to. Hastings and her parents their excitement and her forebodings, her sister's wide-eyed envy of her good fortune; then several visits to poor Natalie in hospitala wan, unhappy Natalie whose eyes were feverish with anxiety. 20
"I hate Nick going without me, but I'd sooner he went with you than any other girl I know," she said. "I can trust you, Lauren." "You can trust Nick, Natalie," Lauren assured her. "He worships the ground you walk on." "It isn't Nick," Natalie had whispered wearily."It's the other girls. Even when I'm with him, they try to grab him.". "I won't let them," Lauren had promised. "I'll guard him as a mother guards her young!" One thing, that had made poor Natalie laugh. "Bless you," she had said. "Have fun." Have fun! Here she was, in this luxury hotel, already worried about what was going to happen. She looked round the lofty spacious hall with the gold and white pillars, the deep recess where the reception counter was, through the wide open doors which framed a scene of greatbeautythe velvet-smooth green lawns, the wide beds of vividly coloured flowers, even a distant glimpse of the blue sea.Suddenly she caught her breath, her hand flying to her throat nervously as she stared at the manwalking towards her. It could not be! But it was! She drew a long shuddering breath, feeling her v whole body tingle with excitement. It was Roland Harvey himself!Here, in this hotel. It didn't seem possible. The great Roland Harvey.He was just as she remembered him, only much more sotall with a hard leanness that promised well-trained muscles. His eyes still had that faraway look as if he was searching for the distant mountains. He was close enough for her to see that his eyes were a mixture of blue and grey. How lightly he walked, how straight his back was! He had been a soldier; she knew that, from reading his books. His personality, close to, was 21
almost overwhelming. He seemed to throw off waves of virility. All the people around were looking at him, the women especially. He wore a very well-cut tropical suit with a spotless white silkshirt and a grey silk cravat, and his brown shoes were gleaming. How truly elegant he looked, and yet how very masculine. He walked quite close to her as he passed, buthe did not turn his head or make any sign that he had seen her. He looked like a man who could make instant decisions and never be wrong. Somehow he did not look like a married man. He looked too remote to be mixed up with human emotions. Yet that woman in the lecture hall had said he was crazy about children, especially little girls. It was hard to imagine Roland Harvey crazyabout anyone. She felt uncertain and horribly young. She was sure that if she had been Mrs. Lindstrom she could have made use of the chancethat she could have stopped him with a casual remark, or told him how much she enjoyed his books . . . She was suddenly aware that Nick was speaking to her. "Please, honey child, wake up! Miss Hunter will take'you up to your room." His voice was stiff. With anger? "She wants to talk to you alone." Miss Hunter looked a little flushed. Had she lost the first round and was she resenting it? Lauren wondered uneasily. "I kept speaking to you," Miss Hunter said impatiently. "Are you dear?" Nick answered for her, with a light laugh."Only day-dreaming as usual." Somehow Lauren spoke, and followed Miss Hunter's stiff uncompromising back to the lift.Her thoughts were whirling. FancyRoland Harvey, staying here. Would she, perhaps, have the chance to meet him? Talk to him? If he liked dancing . . . but that was fantastic. She could not imagine Roland Harvey unbending enough to dance. But how wonderful if ... She followed Miss Hunter into the lift. At the fifth floor they got out, then walked down the corridor, Lauren's feet sinking into the thick carpet, and then Miss Hunter threw open the door of a room and stood back. "I trust, that you w
ill find this satisfactory," she said, her voice thick with sarcasm. The first thing Lauren saw was the wide open windows and the wonderful-view. The blue sea, waving palm trees, white sands. It was like a film. It looked far too beautiful to be real. The second impression she got was of the brightness of everythingthe dazzling sunshine, the white curtainswhite furniture . . . And two single beds/! She caught her breath in dismay. Why, of course, she was supposed to be Nick's wife! She bit her lip nervously. She had never thought of thisand she was sure that Nick hadn't, either. "Now what's wrong?" Miss Hunter snapped. "Perhaps you want a private bathroom?" Lauren turned to face the cold, beautiful woman. Without realizing it, she held out her hands imploringly. "Couldcouldn't we have two rooms?" she stammered. Miss Hunter's face changed. She was scowling. "Don't tell me you're the sort of married couple who insist on separate room. Our usual practice is" Lauren's face felt on fire. Everything was forgotten but this one embarrassing problem. "We're not married," she said. What else was there to say?She watched the cold, beautiful face grow scarlet, saw the dark eyes flash as Miss Hunter's calm vanished. "You must be married," she almost 23
hissed. "We specifically engaged a. married couple." She was very angry indeed, could hardly speak. "It cannot be tolerated. Miss Cartwright knew very well that we will only employ married couples as dancers. She has broken the contract,and I" Lauren felt frozen with shock and horror. She had not expected this. "It wasn't Miss Cartwright's fault," she began. Miss Hunter was not listening. She was turning away. "You will not be permitted to stay. You willboth have to return to England." She turned round to stare at Lauren, her eyes cold with dislike. "I know that the owner of the hotel will not permit you to stay." " "The owner?" Lauren said. Miss Hunter nodded. "Yes, the owner. I manage the hotel, but he has very decided views: Very decided indeed. I know he will make you return to England immediately. He . . ." "He?" Lauren said as Miss Hunter paused, her face confronted with fresh anger. Miss Hunter's voice was bitter'as she replied. Yes, he. The one and only, famous RolandHarvey." 24
CHAPTER TWO
ROLAND HARVEY. Roland Harvey! The name thundered through Lauren's head as she stared in dismay at Miss Hunter's angry face. So this was how she was to meet himfor the first and perhaps the only time in her life. She could just imagine the steely coldness of his disapproval. He would dismiss their little deception as deliberate trickery. She shivered. "Please, Miss Hunter"she began. , The beautiful face was hard. "It's no good trying to talk me round . . ." And then, miraculously, Nick was there, taking charge. Lauren saw instantly by his face that, like her, he had forgotten this aspect of their plan, and he smiled at her reassuringly and then turned to devote himself to the angry Miss Hunter. With a strange humility, he was, he said, going to throw himself on her mercy. His wife was very ill ... Vaguely Lauren listened to their conversation, but she stood a little apart, fearful to say anything lest it be the wrong thing. Her thoughts were on Roland Harvey. How awful to have to face him and his wrath. And then, suddenly, everything was all right. Miss Hunter expressed herself as satisfied with their explanation, and as there were extenuating circumstances, said she would overlook the de-ception, but to simplify matters, it would be best for Lauren to continue to pretend to be Natalie Natal. Then she took Nick away, to arrange about a bedroom for him. 25
Lauren went to sit on her balcony for a while, I for she felt exhausted. She still could not be- I lieve that everything was all right. She had been | so sure that they woud be packed off home like naughty schoolchildren in disgrace! ' A pretty little olive-skinned maid called Claudia came to help her unpack., Lauren changed into a simple cotton frock and hurried to, join Nick in the deserted ballroom, where she was introduced to the members of the small orchestra and she and Nick had a quick workout. They were ' doing an easy dance first, to break her in, Nick said teasingly, and luckily she knew the three dances well and there was nothing tricky about them to be remembered. All the same, as she got ready that evening, her firtgers seemed to be all thumbs and she was glad of Claudia's help. The little maid's slanting eyes widened with excitement as she helped Lauren into'the gold satin gown. What a day it had been! A day of excitement and fear, of soaring to the heights with excitement when she saw Roland Harvey walking across the hotel hall ... a day of fear when she thought they would have to leave this wonderful spot and that she might have to face Roland Harvey's anger. She stared anxiously at her mirrored reflection. Was that really her? The hairdresser, a funny little Frenchman, had first given her a gold rinse and then had set it so that it clung smoothly to her head, making her look like a faun. The gown, of course, was out of this world. Her hands caressed the heavy satin folds. She gazed at the strapless draped bodice and deceptively straight-looking skirt that hung in demure folds until she whirled round before the mirror and the huge width of it spun in a circle of beauty and then, as she stood still, fell again into the same straight graceful folds. 26
She was to wear no jewellery, Nick had said. He had told her what make-up she was to use, and her eyes were touched with golden eye-shadow, her mouth a shade of red which toned with the gold. Nick called for her, standing in the corridor, immaculate in his white shirt and black tails. "You look really lovely, honey child," he said slowly. "Of course you do look artificial," he added, with his uncanny knack of reading her thoughts, "but who wants to look at a country lass with roses in her cheeks in a ballroom?" He had her laughing as they hurried along luxuriously-carpeted corridors, and down in the lift to the ballroom. It was no longer quiet and emptya wave of laughter and voices surged through the open doors and screened windows' that were wide open to the hot night. "I'm scared," Lauren whispered, her mouth dry, as they waited. His hands were warm on her bare arms for a moment. "Relax, honey child," he said gently. "I know you'll be all right." He bent and kissed her mouth very lightly. "I know." She smiled shakily. She knew he was trying to give her courage. He had never kissed her before and she knew it meant nothing. Vaguely she thought she saw Miss Hunter hovering, but the next moment the drums rolled, Nick took her hand to lead her forward and she forgot everything else. She heard a deep voice announcing them and she gazed round. 'The lights were low and the voices suddenly stilledthe silence was frightening, the faces just a shapeless blur. A pool of golden light fell on them and Nick smiled at her, taking her in his arms as the orchestra began to play. Immediately she forgot her nervousness as she became lost in the intricacies of the dance, the need to follow him exactly, the timing, the tens27 ing of her body at the right moment, the sudden fluidity as she spun round slowly to dramatize the great circle of the skirt. As they took their first bow, the applause rippled down the ballroom and grew to a crescendo. Her cheeks flushed, her eyes like stars, Lauren had to curtsey again and again. Finally they were allowed to escape to the balcony, where they were to wait until the next dance was due. Leaning against the stone parapet, Lauren drew in deep breaths of the warm night air. How wonderfully, unbelievably lovely it all was! It was like being transplanted to another worlda fairyland. The moon was a golden ball in the midnight-blue sky and threw a golden pathway across the lagoon. The palm trees cast shadows over the smooth lawns. From behind them drifted the sounds of laughter and voices. "You were wonderful, Lauren," Nick said with unusual gravity. She swung round to stare at him, her eyes wide with excitement. "Was I really, Nick? Was I really all right? I was terrified at first, but once we began to dance . . ." "You were perfect." He was walking up and down restlessly. Suddenly he stopped. "Tell me the truth, Lauren. Didn't you enjoy it?" She stared at him. "Why, yes. Nick, I did," she said wonderingly. "I loved every moment of it. It was just that first bad moment." "You always get butterflies inside you at the start," he told her. "I still do, but they go." "Oh yes, they went. I always love dancing with you, Nick, and thenthen when they all clapped and shouted . . . Yes, I got a real thrill out of it." Nick stubbed out his cigarette. "The bug has bitten you, honey child." He laughed. "You'll never be able to go back to teaching kids how to dance." 28
"Won't
I?" She was suddenly worried. Was this the sort if life she wanted? Subject to the whims of a difficult, perhaps bad-tempered hotel manager? And who could she get for a partner? Someone like that terrible James? And yet it was an exciting way to live, and what a wonderful chance to see the world, wear lovely gowns, and always have the thrill of dancing. Their next two dances were also easya slow, languorous tango and a romantic waltz. It was as she curtseyed after the third dance that Lauren saw Roland Harvey. He was sitting alone at a tablea man with broad shoulders and an austere face who looked as out of place in his surroundings as she felt she must look with her unnatural hair and face. He sat bolt upright and he looked horribly disapproving. Perhaps he thought dancing was too flippant perhaps he didn't approve of the way they danced ? In the small ante-room where their dinner was served, Lauren and Nick discussed the evening. "Did you see Roland Harvey?" Nick asked. "He looked pretty sour. Miss Hunter tells me he can be very difficult. One thing, I think we're quite safe, for you're not likely to run into him, honey child?" "Aren't I?" Lauren looked up from her prawn cocktail. She felt suddenly bleak. "Why ever not?" Nick chuckled. "Because he runs a mile when he sees a pretty girl. Marriage doesn't come into his scheme of living, and they're all after him more so than ever since his uncle left him a fortune as well as this hotel." Several things seemed to click in Lauren's mind and dovetail like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The conversation she had overhead in the lecture hall when the two women had been discussing Roland Harvey and had said he would do 29
