Wealth of the Islands by Isobel Chace

itself was ridiculous! Why should she care how he looked at anyone ? Anyone at all ?
    Ashamed of herself, Helen set herself to making Anita feel at home. She hid her surprise when Gregory produced a bottle of Australian wine, managing to look as if she had expected something like this all along. She held the plastic tumblers that were the only receptacles that they could find while Gregory poured the rose-coloured sparkling liquid into them, and her hands didn ’ t shake one bit. She passed Anita one of the tumblers and smiled at her. “ Well, ” she said, “ how was New Zealand ?”
    Anita ’ s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. “ It was lovely! ” she sighed. “ I know it was being in hospital and all that, but it was so peaceful ! I never thought life could be like that before! ”
    There was no doubt about it, Helen decided to herself, she was a cad. How could she resent whatever pleasure Anita could get out of life on this side of the world ?
    “ So it wasn ’ t too bad, having your appendix out? ” she murmured.
    Anita leaned forward, smiling gently. “ I enjoyed it, Helen. I really enjoyed it. The operation was nothing ! It didn ’ t even hurt! And the nurses were so good to me! It was they who took me out shopping and made me get my hair done too. Do you like it?”
    Helen ’ s eyes softened. “ I love it! ” she said warmly. “ I hardly recognised you at first! ”
    Anita blushed prettily. She turned to Gregory with a quick, apologetic gesture. “ You should have seen me before! ” she told him. “ You mustn ’ t mind Helen teasing me a bit. My mother didn ’ t approve of any aids to beauty, ” she added earnestly.
    “ For other people, ” Helen added dryly.
    Anita ’ s eyes widened dramatically. “ Do you mean to say— ” she began. “ I suppose she must have, ” she went on thoughtfully. “ But you must admit that she did it most frightfully well! ”
    “ Oh yes, I ’ ll grant you that! ” Helen agreed lazily.
    Gregory grinned at the m both. “ There doesn ’ t seem to be much love lost between you and the old lady, ” he said suddenly. “ I always got the impression that Michael was quite fond of her. ”
    Anita looked quite abashed. “ Oh, we shouldn ’ t have said anything! ” she said, acutely embarrassed. “ I ’ d forgotten for the moment that you don ’ t know her. You have made me feel so very much at home, you see. I ’ m so sorry! ”
    “ You don ’ t have to apologise to me, ” he said easily. “ I was surprised, that ’ s all. ”
    Helen sat up very straight, making herself as tall as possible. “ You wouldn ’ t be if you ever met her, ” she said solemnly. “ She is—she ’ s awful ! ”
    He laughed. “ A typical mother-in-law ?” he suggested.
    Helen frowned. “ Hardly that! ” she muttered.
    Gregory looked surprised. “ I believe you really mean it! Didn ’ t you like her at all? ”
    Helen shivered despite herself. “ No, I can ’ t say I did, ” she said.
    “ It ’ s all right for you, ” Anita put in with a sad smile. “ You don ’ t have to go back to her. I have to keep remembering that I ’ m only here for a time. When it ’ s al l over, I shall go back to England, and that will be that! I ’ ll never have any life of my own ever again! ” Her eyes filled with tears and she sniffed pathetically. “ Never mind, I shall make the best of the time I have, ” she added bravely. “ And—I ’ ll work very hard for you, Mr. de Vaux. ”
    “ I ’ m sure you will, ” he agreed in kind tones. He stood up, ducking his head so that he didn ’ t hit it on the upper deck. “ I ’ d better go above and see what ’ s happening. Helen will tell you about the Islands and what you need to know, I expect. I ’ ll be seeing you. ” He went off, whistling a catchy little tune under his breath.
    Damn the man, thought Helen. It was unnecessary for him to be so attractive! Now he had Anita catching her breath whenever he hove over the