Хелпикс

Главная

Контакты

Случайная статья





CHAPTER TWO



Roxy was having breakfast the following morning when Basil Vaughn telephoned to say that he had received permission for her to bring Sheba into the clinic.

'Did you have difficulty persuading them? ' she asked curiously.

'Don't ask questions, ' he laughed briefly. 'Just bring that animal here this afternoon, and pray that your idea works. '

Roxy's hand tightened on the receiver. 'You sound anxious. '

'Young Chris is being fed intravenously at the moment, and I don't like the look of him, ' Basil replied in a clipped tone. 'To add to my problems, I've had to refuse his mother permission to see him because she will insist on having hysterics and upsetting the child further. '

'And the father? '

'Blaming himself, naturally, but still as cocky as hell. '

The line seemed to crackle with Basil's frustration and anger, and Roxy frowned. 'I'll do the best I can, Basil. '

'I know you will, ' he announced, and moments later Roxy replaced the receiver on its cradle.

She could not eat anything after that, and settled instead for a cup of coffee while she tried to work out some plan of action, but she had never dealt with a child before, and she was totally at a loss.

She spent the rest of the morning preparing herself for her visit to the clinic in the afternoon. Sheba, too, received her fair share of attention, and displayed remarkable indulgence while Roxy and Maggie gave her a thorough shampoo. After lunch that day, Roxy went out on to the back lawn once more to give Sheba's coat a final brush, and it was there that Maggie found her when it was time to leave.

'My goodness, Miss Roxy, is it a special occasion for Sheba? '

'I'm taking her into the clinic this afternoon to meet a little boy, ' Roxy explained nervously.

'Well, for goodness' sake, Miss Roxy, if you go on brushing her like that, she won't have any hair left! '

Roxy put down the brush and ran her hands lightly over Sheba's smooth coat. 'Does she look all right? '

'She always looks line to me, Miss Roxy, ' Maggie laughed throatily. 'Shall I put Sheba's harness on while you get yourself ready? '

'If you would, please, Maggie, ' Roxy smiled, getting up off her knees. 'See that she doesn't dirty herself while I go inside to wash my hands and dump this overall. '

Less than a half hour later they arrived at the clinic, and Roxy felt more than just a little apprehensive when she climbed out of the car with Sheba.

'I may be long, Maggie, ' she warned the Black woman who had driven her there.

'I'll wait, Miss Roxy, ' Maggie assured her. 'I always bring my embroidery with me to keep myself occupied. '

Roxy nodded slightly, and a few seconds later she was confronted on the steps by the nurse on duty at Reception. 'Dr Vaughn said I was to take you to the child as soon as you arrived, Miss Cunningham. '

'Thank you, ' Roxy murmured with a nervous smile. 'If you go on ahead then Sheba will follow. '

She felt decidedly shaky when she eventually stood beside Chris's bed. It was so very important that she should succeed that she was almost taut with nerves.

'Chris? ' she whispered the child's name, but she heard nothing except his shallow breathing, and her heart began to thud anxiously. 'I'm Roxy. Do you remember me? I came to visit you yesterday, and I've brought along a very special visitor for you today. ' Still no response, and, taking the final plunge, she said softly, 'Sheba, give Chris a big hello. '

Sheba needed no further encouragement. She knew what a big hello meant, and she barked twice, the sound reverberating round the small, silent ward.

The child's breathing altered at once, became almost agitated, and then, to Roxy's relief, he said in a weak, incredulous voice, 'It's a dog! '

'Yes, Sheba's a dog, ' Roxy replied, crossing her fingers and praying silently that she was doing the right thing. 'She's a golden labrador, and they say she's beautiful, but I can tell that by the smoothness of her coat. ' She hesitated briefly, trying to sense the child's reaction, then she said: 'Would you like to stroke her? '

There was a frightening little silence, then Chris surprised her by asking, 'May I? '

'Of course you may, ' Roxy replied at once. 'Up, Sheba! '

Sheba obeyed at once and, standing on her hind legs, placed her front paws on the immaculately white bed. Roxy found Chris's hand and guided it towards Sheba's head.

'Her nose is wet, ' he announced at once.

'Feel how soft her ears are, ' Roxy laughed, guiding the child's hand, and Sheba placidly allowed her ears to be fondled by Chris's small fingers.

'Is she your dog? ' he asked after a while.

'Yes, ' Roxy replied at once, not yet able to believe the success she was having. 'Sheba's a very special dog. '

'Why is she special? '

'She's a guide dog. '

'What's a guide dog? ' Chris wanted to know.

'She leads me where I want to go, and she makes sure that I don't bump into things, or fall down steps, and so on. You see, ' she added gently, 'Sheba takes the place of my eyes. '

'I saw a movie once of a dog leading a man across the street, ' said Chris. 'Can Sheba do that? '

'Oh, yes, ' Roxy assured him. 'She watches the traffic lights for me, and when they turn green she takes me safely across the street. '

'Does she have one of those handles on for you to hold on to? '

'Yes, she has. ' There was a little silence, and then she heard Chris sigh. 'Are you tired? '

'Yes, ' he whispered.

'I'll leave you,, then, ' Roxy murmured, ordering Sheba to remove her paws from the bed.

'Roxy? '

'Yes, Chris? '

There was an awkward little silence, then he asked, 'Will you come again? '

Roxy's heart lifted. 'I'll come again tomorrow. '

'And Sheba? '

'I had to get special permission to bring her in today, but if you get better quickly Dr Vaughn will let you sit in the garden outside, then I'll bring her to you every day. ' She found his small hand and squeezed his fingers lightly. 'Okay? '

'Okay. '

Roxy's step was much lighter when Sheba took her back the way they had come, but when she reached the car Maggie said almost accusingly, 'You're crying, Miss Roxy. '

'Oh, ' Roxy exclaimed in a surprised and faintly choked voice, 'I'm being silly, I suppose. '

'Is that little boy very sick? ' Maggie wanted to know as she started the car and set it in motion.

'Not sick, Maggie. Just embittered, and very scared, I think. '

'When it happened to you, Miss Roxy, were you scared too? '

'Very scared, ' Roxy admitted, biting her lip. 'It was like a living death at first, and then, gradually, it became easier to bear. '

'You mean, Miss Roxy, it's like eating pumpkin when you're a child. You hate it, but when you get older it doesn't taste too bad. '

'Something like that, ' Roxy laughed, leaning back in her seat and trying to ease the tension from her muscles.

Roxy was still a little dubious of her success when Basil telephoned her that evening. 'I thought you'd like to know that young Chris ate a hearty dinner this evening, ' he said, 'and when I saw him a few minutes ago he wanted to know how soon he could get up so that he could sit in the garden and play with Sheba. '

'Oh, Basil. . . ' Roxy was too choked for a moment to speak, and swallowing convulsively, she said eventually, 'I'm so glad. '

'I sometimes wonder what I would do without you, ' Basil laughed, his relief evident.

'You'll find someone else, ' she told him promptly.

'I'm so relieved, I think I'll add a bonus on to your cheque at the end of the month. '

'Oh, no! Please don't do that! '

'I'll save it for Christmas, then, ' he laughed away her protest. 'Goodnight, Roxy. '

Roxy replaced the receiver and returned to her chair in the living-room. She felt more than ordinarily pleased with the outcome of her visit to Chris that afternoon, and when Sheba padded up to her chair, Roxy gave her a joyous hug.

'We did it, Sheba! We did it! ' she cried softly, and Sheba whined in her throat as if she knew exactly what Roxy was talking about.

'You're not concentrating, Roxy, ' her father accused later that evening when they were playing chess on the board he had had specially designed for her. 'I've just taken your knight with my bishop and placed your king in check. '

Roxy smiled inwardly. 'I was hoping you'd do that. Now I can move my rook into position to protect my king, and it's checkmate, I think. '

'Well, of all the ‑! ' Theodore spluttered, then he laughed sourly. 'Dammit, Roxy, you could at least let me win sometimes. '

Roxy pushed aside the chess table and leaned back in her chair, and her eyes, almost a clear emerald green, stared vacantly up at the ceiling. It had been an exciting day, one way and another, and she felt pleasantly tired. She could hear her father moving about and could hear the clink of glasses. They ended most evenings in this manner; with a glass of wine and a chat before going to bed. It was a pleasant ritual, and one she seldom enjoyed missing.

'Your wine, ' said Theodore, and when she felt the glass touch her hand, her fingers curled about the stem.

'Thank you, Daddy. ' She raised her glass, sniffed lightly at the contents, and then took a sip. 'Hm …' she smiled with satisfaction. 'Riesling, semi-sweet. '

'You're getting much too clever, ' her father teased good-naturedly as he resumed his seat opposite her.

'Tell me about Marcus Fleming, ' she said eventually. 'How long have you known him? '

If Theodore was surprised at this request, he gave no sign of it as he said: 'I've known Marcus for about two months, but I knew his uncle, William Fleming, much better. I've been handling Phoenix Engineering's legal problems for eight years now. William died a little over two months ago, and that was when Marcus took over the directorship. William always spoke very highly of Marcus. '

'Is that all? ' Roxy asked a little disappointedly when her father lapsed into silence.

'What else do you want to know? ' Theodore laughed.

'Anything and everything that there is to know about him, ' she replied without embarrassment.

'Well, let me see, ' he began thoughtfully. 'Marcus is thirty-five, and there's hardly a country in the world he hasn't visited. He speaks seven different languages fluently, and he did a bit of motor racing once, but gave it up when a friend of his died on the track. He plays squash, enjoys yachting and mountaineering, and I believe he's a deadly opponent when it comes to karate. I know that women appear to favour him, because my secretary is in a constant swoon when he's about, and I believe he never lacks female company. ' Roxy sat there with the odd feeling that someone had winded her, then her father asked abruptly, 'Why are you so interested? '

She swallowed down the last of her wine, then twirled the stem of her glass between nervous fingers. 'He's invited me to go out to Hartebeespoort Dam with him tomorrow for the day. '

'I see. ' The clock ticked loudly* on the mantelshelf. 'Are you going? '

'I said I would, but now you've told me about him I'm wondering whether it would be wise. '

'You could always take Sheba along for protection, ' Theodore suggested humorously.

Roxy grimaced. 'The trouble is, Sheba likes him. '

'Oh, dear! '

'Don't laugh, Daddy, ' she said reprovingly. 'This is serious. '

'Serious? '

'Why should a man like Marcus Fleming bother with someone like myself when there are plenty of girls obviously hankering for his company? '

'For heaven's sake, Roxy, ' her father exploded, 'why shouldn't he bother with you? You're an attractive girl, and I can assure you that you have all the right things in the right places. ' He was silent for a moment, then he added roughly, 'That was supposed to make you laugh. '

Her jaw went rigid. 'For a man who leads such an active life, a blind companion could only become an irritating burden. '

'Roxy, ' her father began With a hint of impatience in his gravelly voice, 'the man has asked you to go out with him... nothing more. Let him decide for himself whether you're a burden or not. '

'By that time it might be too late. '

'Too late for what? ' he asked suspiciously.

'How should I know? ' she replied irritably, placing her empty glass on the small table beside her chair and getting to her feet. She walked across to the window and opened it, welcoming the cool air against her cheeks. 'I've been out with men before, ' she explained without turning. 'Our association seldom lasted beyond the first date. They felt uncomfortable, and I knew it, but Marcus Fleming is different. '

Her father got up from his chair and joined her at the window. 'Are you afraid you might fall in love with him? '

A little shock went through Roxy. Falling in love with Marcus Fleming had never entered her head, but becoming too deeply involved with him had. Did that amount to the same thing? she wondered confusedly as she said a little harshly, 'I'd be a fool if I did fall in love with him. '

'I'd like to see you married, Roxy, ' her father stated calmly, placing an arm about her shoulders. 'I'd like to know that when I'm no longer there, there'll be someone to take care of you. '

'I can take care of myself, ' she said stubbornly, and he shook her slightly.

'Yes, you independent hussy, but I'd like to see you married all the same, and it would have to be to someone who could control you. '

'I don't need controlling! ' she cried indignantly.

'I'm not going to argue with you, my dear, ' her father laughed, kissing her on the cheek. 'Let's go up to bed. '

 

Roxy paid an early visit to the clinic on the Sunday morning to see Chris, and found him in a surprisingly cheerful mood. He sounded much stronger, and the nursing Sister told Roxy that if he continued to regain his strength in that manner he would soon be allowed out of bed for certain periods of the day.

'You will remember your promise to come and see me every day? ' he asked when she was about to leave.

'I'll remember, ' Roxy assured him, and, raising his hand to her lips, she whispered, 'See you tomorrow, Chris. '

Roxy felt much happier about him now, but she had been home only a few minutes when Maggie came up to her room to tell her that Marcus Fleming was waiting downstairs for her, and her thoughts of Chris were shifted temporarily into the background.

Nervously she went down to meet him, but as she stepped into the hall he came towards her and at once took her hand 'I'm a bit early. '

'I don't mind, ' she said quickly, finding it disturbing that he should continue holding her hand in such a familiar manner.

'Are you ready to go? '

She nodded silently, and a few minutes later she was seated in his car. Her hands explored the seat covering. It felt expensive, luxurious, and then the engine purred into life and the car was set in motion.

'You're driving fast, ' she said a few minutes later.

'Yes, ' he said abruptly. 'Does speed worry you? '

'Not when I can feel that the person in control knows what he's doing, as you obviously do. '

'It's a perfect day for a picnic, ' he changed the subject. 'There's hardly a cloud in the sky. '

'I never asked, ' she said apologetically now. 'Shouldn't I have brought along something for our lunch? '

'You're my guest today, ' Marcus insisted calmly, 'and Carlo always packs a perfect lunch. '

'Carlo? '

'Carlo Vicente owns a restaurant in Hillbrow, and he's an old friend of mine, ' Marcus explained.

Roxy lapsed into silence, and they talked very little after that during the hour-long drive to the dam, but the silence was not uncomfortable, although she was continually conscious of his disturbing presence beside her.

'We're not far from where the boat is moored, ' he told her when he had parked the car and helped her out.

'Is it your boat, or have you hired it? ' she asked, allowing him to take her arm and guide her along the path towards the water's edge.

'It belongs to a friend. '

'You have many friends? ' she asked a little teasingly.

'Several, ' he answered abruptly, his hand tightening on her arm, and holding her back. 'There are three steps, ' he warned her in the same tone of voice.

Roxy negotiated the narrow steps without difficulty to find herself walking on what seemed to be a wooden platform with the sound of the water beneath her feet.

'Stay here, ' said Marcus, placing her hands on a rough wooden railing in front of her, and her hands tightened their grip nervously.

He moved away from her, and she heard him jump down on to something solid which she suspected had to be the boat when she heard the disturbed water lapping against its side.

'Marcus? ' she questioned nervously, her body tensing at the thought of what he would soon expect of her.

'I'll be with you in a minute, ' he said tersely, and a few moments later she felt him take her hands and draw her a little away from the railing. He was not standing on the same level as herself, she could judge that by the direction of his voice when he finally placed his hands about her waist and said: 'Put your hands on my shoulders for support. I'm going to lift you down into the boat. '

She swallowed nervously, cold despite the heat of the sun, and slid her hands up two muscular arms until they came to rest on his shoulders, then the muscles rippled beneath her fingers as she felt herself being lifted through the air as if she had weighed no more than a child, and deposited on something that swayed slightly beneath her feet.

'If you step back a little you'll feel the seat against your legs, ' she heard him say through the clamour of her heartbeats, and still clutching at his shoulders, she did as she was told until she felt the edge of the seat pressing against the back of her calves, then, shakily but thankfully, she lowered herself on to it.

The boat seemed to rock precariously as he climbed into the seat beside her, but she held herself rigid, not wanting to show her nervous anxiety, then he said with that familiar smile in his voice, 'That wasn't so bad, was it? '

Roxy's stomach felt as if it had lodged somewhere in her throat, but she shook her head firmly and said: 'No—not too bad. '

'Right, then, let's go. ' The engine roared to life, vibrating beneath her, then Marcus was steering the boat out on to the dam. The lifting, swaying motion of the boat made her feel a little sick at first, but she tried to relax, and moved her body with the sway, instead of against it, then a hand touched her arm. 'Are you all right? '

'I think so, yes, ' she nodded.

'Shall I go a bit faster? '

'If you like. ' She gritted her teeth as she felt the engine roaring ahead at full throttle, forcing her back against her seat, then she forgot everything except the feel of the sun and the wind, and the spray of the water on her face. She felt free, unchained, and curiously alive. 'This is fantastic! ' she exclaimed loudly above the noise of the engine. 'I can remember once on the Kariba Lake when ‑ '

'When what? ' he questioned loudly when she came to an abrupt halt.

'It doesn't matter, ' she shouted back, shutting her mind to the memory of that last occasion they had been together as a family; her father, her mother, and herself, in a boat on the Kariba Lake, laughing, happy, and unaware that tragedy was but a few days away.

'I know a place just up ahead where it's shady and private, ' Marcus interrupted her mental vision of that hot, cloudless day so many years ago, and a few minutes later the engine slowed, then ceased abruptly.

The silent warmth of the veld was about them while Marcus tied up the boat and lifted her out on to a wooden platform similar to the one she had been on before. Later, seated on a rug beneath a shady tree, the memory of that afternoon on the lake returned to haunt her, and with it came the memory of that day when the world had seemed to explode about her.

'How did it happen? ' Marcus asked, almost as if he had guessed her thoughts, and somehow she could not prevent the words from spilling from her lips.

'My mother and I were returning to Rulawayo after spending a few days with friends on a farm. A hand-grenade was thrown at the car, and my mother was killed instantly. I'd been lying in the back, reading a book, and all I could remember, before I woke up in hospital, was that terrific explosion and a blinding pain in my head. '

'Shrapnel, ' said Marcus, grasping the situation.

'Daddy couldn't stay on in Rhodesia after that, and we came to South Africa. We settled in Johannesburg, but I went to the school for the blind at Worcester. ' Why she was telling him all this, she did not know, but she felt oddly relieved at having shared the memory with him, and she smiled a little warily as she added: 'Now you know everything there is to know about me. '

'Not everything, ' he contradicted, and suddenly she felt him close beside her on the rug. 'Take off your glasses. '

Roxy felt slightly taken aback at first, and then, slowly, she removed the dark glasses and lowered them on to her lap. She had never before considered them as something behind which to hide, but at that moment she felt peculiarly vulnerable without them.

'I had a feeling your eyes would be green, ' he said at last.

'Did you? ' she asked with affected casualness, turning her face away from the touch of his fingers against the tiny scar above her left temple.

'Don't do that! ' he ordered sharply, his hand staying hers as she was about to push the glasses back on to her nose. 'Never again do you wear those glasses when you're with me. '

'Never again? ' A tight smile curved her mouth. 'You sound as though you intend to spend a lot of time with me in future. '

'Would you object to that? '

'I might, ' she said, conscious of those strong fingers curled about her wrist, and sensing an undercurrent of anger in his voice and manner.

'Why? ' he demanded bluntly.

'I have my reasons. '

His fingers tightened about her wrist. 'Don't be vague with me, Roxy. Come right out with it and tell me what it is you might object to. '

She felt trapped, but if he wanted the truth then he would get it. 'I don't want to become seriously involved. '

There was a tense little silence, then he demanded harshly, 'With me in particular, or are you generalising? '

'I was referring to men in general, ' she replied tritely, easing her hand from his clasp, and he released her instantly.

'Do men repel you? '

'For heaven's sake! '

'I take it the answer to my question is no, men do not repel you, so the only conclusion I can come to is that you suffer from that crazy notion that you might become a burden to the man you're with. '

He had hit the target so accurately that it was some time before she could speak. 'Is it such a crazy notion? ' she asked.

She felt him move angrily beside her. 'Let me decide that for myself, will you? ' he echoed her father's words the previous evening.

'I don't think I could let you do that, ' she argued softly.

A tense, drawn-out silence settled between them, then she heard him sigh. 'I'm not asking for much. Let's just take each day as it comes, and time will tell. ' His hand was in her hair, his fingers against her scalp sending little shivers down her spine. 'I don't want to hurt you, Roxy. Before that happens I'll get out of your life—if that's what you want. '

She sat perfectly still, trying to analyse the feelings that stirred within her, then she asked a little huskily, 'What kind of man are you? '

'A very ordinary man, and a very hungry man at the moment, ' he laughed shortly, moving away from her and allowing her to breathe easier. 'Shall we eat? '

'Yes, please. '

'What have we here? ' he asked lightly, and she heard him delving into a basket. 'Chicken, tomatoes, bread rolls, cheese and biscuits, two glasses, and... ' he laughed again, 'champagne. '

'Champagne? ' she questioned incredulously. 'I don't believe you! '

'Listen, ' he said, and there was a rustle of paper, followed shortly afterwards by the sound of a cork popping from the neck of the bottle.

'It is champagne, ' she exclaimed laughingly. 'What are we celebrating? '

'Who cares? ' he shrugged casually, placing a glass in her hand. 'Let's drink to the future. '

'To the future, ' she echoed, the bubbles tickling her nose as she raised the glass to her lips.

Roxy had long since overcome her embarrassment at eating in front of strangers, but she had a feeling that it was of no interest to Marcus how she managed to get her food to her mouth without fumbling, and she felt suddenly extraordinarily at ease with him as they ate their lunch in silence, and indulged in a second glass of champagne.

'What are you thinking about? ' he asked suddenly when they had dispensed with the remnants of their lunch.

She smiled and plucked at the blade of grass she had found beneath her hand. 'I was thinking that I've told you so much about myself, one way or another, but I still know so little about you. '

'What would you like to know? '

'Tell me what you look like. '

'I've told you that already. I have three eyes, and a ‑ '

'Oh, Marcus, be serious, ' she laughed. 'What colour is your hair? '

'Light brown—almost fair, I suppose. '

'And your eyes? '

'Blue. '

'And you're tall—I've realised that, ' she said, trying to visualise him, but not quite succeeding. 'I'm over six feet tall, ' he admitted. They lapsed into silence, and suddenly there seemed to be nothing more to say. She fingered the dial of her watch nervously. Three o'clock. It was later than she. had imagined.

'Isn't it time we packed up and left? ' she suggested hesitantly, thinking of the long drive back to Johannesburg.

'You're bored, ' he said, sounding accusing.

'No! ' she protested hastily. 'Oh, no, please don't think that. '

'Then what's the hurry? '

'I—I thought perhaps you were bored, ' she answered lamely, the blade of grass snapping between her fingers.

'You're lying, ' he said sharply. 'You've suddenly become afraid of me for some reason. '

'Don't be ridiculous, ' she argued, but she could not deny to herself that she was picking up the most disturbing vibrations which seemed to be emanating from him.

'Don't lie to me, Roxy, ' he commanded roughly, and all at once he was dangerously close to her. 'Tell me the truth, ' he urged.

'I—I've never met anyone like you before, ' she heard herself saying unsteadily, and could have kicked herself afterwards for admitting so much.

'What's so different about me? "

'I don't... know. I—I wish I could explain. '

'It's that something indefinable; that little spark that lights up when two people meet. ' He did not touch her, and yet his voice was like a slow caress, touching her like a soft breath of air until she trembled. 'You feel it too, don't you. '

'Marcus... ' She felt confused and bewildered, and suddenly knew a desperate desire to see him more clearly in her mind. 'Would you let me see you—my way, I mean? ' she voiced the request before she could prevent herself.

'I thought you'd never ask, ' he laughed softly and, taking her hands in his, raised them to his face.

Her sensitive fingers touched the short, crisp hair, explored the broad forehead, the straight, heavy eyebrows, and lingered for a moment on his closed eyelids before trailing across the clearly defined cheekbones. His face was lean, the skin almost leathery, and the strong jaw ended in a square, determined chin. Her fingers trembled when they encountered his mouth, and the lower lip, slightly fuller than the top, moved against her fingers as if in a kiss, making her withdraw her hands at once.

'Well? ' he demanded, and the hint of mockery in his voice sent a flow of warmth into her cheeks.

'You—you have strong features, ' she stammered self-consciously.

'A pleasing face, would you say? ' he questioned with laughter in that deep, disturbing voice.

'Very pleasing, I think, ' she acknowledged a little stiffly. 'But your mirror should tell you that. '

He drew a sharp, almost angry breath, then his hand was in her hair, fastening on to the nape of her neck as he warned thickly, 'Roxy, I'm going to kiss you. '

Startled into silence, she felt a peculiar weakness invade her body as he bore her backwards on to the rug. His breath mingled with hers, then her lips were being forced apart by the pressure of his mouth. She had been kissed before, but never with such a soul-searching intimacy that made every nerve in her body come alive in a throbbing response. His arms held her lightly but firmly despite her struggles, and when he finally released her her heart was beating so fast that she could hardly breathe.

'Don't do that again, ' she said as she sat up and brushed her hair out of her face.

She was angry now, but her anger was directed at herself, and not at Marcus. Not surprisingly, however, he misunderstood her, and his voice was coldly controlled when he said: 'You were right. It's time I took you home. '


 



  

© helpiks.su При использовании или копировании материалов прямая ссылка на сайт обязательна.