Illyrian Summer (17 page)

In spite of his bantering tone, Sarah was convinced that Adam
’
s manner had become more distant. As she became better in health, so he receded. She tried not to be depressed, realizing that despondent moods were the usual reaction to minor illnesses, but it seemed that Adam was interested only in offering a helping hand in emergencies. Once the crisis was over, he turned his attention to someone else. Sarah remembered Melanie
’
s caustic remarks—
“
Adam is marvelous in emergencies ... a dog with an injured paw is a challenge to
him...”

Perhaps, thought Sarah, he should have been a doctor instead of a construction engineer. There again, in every critical situation caused by the earthquake or the subsequent storms, Adam immediately took charge, working round the clock, exhausting himself.

Sarah was forced to the conclusion that Adam
’
s kindly ministrations were only part of his personality, and apparently Mirjana was no more to him than Sarah herself: a girl to be extricated from difficulties.

Might it not be better in the end, Sarah asked herself, to return to London? Winter would bring even harsher conditions to Krasnograd, and frantic haste was needed to erect enough buildings to shelter those who required them, so that the more permanent building could start.

Sarah was reluctant to come to a decision. At least she could not leave yet when she had promised to help Adam with secretarial work in Mirjana
’
s absence.

On the day she presented herself at the steelworks, she was greeted by a smart young girl who said she would take Sarah to the Gospodin Tahorny.

“
Taho
rn
y,
”
Sarah repeated softly to herself as she was conducted along corridors. So this was what Adam had meant when he said he would provide her with a job! She was not to work for him after all, but she realized immediately that during her illness he had found it necessary to have another secretary.

The girl ushered her, into a large room with floor
-
length windows.
“
Gospodica Cat—Catzeral,
”
she announced, doing her best with Sarah
’
s surname.

Adam turned from the windows, murmured something to the girl and greeted Sarah.

“I
—I thought
I
was—they said Mr. Tahorny—that
’
s what it sounded like,
”
she stammered.

Adam laughed.
“
Oh, I
’
m known everywhere here as Tahorny—it
’
s that difficult
‘
th
’
we have in our language. Thorne—Catherall—you heard how you got yours pronounced. Well, where shall we start?
”

“
At the beginning, I suppose,
”
she answered briskly.

From the opposite side of his desk he regarded her with a strange twinkle.
“
I don
’
t know if we can go back that far. I have a letter from Edmund. He was concerned when he heard you were ill and hopes you
’
re better.
”
Adam leaned back in his chair.
“
Sarah, there
’
s a piece about Daniel. Do you want to hear it?
”

“
Of course. Read it.
”

Once again Adam gave her a long measuring glance.

“
Edmund says that Daniel seems to have recovered his gaiety and is, er, quite taken with a young Italian actress in the film studios.
”
Adam glanced up sharply, as though to catch Sarah
’
s expression.

She smiled with relief.
“
Oh, that
’
s nice. I
’
m glad.
”

“
I believe you are.
”

“
I don
’
t want Daniel to be miserable,
”
she said.

“
But you don
’
t mind if I am?
”

“
And are you?
”
she queried.

“
I don
’
t know,
”
he answered thoughtfully, and then pulled a sheet of paper out of a drawer.

“
I
’
ve another note here. I only recently received it.
”

Sarah recognized the paper immediately as the note she had pushed into the parcel of blankets. She reddened and looked away.

“
These bales of blankets were never unpacked until now,
”
Adam explained.
“
They weren
’
t needed in the hot weather, but now they are being distributed.
”

“
Oh, that was a long time ago, Adam. It was just a thought. I
’
d no idea if the note would ever reach you.
”

“
I
’
m glad to have it. Did you mean what you said in it?
”

“
I
’
ve forgotten what I wrote,
”
she mumbled, wishing he would dismiss the silly little note and start dictating his real work.

“
I
’
ll read it to you,
”
he offered. He rose and came to stand behind her. Sarah composed herself, for after all, the wording was innocuous enough.

“‘
Love from Sarah
’
—and Edmund
’
s name added as an afterthought.
”

“
Adam!
”
She sprang to her feet.
“
Give me the note!
”
He held it tantalizingly out of her reach and with his free arm encircled her waist.
“
Sarah!
”
he whispered softly.
“
Was it your love you were sending me all that time ago?
”

“
I didn
’
t mean
to—
”
she began.

“
No, I didn
’
t mean to fall in love with you, either.
I
tried hard not to. My kind of life is rough, and I can
’
t have a wife who dotes on suburban tea parties and fashion parades. But you
’
re different, Sarah, darling, and I love you for it.
”

“
Oh, Adam! I thought you weren
’
t interested in me.
”

Interested! When I spied you tripping about on that amphitheater at Pula, I thought you were a menace, accident-prone. But when I met you again, I knew I had to be the one to catch you when you fell.
”

Sarah leaned against him in perfect bliss, and his kisses were long and hard and satisfying.

Presently she said,
“
I
’
ve told you how little Daniel means to me. What about Melanie—and Mirjana?
”

With
his arm still around her, Adam moved toward the windows.
“
Melanie was a boy
’
s infatuation. She wanted to move into the world where she is. One day she
’
ll marry Chester Ke
rn
ick or some other man who speaks the same language, the show-business language, and
I
hope she
’
ll
be happy.
”

“
And Mirjana?
”
Sarah prompted.

Adam looked down at her and laughed.
“
Jealous of Mirjana? You don
’
t understand. Mirjana is an excellent secretary, but she has the roving eye. For a short
time
her glance fell on me, but that didn
’
t last long when a handsome Serbian doctor smiled at her.
”

“
You wouldn
’
t wait to listen to explanations. I could have told you then.
”

“
That you loved
me—and
not Daniel?
”

“
Yes.
”

“
Then say it now. I haven
’
t heard you tell me yet.
”

“
Adam,
I
do love you.
”

“
Splendid!
”
He took her hands and kissed her fingertips.
“
And if you marry me, will you put up with all the hardships of working in isolated places? The heat, the cold and few civilized comforts?
”

“
By myself, no. But with you, Adam, I
’
ll enjoy it all.
”

“
A taste for travel is going to lead you a long way. My next job is in South America.
”

“
Oh, marvelous! I must learn Spanish—or will it have to be Portuguese?
”

Adam laughed.
“
Impulsive as ever! This is what makes you climb shaky amphitheaters. Before we start on the next trip, there are certain formalities. Don
’
t I have to meet your aunt and uncle and get their permission to marry you?
”

“
Formally, I suppose so, although they
’
re not really my legal guardians.
”

“
Well, as soon as I can get away from here, we
’
ll take a trip to London. I
’
m due for a holiday anyway. Come on, darling, let
’
s go out. We
’
ve quite a lot to discuss.
”

“
Now—in the middle of the morning?
”

He laughed.
“
Oh, they
’
re used to the wild ways of the Englishman, Tahorny, here.
”

In the village to which he drove, he and Sarah lunched at a riverside inn.
“
D
’
you like foreign food, Sarah?
”
he queried, munching away at minced veal wrapped in vine leaves.

“
I
’
m always experimenting in eating,
”
she answered. His blue eyes regarded her for a few moments.

“
You have nice eyes, Sarah—the color of toast.
”

“
Depends whether you like your toast black or brown.
”

He raised his glass of wine to her.
“
Darling, we
’
ll have a wonderful time together. Where shall we go for our honeymoon?
”

“
To the coast of Illyria,
”
came her immediate answer. Her eyes—toast color, he had called them—were like stars, golden amber stars.