[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Conon strong and so I come then, and a man who is gardening for
Mr. Conon, and we at last have him away so that he will not murder
that bad woman.'
Alana was swallowing hard, full understanding sweeping over her
as she visualized Conon as she had known him; then, later,
disillusioned by his wife's infidelity, and yet having compensations
in his son. Alana closed her eyes to shut out the terrible scene when
he had almost committed murder - and who could really have
blamed him? In any case, he originated from the Mani, where the
vendetta was still practised, in the remote villages.
'My husband has suffered greatly.' The words came slowly, and
almost inaudibly, for Alana was merely thinking aloud. 'No wonder
he's as he is ...' Her voice trailed away; she looked at Katrina hoping
she had not caught the words, but the woman was nodding her head
from side to side.
'It pity he marry this woman, but he have to, you see.'
'Have to?' Alana looked swiftly at her. 'I don't know what you mean,
Katrina?'
'I not mean that he have to marry this particular woman. But he have
to marry some woman.' Katrina paused, becoming thoughtful, and
when she resumed her story she spoke with a frown on her brow,
obviously angry at the way Conon's father had, quite literally, forced
him into marriage. As she listened Alana heard that Conon had been
in love with a girl in England, but she had turned him down. As this
was said Katrina shook her head, then added, 'I not know how any
girl could say no to Mr. Conon at that time. He was so handsome -
not like he is now, a little ugly, you know The woman stopped
and looked apologetically at her. 'I sorry, Mrs. Conon..
'Don't apologize,' returned Alana quietly.'I know that my husband
has changed considerably in appearance over the past nine years.'
That was a slip; for it seemed possible that Katrina might have some
knowledge that it was nine years since the English girl had turned
Conon down. However, the woman betrayed no sign of surprise or
perception and Alana was able to breathe again. Katrina had no idea
at all that she was actually speaking to the English girl who had
turned her master down.
'Mr. Conon's father, he very much - much...' Katrina stopped and
shrugged before trying again. 'His father very much con-concerned
...?' She glanced at Alana uncertainly but continued before she could
speak, 'He concerned that his business will go to his brother's
children, who he not like. So he say to Mr. Conon that he have to
marry, so as to have son, you see. They have big quarrel because
Mr. Conon say he still love this English girl ' Again Katrina
stopped, eyeing her mistress a little doubtfully. 'You asked me to tell
you everything, madam, and so I do.'
Alana nodded.
'I want to hear everything,' she invited, no longer troubled about her
pride. In ordinary circumstances she would never have dreamed of
standing listening to Katrina like this, but she was impelled to do so
now, impelled by the desire to learn all there was to learn about her
husband. She was aware of pity within her, and also of a sense of
guilt. This because had she married him then he would never have
suffered as he had. Not that his wellbeing had really been her
responsibility, but this knowledge did not, strangely, lessen her
feeling of guilt. What also struck her forcibly was that, had she
married Conon, then she could never have been coerced into
marrying Howard Beaumont.
Katrina had started speaking again and Alana took in the last few
pieces of the story. Conon, accepting that he could never have the
girl he loved, agreed to his father's request in the end and looked
round for someone to marry. He chose a Greek woman because she
would not expect love from him. But it seemed he was willing to be
good to his wife, and Alana thought it possible that the two could
have been reasonably happy together had the woman not been the
abandoned creature she was.
'Mr. Conon have much bad life,' Katrina went on, 'but this woman
got killed in a car crash, with her latest lover - and that was good!'
Katrina's eyes glittered, but after a few moments the softer
expression once more entered her eyes and she said, after a pointed [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]