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Like the weather, her mood had changed. Usually rough seas
exhilarated her, but tonight, sitting in Jake's car in the shadow of the
gaunt old fortress, she felt nervy and irrationally apprehensive.
It would be dark now, in the golden world of the coral gardens - inky
dark, all light and colour extinguished, the little bright fishes fled
away. Now the moray eel would slither out of his cranny, and squids
would uncoil their long tentacles, and the vicious barracuda would be
nosing through the gloomy deep water.
"I think I'll put my coat on," she said, when Jake came back into the
car.
He helped her to slip her arms into the sleeves, and as she fastened the
buttons he kept his arm round her shoulders.
"You haven't been round St. George yet, have you?" he said. "It's the
original capital of the islands, and really more interesting than
Hamilton."
"No, I haven't done any serious sightseeing." Caroline knew he was
only making conversation until she had settled herself. She could feel
him watching her. In a moment he would turn her face to his.
Earlier, she had hoped that he would kiss her again. But now she did
not want it to happen. Not because of any unpleasant personal
experience, but from tales other girls had recounted, embraces in
parked cars had distasteful associations for her.
Jake shifted his arm round her shoulder so that his hand was close to
her neck. Gently caressing the line of her neck, he said, "What's the
matter, Caroline?"
His perception startled her. "N-nothing, Jake," she stammered.
"I don't think you like it up here. It is a bit bleak tonight. We'll go back
to the hotel and have some rum-and- cokes."
He leaned towards her and gave her a quick kiss on the wing of her
right eyebrow. Seconds later the car was in motion.
The Tropicana had a number of bars and cocktail lounges. When they
were back at the hotel, Jake took her to the Reef Room, which was
one of the smaller bars with an intimate atmosphere conducive to
quiet conversation. There was a radiogram playing, but it was tuned
low and the music was dreamy and relaxing.
Jake steered Caroline to a corner couch some distance from the other
people there, and presently the barman brought drinks with lemon
peel and sprigs of mint floating at the brim of the tall frosty glasses,
and a silver entree dish containing hot shrimp savouries.
"You said this afternoon that you were not so naive that you attached
any major significance to one kiss," Jake said quietly, when there was
no one within earshot. "That cuts both ways, Caroline. You don't
think I misread that statement, do you? I know what you meant when
you said it. I didn't mistake it for an invitation to kiss you any time I
liked."
She found herself suddenly shy of him. "No, I know you didn't, Jake.
It was just ... oh, I don't know ... that place, I suppose. It rather gave
me the creeps. I didn't mean to behave as if I thought you were going
to pounce at me."
His grin had a wry twist. "I don't make a habit of pouncing. But I
would have kissed you again if you'd wanted it too. You're a lovely
girl, Caroline."
"I like you very much too, Jake." On impulse, she held out her hand to
him.
He gave it a friendly squeeze. "Try some of these shrimp things.
They're good."
"Mm .. . delicious," she agreed, taking his cue to steer the
conversation back to impersonal topics.
But as they chatted about generalities, she found herself studying his
face and once again trying to pinpoint the elusive quality she had first
become aware of earlier in the evening.
It struck her suddenly that the lighting in the bar showed up lines on
his face which, out of doors in the sun, she had never really noticed
before. Indeed, when his face was in repose, and one's attention was
not distracted by the wide charming grin and the blueness of his eyes,
he had a slightly dissipated air.
Oh, really - Jake dissipated! He must be one of the fittest, healthiest
men in Bermuda, she told herself crushingly. Nevertheless, with his
fine physique concealed by a lounge suit, he did not look as boyish
and active as he always appeared on the beach.
"It's time I saw you home," he said, about eleven o'clock. "Will you
be swimming tomorrow morning?"
"Yes, if it isn't too rough."
"The squall will have passed by now. Bad weather never lasts long
here." Jake lifted his glass to finish off his drink.
It was then, glancing across the bar towards the doorway, that
Caroline saw Ian Dryden. He was standing under the arch of
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