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hoping she was not revealing her embarrassment. ‘For me, though— yes, Luke, it—it was the first time I have—have ever had an—an experience like that.’
    The tawny eyes flickered with an unfathomable expression as the slowly spoken response came through. ‘I’m happy to hear it, Chris. Don’t let it trouble you, dear—’ His hand was suddenly covering hers as he reached across the table. Their eyes met; she found herself affected by strange vibrations as her pulses quickened. Bewildered, she cast her eyes down, reluctant to let him see her expression in case it should reveal to his perceptive eyes the turmoil that was affecting the nerve centres of her mind.
    ‘It does trouble me,’ she whispered eventually. ‘You see, your opinion is the most important thing in my life.’ So frank the admission, so anxious the look she presently gave him, that he rose from his chair to come round and place a kiss on her forehead.
    ‘Child,’ he said gently, ‘you have no need to fear my opinion of you, not ever. I’ve known you a long time, remember, and we’ve been close. I could never think badly of you.’ His gaze was direct and compelling. ‘I want you to remember that always, Chris. Promise me you will.’
    A lovely smile broke as all her anxiety dissolved. ‘I promise. Luke—I shall always remember what you’ve just said.’
    ‘Good girl.’ He sat down again. ‘I know I’ve just suggested we forget the whole thing,’ he said, ‘but I would like to ask you this: why are you taking it so calmly?’
    ‘I had time to think about it while I was dressing. I realise the temptation you had—and you were, like me, affected by the wine, you know, so that has something to do with it. But mainly it was the situation—a man and a woman late at night, together.’ She shrugged her shoulders. ‘It could have happened to any two people who were together like that. If I’d been someone else, you’d still have tried to make love to her, wouldn’t you?’
    A long, tense silence followed before Luke spoke. ‘So your attitude’s a philosophical one? You just look upon yourself as a woman—any woman—whom I found attractive and wanted to make love to?’
    There was an edge of bitterness to his voice which brought her eyes swiftly to his. She was puzzled again, and this time floundering to grasp something even while not knowing what it was. ‘Yes, that’s how I see it,’ she answered after a pause. ‘The situation became more intimate by my attitude; I was unhappy. I kissed you and, because we’d both had a little too much wine, the inevitable happened.’
    ‘The inevitable,’ he murmured. He looted at her. ‘You believe that whatever female happened to be with me, I’d have acted exactly as I did?’
    She nodded. ‘That’s what I’m saying, Luke—’ She stopped, troubled. ‘I hope I haven’t offended you by this perfectly logical explanation?’
    ‘Logical and clinical—’ Suddenly he had to laugh and a weight fell from her mind. ‘You haven’t offended me, Chris,’ he added and dug his spoon into his grapefruit again.
    ‘You asked me why I was taking it so calmly and I have given you the explanation. But as I admitted just now, I was troubled as to your opinion of me. When first I woke up I was filled with embarrassment and shame.’ She was staring straightly at him with no sign of embarrassment about her now. Her violet eyes were wide and limpid and innocent. ‘You’ve reassured me, Luke, and I thank you for it. I could never be happy if your opinion of me changed. I need you always and you know it.’ So serious her expression as the frank admission was made.
    Luke seemed to give a little sigh but all he said was, ‘You’re not eating, Chris.’ He watched as she took up her spoon. ‘From this moment we shall forget it ever happened, all right?’
    ‘All right!’ She was happy again—well, as happy as she could be under the circumstances, she told herself. Strange, she was