The Man from the 'Turkish Slave' by Victor Canning

Author:Victor Canning [Canning, Victor]
Language: eng
Format: epub

Peter stood at his window, looking out at the darkening square. Below him, from the pool of light that was the bodega platform, came the chink of glasses and the sound of voices … quick, eager excited voices, sharing the spirit which had hung over the square all day. Suddenly Portos Marias had acquired a new life, feverish, expectant and gay. None of the boats had gone out fishing that afternoon. All the men had been busy hanging flags and garlands about the square, and stringing rows of paper lanterns between the trees and houses. Peter, helping them, felt it would be a miracle if the whole place were not set on fire when the candles were lit.

This evening and the morrow would mark the crown of the year for Portos Marias. At the foot of the jetty a great wooden structure had been erected under Doctor Jaeger’s supervision to hold the firework display. Seeing Jaeger busy on this as he carried about lanterns and helped with the ladders and garlands, Peter had sensed a remoteness from the man in him. All that was over. All he had to do now was to relax and enjoy himself with the rest of the town. He had been lucky. There was no more he could learn here … Ahead of him now were a bright succession of days until the Bolivar arrived, days which would hold long hours with Tereza, days of lazy contentment … Momentarily, afraid of his own confidence, he crossed his fingers. Out in the square came a shout of happy children’s voices and he saw the first of the lanterns by the jetty being lit up, small firefly points of light. It was time for him to go up to Quisto’s villa.

As he came out of his room he bumped into Anita. It did not surprise him. Anita was always arranging that he should bump into her. The corridor was lit only by a candle from a wall bracket at the head of the stairs. They were close together for a moment, wedged in the angle of the wall and the door. She lifted her face to him and in the flicker of the candle-light her eyes were dark obsidian. She raised her arms and put them loosely round his neck and moved her lips towards him.

He kissed her because there was no escape; but it was a friendly, happy kiss and he could see that it served only to annoy her. She drew away from him, her bracelets rattling.

‘You go to eat at the villa?’

‘Yes—aren’t you?’ he asked. ‘ It’s the big night.’

‘No.’ Then turning towards him quickly, she said, ‘Why do you like her better than me?’

Peter shrugged his shoulders, smiling. ‘Why does anyone like anyone? I don’t know. Anyway, I do like you.’

‘But not the way I want.’

Peter passed her. ‘To-night, save me a dance. Grazia says you are the best dancer in Portos Marias.’

‘You would like that I dance for you?’

‘Of course.’

‘You shall see then.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.