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know. For the present, you believe I took the earrings, and I can't
convince you otherwise - but for me, my conscience is clear. I didn't
touch them and therefore I couldn't have put them in my mattress.'
And she added, as though the thought occurred to her, 'Have any of
the other rooms been searched?'
'Yours was the last to be searched.'
'Miss Newson told you this?'
'I have no reason to disbelieve her,' he snapped.
'Did anyone help her with the searching of these rooms?'
'You're insinuating that no other rooms were searched?'
'I'm saying that no rooms at all were searched.' She looked at him
with a wide and honest gaze, but he seemed not to notice. 'You have
only Miss Newson's word that the rooms were searched '
'Her word's good enough for me.' More reliable than yours, his glance
said clearly, and Melanie was left wondering why he had not spoken
those words aloud.
With a helpless, defeated little gesture she spread her hands.
'What are you going to do?'
'Do?' He frowned at her absently and she realized to her amazement
that he had little grey lines at the corners of his mouth as if he were
rather tired or dispirited. 'Nothing. Fortunately the matter has been
dealt with without my having to call in the police. You'll be carefully
watched in future, but I think that even you will be wise enough not to
try this sort of thing again.'
The 'even you'- spoke volumes. Melanie's lips trembled as she asked,
huskily, if there was anything else he wanted to say.
'You're not in the least contrite, are you?' Contempt in his tones, but
Melanie frowned. For there was no mistaking the edge of bitterness to
his voice. 'You're thoroughly shameless,' he added, and waved a hand
towards the door. 'No, I've nothing else to say to you. You may go.'
She instantly went in search of Olga, but she was nowhere to be
found. After making inquiries of practically every one of the staff,
Melanie at last learned from Kyrios that Olga had gone off to
Knossos with a party of guests from the hotel.
Although scarcely able to contain her fury, Melanie had no
alternative than to await Olga's return. But, unable to work, she went
up to her friend's room and told her what had taken place. Sandra's
blue eyes opened very wide, but after a few moments of thoughtful
silence she was less surprised than Melanie expected.
'She's jealous,' asserted Sandra. 'I knew from the first there was
something, for she was always at you - and I should have known it
was jealousy because she used to be jealous of Wendy, the girl whom
I spoke to you about, the one who went off to the Holy Land. Wendy
was really pretty and the boss was fond of her - - he didn't flirt with
her or anything like that,' added Sandra hastily, 'but they got on
together and often would sit chatting in the garden. Olga would be
seething and the following day she'd start on poor Wendy again,
finding fault with her work. But she was never as bad with her as she's
been with you.' She paused, smiling at her friend's expression. 'It's
true, so you needn't look like that; Olga's definitely jealous of you. As
I said before, she's been puzzled because her complaints to the boss
haven't born fruit - and also, Melanie, you've been rather careless
about calling your ex-fiance Lean in her hearing.'
'Yes ... when we were talking about the earrings, but how did I know
she was listening at the door?'
'That was not the only time. I didn't mention it to you, but on the first
occasion when you let his name slip out before me she was on the
balcony just above us. She must have heard, and naturally concluded
that you had known Lean before coming here. Probably she'd wonder
if you'd had an affair - I don't think for one moment she's suspected
the truth, but you can bet your life she's been worrying herself sick
'Why should she?' Melanie couldn't help interrupting. 'Lean never
even speaks to me.'
'Does she know that?'
'Perhaps not, but she knows what hours he makes me work, and she
also knows what room I'm in.' Melanie shook her head. 'No, Sandra,
she couldn't possibly be jealous of me or be worrying herself sick, as
you put it.'
Sandra thought about this and then went on to give Melanie a few
facts about Olga's character as she knew them.
'She has some peculiar traits,' said Sandra musingly. 'I feel she's had
an unfortunate love affair at some time in her life and that it's left her
feeling - in spite of her apparent confidence in her own attractions - a
little afraid that someone might pinch Lean from her. For she can
even be funny with a guest if the boss happens to show her a bit of
attention. You're rather above the run beauty-wise '
'Sandra, I'm not - please '
'Very much above, so she's scared.'
'But I've just said that she knows the hours I work. It's so obvious that
Lean doesn't like me.'
'All the more reason for Olga's being worried.'
'I don't know what you mean?'
'There's obviously been something between you previously - she
knows this. Now, the boss appears to dislike you, but he could
suddenly see you in a different light, fall in love with you and forget
the past
'Lean would never fall in love with me!' Melanie was trembling and
to her consternation the colour swiftly rose to her cheeks. 'The idea's
ridiculous!'
'Of course it is, because you had a real bust-up, but Olga doesn't know
this. She might be thinking you merely had a tiff and that Lean will
forget it one of these days and there'll be a grand reunion. She must be
afraid,' Sandra went on reasonably, 'to go to the lengths of making
you out a thief.' She stopped, looking at Melanie with an odd
expression as a thought occurred to her. 'You're going to tackle her,
you say?'
'That's right, but she's gone off to Knossos with the guests.'
'Olga doesn't usually accompany the guests on tours. Don't you see,
she's keeping out of the way for a few hours ... believing you'll be
gone by the time she returns.'
'Gone?'
'Sacked - on the spot. Instant dismissal! She'd never have done a trick
like that had she known she would have to face you. And what's she
going to say when she discovers her scheme has failed?'
'My life's going to be more uncomfortable than ever.' [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]