relaxed a little. ‘Oh, yes,’ she agreed, with candour. ‘I don’t think he was particularly pleased about it.’
Loren studied her intently. ‘Perhaps not. Didn’t it occur to you to consider that it would have been more diplomatic to wait until you were actually invited?’
Maria was taken aback. ‘No. I didn’t think it was necessary,’ she replied. ‘Adam is my brother.’
‘He is your stepbrother, which is quite a different thing.’
‘Nevertheless, he is a part of my family.’
‘A part you don’t know very well, I would hazard a guess,’ observed Loren a little dryly.
‘Perhaps so. I intend to remedy that,’ replied Maria, aroused by the other woman’s scornful manner.
Loren inhaled deeply and at that moment Mrs Lacey came in with the tray of coffee. She placed it on the table beside Loren and straightened stiffly. ‘Is there anything else you require, miss?’
Loren glanced at the tray. ‘No, thank you, Mrs Lacey. That looks perfect.’
Mrs Lacey nodded briefly and withdrew, and Maria looked after her rather doubtfully. She wondered whether Mrs Lacey approved of her entertaining this woman in Adam’s house and in his absence. Had she been mistaken in thinking that Loren Griffiths was a friend of Adam’s?
Loren poured out the coffee, but Maria refused to have any. She had already had some with Mrs Lacey, and besides, she had no particular desire to be sociable with this woman. There was something about her manner that she didn’t like, although apart from a few observations Loren had said nothing offensive. Yet she had the feeling she was being thoroughly appraised and she wondered again why she should have wanted to meet her. They seemed to have nothing in common.
‘What course are you planning to take?’ Loren interrupted her train of thought with a question.
Maria shrugged. ‘I’m not sure yet, Miss Griffiths. I’ve made no definite plans.’
‘I see.’ Loren frowned. ‘I should have thought it would have been more convenient for you to take such a course nearer your own home. After all, they do have that sort of thing there, don’t they?’ She said it as though Ireland was inhabited by primitives.
Maria nodded politely, however, and said: ‘Yes, there are courses there, but I wanted to come to London.’
‘I see,’ Loren said again. ‘Even so, you must admit, coming here to live with your stepbrother is rather—how shall I put it?—unconventional.’
Maria felt her cheeks colouring. ‘Is it, Miss Griffiths?’
‘Don’t you think so?’
‘No!’
Loren sighed, pressing out her cigarette impatiently. ‘You’re obviously not a child, Maria. Surely you can see that it would have been far more suitable for you to share a flat with several other girls than living here with Adam?’
Maria stiffened. Such an idea had never entered her head, and besides, she knew her father would never have countenanced such a suggestion. In consequence, her young voice was heated as she retorted: ‘I don’t see what business it is of yours, Miss Griffiths, where I choose to make my home!’
‘Maria!’ The unexpectedly male voice startled both of them, and Maria swung round to find Adam standing in the doorway to the lounge, his face dark and annoyed. They must have been so absorbed in their argument that they had not heard him enter the house.
Loren immediately got to her feet and before Maria could speak she rushed across to him eagerly. ‘Adam! Darling!’ she exclaimed, her voice soft and appealing, much different from the rather harsh tones she had used to Maria. ‘I’ve been waiting for you.’
Adam regarded her sardonically for a moment, restraining with his arm any attempt she might have made to embrace him. Then he looked across at Maria questioningly. Maria twisted her hands behind her back and lifted her shoulders in a defiant shrug. She had no intention of trying to make explanations while Loren Griffiths was there.
As though sensing her withdrawal, Adam looked back at the woman who was clinging to his arm, and his eyes softened. ‘Well, Loren?’ he said challengingly. ‘Exactly why are you here? Or can I guess?’
Loren made an eloquent gesture, and realizing he was not in a mood to be cajoled, decided to be honest. ‘I came to meet Maria,’ she said coolly. ‘After all, I am your fiancée, aren’t I, darling?’
‘Are you?’ Adam was equally as cool, annoyingly so.
Loren sighed. ‘Of course I am.’ She looked across at Maria. ‘Perhaps you ought to explain that to your—er—stepsister!’
Maria controlled herself with difficulty. Loren was being openly insolent now, secure in the knowledge of Adam’s support. Even so, Adam didn’t appear at all amused by the situation, and she could only assume he was still angry with her for speaking to his fiancée as she had done. He should have told her he was engaged. He should have explained that his fiancée might call. He should not have allowed her to be placed in such an embarrassing position.
With a muffled, ‘Excuse me,’ she walked quickly across the room, brushing past them to escape into the hall. Once there, she made a hasty retreat to her bedroom, slamming the door rather harder than was necessary. Then she glared at her reflection in the dressing table mirror. All of a sudden she didn’t like today either…
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