Read Online The Defector by Evelyn Anthony - Free Book Online Page B

you’d forgiven me. “
    “I might have been able to, if you’d loved him,” Davina said.
    “But you took him away from me for fun. Dull old Davy had a fiance and you didn’t fancy being out of the limelight, did you? So you made a dead set at him.”
    “I didn’t,” her sister said.
    “I told you, but you wouldn’t listen to me. He never left me alone. I never wanted to marry him; I didn’t know how to get out of it after he broke off with you. Davy, for God’s sake can’t we bury the past? After all, you didn’t miss much. You saw how he turned out.”
    “I saw what you made of him,” Davina said. There was silence then. She expected her sister to get up and go out, but she didn’t. She sat on the bed and smoked.
    “Your Pole seems nice,” she said at last.
    “Just so I don’t put my foot in it, is he a boy friend?”
    “No,” Davina said.
    “Just a friend.”
    “I think he likes you,” Charley remarked.
    “He keeps looking at you. That’s a sure sign. ” Davina got up.
    “There’s nothing in it; he’s just a friend.”
    “Mother thinks he’s most attractive,” Charley said.
    “Why don’t you encourage him a bit, Davy? You’re so remote with men; they get frightened off.”
    “You live your life, Charley, and I’ll live mine,” she said flatly.
    “I’m going downstairs. Are you coming? And try not to drop that filthy cigarette-ash all over the floor.” Her sister shrugged.
    “If you don’t relax,” she said, ‘you’ll never get a man. You’re turning into a real spinster, Davy. And I’m not being a bitch. I’m just telling you the truth. “
    “One day,” Davina said quietly, ‘you’re going to face the truth about yourself. I’d rather be a spinster than a tramp. ” She hurried out and down the stairs; her father and Sasanov had come into the sitting-room and were standing by the fire, talking. Her mother was sitting in her armchair beside a lamp, wearing spectacles and sewing; she looked serene and she gave her elder daughter a tender smile as she came towards her.
    “Come and sit down near me,” she said.
    “Tell me what you think of this pattern.” Mrs. Graham was an accomplished needlewoman; cushion covers and chair-seats were examples of her work. Davina sat beside her.
    “It’s lovely,” she said, looking at the embroidery-frame.
    “That’s the Bargello pattern, isn’t it?”
    “Yes, darling. I’m covering the two hall-chair seats they’ve got rather tatty. You ought to do this, you know… it’s so soothing.”
    “I don’t have the time,” Davina answered.
    “Or the patience. I never could sew anything properly.”
    “No, you couldn’t.” Her mother smiled.
    “That’s quite right. You look a little tired are you working very hard?”
    “Quite hard,” she admitted. Day and night, in fact, locked in combat with another human being. The hardest work of all.
    “I wish you’d come down and see us more,” her mother murmured. It wasn’t a reproach.
    “Your father was so delighted when I told him you and Charley were coming this weekend.”
    “I’m sure he was,” Davina said; her mother didn’t notice the gentle sarcasm, or if she did, she ignored it and went on.
    “He likes your friend Pavel. I think he’s charming I remember some of the Polish army officers in the war they were such dashing young men. We all fell in love with them…” She didn’t look up or interrupt her sewing.
    “Is there anything between you anything serious?”
    “No, Mother,” Davina said.
    “Charley asked me the same thing. We’re just friends, that’s all. He’s rather lonely in London and I thought he’d like to meet you and spend a weekend in a family. Don’t start marrying me off to Pavel, for heaven’s sake.”
    “Of course not,” Mrs. Graham said. She put the embroidery-frame aside.
    “Davina darling, having a career isn’t everything, you know. You ought to think about getting married. There must be some nice men around in London