Read Online The Takamaka Tree by Alexandra Thomas - Free Book Online Page B

envelope of green liquid lay in the recess beside the bath.
    How marvellous, she could wash her hair. It was a long time since it had been properly shampooed. How strange that she should know that; it was odd how her mind produced trivial bits of information but withheld the most important.
    Warm water. It was bliss after weeks of cold-water washing on La Petite. She slid down into the bath and let the water wash over her head. Not once on La Petite had she given a thought to the lack of a bathroom. But now she wondered how she had existed so long without one.
    She split the envelope with her nail. It was tough plastic and tore raggedly, spurting green liquid into the bath. The tap was still running and within moments, cascades of foam began to build up. She sat, amazed, watching the white bubbles growing. She scooped up handfuls, daubing them about her body, decorating herself with bubbles.
    What fun, she thought, and how thoughtful of the hotel management to provide a bubble bath. Her fear of meeting people receded very slightly, although she was not then aware of it. She looked around the well-appointed bathroom and it dawned on her that it must be expensive. She wondered if Daniel could afford it. Living on Mahé would be very different to living on La Petite, where so much had been free for the picking.
    She heard a key turning in the lock and Daniel called out as he came in, so that she would know who it was.
    “I’m in the bathroom,” she replied. “I’m having a lovely bubble bath. It’s such fun.”
    “Carry on soaking,” he said. “I’ve some things to unpack. And I’ve ordered some breakfast to be sent up, in case you don’t feel like facing the restaurant yet.”
    Breakfast had arrived when Sandy eventually came out of the bathroom wrapped in the biggest of the towels. It had been laid on the table on the balcony, with a pretty pale linen cloth and the cutlery and china were shining bright. A bowl of cereal and a jug of fresh milk, sliced pawpaw, fresh pineapple juice, sweet rolls and honey, and a pot each of tea and coffee.
    “Can you afford all this?” asked Sandy bluntly.
    “No.”
    But he sounded amused, and merely leaned over to wipe a smudge of foam off the end of her nose.
    “This looks like a very expensive hotel,” she persisted.
    “That’s right.”
    “Are you rich?”
    “No.”
    Sandy was exasperated. “I mean, what do you do for a living? You’ve never told me anything, except that you are mad about birds, and nobody can make money out of birds.”
    “Oh, what a curious young lady we have this morning,” he mocked. “Do you want to know the state of my overdraft, too?”
    Sandy flushed. He could flatten her with some caustic remark and she almost hated him. And she had been feeling so happy in the bath.
    “Sometimes you spoil everything,” she stormed.
    “Do you intend to have your breakfast in that towel?” Daniel said, ignoring her outburst. “Or would you care to glance at the things on your bed?”
    Daniel had been shopping. He had bought a plain white cotton dirndl skirt, a pale apple-green sleeveless blouse, bra, pants and half-slip in white embroidered cotton, a pair of flat gold sandals and, of all things, some gold hoop earrings.
    Sandy wished she could sink through the floor. He was so kind and thoughtful, and his choice was perfect. She knew the white and green would look marvellous with her tan and hair colouring. She fingered the earrings, lost for something to say.
    “Pretty,” she said. “But how did you know my size?”
    “I took your old flip-flops along with me, and remember there was a label inside your bikini. There’s not much choice in Port Victoria, but you’ll be able to choose some more clothes for yourself. That is, when you feel like walking around the shops.”
    “Thank you,” said Sandy. “And I’m sorry about just now.”
    She looked quite different in the new clothes. A wild thing tamed, thought Daniel as she came and sat opposite