Kenneth Marshall tapped on his wife’s door. When her voice answered, he opened the door and went in.
Arlena was just putting the finishing touches to her toilet. She was dressed in glittering green and looked a little like a mermaid. She was standing in front of the glass applying mascara to her eyelashes. She said:
“Oh, it’s you, Ken.”
“Yes. I
wondered if you were ready.”
“Just a minute.”
Kenneth Marshall strolled to the window. He looked out on the sea. His face, as usual, displayed no emotion of any kind. It was pleasant and ordinary.
Turning round, he said:
“Arlena?”
“Yes?”
“You’ve met Redfern before, I gather?”
Arlena said easily:
“Oh yes, darling. At a cocktail party somewhere. I thought he was rather a pet.”
“So I gather. Did you know that he and his wife were coming down here?”
Arlena opened her eyes very wide.
“Oh no, darling. It was the greatest surprise!”
Kenneth Marshall said quietly:
“I thought, perhaps, that that was what put the idea of this place into your head. You were very keen we should come here.”
Arlena put down the mascara. She turned towards him. She smiled—a soft seductive smile. She said:
“Somebody told me about this place. I think it was the Rylands. They said it was simply too marvellous—so unspoilt! Don’t you like it?”
Kenneth Marshall said:
“I’m not sure.”
“Oh, darling, but you adore bathing and lazing about. I’m sure you’ll simply adore it here.”
“I can see that you mean to enjoy yourself.”
Her eyes widened a little. She looked at him uncertainly.
Kenneth Marshall said:
“I suppose the truth of it is that you told young Redfern that you were coming here?”
Arlena said:
“Kenneth darling, you’re not going to be horrid, are you?”
Kenneth Marshall said: