Passionate Choice

Chapter 7.4

   "Heather thinks Walker arranged the whole thing so that he could get you to himself for a few hours," said Ben quietly. "Did he, Selena?"

   She turned to look at him. Apart from the way he was frowning at her in his schoolmaster fashion, as if she were some miscreant he had to punish, he looked very well, quite sun-tanned in fact. He looked as if he had been cosseted and waited upon and she guessed he had—by Heather.

   "No. At least, I don't think so. Gary toke me that Heather insisted that he and Max bring her back here when she found out that Keith had dived with me against her orders," she said coolly, looking him straight in the eyes. His own eyes flickered, the eyelids drooped. She was glad he had the grace to look discomfited by what she said. But Heather wasn't. Heather had gone, was crossing the room inside on silent feet, avoiding confrontation. "Either Gary or Heather is lying, Ben. I wonder which one?" she added smoothly.

   He shifted on the lounger, shaded his eyes with one hand and looked out at the view, looked anywhere in fact but her.

   "Ben, I have something to tell you," she began softly. "A confession to make. Another one. I went over the reef, to the bay on the other side. I went with Keith and he showed me the wreck he had found under an outgrowth of coral. We went into the hull. There was a chest there, a cheap modern one, fastened with a padlock."

   She finished spending and sat back. It was up to him now, either to lie to her or tell the truth. He glanced quickly at her, then stared, his attention caught by the bracelet on her left arm and then drawn to the finger of her left hand on which the wedding ring hung.

   "Where did you get that ring?" He demanded hoarsely, sitting up straight.

   "This? Oh, Keith gave it to me. And this." she turned the bracelet on her arm. "I'm going to clean it as soon as I can. I suspect both are Spanish, Part if the loot taken from some galleon, perhaps by a privateer whose ship was wrecked on the other side of the reef. Keith found them near the wreck in the sand. Where is the rest of the loot, Ben? Is it in the padlocked box?"

   "So you've seen it." He sank back against the cushions, his face pale. "Walker found it, of course," he went on bitterly. "I told Heather I didn't like her leaving you alone with him." He opened his eyes and gave her a reproachful glance. "What is he going to do about it? What are you going to do?"

   "Keith says he isn't going to do anything except tell John Claes when he comes and leave him to deal with it."

   There was no doubting that Ben was relieved. Relief showed in the sudden relaxation of his body, in the clearing of his face.

   "And you?" What about you?"

   "I... I think I'd be satisfied with an explanation from you," she murmured, leaning forward in her chair. "Ben, is it the loot from the Santiago which is in there? The jewels, the silver and gold?"

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