excerpt
come to our house, and we’ll toast our new graduate in champagne.
I laid some in especially for this night.”
Tyne glanced at Morley. His face tightened almost imperceptibly.
She glanced at his parents, and noted the same drawn look about them.
“Thanks, Arthur,” Jeff Milligan said. “Come along then, Tyne.” As
if as an afterthought, he turned to the Cresswells. “You’ll come, too,
of course. Tyne will be able to show you the way.”
She saw the question in Morley’s eyes as he looked at her. Did he
believe her to be in the habit of visiting them? She had told him about
the Tournquists, but had stressed they were her father’s friends. She
had told him about Cameron and the fact that he was a fourth year
medical student in Vancouver. But, of course, she did not tell him
that their fathers had tried to promote a romance between her and
Cam. Well, she could be wrong. But why were the Tournquists here
tonight when she hardly knew them? Why had her dad insisted on
inviting them?
Morley spoke up. “Thank you, Mr. Tournquist, we’ll be happy to
come.” As her guests dispersed, he took Tyne’s arm and guided her
towards the door. Mr. and Mrs. Cresswell followed.
Tyne had the impression that Morley’s grip on her arm was just a
little too firm, and too … what? Possessive?
In the parlour at Pinewoods, Arthur Tournquist served champagne.
He appeared momentarily nonplussed when the Cresswells
politely refused, requesting a glass of water in which to toast the
graduate nurse. Jeffery Milligan looked both embarrassed and angry,
and glared at Tyne when she also requested water.
The toasts were made, and were followed by coffee, dainty sandwiches
and cakes which had been laid out on the buffet before their
arrival. Elizabeth Tournquist, after dismissing the maid, served the
repast herself. Tyne could not help but watch her hostess as she
moved easily and gracefully about the room. In her long dress of
blue silk, the colour a perfect match for her eyes, she exuded a confidence
such as Tyne could only hope, but never expected, to one day
possess.
Reluctantly, she took her eyes off Elizabeth, and glanced around
the room. Morley, sitting beside Tyne on the rather uncomfortable
Libros Libertad 