Edges of love

d the grey-haired, intell

ate's in the plane for the

the pouring rain—was it

efore? Kate hadn't managed

e

n, the sun was shining i

dow as the jet lowered its

emed to glitter wi

ted over the dark blue wat

busily, their bow-waves c

ately ones, ferry boats o

y; squat ones that might b

o boats; even a naval vess

reeze. And further away a h

d awnings forming a solid

ig

ys across Kate's should

isn't it? Even the junks

e. Get nearer to them, t

r and patched—though ver

g their clothes. They fest

ac

, but with a sense of disbe

most impossible that it wo

et plane, hovering above

that Polly had chosen f

h an exciting new hair-s

e a start of surprise ever

a glittering great diamo

t altered if it didn't fit. I

er wore it—never even saw

of her stomach growing w

he time she would see Paul

airp

h, still looking down

ngly. 'That's Hong Kong

ice had a note of pleasur

apers clustered together a

at's the famous Victoria Pe

up here, it's extremely ste

bout among the trees? The

lf, are lucky to rent an a

d place

nt and one always feels

myself,' she added

g flight Kate had taken a

eir seats she had put K

asoned traveller. 'It's ver

he had observed, looking w

afari suit with t

inimum of personal detai

join her fiancée, and very

s home was in Hong Kong

nment post, and she had

only now and again

ed. 'I cling to the last of

n atmosphere—in some way

well, the old colonial val

y hasn't quite caught on

u be a new woman?' she en

ssive

ast offended. 'I'm an indiv

d sagely and said, 'T

borne Mrs Locke had sett

must excuse me if I don't seem very sociable,' she announced pleasantly. 'And I sleep a lot on a plane.'

last thing she wanted to

adjust to the strangeness

she got on the plane she h

thing catastrophic might

go. But nothing had happen

she had felt it was al

effortlessly taken over th

y delighted to see his on

had returned to his job in

down at last. Mr Bruce

everything and had offered

huge electronics busines

way from office routine

d involved in the work th

o

ain amount of covering-up

to Hong Kong to do, but,

ding Father and Aunt Ella,

and used her imaginatio

ly Chard's boutique in May

girl, and she was buoyed

e you can carry off a softl

need anything fussy. A cri

hose gorgeous legs and play

linen— voiles. For eveni

ysterious, alluring!' Sh

ues will do your hair marv

hts in it—unusual— and one

for your very fine, clear

s Kate Reynolds, when w

she waited for the plane t

th too. She remembered the

ting for her flight to be

think up an excuse about a member of the corporation

e was to make absolutely

an

trust me not

reated him I don't suppose

till can't think why she

exican oil millionaire, may

ntion of the exquisite mo

who had walked out on him

ide Polly on the seat in th

all off the whole venture.

at this late stage, and wh

course she couldn't. She

in spite of the horrid sink

ilin

ws raised. 'You're nervous,

's no

te wailed, 'I'm out of

,' smiled Polly. 'And you

man. Don't let you

said Kate. 'He won't ch

asn't so far, only the mer

nd I'm terribly grateful.

ly clothes and my hair

confidence to meet strang

I expect he'll still see me

awful old grey mac—he won

Polly said bluntly. 'Use

e you're going to have a ro

ul bul

l. 'I don't know if

ly made it sound convincin

t have you g

htfully over the heads of

Yes,' she said again, and h

ace and she lifted her head

ainst her neck. 'What

ooked at each other

hter now as the plane cir

wn on the long concrete ar

e remembered to laugh, thin

down their hand-luggage

until you meet your fian

would you rather

'Air travel is still pre

as far as I've been

woman's expertise as the

ry sleeve to the long cro

ls—Immigration Control—

out Customs,' Mrs Locke r

ther now unless you have so

thr

d trolleys, grabbed their

Kate was quite ready for

ong beside a rail, lined w

beaming smiles, cries of

e hadn't seen him smile.

would be inches taller than

he's here,' s

'He must be,' Mrs Locke s

tay by you

nnoy. 'Will Miss Kate Re

come to the Inf

ke, and led the wa

round and shook her head.

e was desperately disappoi

ure there's no

f minutes. 'I found him fo

h a tactf

cky young man with reddis

at Kate as if he couldn'

hastily, 'I'm Josh Kinney,

e it. He's held up at a co

ng and m

to the other of them. 'Not

on my way. Nice to have

look me up if you have a second of spare time. You'll find me in the phone book.'

e to thank her for her

, pushing her trolley

ned. 'Sorry about the mixup,' he said. 'I was wait

I must have missed you

nned at her, showing

d politely, smiling back.

eassuring that she hadn't

ript

s from the trolley. 'Shall

the car

the boot of a glossy whit

fragile object, which was a new experience for her. L

But it was very pleasant,

ather

om confronting Paul had l

rt of the big car and look

of apartments so high tha

love the way all the peo

windows to dry their wash

elco

t her as he manoeuvred the

s,' he said, and then, as

e same breath, 'We go thr

th approach lane into the

osite side into a wide

had an idea of Hong Kong a

ourful humanity and ex

banners hanging across

who laughed and assured

as she wanted. 'But Hong

see your hotel if

forecourt she admitted th

reaching up into the blue

nd flashed in the sunshine.

ent drinking in the sun and

gloom of the London she h

intox

immense. A commissionaire

in reds and golds and emer

to one of the long

y high up,' said Kate. '

on the twenty-eighth floor

'll see you by the lift in the foyer when you're rea

tin

room, which seemed to hav

of luxury thrown in: a p

tiny fridge with an array

alcoholic kind. The bed w

e fittings in dark polished

ur to the essenti

e window on to a major r

ers of the harbour and on

green rise

ful holiday she could hav

ting prospect of facing

actics,' Polly had said. '

o

ong Kong reached out and g

ill. After all, as you said

peeled off her travellin

er r

, standing under an enor

e lift twenty

own eyes admired her. She

green cotton, crisp as a

Its shape showed off her p

?' She tried to sound a

up with me for a bit longer

ve a

kshaw, painted orange and

the vast lobby and Ordered

em

sket chair and said, 'It's

She had to keep up the

to get a bit drawn-out, a

e. Probably they're trying

inned and took a lo

ly? I don't know a thin

with an apo

ment consultant—and that

re.' She couldn't miss the n

e too? A manage

ot nearly tough enough fo

I'm just Paul's dogsbody wh

rporation—they're starti

ronic gear in Hong

ously at her. 'That's righ

ut

Not much. We talked m

he felt the blood mounting

on. A girl newly engaged a

owed t

er very long,' she added,

and making th

ed that. We all did. It qu

married. I mean ‑' he a

't any hint when he went

g

l the marrying type of m

of his drink and added gallantly, 'But now that

pen

ery sweet of you.' Her lar

on't you think it would b

te

ds her to make his lower

aul's a lucky devil—Kate,'

is eye on his girl w

ed, as a deep voice from b

? I thought I asked you to

ing aroun

o the front of them, stari

e threatened to shatter Ka

f, and jumped

' she cried, and saw his

nish

s arms and felt them close

moment's hesitation. But

was hard and angry. She k

e crushing her painfully, w

pany: Let me

ss was doing very strange

and down her spine. She

im, her cheeks flushed and

t, brushing

almost felt her bones crack

, with a small feeling of

ing down at her with an un

bably furious inside, she t

od s

hat Josh was on his feet, examining the pass

ying a hand on his arm. 'Da

you couldn't co

'I think we can dispense wi

ack immediately. 'I've lef

into some sort of order be

ming back to the o

f course not. I'll do that.

l, I'll be getting along, t

nol

ame is Kate. And thank yo

y k

de a clumsy sort of

k. 'A splendidly convinci

ut there really isn't any n

of my person

and slid back into her ch

lease, Paul dear

s dark brows lowered. Then

o the bar. Kate watched h

way he held his shoulders,

th, she thought, and wonde

p i

ut it on the table before

guessed it was something

ir opposite and drank in

the lines of fatigue on hi

n of hours of stress—only

people, not from the pre

ally did look tired, and s

, even if she did dislike th

kept quiet until he opene

t?' she

heard the impatience in hi

d landed himself with thi

eason migh

mly. 'Josh said you'd been

hief and passed it over his

could do with a sh

ance. 'We'll go back to m

ings you'll be expected to

as an afterthought, 'Or do

t you out

'No, thank you, darling,

d I don't think I'll get jet

It was so thoughtful of you

y lovin

itably. 'There's no need

not when we'r

refully. 'I'm supposed to

try to convince myself tha

I don't find that very easy

private as wel

ance. 'Do you find me

he crisp green skirt of her

son,' she said. 'So that's

htfully. 'You're very attrac

re about

mpatiently. 'This is a r

l we go, then?' She moved

osh had parked Paul's whi

le

e smooth wide freeways, h

ot attempting to talk, and

ing, she knew they must be

ed out to her. The apart

d into the short driveway,

view below— the blue harb

standing up stiff and st

quite bre

stood looking down through

e here?' she said softly

d locked it. 'Let's cut the

and led the way i

siasm hadn't been socia

t if he preferred silence,

e

to somewhere that must ha

key into the door to the le

in comfortable, complete

Kate thought that was rat

ifferent objects one could

down at one end of the so

th that wonderful vi

ing to a built-in cup

hat I'd like more than any

d that be

closed the cupboard door. '

ish is my command.' He w

ugh the open door, w