Broken Rainbows by Catrin Collier Page A

to drop her knickers?’
    â€˜Of course not.’ Manny’s crude question shocked as well as disgusted him.
    â€˜Buddy, are you slow. She’s had a taste of what a man can give, and she’s desperate for more. I can always tell.’
    â€˜Horseshit.’
    â€˜Well, one thing is certain: she won’t have to wait for you to make a move. Decent or not, Uncle Manny’ll put a smile on her face before long, never fear. Drop me’ off at Station Yard?’
    â€˜You heard the doe’s lecture. You’ll get a dose.’
    â€˜You know your trouble, Duval? You’ve seen so many propaganda films, you’re actually beginning to believe them.’
    Maurice set his mouth into a hard line as he dropped Manny off. Maisie might have a daughter and no husband but she was a kind, thoroughly nice girl who reminded him of his oldest, married sister. He wondered if he knew Liza well enough to ask her to warn Maisie that Manny was only out for what he could get.

Chapter Five
    Jane waltzed around the ballroom in an aura of romance and excitement that blotted everyone and everything except Tomas D’Este from her mind. All she could see, all she could think of, was his heartbreakingly handsome face. She imagined herself back in his arms, dipping and swaying to the lilt of the music, his arm wrapped around her waist, the warmth of his hand radiating through the thin silk of her dress to the small of her back, the touch of his fingers as they held her own …
    She glanced up from beneath lowered lashes, starting in surprise when she saw Lieutenant Rivers staring back at her. She turned away disconcerted by the ridiculous feeling that he had read her thoughts.
    â€˜You’re very beautiful.’
    His voice grated harsh and discordant after Tomas D’Este’s musically accented tones.
    â€˜I’m anything but beautiful. Small, mousy-haired, mousy-eyed, skinny.’
    â€˜But what a mouse.’ His smile became a leer.
    â€˜Will you be in Pontypridd long?’ she asked, taking refuge in commonplace enquiries.
    â€˜Long enough to get to know you better.’
    She blushed, suddenly conscious of Bethan and Colonel Ford dancing behind them. ‘That kind of talk doesn’t impress me.’
    â€˜It wasn’t meant to. I confess, I’m smitten. You’ve bewitched me. I’m yours, body and soul.’
    â€˜It’s more like you’re handing me a line.’
    â€˜You already speak American?’
    â€˜I don’t know what you have been told about Welsh women, Lieutenant Rivers, but we’re not that gullible.’
    â€˜I’m not interested in Welsh women. Only you.’
    â€˜You didn’t know I existed five minutes ago.’
    â€˜I’ve always known you existed. I’ve been waiting all my life to meet you.’
    â€˜Which Hollywood picture did you get that from?’
    â€˜So beautiful and so hard-hearted.’
    â€˜And what would your wife say if she could hear you now?’
    â€˜I have no wife.’
    â€˜I can understand why, if this is an example of your courting technique.’
    â€˜How can you be so indifferent to the plight of a lonely man?’
    â€˜Because I have a husband at the front.’ She moved back as he tried to pull her closer.
    â€˜He’s in Africa?’
    â€˜He was two weeks ago, but he’ll be home soon.’
    â€˜I thought leave was hard to come by for your boys.’
    â€˜Haydn is a singer, an entertainer with ENSA.’
    â€˜I’ve heard of ENSA. An English officer warned us about the organisation in holding camp. Don’t the initials stand for “Every Night Something Awful”?’
    â€˜Not the shows Haydn plays in.’
    â€˜It was a gag.’ He breathed beer fumes over her as he bent his head closer to hers. ‘Not much of one, but I will try to do better next time.’
    â€˜There won’t be a next time, Lieutenant