Illyrian Summer by Iris Danbury

changed the subject adroitly. “ I ’ d like to say goodbye to her if she is still in the tent hospital. ”
    “ Of course. It is Spirova. Mirjana Spirova. ” Radmilla laughed softly. “ Mirjana is very much in love with Adam. ” She held her head high. “ Perhaps it is because we find the Englishmen so nice. Edmund—and Adam—they are both charming. How lucky it is that you have Daniel, or you might lose him to one of us! ”
    Sarah joined in Radmilla ’ s laughter, although her heart was weighted with coldness. She scarcely needed Radmilla ’ s confirmation of what she had suspected for some time.
    In the hospital grounds she had no difficulty in finding the tent where Mirjana reclined on a makeshift camp bed. Her leg was in plaster and her right arm heavily bandaged.
    The girl ’ s face was white and drawn with worry, but still beautiful, and she gave Sarah a cordial smile. Mi r jana ’ s English was rather less than Sarah ’ s Serbo - Croatian, but with a few words accompanied by smiles and gestures they managed to understand each other.
    Sarah sympathized over the loss of her aunt and asked how her mother was progressing. Mirjana replied that Adam managed to get messages through to Belgrade by truck drivers or other means and yesterday he had informed her that her mother was improving.
    Sarah spoke of the lucky accident over the lost bead necklace and the delays that had saved both Mi r jana and Adam from more serious consequences.
    “ Our lives were saved, ” Mi r jana murmured.
    When Sarah mentioned that Edmund had offered to take Mi r jana to some other place of safety, the girl ’ s eyes widened in fright. “ No, no! ” she exclaimed. “ I could not go from here yet. When my leg is better, Adam will take me to Belgrade to my mother. She knows that it is not yet possible for me to be with her. ”
    Sarah put out her hand and covered Mi r jana ’ s unbandaged wrist. “ Yes, of course, I understand. Your mother will need you there. While you are here, Adam will save you from feeling lonely. ” She hoped sincerely that her voice sounded natural and warmhearted and carried no tinge of the consuming ache in her own heart.
    Mirjana ’ s eyes shone. “ Yes, ” she murmured contentedly. “ Adam. ”
    In those two words Sarah realized the whole world of love that Mi r jana was offering to Adam.
    The two girls said their goodbyes and Sarah walked toward the exit from the grounds. As she reached the street she came face to face with Adam.
    For no reason at all she flushed guiltily and her face went pink as a dog rose. “ I ’ ve been to see Mirjana , ” she said almost aggressively. “ I hope you don ’ t disapprove. ”
    “ Why should I? ” he queried. His lean, tanned face caught the slanting rays of the evening sunshine and his blue eyes sparkled icily, not with friendly amusement, she thought.
    She shrugged her shoulders and turned her face away. “ I merely went to say goodbye to Mirjana and wish her good luck in the future. Goodbye to you, too, Adam. As you know, we ’ re leaving very early tomorrow morning. ” After a moment ’ s hesitation she held out her hand. Surely there was no need to part as enemies.
    “ Goodbye, Sarah, ” he answered gravely as he took her hand for a moment. “ I ’ m sorry you ’ ve had such an uncomfortable time here. ”
    “ We didn ’ t expect anything but chaos and we ’ ve had no time for sight-seeing, ” she retorted with spirit. “ Edmund had his work to do and the rest of us have tried to help. ”
    “ You have helped—very much, ” he said coolly. “ But every day some things improve and others become worse, so Edmund is right in deciding to leave as soon, as possible. ”
    She gave him the ghost of a smile. “ Our departure can ’ t be too soon for you? It seems a long time to us since we arrived, but in fact it was only the day before yesterday. ” As she spoke, Sarah wondered if that was entirely accurate. Incredible that so much