Red Lotus by Catherine Airlie Page A

setting to please anyone, with El Teide in the background hiding his snow-crowned head in a cloud. She knew that she could have stayed there for ever; that she could have lived her life out on this perfect island with nothing but happiness in her heart.
    Yet already there was a small cloud forming on her horizon, as small as the cloud that played about the brow of El Teide, and deep down she was aware of a sense of hurt, of inner conflict which she could not understand, a longing and a fear which set her heart beating ponderously whenever she thought about the months to come.
    "Soon we will have to go," Andrea said disappointedly when they had folded up the tent.
    "Wait till Philip comes," Sisa begged, looking at Isabella. "He is to return for us at five o'clock."
    Isabella hesitated. It was no more than a fraction of a second's doubt, but Maria's name sprang unbidden to Felicity's mind again, almost as if Isabella de Barrios had repeated Julio's ugly accusation of murder there on the quiet beach.
    "Of course we will wait," Isabella agreed almost immediately. "It is far too long since we saw Philip. He is generally much too busy to come on picnics."
    "He has gone to Granadilla on business," Sisa agreed. "But he has promised to join us for tea."
    "And Philip never breaks his promises," Isabella said.
    Conchita shot her a veiled glance. She seemed impatient, almost eager to get away from the Playa now, although she knew that they must wait for Philip's return.
    "If you do go before Philip comes, Isabella, may I ride back with you?" she asked. "I have not been to Zamora for a very long time."
    Isabella suppressed what might have been an expression of the utmost irritation.
    "You must come soon, Conchita," she said, "but not to-day. Not when Philip is expecting to find you here on his return."
    Conchita pouted, flinging herself face downwards on the hot sand.
    "It will not matter," she murmured rebelliously, "and I like to be at Zamora."
     
    "You may ask Philip," Isabella returned with a strange constriction in her voice, "for here he comes."
    She had been first to notice the car on its tortuous journey down to the beach, and Philip waved to them when he came near enough to see the Mercedes parked in the shade of the palms.
    When he got out he came straight towards Isabella, and Felicity saw the Marquesa catch her breath and smile, as if, indeed, it had been far too long since their last meeting.
    Philip held both the long, slender hands in his, but he did not bend over them or kiss them as her husband would have done in similar circumstances. He was far too British in everything he did for that. Yet there was an intimacy beyond doubting between them, a pleasure in this meeting which neither of them cared to deny.
    "Philip!" Isabella cried. "This is good, seeing you so unexpectedly! We know you have been to Granadilla on business, but now it is past five o'clock, and you must forget about work, in the English fashion!" she teased.
    "I had already made up my mind to do that, just for once," he told her, still holding her fingers imprisoned. "How are you, Isabella?" His blue eyes searched the dark ones which were almost level with his. "Are you quite well again?"
    "Quite well, Philip." Isabella's thick black lashes came down for a moment over her eyes, veiling them, hiding her expression for a split second before she added: "The loss of the baby is now almost forgotten."
    Philip did not think it was. Felicity could see that. He knew that Isabella was putting up a tremendous fight for composure and he tried to help her. There was tenderness between them for a moment before he let the slim brown fingers go, and then he turned to Andrea and Celeste to talk about their swimming and challenge them to a race some other day.
    Both girls seemed to be overjoyed at his coming, and Sisa always blossomed when he was near. It was only Conchita who frowned. She lay on the sand, watching him sulkily, her long, silken lashes veiling her eyes, and