Staff Nurse in the Tyrol by Elizabeth Houghton Page A

remembered Greta’s bitter words. Did Stefan care only for the country to which he might never return? She glanced at the tall figure walking beside her, and as if sensing her regard, Stefan smiled down at her and his face lost the sadness it wore when in repose.
    His hand rested on her arm and he led her to the curved railing of the lo o kout. “See? Is it not beautiful?”
    Sonia forgot him, forgot where she was, forgot that the world existed. The moonlight had silvered the mountains, sprinkled diamonds among the snowfields, turned the distant river into a shining swathe of molten silver, and cast the small valleys into shadows of black velvet. Overhead the arch of the sky had the unbelievable blue of an Italian Old Master’s painting.
    At last she sighed and stirred, and it seemed perfectly natural that Stefan should have slipped his arm around her shoulders. “It’s too lovely for words,” she whispered softly.
    Stefan’s arm tightened. “Has no one told you that you are lovely?”
    Something in his tone caught at her faraway attention. “I don’t remember.” She tried to be flippant.
    His hand touched her cheek and guided her face around so that she faced him. “Does it make you angry then for a man to tell you that you are lovely?” He sounded puzzled.
    Sonia hesitated. She didn’t want to hurt Stefan, but she didn’t want him to go on like this. “I suppose it’s because I’m not used to it.”
    “Are the young men in your country so blind, so cold, that they do not tell you these things? With you I can forget for a little while the troubles of my fatherland.”
    There was a fierceness in his manner that made Sonia uneasy. She tried to pull away, but Stefan held her more firmly.
    “What is it that is wrong? Do you not like me? Why do you come if you do not like me, eh?”
    Sonia stared at him. “Of course I like you, and I came because you were kind enough to ask me.”
    “Is that the only reason? Is it not that you want me to...” He broke off and began to kiss her.
    Sonia was too startled to resist for a moment, but then she began to struggle. “No, Stefan! Please don’t!”
    Stefan paid no attention, and his kisses grew wilder until at last it dawned on him that Sonia was lying passive in his grasp. He released her so abruptly that she almost fell.
    “So my friends are right,” he said bitterly. “The English girls are so cold ... they are cheats!”
    Sonia began to walk away swiftly. How could she make him understand ... make him realize that she wanted him as a friend only? It was so dark once she left the edge of the terrace. She was in the shadow of the restaurant, and she could scarcely see where to put her feet. She had no clear idea of what she was doing or where she was going. She just wanted to get away long enough to give Stefan an opportunity to calm down. What had upset him? He hadn’t been drinking ... a t least, he had only had one glass of wine with dinner. She became aware that Stefan was calling her, and it was several minutes before the import of his words penetrated.
    “Sonia! Come quickly. The cable car goes. Sonia? Forgive me! I did not understand.”
    She hesitated. Could she believe him, or was it merely a trick to get her to turn back? She stumbled, tripped over a rock, and put out her hands to save herself. Then Stefan was beside her and pulling her to her feet, holding her hands tightly so that she couldn't get away.
    “Sonia! I could cut out my heart rather than frighten you. Please! Please come quickly, the cable car does not wait.”
    She tried to subdue her trembling. Even if she couldn’t quite trust Stefan again so soon she still needed his help to get back down the mountain to St. Anton.
    “My purse! I’ve dropped it. Help me to find it.” Sonia was near tears.
    Together they fumbled around in the darkness until at last her searching hands felt it.
    “I have it.” Sonia stood up and tried to brush some of the debris off her dress.
    “That is good.