supper in the canteen.
Jan van Goort asked Sonya for a waltz, and also Mr Wylie, very much aware of his importance as club manager. Derek tried to monopolise her, but as some of the younger men, attracted by this more approachable Sonya, clustered round her, she refused to allow him to, even trying to flirt a little. She laughed a lot and seemed in a reckless mood, for all the while she was conscious of the two dark figures, their fair heads close together entwined in the dance. Thomasina had got her man.
Derek took Sonya in to supper and she drank more wine than was good for her. It was then she found Sven beside her, calmly confiscating the glass she held in her hand.
'Too much will harm your skating.'
'Damn the skating!' she cried wildly.
He raised his eyebrows. 'Was I not right when I told you your heart was not in it?'
She sobered, looking up into his slightly tanned face in which the keen eyes were regarding her quizzically.
'You know it has to be, but mayn't I forget it for one night?'
'You seem to be doing that very successfully, but you owe your colleague at least one dance. May I have it?'
She was aware of Thomasina hovering and Derek glowering.
'I wondered if you'd get around to asking me,' she said provocatively. 'But I'm engaged for the rest of the evening, including the next dance.'
'You are, to me,' Sven announced, and putting his arm about her waist swept her out of the canteen on to the dance floor.
Naturally he was a good dancer, he could not be otherwise with his training. It was another waltz, a slow one, and he held her closely. With so much practice together they moved in perfect harmony.
'This can be no novelty to you,' Sonya said a little wistfully. 'I'm surprised you want to dance with me when we're skating every day.'
She was aware her heart was beating hard, as it never did on the ice, and her nerves were vibrating. It was a man who was holding her so closely, not a skater.
'We are not on the rink now,' Sven pointed out. 'And you are just the right height for me. I like to be able to look down into my partner's eyes. Thomasina is rather like dancing with a giraffe.'
'That's not very gallant,' Sonya rebuked him. 'And she looks beautiful tonight, doesn't she?' Perversely she praised her enemy.
Sven's lip curled. 'I am not partial to blondes,' he told her.
'Don't gentlemen prefer them? You're being hypocritical, Mr Petersen, you've danced with her all the evening.'
'I don't know anyone else except you,' he said plaintively. 'And you seemed to be occupied.'
Sven was not familiar with the club members and the girls were a little in awe of him, also Thomasina had boasted that he was her date. That had not occurred to Sonya before.
'I'm sorry,' she murmured, 'but I'm sure Tom made up for lack of introductions.'
'Must we talk about Tom?' he asked. 'The poor girl seems to obsess you.' A gleam, it looked like triumph, came into his eyes. 'Can it be you are jealous?'
'Oh no, of course not,' she said hastily, but feared that she was.
The dance came to an end, but he kept his arm about her.
'They are going to repeat it,' he said. 'We will stay together.'
She wanted to very much, but she was not going to admit it. Not after his earlier neglect.
'You're being despotic, Sven. Suppose I don't want to stay with you?'
'That would be unfortunate,' he said gravely, 'because you are going to, and after this dance I will take you home.'
'But the evening won't be over, and I've made my arrangements,' she protested, as the music started again and he drew her back into his arms. She had come by taxi and Derek would see her home.
'So have I made mine. You should not be out too late.'
'Oh, you're as bad as Daddy!' she exclaimed vexedly.
'In his absence, I regard myself in loco parentis. The devil seems to have got into you tonight, Sonya. I have never seen you try to flirt before.'
'I've got to start some time,' she said pertly, 'and I'll improve with practice, but I'm sure you were too occupied
Jan van Goort asked Sonya for a waltz, and also Mr Wylie, very much aware of his importance as club manager. Derek tried to monopolise her, but as some of the younger men, attracted by this more approachable Sonya, clustered round her, she refused to allow him to, even trying to flirt a little. She laughed a lot and seemed in a reckless mood, for all the while she was conscious of the two dark figures, their fair heads close together entwined in the dance. Thomasina had got her man.
Derek took Sonya in to supper and she drank more wine than was good for her. It was then she found Sven beside her, calmly confiscating the glass she held in her hand.
'Too much will harm your skating.'
'Damn the skating!' she cried wildly.
He raised his eyebrows. 'Was I not right when I told you your heart was not in it?'
She sobered, looking up into his slightly tanned face in which the keen eyes were regarding her quizzically.
'You know it has to be, but mayn't I forget it for one night?'
'You seem to be doing that very successfully, but you owe your colleague at least one dance. May I have it?'
She was aware of Thomasina hovering and Derek glowering.
'I wondered if you'd get around to asking me,' she said provocatively. 'But I'm engaged for the rest of the evening, including the next dance.'
'You are, to me,' Sven announced, and putting his arm about her waist swept her out of the canteen on to the dance floor.
Naturally he was a good dancer, he could not be otherwise with his training. It was another waltz, a slow one, and he held her closely. With so much practice together they moved in perfect harmony.
'This can be no novelty to you,' Sonya said a little wistfully. 'I'm surprised you want to dance with me when we're skating every day.'
She was aware her heart was beating hard, as it never did on the ice, and her nerves were vibrating. It was a man who was holding her so closely, not a skater.
'We are not on the rink now,' Sven pointed out. 'And you are just the right height for me. I like to be able to look down into my partner's eyes. Thomasina is rather like dancing with a giraffe.'
'That's not very gallant,' Sonya rebuked him. 'And she looks beautiful tonight, doesn't she?' Perversely she praised her enemy.
Sven's lip curled. 'I am not partial to blondes,' he told her.
'Don't gentlemen prefer them? You're being hypocritical, Mr Petersen, you've danced with her all the evening.'
'I don't know anyone else except you,' he said plaintively. 'And you seemed to be occupied.'
Sven was not familiar with the club members and the girls were a little in awe of him, also Thomasina had boasted that he was her date. That had not occurred to Sonya before.
'I'm sorry,' she murmured, 'but I'm sure Tom made up for lack of introductions.'
'Must we talk about Tom?' he asked. 'The poor girl seems to obsess you.' A gleam, it looked like triumph, came into his eyes. 'Can it be you are jealous?'
'Oh no, of course not,' she said hastily, but feared that she was.
The dance came to an end, but he kept his arm about her.
'They are going to repeat it,' he said. 'We will stay together.'
She wanted to very much, but she was not going to admit it. Not after his earlier neglect.
'You're being despotic, Sven. Suppose I don't want to stay with you?'
'That would be unfortunate,' he said gravely, 'because you are going to, and after this dance I will take you home.'
'But the evening won't be over, and I've made my arrangements,' she protested, as the music started again and he drew her back into his arms. She had come by taxi and Derek would see her home.
'So have I made mine. You should not be out too late.'
'Oh, you're as bad as Daddy!' she exclaimed vexedly.
'In his absence, I regard myself in loco parentis. The devil seems to have got into you tonight, Sonya. I have never seen you try to flirt before.'
'I've got to start some time,' she said pertly, 'and I'll improve with practice, but I'm sure you were too occupied
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