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.He had behaved as if he disliked her utterly, and Alix was not experienced enough to know whether that was a deliberate ploy or not.With a feeling of resignation, she wrote:'Sorry about the delay, but the situation isn't exactly as we expected.I can't explain now, but it's definitely going to take longer than we had anticipated.I'll let you know as soon as I have anything to report.Yours, etc.'It wasn't a very satisfactory letter, she knew that, and Willie would be furious at the innuendo, but she couldn't help it.She simply could not baldly put down the facts at this stage.He would write again, she had no doubts about that, and when he did, perhaps she would know better how to handle it.It was the coward's way out, and she knew it.Writing to her mother was easier.It wasn't difficult to Concoct some story to satisfy her, and at least she had the satisfaction of knowing that because of the situation here, she was not tarnishing her mother's reputation as a librarian.When the letters were sealed Alix went downstairs again, looking for Lady Morgan, and was disconcerted to find Oliver waiting in the hall.In a cream suede jerkin and matching pants, he looked darkly disturbing, his hawklike features drawing into a frown when he saw the | envelopes in her hand.'Going somewhere?' he inquired.Alix hesitated on the bottom stair.'I was looking for Lady Morgan, actually.'' 'Yes?''Yes.' She met his eyes defiantly, and then looked away from their too-penetrating scrutiny.'I—where is she?''She'll be down directly,' he replied briefly.'Why?'Alix cleared her throat.'I—well, I wanted to ask her if she'd—do something for me.''Post your letters?' he asked perceptively.'Seth told mt you had a letter this morning.Do you always reply by return?'Alix hunched her shoulders.'Not always.But I haven't written to my mother since I got here, and she was—concerned.''So you've written her two letters,' he remarked pointedly.'No!' Alix glanced angrily at him.'Really, this is ridiculous! I—I've written to my—uncle as well.''Your mother's brother?' His scepticism was obvious.'No!' she declared hotly.'My father's!' and then she realised what she had said.If he should see those two envelopes with different surnames he would know she was lying.And what was more upsetting still, her mother's name was Thornton, too, the same as hers, and she was supposed to be a married woman! Oh, lord, she thought sickly, what a tangled web!Realising there was only one way out of the mess, she said quickly: 'As—as a matter of fact, I think I will come with you into Bridleburn, if you don't mind.''To post your letters?' he persisted.Alix seethed with frustration.'Among other things.''I'll post them for you,' he said, holding out his hand for the envelopes.'There's no need for you to go.'Alix pressed the letters to her breast.If only she had put them in her pocket before coming downstairs, in- stead of advertising their presence to anyone who cared to see! But then she hadn't realised their importance, or how easily she could be exposed.And now she was faced with an impossible decision: if she gave him the letters he could read the inconsistencies in her story for himself, and if she didn't.With a gesture of defeat she handed the letters over, and he stufEed them carelessly into the pocket of his jerkin without even looking at the addresses written on them.Alix stared at him incredulously, and then realising how foolish she must appear, she turned back to the stairs again.A reprieve, but for how long? 'Alix!'I His voice halted her, and she turned to look at him reluctantly.'Yes?''Did you tell your mother about Melissa?' Alix's cheeks flamed.'No!''I'm glad,' he said, a faint smile of satisfaction crossing his face, and contrarily she wished she had.He was so smug!CHAPTER EIGHTMelissa was sitting at the table in the library when Alix entered the room on Monday morning.She had already set out her exercise books and her pencils, and although Alix suspected her motives she couldn't help admiring her unsmiling composure.The weekend had passed surprisingly quickly, considering that Alix had lived in constant anticipation of being summoned to Oliver's study.But the summons had not come.Indeed, she had not laid eyes on him since Saturday morning when he took possession of her letters, and her conversations with Lady Morgan had only elicited the information that he was working once more.But she had learned a little more about the Morgan family.She had learned, for instance, that Lady Morgan's husband was dead, and that Joanne had been their only child.That would account for Joanne's personal fortune, Alix hazarded.Her father had obviously left her a considerable sum.Apart from this, she heard about Joanne's childhood and adolescence, the hundred and one things a mother would remember.Surprisingly enough, Lady Morgan could speak of her daughter's death without bitterness, and although Alix had heard it all before she listened intently when she was told how Joanne had skidded and crashed her car into a tree less than a mile from her home.'It must have been a terrible shock!' she offered awkwardly, when Lady Morgan paused and stared rather sadly into space.'Yes, it was.' The older woman sighed.'But Oliver has been a tower of strength.I don't know what I'd have done without him and Melissa.' That was Alix's opportunity to ask how long Lady Morgan had known about the child, but she couldn't do it.It sounded so blatant somehow, a deliberate statement that she knew that Melissa was not really her grandchild
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