Chapter 6

The following morning, Jane found herself being treated to a tour of the club by Frederick. Promptly at eight o'clock, he roused her out of bed and insisted that she dress in something "informal" as he put it.

After a half hour of casual strolling, Jane and Frederick found themselves at the seashore, beside a steep sand dune. It seemed to Jane, in fact, that the purpose of the tour, by a slightly boozed-up Frederick, was to get her to exactly this spot. As they rounded the dune, putting them out of sight of the main house, Frederick suddenly grabbed Jane around the waist, pulling her to him roughly.

"What the... " Jane gasped, blinking her eyes frantically as she felt herself drawn to the man beside her. Frederick was looking very distraught -- and very handsome in a slightly dissipated way. Jane struggled briefly, and then slapped Frederick hard, across the mouth. He staggered backward, his eyes widening suddenly, his fists clenching.

"You're quite the virtuous lady, aren't you?" he gasped, wiping the side of his mouth with the back of his hand.

"That's exactly right," Jane said, turning and walking quickly away, across the beach, not looking back.

As she neared the main house, she saw Madeleine approaching, coming quickly out of the back door. Jane bowed her head, looking at the sand which passed slowly beneath her feet, careful not to look up.

"Have you seen Frederick?" Madeleine asked, glancing at Jane briefly, her eyes full of concern.

"Yes, be... he's behind the dune, over there next to the shoreline."

Not saying anything more, Jane took a few tentative steps in the direction of the main house. She felt a hand on her arm, and looked up. Madeleine's eyes were fixed on hers, and contained more than a hint of suspicion.

"What happened out there?" she asked.

Jane shook her head, and said nothing. Madeleine's eyes narrowed suddenly.

"Did he make a pass at you?"

Jane hesitated for a moment, and then nodded her head.

Madeleine let out a tiny whistle of surprise, and shook her head in an amused fashion.

"Well I'll be damned. Looks as though you made a hit. That old bastard hasn't stepped out of line like that in years. It's literally been years Jane sidestepped Madeleine, slightly stunned at what she'd heard.

"Excuse me," she muttered, going past Madeleine suddenly.

"Jane?"

Jane stopped and looked back, seeing Madeleine small and dark and very pretty against the backdrop of turquoise ocean.

"Just forget this entirely. I'll have a word with Frederick."

Without answering, Jane turned and walked away, her features tightening with concern. Not the least disturbing, she reflected, was the fact that Madeleine had taken the incident so lightly. There was something sinister about Madeleine. Something that did not encourage trust. It was a quality that Jane had discounted, until this moment. Madeleine, Jane reflected with some shock, would, under the proper circumstances, literally be capable of anything.

Jane walked toward the main building, an expression of double concern on her face -- at what had just happened, and, at Madeleine's oddly libertine reaction to it.

Jane's forehead was creased with worry.

"What in the world have I gotten myself into?" she mused, kicking the sand with the tip of her shoe.

The only reply was the distant, mournful calling of the seagulls which clustered near the shore, looking for the tiny fish which lingered there, unaware of danger.