She laughed. "Why, of course, I can!" 

"Let your breakfast settle first, my boy," said Feathers, looking up from his newspaper. "There's no hurry, is there?" 

"Oh, shut up!" said young Atkins lightly. "You're always such an old croaker." 

At half-past ten he sought Marie out again. 

"Are you coming?" he asked. "It'll be topping this Morning." 

"I know—Chris has gone to phone to someone. I wonder if I ought to wait . . ." 

"Of course not! He'll be all right! Leave a message." 

"Very well." It would be a good opportunity to show him that she did not depend on him for her amusement she thought desperately. She went off through the sunshine with young Atkins chattering nineteen to the dozen beside her. 

It was a perfect morning! Marie stood for a moment on the steps of the bathing machine in her blue and white costume, and looked up at the sun! It might be such a perfect world if only things were a little different! She wondered if there was always something in life to prevent people being too happy. 

Young Atkins called to her from a diving stage a little distance out, and she dived into the water and swam out to him. 

"Ripping, isn't it!" he said as she clambered up to sit beside him in the sun "Look here! I'll race you round that buoy and back. Will you?" 

"Yes—I'll bet you a box of cigarettes I win." 

37 "Right! Bet you a box of chocolates you don't. Now then—one, two, three! Go!" They dived from the staging together, laughing and full of excitement. They were both good swimmers, and for a little they kept abreast, then slowly but surely young Atkins forged ahead. 

37

Marie felt rather tired. They were swimming towards the sun and its brightness blinded her. Her headache had returned, too; she had almost forgotten it until a little stabbing pain in her temples made her close her eyes. 

She thought it must be because she had not slept all night! That would account for her feeling of weakness and lassitude. She ought not to have come 

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