The Loving Gamble by Kidd, Flora

and smiled a little. 'Why did you hit Pete?' she whispered. He came to the bedside, sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at her. 'I guess I decided the time had come for him to realise he couldn't get away with the sort of filthy remarks he was making,' he said curtly. 'Why did you faint just now?' 'I don't know. I've never fainted in my life before.' She felt rather affronted that such a weakness had overtaken her, of all people. She had always prided herself on both her physical and her mental stamina. 'I think I'd just got over-tired, that's all. It was such a muddle of a day.' She noted the sceptical glint in his eye and curl to his lip. She pushed herself up and took the glass of water from him. 'Thank you. There's nothing in it, is there? No drug or alcohol or anything like that?' 'I didn't put anything in it. Everyone in this place has gone to bed so there was no one to ask for brandy or anything else. I had to get that from the bathroom tap. Hope it's OK.' He watched her closely while she sipped some water. 'Is it?' he demanded. 'Yes. It tastes very good. But then the island water always does.' She put the glass down on the table. He was still staring at her, his expression dour and unrelenting. She guessed he was severely critical of her. She recalled Inci saying that Ross could be frightening and now knew what she had meant. 'Where did you go when the shop closed?' he asked abruptly* 'I . . . ' she began and stopped to give him another wary glance. Bone ridged