Chapter 3

For the first time in months, Elaine Craig felt relaxed. She sat, becalmed, in the sunshine-bathed plaza; it was almost as if disaster had never touched her. On the table in front of her stood a cool gin-and-tonic. Between sips, the attractive young blonde scribbled brief messages on the postcards she had bought.

"Now I know why San Francisco is called "Baia de Magnificencia Tremenda" she wrote to her parents. "This is the most peaceful spot on earth. I love it."

That would please her mother and father, she thought. They were so desperately anxious for her to be happy again--and their anxiety both irritated and oppressed their only daughter.

"I've lost my heart--to San Francisco!" Elaine scrawled largely across the back of another card. That card she addressed to Edward L. Towers, Jr. And let's hope that this time, she told herself, dear Edward L., Junior takes the hint. Unless of course, he was really determined to make a lifetime career out of being the man she was least likely to marry. Stifling a giggle, the girl reached for another card.

She addressed the last of her cards, idly speculating on how long it would be before she saw any of those people again. She suspected that it might be quite a while but the thought did not bother her.

She had arrived in San Francisco the week before and had done little except bask in the sunshine and the easy-paced atmosphere. She was booked in at a small hotel that overlooked Union Square and had drooping fuchsias growing out of its window boxes. Sometimes Elaine wondered when she would have to wake up again.

A fluttering of wings made her look up. Two tourists, a man and a girl, were feeding a flock of pigeons. She turned her head. To her right sat a group of teenage girls, laughing, whispering and eating ice cream. She looked around to her left; a middle- aged couple were sipping experimentally at cups of espresso. Elaine couldn't help noticing that both of them were very good looking.

The realization suddenly came that she was the only person sitting alone; that didn't bother her a bit! A pretty girl on her own attracts attention' and Elaine Craig both expected and enjoyed it.

She leaned back in her chair, letting the warmth of the spring sun suffuse her body closing her eyes against the glare. Behind the thickly lashed lids, Elaine's eyes were clear blue, set deep in a distinctively boned face. Her heavy blonde hair, streaked by nature and the swimming pool, swung down straight almost to her shoulders. Although she was not conventionally pretty, she possessed an off-beat, sensual kind of beauty that captivated men and mystified other women.

Voices, right beside her, jerked Elaine out of her reverie. She opened her eyes and looked around but for a moment she could see nothing in the dazzling light. Then she realized that the voices were not addressing her, but belonged to a group of sight- seers settling down noisily at the next table. If the group had been aware of Elaine, they would have noticed that her smile, as she turned away, was one of relief.