“I’ll look for Wilhelm.” Shane understood what she needed to do and spared her the trouble by cutting across her.
Wilhelm was the elder brother of the princess and the original owner of the diamond mine that Shane had bought.
Natalie knew that he had just given her leave to speak to Joyce privately by picking that moment to have a conversation with Wilhelm. Her heart burst with gratitude for Shane. “Thank you darling. I’ll make it up to you tonight.”
A sliver of excitement flashed across Shane’s eyes at Natalie’s promise as he nodded eagerly.
Natalie waved at him as he disappeared into the crowd before turning away to the corner where her friends were.
“Joyce,” Natalie called.
Joyce jumped and looked up at the sound of her name but quickly returned to assume her defeated posture.
“She has been like this since I’ve found her.” Lina rubbed her temples in consternation. “Nothing I said made any difference.”
“Thank you, Lina.” Natalie gave her a grateful smile.
Lina waved her hand as if to say that it was no trouble. “Don’t worry about it. She’s too hung up on Stanley, that’s all. I couldn’t understand why she would let one man cause her so much pain and misery. It’s a good thing you’re here, Nat. I need a drink. You have a go at talking some sense into her.”
“Go on, Lina.”
Natalie took her spot at the vacated seat next to Joyce.
Turning to Joyce, she said, “Joyce, did Stanley say something to you?”
Joyce nodded mournfully.
“What did he say?” Natalie raised her eyebrows curiously.
“I went up to him earlier when I first spotted him with Annie. He told me that I had nothing to do with him and that I had no business asking about his affairs. And then he told me to get lost.” Joyce gave a self-pitying laugh.
So that was what happened. No wonder she cried.
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