He had in fact left them in utter disgust.
Altogether he was feeling decidedly out of tune with his surroundings that morning, and the beauty of the scene irritated rather than soothed him.

In the garden a short distance from him, a voluble French party were chattering with great animation and a good deal of cackling laughter.

He wondered what on earth they found to amuse them so persistently.

He also wondered if a swim in that faultless blue would do anything to improve his temper, and decided with another wry grimace that it was hardly worth while to try.
It was at this point that there fell a step on the winding path below him that led down amongst shrubs to the sea.

The top of a Panama hat caught Piers' attention.