Dangerous Waters (10 page)

“
This journey will slice rather deeply into your leave, won
’
t it?
”

“
We don
’
t mind this kind of thing, so long as we can take our time and boys to do all the work. Though we were rather angry when we heard about the wrecking of that train. The authorities in Penghu were livid.
”

“
You come from Penghu?
”
Terry said quickly.
“
Then
...”

Pete broke in smoothly,
“
Mr. and Mrs. Lunn are connected with a new education committee in the district.
They
’
ve finished with Penghu now and have orders to
report elsewhere after leave
.”

“
Oh,
”
she said, absorbing his implications as well as his words.
“
Oh, I see.
”

She was not to ask about Annette, which meant that he had told these people as little as he possibly could. She spooned up mushroom soup and ate a biscuit which had somehow been kept free from damp. Because there were only two stools, she and Mrs. Lunn were at the table while the men lounged on the grass as if this were an ordinary convivial evening.

After the soup came a curried hash with yellow squash, and then tinned apricots and biscuits. The coffee sizzled close to the fire, a punctured tin of milk stood ready for those who liked their coffee white. They drank from cups and beakers, lit cigarettes and went on talking.

Somehow the whole scene was unreal to Terry. These were the first white people they had met since the Dutch people on the steamer, and her first reaction had been one of relief that was curiously mixed with reluctance. They were past the worst, and more than halfway to Penghu; she ought to be glowing. Instead she felt hollow and melancholy.

More coffee?
”
asked the other woman.

“
No, thank you. It
’
s been a wonderful dinner, Mrs. Lunn.
”

“
Glad you liked it, my dear. I
’
ve been thinking that after such a day you ought to turn in early. You can share the tent with me. My husband won
’
t mind sleeping outside for once.
”

Pete leaned forward, his smile quite charming.
“
You
’
re very good, Mrs. Lunn, but we want to keep moving. We
’
re already a bit late. Terry can sleep as we go along. This evening has been a great pleasure, and I
’
d certainly prolong our stay with you if I could.
”

“
You mean you
’
re going to go on paddling all night? Isn
’
t that rather straining things?
”

“
We didn
’
t start out today till noon. After such a good dinner and a rest in excellent company, I shall be able to keep it up for a few hours. Then I
’
ll sleep till dawn. Are you ready, Teresa?
”

Terry stood up.
“
Yes, of course.
”

He was behind her, when he said in a quiet voice,
“
What
’
s this on your dress, just above the belt? Looks like blood.
”

“
It can
’
t be,
”
she said lightly, and moved quickly forward into the shadows.

But he took her shoulder and drew her ba
ck
, bent and touched the marks. In a low tone he demanded,
“
Why didn
’
t you mention this? You
’
ve hurt yourself.
”

“
No, I haven
’
t. It
’
s just a few blisters.
”

Mr. and Mrs. Lunn came right beside them. Concerned, the man said,
“
Blisters? Sounds like some form of prickly heat. You
’
ll have to look after that, old man.
”

This was the sort of obvious suggestion that Pete did not care for. Had Mr. Lunn not been his host he might have shot out some withering remark. Terry felt the fingers tighten on her shoulder instead.

“
My kit is in the boat,
”
he said.
“
Have you any propamidine?
”

“
Only the usual gentian violet jelly, I
’
m afraid, and calomine lotion.
”
Mrs. Lunn went into the tent and came out again, held back the flap. She proffered bottle and tube.
“
I expect you
’
ll want to doctor it yourself, Mr. Ste
rn
ham. Take your wife into the tent and light the lamp. You
’
ll find plenty of lint just inside the box I
’
ve left open.
”

Terry, her teeth so tight that her jaw ached, preceded him into the tent and waited while he struck a match and lit the tiny paraffin lamp. Then she said,
“
I can manage, if you
’
ll give me the calomine.
”

“
Calomine!
”
he said in quiet, furious tones.
“
When was it you asked me for mine—was it yesterday? You already had this trouble then, didn
’
t you? And you carried on like a martyr, letting it get worse while you told yourself that the agony was the price you were called upon to pay for a trip to Penghu with Pete Sternham! God, I
f
eel like
...
”

He didn
’
t say what he felt like, but before she could even realize what he intended, he had grasped a pair of long-bladed scissors from the box and with ruthless strokes was severing the top of her dress from the skirt, just above the fastening belt.

“
You can
’
t do that,
”
she protested faintly.

But it was done. Her midriff was bare and he drew a sharp breath at what he saw. Across the front, where she had soaked the skin with calomine, the blisters were flat and scaly with hardly any rash, but at her back there were angry swellings and streaks of blood.

The tense rage in Pete, as he sponged away the blood, dried the skin and applied the violet-hued jelly, was almost audible, yet his hands could not have taken more care. He cut wide strips of lint, tucked the edges into the skirt of her dress and gently pressed them into position, covering the whole area.

“
Well, that settles it,
”
he said briefly.
“
We
’
re staying here tonight.
”

She turned and looked at him with distressed blue eyes.
“
It
’
s not necessary. It feels cool and painless. Please let
’
s go on.
”

“
I
’
m not risking it. The morning will be soon enough.
”

“
The river is wider now, and tomorrow you
’
ll have to paddle in the sunshine. If I sit forward
...
”

“
We
’
re not leaving tonight. That
’
s final.
”

She looked away and moistened her lips.
“
Do you wonder I kept it to myself? You wanted to get through quickly, and I
’
ve held you back, several times. It was really through me that you stopped at the village last night. I don
’
t
ask
you to do these things, but you feel bound to do them. You hate it, though—having to consider me.
”

“
I don
’
t,
”
he said crisply.
“
I suppose I thought of you as tougher than you are, and it
’
s just possible that I get a bit worried. You might remember that.
”

“
I
’
ve tried not to be a nuisance,
”
she said despondently.
“
I
’
d have had this rash attended to as soon as we reached Penghu.
”

“
In this climate, open wounds would have gone septic before that.
”
He dropped the scissors back into the box and folded the remains of the lint.
“
I
’
m more angry with myself than with you. You
’
re just a child—you can
’
t help your reactions to things you
’
ve never known before. I should have realized that from the beginning.
”
Taut sarcasm came into his tones.
“
I should have been bluff and big-brotherly—told you right at the start that to me you
’
re just a kid sister I
’
ve adopted for a few days. Only that happens to be one way I never feel about women—brotherly!
”

“
I knew that,
”
she said thinly,
“
but you were kind, and coming along with you was rather less of a risk than it might have been with some men who profess to be hearty and paternal.
”
She steeled herself to add,
“
I
’
m terribly sorry I behaved like an idiot yesterday afternoon. I know you only meant to ... to stiffen me a little, but that beastly crocodile
...
”

She tailed off and there was a small silence. Then he touched her shoulder, and when he spoke his voice was less chilly, and contained a smile,

“
In a few years you
’
ll be quite a girl, Teresa. You just have to give yourself time to mature. In a way, this trip has been unfair to you because you haven
’
t dared to be yourself. Let
’
s make a bargain. If we leave at sunrise tomorrow we can reach a village called Tembin by nightfall. There
’
s a road from Tembin to Penghu—a rough track, but it
’
s usable—and we
’
re bound to be able to hire some sort of conveyance
...
”

“
And the bargain?
”
she asked quickly.

He shrugged, and his smile mocked at her.
“
Seeing that tomorrow will be our last day together we might as well make it a happy one, don
’
t you think?
”
He almost touched her waist, but not quite.
“
If this improves you
’
ll feel more normal. Let
’
s decide to treat it as a day out. You can be just a nice girl enjoying a jaunt with a man you know well enough to trust.
”

“
I do trust you, Pete.
”

“
You
’
d better. I
’
ve worked hard enough on it. You stay in here and get some sleep. I
’
ll give your toilet bag to Mrs. Lunn.
”

“
Yes ... all right. Good night, Pete.
”

“
Good night, little one.
”

He went out and let the flap fall behind him. Terry heard the Lunns question him, his calm replies. A few minutes later Mrs. Lunn came into the tent, carrying the floral bag.

“
I
’
m so glad you decided to stay,
”
she said.
“
There can
’
t be any desperate haste in this country, and a night in bed will help that rash. How silly of you not to tell your husband, my dear!
”

“
I
...
didn
’
t want to worry him.
”

“
Because you
’
re only just married?
”
the woman asked archly.
“
I gathered that you were married several days ago, at the coast. Only gathered it, mind you. Mr. Ste
rn
ham is not what one might call an informative man. You
’
ve had a poor introduction to the country, haven
’
t you?
”