Dangerous Waters (28 page)

“
Yes?
”
she queried carefully.

“
You can
’
t possibly do anything as harebrained as shooting off to Singapore with Roger Payn.
”

“
What
’
s harebrained about accepting an invitation from his highly respected parents?
”

“
That
’
s not the point, and you know it. You
’
d go with Roger as his prospective
fiancé
e. You
’
d give an entirely false impression.
”

“
No, it
’
s the bond between you and me that
’
s false,
”
she said steadily.
“
I
’
m quite sure that I
’
d enjoy a week in Singapore.
”

“
I
’
m afraid you
’
ll have to postpone that enjoyment. While we
’
re tied to each other you
’
ll lead a
h
umdrum
life with the Winchesters. I
’
m determined on that!
”
In the same breath, hardly changing his tone, he added,
“
Would you like some ham? Or one of these curried meat fritters?
”

Terry didn
’
t want either; she was too vexed to eat much. The meal ended and they had coffee near the living-room window. Smoothly, with an air of deliberation, he recounted incidents on the rubber estate, but the barrier between them was like a fence of jackal wire, painfully barbed along the top.

When silence fell, Pete lay back smoking, and apparently reflecting upon an absorbing matter. Terry squashed out her cigarette and looked through the window at the poinsettias and flame-colored bignonias which formed a hedge to the narrow strip of garden. It occurred to her that she and Pete would never know each other as ordinary
human
beings. They hadn
’
t really met before Vinan, and as strangers they had signed a certificate which precluded normal friendship. Even on the river, when they hadn
’
t believed in the authenticity of the marriage, there had been the fact of the permit for Mr. and Mrs. Sternham, the night with the Lunns, the unquestioning acceptance of their married status by Malay villagers. She would never really know whether she and Pete might have become friendly without coercion. Not that it could matter, she thought despondently.

Presently he said,
“
Deep down, you
’
re a peaceful sort of person, Teresa. Fond of fun and rather young, but peaceful as well.
”

“
Is that a compliment?
”

“
Could be. Or would you rather be disturbing?
”

“
It
’
s more positive, isn
’
t it? Not that I
’
d ever imagine myself capable of disturbing you.
”

With his head still against the back of the chair, he looked her way. Teasingly, he remarked,
“
You could try, you know, when you
’
re back in form. That is, if you
’
re willing to take the risk. I might respond!
”

“
I doubt it.
”

“
I don
’
t know.
”
He sounded speculative.
“
I got along for years without even bothering whether or not there were women in the world. I find now that I
’
m bothering quite a bit.
”

“
Since Miss Harmsen came out to her brother?
”
she asked carefully.

“
Maybe. Just lately the house has seemed empty.
”

“
That
’
s a sure sign. It serves you right.
”

He grinned.
“
There
’
s nothing urgent about it yet, and it may pass off. Why do you wish me a taste of hell, Teresa?
”

“
It
’
s not hell I wish you—just uncertainty about something, for a change. It would do you lots of good to fall in love.
”

“
Lots of harm, too,
”
he said a little grimly.
“
Unfortunately, the only cure for a bad case of love is marriage.
”

Involuntarily, she began,
“
Roger made a similar remark last night...
”

He took her up before she could finish:
“
He told you again that he
’
s in love with you?
”

On the point of belittling Roger
’
s protestations, she changed her mind. Pete hardly veiled his intentions towards the Swedish woman, so why should she be self-deprecating
?
She nodded.
“
He
’
s very sweet.
”

He said something that sounded like
“
Tchah!
”
and looked his disgust.
“
Sweetness is for women. He needs to marry someone headstrong and demanding, not a dear little thing who
’
s normally full of dreams. I can
’
t see what attracted you to him in the first place!
”

His reaction braced Terry. She answered consideringly,
“
In England I found him a most romantic figure. I came here quite prepared to fall for him rather heavily.
”

His eyes narrowed.
“
But you
’
re disappointed in him?
”

Her chin went up.
“
Not particularly. Given the right circumstances we might adjust to each other.
”

“
Rot. You know darned well you couldn
’
t marry
a
second-best type.
”

“
Second-best?
”
she echoed, and felt herself grow a lit
tl
e cold.
“
Second to whom?
”

Pete gestured impatiently.
“
It was a figure of speech. It
’
s not worth talking about.
”
He looked at his watch.
“
The Harmsens will be along soon. Like to freshen up?
”

“
Yes, please.
”

“
Come on, then,
I’
ll show you the bathroom.
”

Terry
’
s nerves were jumping as she went with him. He opened a door and waved her into a bathroom which was completely white, except for a thin band of pale green wall-tiling at shoulder height. Terry washed and renewed her make-up, looked at herself in the large mirror and thought how little, on the whole, one
’
s appearance revealed. She leaned against the cold tiling and it came to her, fatalistically, that some day, perhaps in six months
’
time, a woman would share this house with him. Gay curtains would appear at these stark windows, a glamorous bath robe would hang beside the navy one on the door, and below the mirror a painted shelf would appear, loaded with eau de Cologne and bath essence, a manicure set, a dainty brush and comb. Perhaps there would be a frilled stool ... but no. Astrid was Swedish, and the Scandinavians liked clean lines and simplicity.

She sighed and went back to the living-room, saw despairingly that as he stood there looking out across his garden at the rubber trees he was Pete of the river, smiling, cynical and enigmatic. To her relief the Harmsens arrived just then, in a worn jeep. Pete looked slick and lazy as he greeted them.

“
Hi, there. Come along in. Astrid, Jan, this is Teresa. Our friends from Sweden, little one.
”

Terry had never, for her own peace of mind, visualized Astrid Harmsen; there was therefore only a small element of surprise in their meeting. Perhaps, vaguely, Terry had expected someone cool and beautiful with hidden fires, but that
was
all. Astrid was cool and beautiful, but the fires weren
’
t hidden; small bright ones flashed from the green eyes, and her get-up was as provocative as she could make it, in this place.

The ash-blonde hair was straight and silky, drawn back into a careless knot. She wore a black sleeveless blouse and white jeans with coolie sandals, and each ear-lobe was embellished with a tiny gold lantern that swung from hair-thin links. Her mouth, to a woman, was
unattractive; a long curve, the lower lip over-full and defiantly blood-red. To a man, though, those lips might be her most ravishing feature. Terry was no judge. She guessed the Swedish girl to be about twenty-five, a couple of years younger
than
her brother.

Astrid
’
s voice proved to be half repellant, half pleasing; slightly cracked with a metallic undertone. There was no doubt about the attractiveness of her alien accent.

“
Oh, hallo, Miss Fremont. I have heard from Pete about you, and it was I who said we must meet. He seemed to think we might not care for each other, but I believe him wrong. You look very English and reserved, but then he is English also, and I have managed to slip under his skin. Isn
’
t that what you say?
”

“
You may say it, but it
’
s not strictly true,
”
Pete commented.
“
When you
’
re right under my skin I
’
ll admit it to the world. Well, Jan, how goes it?
”

Jan Harmsen had the sculptured features of his sister, but he was darker, his hair treacle-colored; his fair skin tanned. He had brooding hazel eyes, but a rather good smile, though Terry felt he didn
’
t use it much. He looked grave and solid.

“
Everything is fine,
”
he told Pete.
“
We have been promised the payment from your company on the first of next month and already Astrid is spending her share. She has bought a car from your assistant who goes on leave.

“
I wanted a new one,
”
lamented Astrid,
“
but here in Penghu it is impossible. So I shall drive to the coast some time and change the one I have. Meanwhile I am free at last to move about. Jan may keep his old Jeep.
”

“
You don
’
t need a car in Penghu,
”
said Pete.
“
Where will you drive?
”

She wrinkled her nose at him.
“
I shall come to see you! And I shall go out and see Mr. Masters at his plantation and make you jealous.
”

“
You stay away from Masters,
”
Pete commanded.
“
He
’
s halfway round the bend.
”

She sparkled at him.
“
How I love that tone! You know, Pete darling, to me heaven is a place where I get my own way and am continually ordered about by you.
”
She turned suddenly to Terry.
“
All my life I shall envy you those days on the river with Pete, and I shall wonder whether two sets of English restraint cancel each other out! The way Pete tells it, the whole thing was just a bore.
”

“
That
’
s the way Teresa tells it, too,
”
he remarked.
“
Are you ready for tea?
”

Perhaps it was Pete
’
s idea that Terry should not be called upon to talk very much during the following hour or so. He saw to it that she was not left out of things, but often answered questions put to her by Astrid.

Casually, he said later,
“
By the way, Astrid, I missed my cigarette lighter after you
’
d gone yesterday. Know anything about it?
”

Green eyes can seldom look entirely innocent, but Astrid did her best with them.
“
It matches the box you gave me, so I borrowed it. Let me buy it from you, Pete.
”

“
I never sell anything to a woman. I
’
ve been too easy with you. I want it back.
”

She took the thing from the pocket of her jeans.
“
Here you are, you old brute. Why is it that you can buy a lighter that looks like a mosque, when no one else can? I love these things, and you should always get an extra one for me. I really want
the
m.
”

“
You
’
ve plenty of time to complete your collection of curios.
”
He tossed the lighter in one hand.
“
Why do you lift things from me? You don
’
t do it anywhere else.
”

The fair girl, lying back in her chair with her legs crossed, looked up at him as he leaned near the door, and threw out her hands frankly.
“
It is your things I like to have near me. I cannot be more honest than that.
”

Terry watched him, saw a small smile on his lips as he answered,
“
Don
’
t stop being honest, Astrid. I like it. Here, take the lighter.
”
He dropped it into her lap.
“
What else have you taken a fancy to lately?
”