HF - 01 - Caribee (43 page)

For the rest of their lives. From the upper slopes of Mount Misery the other islands, Nevis, Antigua, Montserrat, even the more distant peaks, were clearly visible. And the sea between. An empty sea. The Spanish fleet had sailed north, and left desolation behind them. Not even a Carib canoe. For the word would have spread across the islands that the dreaded Dons were out in force, and even the Caribs preferred to remain hidden until quite sure the danger was past.

And Pierre Belain? Back in France, no doubt. Grieving for the death of his niece, for t
he loss of his investment. Alth
ough perhaps he had managed to recoup himself as he had hoped. But, assuming Aline to be dead, he would be vowing vengeance on Edward Warner. So would Joachim Galante. another pair to set beside Wapisiane. And how many others?

And Tom Warner? And Tony Hi
lton? It was now near a year sin
ce they had sailed away. To be lost at sea? To decide that it was not worth their while to come back? The news of the French assault on St Ki
tt
s must surely have filtered back to England by now. Not come back? Tom, not return to
his
dream? To his island, to his family? Tony, not return to Susan? There was an impossibility. Certainly it was not something his brain would accept.

Movement, in the bushes behind him. He only half turned his head. It was of interest, to know who would be the first to seek him out on his own. But he did not really doubt. They each had a reason to hate him, saving the three Carib girls and Margaret Plummer. But then, Meg Plummer had no reason to seek him, either.

'You risk much, mademoiselle.'

She knelt beside him. They are all asleep.'

'Yarico does not sleep. At least, not in the manner you or I would understand.'

'And you fear her?
’

He turned to look at her.
‘
Why, yes, Aline. I think I fear her.'

She wore her shift, and had untied her hair. So then, in what way was she different from Susan Hilton, or even Yarico herself, in the dark? Except that the moon had risen, and it was not that dark. She differed in the whiteness of her skin, even after two months in the tropical heat. She differed in the length and shape of her legs, so thin when compared with the rest of her, and yet, now that constant walking in the forest and on this mountain had given her the muscle she needed, so flawlessly shaped. She differed too in what he could see heaving against the thin material, the nipples swollen and anxious, because of the slight chill in the night air, certainly, but anxious because of what?

But more than any of them, she differed from the others, from Mama herself, because of what he knew of her. Because of the humour he knew to lurk beneath that occasionally petulant exterior. Because of the breeding he knew to control that mind. Because of the mind itself.

‘
You are strange,' she said, having allowed him several seconds in which to inspect her.
‘I
understand that she is all of a stepmother to you. Does that not make you precious to her?"

'You'd not understand,' he said. 'And you'll not tell me.'

'No,' he said. "Why have you come?" He turned away from her and lay on his stomach.
‘I
had assumed that you had decided our betrothal was a mistake
’

'Perhaps I would dream
’

'Of what?'

'Oh. . .
‘
the leaves rustl
ed as she sat. Her knee brushed his. There is much of which I must clearly dream, for the remainder of my life. Of hot baths. Of perfumes. Of clothing of which a woman might be proud. Of the jewels I used to wear. Of the men who would kiss my hand. Even of the men themselves, perhaps
’

'When my father returns
’
Edward said.
‘I
will have you shipped back to Europe. You can tell you
r father and your uncle that I li
ed to them, that in reality you were bound and gagged at some distance from the town, and therefore escape was impossible for you. And that afterwards, why, you were my slave. They will certainly forgive you. They will be too overjoyed to have you back. As for your virginity... well, its loss will have been none of your doing.'

‘
Your understanding of society is indeed limited, Edward,' she said. 'Certainly they would be overjoyed to have me back. But equally certainly they would see me to a nunnery the same day.'

They'
d shut you up, for being raped?’

'Would they not bury me, for being murdered?'

'By Christ,' he said.

'So I would ask you this,' she said. 'Last week on the beach, supposing that Yarico had not come to your rescue,
or perhaps even sided with the I
rishmen, what would you have done? Would you have left me with them, or would you have died in my defence?"

'And on that answer depends your decision, a nunnery or marriage to me?"

'Oh, no, Edward. I will still marry you. No ma
tt
er what happens, I will marry you. I could never contemplate shu
tt
ing myself away from life and laughter. I would rather be dead, and I am not prepared to contemplate that either, at this moment. I merely wish to know whether it will be possible for me to love you.'

‘I
would have left you.'

She caught her breath. 'You... .
’

'As you have just said, death, for either of us, is not worth contemplating unless it is inevitable. I would have left you, and hoped to rescue you in due course.'

'And would I have been worth rescuing?'

'Your body would have been bruised. You would have been entered by several men, perhaps by all of the
m, instead of just one. Yet I th
in
k both of th
ose things would
have been set right by one of th
ose hot baths of which you dream. As for your mind, Aline, had it also been bruised, then I doubt whether you would have been worth having back. But
then
, could your mind be bruised by such an event, you would not have been worth dying for, either.'

'Mon Dieu,' she whispered. 'And you call yourself a man? Have you no notion at all of honour?'

‘I
would rath
er say that your society has no notion of honour, Aline. Honour must surely be related to Christianity, as we claim to be Christian. So then, is it honourable to kill a man? It is certainly un-Christian. It can surely only be justified by dire need, the preservation of another life, perhaps. Those men would not have killed you, Aline. You are too beautiful.'

'Mon Dieu,' she said again. 'That I can have been so unfortunate. ...'

'As to find yourself encumbered with a man such as I? Well, then, how does your nunnery seem now? I do assure you, that were the honourable thing to do.'

Her breath came sharply. 'And you,' she said.
‘If
indeed you lack all conception of honour, do you not at least feel the stirrings of manhood? I kneel beside you, wearing but a single garment. Perhaps I would scream were you to assault me, but I doubt that anyone lying over there would care to rescue me.'

Of course she wanted him to rape her again. She wanted sex, and she wanted reassurance, and she had found his sex at once exciting and reassuring. And also, from her point of view, victorious; he had been her subject, for a while, afterwards.

'As you are so determined to marry me, Aline,' he said.
‘I
can wait. For the return of my father. He will surely have a priest with him.'

Her nostrils dilated. 'Ah, yes, Master Warner,' she said. 'He will have a priest with him. And the first thing he shall do is marry us. And then you will make me pregnant, Edward. Again and again and again. I want a great many children, Edward, so I can raise them all to hate you.'

She got up and walked back towards the others. Edward sighed, and watched her go. How hard his weapon, how anxious his mind. She did more to arouse him than any woman he had ever known, save... horrible thoughts. But thoughts to be thought, as he was being honest with himself. And he would possess her one day. But on his own terms.

'You strange,' Yarico said.

He dared not
turn. 'Do you watch me constantl
y?'

Her laughter tinkled, but softly. 'Yarico not watch, Edward die. All die.'

'You think so?" He rolled over, found himself against her, and she was naked. 'Oh, Christ almighty, go back to your couch.'

She cupped her hands on his breast, squeezing the hard muscled flesh as she was so fond of doing. 'Why you not take that girl?'

‘I
intend to marry her. Before the priest and before God. I wish it to be done properly.'

'Proper,' Yarico said. She put her arms round his head and pulled it against her breasts. Her breasts had grown with motherhood, and sagged where once
they
had pointed. He could hear her heart beatin
g, and before he could stop himself hi
s aims went round her waist and his fingers sought the roundness of her bu
tt
ocks.

'You are my stepmother.'

‘I
am your woman, Ed-ward. You not forget that' 'My father....' 'War-nah not come back.'

'Aye,' he said. 'You could well be right' Besides, this night he wanted her to be right. A combination of pride and guilt kept him from taking Aline, however much he desired her, however much she deliberately inflamed his desire. But there could be no pride, and there could be no guilt, where Yarico was concerned. They had earned each
other
.

Yet the sh
ips came, as Edward was fast coming to believe they always would, eventually. Two ships, flying the cross of St George, and large, well-found ve
ssels, too, with a dozen guns in
each broadside. And crowded with colonists.

He led hi
s brother and his women down to the beach, wearing Spanish armour and carrying their weapons, for the Irish were also fully accoutred, and stood in an uncertain group in front of the ruins of Sandy Point.

'What, Brian Connor, would you fight Englishmen?" Edward called out. 'Be sure you'll not have me to lead you.'

'The devil take ye, Edward Warner,' Connor said. 'Aye, and your harem.' They fell to mu
tt
ering amongst themselves, and

Edward wondered if they'd try to se
tt
le ma
tt
ers by an assault at this moment. But by now the ship
s were furling their sails as th
eir anchors plunged into the clear waters of Great Road, and the beach was clearly overseen from the decks.

And soon the first boats were approaching the shore.

Tony,' Susan yelled, and waded knee deep into the surf, for all her swollen belly.

Hilton jumped overboard himself to sweep her into his arms. 'Sweetheart. By Christ, but I had feared.'

' Twas Edward,' she said. 'He saved our lives. He led us against the Dons, and drove them away.'

'Edward.' Hilton came forward with outstretched hand. 1 never doubted you, lad. I but knew it would need something tremendous to draw you out. Well, Sir Thomas, you're a proud man this day, I'll wager.'

Edward gazed past his friend to his father. No change, except a renewal of that confidence which had accompanied him on his first return from England. And a renewal of the velvet and lace he had sported on that occasion, too, with a new sword,
and a jewelled hilt, and a feath
er in his hat, and a carefully trimmed beard, perhaps a trifle spo
tt
ed with grey, but none the less suggesting active strength.

'Sir Thomas?' he asked.

Tom Warner smiled. ' Tis easy enough to say, Edward. Boy.' He took his eldest son in his arms, kissed him on the cheek. 'We had heard so many rumours. And when we saw the remains of the town . . . Philip. By Christ, but it is good to see you'

'And you, sir,' Philip said. "What news of Sarah?
’
Tom frowned. 'She ails. Yarico....'

"War-nah. Is good.' But she made no move towards him.

'And this is
little
Tom?" Tom swept his youngest son from the sand. 'By God, but you'll soon be a man. Meg Plummer? By Christ, what has happened here? And this lady?"

'Mademoiselle Galante, Father,' Edward said

'Mademoiselle? You have some explaining to do.'

'As have you,
Father
, and all good, I swear. Sir Thomas Warner, by God. You've se
tt
led your differences with the King, then?
’

Once again the quick frown. 'Aye, well, in a manner of speaking. We'
ll talk about it. God's blood, y
ou've armed the Irish?'

‘It
was necessary, Father,' Philip said. 'They were all the army we possessed.'

'And
with
that band of rascals you licked the Dons? By God. They'll grow fat on that in Europe. I'll hear the tale, lads. Day by day. Blow by blow. Brian Connor, quit your skulking and come here.'

Connor advanced reluctantly, limping from the wound caused by Yarico's arrow, and taking off Ins helmet. ' 'Tis welcome ye are, Captain Warner.'

'Sir Thoma
s Warner, you blackguard. But u
niform suits you. We'll have to talk, we will. We'll have to talk.'

'That we will.' Connor glanced at Edward.

'But first.' Tom waved at another boat which had been rowing to and fro some distance from the shore.
‘I
had but to make sure all was well here, you understand.'

The boat approached, and the people on the shore stared, while a sudden band seemed to constrict around Edward's chest, and h
e glanced at Yarico. Was not thi
s what he wanted? Or was it what he feared most of all?

The woman si
tt
ing in the stem wore a dark blue silk gown, her skirt pinned up at both sides to show her taffeta pe
tt
icoats; her bodice was deep-cut, but her breasts were concealed by a double lace falling band, and the cuffs on her wide sleeves were also of lace; her sash was of pale blue silk, and she wore a pearl necklace with a huge ruby brooch. These things were obvious even from a distance, and long before any judgment could be formed regarding her figure, on her face, which was in the shadow of her wide-brimmed hat. But there was a quality here none save perhaps Aline had ever previously known, and that Aline was aware of it was revealed by the way she slipped to the back of the crowd, and a
tt
empted to straighten her shift.

The boat grounded in the shallows, and Tom himself stepped into the water to swing his wife ashore. 'Lady Warner, gentlemen,' he said. 'And ladies, of course.'