Robyn Donald – Iceberg (12 page)

Resolutely she vowed never to be alone with him, never to put herself in such a position again.

Fortified by this resolution, she surprised herself by going to sleep almost instantly.

'Daddy came in and kissed me goodbye,' Sarah told her importantly after breakfast the next morning. ‘Did he

see you, Linnet?'

Linnet drained her orange juice. 'No, he didn't. The seaplane woke me up as it was leaving.'

And just as well too. The last person she wanted to see was Justin; indeed, the week until she must see him

again seemed far too short a time.

It passed quickly too, in weather as warn^ and settled as early summer could produce, Sarah and Linnet swam

and tanned, walked over the hills in search of wallabies, explored the gracious grounds, of Mansion House and

the restored interior, went fishing with Rob and learned how to cook with Cherry.

Each afternoon Sarah slept for-an hour or so while Linnet wrote, and both were astounded at how early they

went to bed.

'It's the sea air,' Cherry laughed one evening, when Linnet yawned for the second time and it wasn't yet dark.

'Combined with all that exercise,' Linnet grimaced at her legs. 'I'm sure I've got ten more muscles in each leg

than I had before! Sarah is certainly filling out, and she's much more energetic than she was when we came up.’

'It's a good place for a holiday.' Rob lit a pipe, dropping the matches for Goori, who mumbled them between his

great jaws.

'It must have been fun on the days when the whole family came up every holidays,' Cherry murmured.

Linnet watched as she set another stitch in her tapestry, a delicate thing of violets for a wall hanging. 'All the

family? I didn't realise there was a family, apart from Justin.'

'Oh yes; he has a sister in the United States, She's married to a diplomat at the Embassy in Washington.

Apparently Justin's parents and the children, plus an assortment of relations, used to come up. Well, you can tell

— the place has bedrooms for ten or so, and the extras used to sleep out all around the terraces.'

'The more the merrier, as far as[ Cherry's concerned,' Rob said mildly. 'She's longing for Justin
to
marry and

have a family.'

Afterwards Linnet could not imagine what made her ask, but she did. 'Do you ever see anything of Stewart

Doyle?'

'Yes, on occasions. He enjoys life here.' Cherry sighed. 'Poor chap! All he's ever wanted to do is farm, but

because he's brilliant and weak with it he's always done what others wanted. Justin doesn't, understand him, of

course, he hasn't any idea of what weakness is.'

"Yet the feet that he puts up with Stewart is a kind of weakness, surely.' Linnet didn't want to talk about Justin,

but this uncharacteristic compassion of his intrigued her,.

'Well, I don't know about that,' Rob said slowly.
4l
reckon Justin feels an obligation towards him. Stewart's side

of the family hasn't got the money Justin has. Justin used to subsidise him. Stewart became dependent; I reckon

Justin feels guilty about it, feels it's his fault. But I don't know. Stewart's mother was a silly woman.
She
ruined

him, if anyone did.'

Cherry laughed. "The worst thing Rob can call anyone is a silly woman. Stewart's mother died before my time.

Rob's lived on Kawau all his life, so he knows them all.'

'The old man was a-charmer; it was his wife who was tough. Justin gets his looks and his charm from his

father, but his strength from his mother.'

Linnet nodded. 'Sarah looks like him too; she's a sensitive little-soul, beneath that superficial arrogance.'

'So's Justin,' Cherry told her crisply. 'Oh, he hides it, but it's there.' Folding up her needlework, she asked,

'Anyone for a drink? I'm making tea.'

And that was the end of that. Linnet was left with the impression that the MacCarthys felt they had been a little

indiscreet because there was no further discussion, not even in the long evenings on the tejamce, when the

darkness made it easy to reminisce and swap confidences.

Well, she was not going to discuss the Doyles with anyone, not even Bronwyn. She had wondered if she should

tell her sisterj of those moments on the hilltop, but had decided against it. Bronwyn was every bit as worldly as

Justin, so she must know what he was like. And if that seemed a remarkably cool-headed approach to a

marriage—well, Bronwyn was cool-headed and no doubt Justin had decided never to let his heart rule his head

again.
,

But Linnet couldn't help feeling that Justin would be furious if Bronwyn kissed anyone else as he had kissed

her. The old double standard, she thought scornfully, as she tried to push the matter from her mind.

The long days slipped by in a golden haze of sunlight until it was the day before Justin was1 due to pkk them up

in the seaplane. Over breakfast Rob announced that he was going across to the mainland to do some shopping;

Cherry decided to go too, but when appealed to, Sarah shook her head.

'It's nearly our last day. Let's go exploring, Linnet, and take a picnic.'

So it was decided. They would go over the hills to South Harbour, poke around the old copper mine on the

coast, and return in time for dinner.

It was a superb day, clear and hazy with heat, but shortly after lunchtime an ominously dark line of clouds

began to build up in the east. After looking at it worriedly several times, Linnet decreed an early return home,

and in spite of Sarah's protest insisted on their departure.

It was just as well. Although it was still breathless hot and still when they arrived back there was no doubt that

something nasty was building up and would soon be on them.

As they went around closing windows and bringing in outdoor furniture, Linnet couldn't help glancing

anxiously at the dark sea between them and the mainland. If Rob had seen the weather coming he and Cherry

would be on their way back by now. They had gone in the runabout, and although she knew little about the

capabilities of the power boat she was almost certain it wouldn't be able to take too much in the way of wind

and sea.

When it seemed that the weather must break, that further tension would be unbearable, the hush was broken by

the hum of the seaplane as it landed over the hill at Mansion House.

'Bet he'll head back quickly,' Sarah said quietly, slipping her hand into Linnet's as they waited.

Sure enough, within seconds it seemed, the little plane was gone, fleeing back to Auckland before the storm.

It broke five minutes later with a howl of winds which shipped up waves even in the shelter of the harbour.

What it was like further out in the bay Linnet didn't like to dunk, comforting herself with-the reflection that

Rob was wise in the ways of this area of the coast. He wouldn't have set off tf there1 had been any danger.

'Gosh, it's got
dark!'
Sarah exclaimed, her voice pitched a little higher than normal.

'Let's play chess, shall we? And you can help me if I make a silly move.’

Sarah Wed dm, feeling superior for once in her life to an adult. So they settled down in the big living room with

the lights on and began their game. It was after three when they began; some time later when the wind and rain

showed no signs of abating, Linnet went out to put the kettle on. It had turned cold, and she thought cocoa

would be a good idea for Sarah.

A tap on-the door made her turn sharply, the cocoa caddy in her hand. Through the glass she could see the

figure of a man, streaming with rain.

'Rob!' she exclaimed, running to the door. But it was Justin, the rain darkening his hair to black, streaming down

his face and saturating his suit.

'Good heavens!' she exclaimed blankly, then, 'Come in quickly,
I’ll
get some towels.'

He hail started to undress by me time she and Sarah arrived back with armfuls of towels from the-hot water

cupboard, for his jacket and shirt were deposited in a heap on the porch floor. The sight of his glistening

muscular torso gave Linnet an odd sensation in her bones. Ignoring it, she handed the towels to him, then

hurried Sarah back info the house.

'Come on, let's get the shower going. He must be freezing.'

His bathroom was warmly walled in pine, with louvre-doored fitments and a tortoiseshell étagère to hold folded

towels. It looked masculine and austere and rich, all at once.

'Not in there,' Sarah said bossily. 'That's the sauna. Here's the shower.'

'Turn it on, there's a good girl.'

When she had regulated it to her satisfaction Sarah grabbed another towel and fled, leaving Linnet to look

around her, wondering if there was anything else she could do. Her eyes fell on a heater 'above head height. She

switched it on, turned to walk out, suddenly conscious of after-shave and hairbrushes, the paraphernalia of a

man's toilet.

Justin met her in the doorway, a towel casually draped around his hips, his features set in an expression of ironic

amusement.

‘Thank you,' he said gravely, standing aside to let her through.

It was useless to wish she didn't blush so easily. She couldn't think of one sensible thing to say, so she made an

indeterminate noise and left as quickly as possible, retaining an image of almost blatant masculinity which so

unnerved her that she had to consciously think about making cocoa and heating some tomato soup Cherry had

left tucked away in the fridge.

Within ten minutes he was back, dressed in slacks and a knit shirt, only his hair still wet and sleek as sealskin.

Primed by Linnet, Sarah remained comparatively silent while he drank the soup and ate toast, but when he

started on his coffee she could no longer contain herself.

'Where did you come from, Daddy?'

'From the seaplane. It landed at Mansion House with one of the Marine Board chaps on it, and as it was Friday I

knew Rob and Cherry would be on the mainland, so I decided to walk across the hills.'

‘I could have rowed the dinghy out if he'd brought you round here.' Sarah was inclined to be indignant, but

added,' Anyway, Linnet is very good in it.'

His glance slipped across Linnet's shuttered face, smoothly assessing. ‘I wasn't to know that. I thought I could

make it before the storm broke, but I didn't.'

'But we didn't expect you till tomorrow,' Sarah pursued. 'Why did you come up today?'

To see you, of course.'

Her features grew radiant. 'Truly?'

'And to give Linnet this.'

'This' was an envelope, addressed to her and stamped with the Auckland City Council logo.

Linnet felt herself grow pale, and was quite unable to repress the trembling of her fingers as she tore it open.

'Her eyes scanned the letter inside, then she gave a whoop of joy, picked Sarah up bodily and kissed her,

yelling, 'I've got it, I've got it, I've
got ill'

Sarah's arms twined themselves around her neck as she almost throttled her with excitement

'Goody, goody, goody!' she chanted, and then, mischievously, 'You'd better kiss Daddy too, as he brought it up

for you.'

Laughingly Linnet dropped the child on to her feet.

'I doubt if he’ll expect such a payment for being a postman,' she said, wishing that Sarah had chosen some other

time and person to exercise her sense of humour on.

'I can think of nothing more pleasant,' he grinned, coolly leaning back in his chair to survey her with a glance

which openly dared her.

Linnet hesitated, than an imp of devilry drove her to bend, drop a kiss on his cheek and retreat, aware that she

had allowed him to provoke her into a false position.'

'Coward!’ he taunted gently.

Sarah became belligerent. 'I think it was a very nice kiss.'

'Just the right sort of kiss for a little girl to give,' he agreed blandly, a derisive note clear in his voice. Without

changing expression, he asked, 'When do you start?

'After the New Year.'

'Not very far away.'

Sarah clamoured to know how far Christmas was away, and when her father told her danced in her turn,

chanting a hymn to Christmas, asking afterwards, ‘What do you want, Linnet?'

'Oh—nothing, really. I've everything I need.'

'But Christmas is a time for things to want, and things to give, not for things to
need!'

She laughed at the disgust in the childish tones. Then I'd like a happy year. Can you give me that?'

Justin said, 'You can give her that.'

'Happiness comes from within,' she snapped, angry with him for forcing the issue into the open. Had he no care

for the child at all? If Sarah knew that Linnet had refused to become her companion she would view her refusal

as yet another rejection, and heaven knew she had had enough of those in her short life.

Father and daughter regarded her. It was strange that two identical pairs of eyes could be so different. Sarah's

were thoughtful, a little surprised at the tone of her adored companion's voice,’ but there was a kind of unholy

mockery darkening the paleness of her father's glance which was as challenging as it was maddening.

Linnet found herself hoping that the child's clear vision would never be marred by such an expression, and for

the first time realised that for Justin there must have been rejections too, of a nature she could not possibly

comprehend, for once he, too, must have possessed the innocence of his daughter.

Through all of the other emotions he stirred in her, the potent attraction to her senses, the unwilling respect and

pleasure
in
his intelligence, the dislike of his ruthlessness, the
fear of his cruelty, a new one struggled to life—