Summer Lightning (22 page)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Chloe woke the next morning feeling perfectly well, and not only well, but with a strong feeling that somehow, soon, everything was going to be all right—though when she examined the prospects she could find no real reason for such confidence.

Still, Louise would be going away, and maybe Dominic had a plan; and if one premonition of hers had turned out to be right, why shouldn’t another?

It had rained a little in the night, and the morning was blue and gold, smelling of fresh damp earth and salt sea. It would be hot later on.

She lay in bed late, lazily planning tomorrow’s program of work. She would be behind on her schedule, but no matter, she would soon catch up on it...

Time to get up, dress, call on the contessa.

She found her delving happily into her jewel case.

“Good morning,
contessa
,” she smiled, kissing her cheek. “Can I help you?”

“No, thank you, my dear. Here is what I was looking for. A little present for you, to celebrate your recovery.”

It was a bracelet in filigree gold, beautifully worked, nearly two inches wide—a lovely thing. Chloe clasped it around her wrist and held it at arm’s length for the contessa to admire.

“Charming. My husband brought it from India—he was a great traveler, you know.”

“It’s lovely. You are too kind to me,
contessa
.”

She was offered a soft, withered cheek to kiss again. “Not nearly so good as you have been to me, dear child. I can never hope to repay you.”

That brought Chloe up with a jerk. It reminded her that the contessa remained unsuspecting of the deception that had been practiced on her; that her precarious hold on life still depended on what she and Dominic decided to do.

Suddenly there were tears in her eyes. They fell down her cheeks; she could nothing to prevent the contessa seeing. “Chloe, dearest, you are crying. What is it?”

“Nothing. Just—your gift, what you said. Please take no notice,
contessa
.
I expect I’m a bit weak and wobbly after being ill. There, I’ve stopped. I must go back to my room and repair the damage.”

She helped return the heap of jewelry to the casket and put it back on the dresser.

“Thank you again for the lovely bracelet,” she said as she left. The contessa’s fond smile followed her to the door. She was crying again as she ran to her own room. She felt overwhelmed with guilt. She wanted Dominic there, to reassure her, tell her again that they had done the right thing. She wanted Dominic...

When she went down to the living room later on she had covered up all traces of her tears. She was glad she had, for there was a stranger in the room—a tall man in a gray suit with fairish hair, brown eyes, a nose and a look strongly reminiscent of Dominic’s. He was looking at a case of miniatures and swung around at the sound of the door opening.

“Oh, I thought it might be my wife.”

Chloe held out her hand and said smiling, “You must be Mr. Carlyon. I didn’t know you were expected today.”

“I wasn’t. Finished my chores and picked up an unexpected cancellation. Do tell me—who are you?”

His smile was like Dominic’s, too, though it hadn’t the same power to disturb her. He was thin, with a look of strain as though he had been through privation—but very attractive.

“I’m Chloe Linden. I’m working on the dig. And I’m—Dominic and I are engaged.”

“What? The lucky dog didn’t tell me—I suppose there was too much to say in too little time. Well—my congratulations to you both.”

“And mine to you on your return to safety. You must have had a terrible time, Mr. Carlyon.”

“Dick. We’re to be cousins, aren’t we?”

“Dick, then. Does Louise know you’re here?”

He gave a rueful shrug.

“I sent Lotta to tell her. She isn’t up yet.”

“Shall I go and tell her to hurry?”

“No. Stay and talk to me. Tell me about Aunt Olivia—the dig—what you’ve all been doing. I’ve been away for two long, blank years.”

“Was it very awful?”

He looked surprised.

“No, on the whole most enjoyable. Annoying when we got out of radio contact—that’s a long story. I’ll save it for another time. Nobody died, though we all got frostbite some time or other.”

“Louise thought they might knight you.”

He threw back his head and roared with laughter.

“The leader of the expedition may possibly get an MBE
if he’s lucky. We
did
find out a few useful things. But the rest of us—good lord, no! Very small fry.”

“Very brave fry, I think.”

“You’re very sweet, cousin Chloe.”

They were laughing together when Louise walked in on them. She ignored Chloe, put out her hands in that same loving gesture she had used on Dominic, swam toward him and held out her face to be kissed.

Dick kissed her cheek, but she flung her arms around him and said thrillingly, “Darling, how wonderful to have you back!”

So she had decided how to receive him. Chloe watched the touching little scene with inward amusement. She was too thankful that Dick had come, and would presumably be taking Louise away, to bear any malice.

“I see you’ve met Chloe.”

“Yes, I was just telling her how lucky Dominic is.”

Fury rippled over Louise’s mobile face for a brief instant and was gone. Chloe saw it, but Dick was busy lighting a cigarette.

“I want to hear all about everything, darling,” Louise said, with a meaningful look at Chloe.

Chloe said at once, “Excuse me, I—”

Dick interrupted. “Don’t go, Chloe, just when we’ve met. Let’s all have a drink—must celebrate, mustn’t we, Louise?”

“You used to mix a marvelous martini, darling.”

“And still do, I promise.”

He went over to the side table and busied himself. Louise said, “You’re in time for the reception—to celebrate the engagement, you know.”

“Ah. When is it to be?”

“Next Thursday.”

He brought them their drinks and shook his head. “Sorry, Louise. We fly back to London on Tuesday. I’ve got our reservations.”

“But we can’t. You must cancel them. I refuse.”

His eyebrows shot up—the same way Dominic’s did, Chloe thought.

“I’m afraid not. We’ve no time to waste—and lots to do. I’m taking up my new appointment at once.”

Louise gave him a wide-eyed stare. “But aren’t those meanies in the FO
giving you a holiday after all you’ve gone through?”

“Nonsense. I’ve had my holiday—two years of it. I’m lucky they have a place for me. It’ll be starting at the beginning again, more or less. Third secretary.”

“Oh,
no
,” Louise said. In a voice of doom she demanded where.

“Teheran,” Dick said carelessly.

“Where on earth is that?” When he told her she said with decision, “Then of course I won’t come with you. No,
really
, Dick...”

“Then where do you propose to live? And on what? I’ve already disposed of the lease of the London apartment.”

Her eyes flashed dangerously. “You fool, Dick. Then I’ll live here. It’s half yours, isn’t it?”

“Was. Dominic has agreed to buy me out,” he told her calmly. “I had to ask him, Louise. I needed the cash. You’ve cleaned me out, my girl.”

“I don’t care,” Louise stormed. “I tell you I absolutely will not go with you to this outlandish place.”

“I think you will,” Dick Carlyon said gently. “I think you will.” His eyes and voice had in them something relentless, implacable. Chloe saw that Louise had met her match, and knew it. Moving soundlessly—though it didn’t matter, really, the other two had forgotten she was there—she slipped away and left them to it.

Dick remained adamant about the day of their departure, and Louise lost all interest in the reception and handed over everything to Chloe.

Before that, Chloe had scarcely been able to bring herself to believe in it. It had seemed unreal—something they all discussed frequently, but was unlikely ever to happen. Something that belonged to the realms of fantasy.

There certainly was something fantastic about it, she thought as she studied the list of guests—everyone in Malta who mattered, Louise said—the arrangements for food, champagne, dancing, fireworks, lavish flowers, extra waiters, all to celebrate an engagement that would be broken off as soon as circumstances permitted.

She would have liked to go to Dominic and beg him to call the whole thing off—but the pile of acceptances daunted her, and besides the contessa was enjoying it all so much. She was determined to come down for a little while, to receive her guests. There was no possibility of calling a halt now.

Chloe tried to imagine how it would be. She thought of the big lofty rooms, lit with glittering chandeliers, great bowls of exotic flowers on the tables, the contessa in her big wing chair, Dominic and herself standing beside her, waiting for the first guests to arrive. She imagined the big cars rolling into the courtyard, dropping off their passengers, circling the fountain, returning to the cathedral square to park. And then well-dressed people coming in, two by two—nearly all of them strangers to her, all looking at her, the girl Dominic had chosen...

If it had been real—if Dominic loved her, if their engagement were a love match—how different she would have felt. She would have been nervous, of course, but thrilled, radiant, on top of the world. As it was, she looked forward to Thursday night with dread.

Since Dick’s arrival she had had no chance to get Dominic alone, so she had no idea how he felt. He and Dick spent long days at the dig and long hours in the library after dinner talking. Chloe had no idea how Louise spent her time. Perhaps she was paying a round of farewell calls—or packing.

On Tuesday, when she was breakfasting before leaving for the dig, Dominic looked in on her.

“I’d like you to come with me to the airport, to see Dick and Louise off,” he said. “Will you be ready at twelve?”

“Am I not to go to the dig, then?”

“No, take a break today.”

“Very well. I have work I can do in the darkroom this morning.”

He smiled and left her. She thought vexedly,
Why didn’t I make him stay, talk to me, tell me what we’re going to do?
The truth was, she was still a little afraid of him...

She found Mark working in the library. She hadn’t been able to resist telling Mark about the first meeting between Dick and his wife.

“Teheran!” Mark had hooted. “All those Moslems—and Louise! Fresh worlds to conquer! I wish I’d been there to see her face. The face that launched a thousand quips!”

This morning he had news for her.

“I’m flying home next week, Chloe. My father’s not well—needs me to help him run the few hundred acres the family still possesses. Look, here’s the address. Promise to let me know as soon as you arrive in London.”

She said, “Yes, Mark,” and thought that perhaps, when that time came, she might be glad of Mark’s cheerful devotion.

When it was time to leave for the airport she found that two cars were waiting. Mark was at the wheel of one, which was piled with Louise’s matched set of luggage and Dick’s one rather battered suitcase. Her own Austin stood alongside—she supposed he would take her in that.

He came out of the house a minute or two later with Dick and Louise and shut them into the larger car.

“Like to drive?” he asked Chloe. She nodded and got in the Austin.

At the airport they found that the flight would be leaving on schedule; they would only have a short wait.

Louise was sulky; she would have liked a big, impressive send-off by all her new friends. But Dick had been adamant about that, too. He had had enough of that sort of thing since his return to civilization.

When the loudspeaker requested passengers to go abroad he shook hands warmly with Chloe, kissed her cheek and wished her happiness. She said with equal warmth, “You, too. Enjoy Teheran.” He laughed and said, “You bet I will.” Louise scowled, and Chloe hoped she wouldn’t spoil things for Dick again. On the whole she thought not. Louise had clearly seen the red light—and she was no fool.

They watched the plane take off and dwindle to a silver speck against the limitless blue. Dominic and Mark turned to each other solemnly shook hands; then they both laughed. A weight had been lifted from both their shoulders.

“We’ll have lunch,” Dominic said briskly. “And a bottle of wine. We’ll drink to Teheran.”

That was all that was said. By tacit agreement all three of them shed Louise from their consciousness. They had quite a hilarious meal in the airport restaurant. When they had finished, Dominic said, “You take the Austin back, Mark. I’ll drive Chloe.”

He drove fast, and soon they were bowling along the coast road, approaching St. Paul. The sun shed pools of golden light between its tall buildings. The sea sparkled gaily, but Chloe no longer felt happy. She was nerving herself to say something to Dominic—something that took all her courage.

He pulled over at length beside a stretch of smooth turf overlooking a tiny bay, and turned the car off the road so that they faced the sea.

“Let’s skip work for today. Cigarette?”

She took a few quick puffs to calm herself.

“Dominic, there’s something I want to tell you—to say.”

He looked at her with that gleam of humor. “Me, too. But you first. Say on.”

She took a deep breath.

“The other day, you said the best way out of our— difficulty would be to marry you. Did you mean it?”

“Obviously.”

“And I refused. Well, what I want to say is, I’ve changed my mind. I—I want to marry you, if you like.”

He turned around to look at her more closely. She gazed straight ahead, unable to meet his eyes.

“Aha! What caused you to change your mind, Chloe?”

She hesitated, then said in a rush, “It was your mother. She gave me this lovely bracelet, she said she could never repay what I’ve done for her, she was so sweet, so trusting. I could never undeceive her. I’ve made up my mind to go through with it. Dominic, we must, we can’t hurt her that much...”

His eyebrows have gone up. He said, “
You’ve
made up your mind? But what about me?”

She was utterly taken aback. “But you suggested it. You
asked
me to marry you.”

“And accepted your refusal.”

The slow color rose in her cheeks. She felt terrible. Shamed.

“But now...”

He gave her a look of mocking irony.