The Man at Mulera (13 page)

“
No, thank you. May I offer you tea?
”

“
We
’
ve had it, child. Ready, Maud?
”

Mrs. Acland stood up, and Lou saw that she was quite tall and very erect
.
The older woman smiled at her, charmingly.

“
It will be pleasant for us up at the house,
”
she said.
“
I
’
m hoping the domestic atmosphere will prod Ross into marrying that very lovely creature who
’
s been waiting for him to forget the plantation for long enough to propose. You must help me!
”

Ross rested a slightly malicious glance upon Lou
’
s face.
“
My aunt has marriage on the brain. It
’
s another of those things you
’
ll get used to. See you later, Louise.
”

Lou went down with them to the car. Keith came running out and renewed acquaintance with Mrs. Acland. He waved vigorously as the car moved away, and turned excitedly to Lou.

“
We
’
re going back to Uncle Ross!
”
he sang out.
“
Oh, boy, boy, boy.
”

“
Are you as glad as all that?
”

“
He lets me do as I like, so I needn
’
t do any more lessons!
”

“
You
’
ll certainly have lessons,
”
said Lou flatly.
“
At least two hours every morning.
”

Keith was dashed, but not for long. His sole regret was connected with leaving the sand-pit
.

That evening Lou changed houses. Ross collected her and the child and took her to his house with most of their belongings, and after arranging her own and Keith
’
s clothes in drawers and wardrobes and seeing Keith into bed, Lou spent a quiet evening with Mrs. Acland. Ross, immaculate in white dinner jacket and sorting a cummerbund, went over to the District Commissioner
’
s house for an evening of poker. What Paula Craddock did during an all-male evening was not made clear.

Lou learned that Mrs. Acland had been a widow for many years, that she had been happiest when she had kept house for Ross in Cambridge. Nowadays, she spent most of her time in a London flat, but the couple of months in Nyasaland were the climax of each year.

She was an understanding woman and widely read; though she loved Ross more than anyone else in the world, she was not blind to his drawbacks where women were concerned. In her opinion he had one glaring fault—he never showed his true feelings.

“
Never,
”
she emphasized,
“
and he scoffs at people who do show them. That
’
s why you
’
ll have to be very careful, my dear. If you cross
him
he
’
ll hurt you, but you
’
ll never know just how you penetrated his armor—or where. He
’
s a complex man.
”

Lou asked carefully,
“
Do you think Miss Craddock understands him?
”

“
Bless you, yes. She
’
s made a study of Ross, and she certainly knows
him
better than anyone else does. When Ross marries it will have to be a woman like Paula— someone who can match his type of wit and has similar tastes.
”

Mrs. Acland was probably right, thought Lou; she did not pursue the subject. Later, when she went to bed, she found herself vaguely unhappy about living in Ross Gilmore
’
s house. Mrs. Acland would act as a kind of buffer, of course, but proximity to him might prove more and more exhausting.

Lou slept uneasily, yet when she awoke next morning and remembered where she was, her heart gave a tremendous leap, and she smiled out of her window at a garden which smelled dear and familiar. Absurd, of course; she couldn
’
t possibly recall these particular scents. But the morning was brilliant and promising.

She washed quickly, put on a pale blue and white check frock and went through to the veranda, where Ross and the pyjama-clad Keith were breakfasting. Ross bowed ceremoniously and pulled out a chair. Lou slipped down into it and thanked
him,
rested her elbow on the table and gazed at the trees and the misted mountains with grey eyes and glowed.

“
Mixed fruit?
”
asked Ross.

“
Please,
”
she said dreamily.

He helped her to it, placed the small glass dish co
n
taining guavas, chopped pineapple and papaw in front of her. Keith spooned up cereal and stared.

“
Aren
’
t you going to grumble because I
’
m not dressed?
”
he queried.

“
Not this morning,
”
Lou answered.
“
But tomorrow you must wash and dress before you come to breakfast, just as you have been doing.
”

“
I needn
’
t, now I
’
m back with Uncle Ross. He doesn
’
t mind.
”

“
But I mind very much,
”
Lou told him.
“
You must do as I say.
”

Keith pouted.
“
But I don
’
t have to. D
o
I, Uncle Ross?
”

Ross, who had been looking as if he had no intention of entertaining the conflict, pushed away his plate.
“
You may as well grow up a
little,
”
he said.
“
Big boys don
’
t have breakfast in their pyjamas.
”

Keith struggled with the extreme of sudden fury and the desire to please.
“
You never used to say that! It
’
s because Lou
’
s here. I know it is.
”

Ross nodded calmly.
“
That
’
s right, there are ladies in the house. Had enough to eat?
”

“
Yes
!”
Keith quailed before the sharp, greenish glance, and added,
“
Thank you.
”

“
Then you might go and dress now,
”
Ross suggested. The child stalked off, looking, with the pyjamas crumpled about his ankles, rather less grand than he hoped. Ross took some butter, grinned at the small retreating back without speaking.

“
Thanks for the co-operation!
”
said Lou.

“
Surprised?
”

“
A little. Grateful, anyway.
”

“
Perhaps it
’
s a good omen. Do you like our fruit?
”

“
I didn
’
t at first, but it grows on one.
”
She ate some papaw, nodded towards the mountains.
“
The bungalow has good views but they don
’
t match this one. What made you choose Nyasaland?
”

“
It chose me. There were forestry jobs here and I wanted the experience before launching out into planting. I did travel through Central Africa to see if there were anywhere I might like better, but I came back and bought Mulera. In scenery and fertility you can
’
t beat this country.
”

“
It has grandeur,
”
she said softly,
“
and the growth is miraculous. I wonder if the Africans here realize how lucky they are?
”

“
Mostly, they don
’
t bother. A roof and enough to eat is all they need to make them happy. The white man brought the products by which they live—coffee, tea, tobacco, rice and cotton; they
’
ve initiated nothing whatever themselves. You
’
ve probably noticed that they give in to the heat far quicker than we do.
”

“
It
’
s a way of living, I suppose.
”
Lou took a piece of toast and declined the bacon and sausages which were keeping hot in an ingenious spirit oven which stood on a stool.
“
I sometimes think that if everyone worked only for his needs life would be extremely pleasant and uncomplicated.
”

“
We
’
ve developed too far, little one,
”
said Ross lazily.
“
Besides, one
’
s needs are expanding and changing all the time. Done much reading since you
’
ve been here?
”

“
Nothing serious. I didn
’
t bring any books.
”

“
I
’
ve quite a selection in my room. I
’
ll look some out for you. Are you a television addict?
”

“
No. The set we have at school is communal and you can
’
t choose your own programme and manage to sit it right through. I do have a radio in my bedroom, though.
”

He looked both amused and thoughtful.
“
You keep the school ever-present, don
’
t you? Can
’
t you think of it in the past tense?
”

“
It
’
s my living
.”

Ross got out cigarettes, offered them and pushed his cup across for more coffee.
“
I
’
ve been meaning to talk to you about that,
”
he said equably.
“
Here at Mulera we have space and heaps of surplus food. There
’
s no reason why you shouldn
’
t stay indefinitely.
”

Oddly, Lou felt her heartbeats quicken. She shook her head.
“
It wouldn
’
t work. In any case, I
’
d have to go back and find a job some time.
”

“
If you discovered that work was essential,
”
he said, carelessly,
“
you could get a job here. I know of several children who don
’
t go to school simply because there isn
’
t one.
”

“
In this district?
”

“
And elsewhere. The parents would build a small school with a boarding-house in a matter of weeks if they could
find someone to organize and run it.
”
He shrugged.
“
It
’
s an idea.
”

She hesitated, looked at her fingers.
“
Are you still determined to oppose my taking Keith to England?
”

“
I
’
m afraid so.
”
A pause.
“
I
’
ve something to tell you, Louise. I
’
ve written to your principal, informing her that you have to resign.
”

Lou
’
s hand clenched spasmodically on the able and she went pale.
“
You
’
ve
what
?”
After that she was speechless for a moment. And then:
“
How dared you do such a thing! I
’
ll cancel your letter at once!
”

“
Too late. I wrote only a couple of days after you arrived. Your admirable Miss Buckland has replied by airmail, stating that she quite understands your position and accepts your resignation. It seems she has a niece who will be glad of the experience.
”