The Man at Mulera (24 page)

“
It
’
s the kindest thing I
’
ve ever heard from anyone, but I can
’
t marry you as a way of escape. It wouldn
’
t be fair to you, and we might eventually find ourselves in an
impossible situation.
”

“
I
’
ll bet you can
’
t
think
of a better way out
.
”

“
The present is rather overwhelming,
”
she admitted,
“
but I
’
m not entirely at its mercy. I ought to be able to think of something.
”

He spoke gently.
“
No, life
’
s like that. You don
’
t control your own destiny. There may be times when you think you do, but more often than not something creeps up on you and takes control, and you see what small potatoes you really are. That
’
s how it is with people like you and me.
”

“
Perhaps. You
’
re really very kind, Greg.
”

The note of disillusionment came back into his voice.
“
Nice old Greg, that
’
s me. But I mean it, Lou—about marrying you. And when you
’
ve thought it over you
’
ll decide it
’
s not such a bad idea, after all. If you let Ross marry first, you
’
ll lose the child. Marry first yourself, and he
’
ll be yours for keeps, because possession in such cases is still nine points of the law. That feeling y
o
u had for Dorothy Weston went deep. You
’
ll never feel right if you give up her child.
”

The bald statement hung on the air for a minute. Then he switched on the car beams.

“
Think you
’
ll be able to drive in the dark?
”

She nodded.
“
It isn
’
t far now.
”

“
I
’
ll go ahead in the jeep and you follow. If you don
’
t show up soon Ross will have the whole district alerted. Feel more chipper?
”

“
Yes, thank you, Greg.
”

He got out of the car and let her move in behind the wheel, touched her hand.
“
Think it over tonight, Lou. If you
’
ll marry me, I swear I
’
ll devote the rest of my life to making you happy.
”

She managed the ghost of a smile, but said nothing. He closed the door, bent and touched his lips to her cheek and at once went back to the jeep. She waited till he had pulled out and passed her, then started the car moving, and followed him.

Greg took the turning through the coffee trees and kept up a moderate speed. Then suddenly she saw him give the stop sign, and braked herself; and then the estate car swept past the jeep and drew up beside the saloon. Ross got out, and Lou realized, with only mild surprise, that
his
eyes were green and fiery, his lean face angular with fury.

Yet he spoke coolly.
“
I decided to look for you. Where have you been?
”

“
For a drive. I met Greg and he
...
”

But Greg was there, more assured than he usually was with Ross.
“
Lou was worried because she
’
d grazed a thorn tree with the car. I told her you
’
d understand. It was dark and she wasn
’
t too familiar with the car so I led the way.
”

“
All right,
”
offhandedly from Ross.
“
I
’
ll take over now.
”

“
But I
’
m not sure you realize
...”

“
I said it was all right,
”
snapped Ross.
“
Get going, Greg.
”

But perhaps because he had recently taken a further step towards regaining his self-respect, Greg was in militant mood.
“
I don
’
t want you to blame Lou for anything,
”
he said.
“
I kept her late—talking.
”

“
About yourself, no doubt. I believe you.
”

Greg stiffened.
“
You intend giving me the sack when the three months are up, don
’
t you?
”

“
I haven
’
t thought about it yet
.
What has that to do with this particular moment?
”

“
Just this. I
’
ll leave as soon as you like. And when I go, Lou and Keith will go with me. I
’
ve asked her to marry me.
”

Ross Gilmore
’
s expression changed only slightly. He flickered a glance at Greg
’
s face, saw it strangely obstinate in spite of the graceful chin, and then he looked at Lou. Perhaps he noticed that her smooth young face had become hollow-looking and shadowed, for when he answered Greg it was quietly and without roughness.

“
It might be as well to have something to offer a woman before you propose,
”
he remarked.
“
We
’
ll leave it there for tonight shall we? I
’
m afraid you
’
ll have to get the jeep out of the way before we can move.
”

For a moment Greg was defeated. A muscle contracted in his jaw, he managed a creditable
“
Goodnight
”
to Lou, and went back to the jeep. It roared away.

Ross straightened beside the car.
“
Just drive round in front of the garage,
”
he said.
“
I
’
ll put the car away later.
”

She obeyed, and when she reached the garage she slipped out of the car a second or two before he could manage to extricate himself from the estate wagon. She was in the porch when he joined her, steeling herself against whatever he might say.

But he merely held wide the door and murmured coldly,
“
Go straight through and change. I
’
ll tell the others you were slow because you found the car a little difficult
.
”

By the time Lou had changed into a plain blue linen and used a lipstick, a little of her courage had returned. She went to Keith
’
s bedroom and received a reproachful stare. He was sitting up in bed with his toy rifle across his knees and his arms folded.

“
You
didn
’
t give me any supper,
”
he accused her.
“
And
you
didn
’
t hear my prayers, either. I had to have Auntie
Elinor
.
”

“
She did it beautifully, I
’
m sure.
”

“
She was O.K. but she sighed three times.
”
In the same breath he said,
“
Auntie Acland may
g
o back to England to see a doctor.
”

More upheavals, Lou thought
“
Would you like to say your prayers again?
”

“
Not more than once,
”
he replied firmly.
“
And I don
’
t want you to read to me, either.
”

“
Very well, but there
’
s no need to be cross about it. You can
’
t have things you own way all the time. You had a pleasant morning and an exciting afternoon with Uncle Ross. That
’
s not bad for one day.
”

“
But I
’
m not going out with him again for a long time. Now that you have the car will you take me to the Lake?
”

“
Perhaps.
”

“
Paula said she might take me, but I don
’
t want to go with her.
”

Ignoring her own rigid set of rules, Lou asked,
“
Don
’
t you? Why?
”

He tilted his freckled nose.
“
She takes no notice of me or else she
’
s all gooey. She doesn
’
t play properly. You do.
”

“
I
’
m glad you like the way I play. Why the gun in bed?
”

“
I was going to shoot you. Bang, bang.
”

“
And you thought better of it?
”

For the
meres
t
second his eyes were dark, as if shadowed by the ghost of something he couldn
’
t quite remember.

Then he cried happily,
“
Well, if I shoot you you
’
ll be gone, won
’
t you? I want you here with me, of course!
”

It was all the reward and stimulus she needed. Lou
’
s eyes glistened as she kissed Keith goodnight, but after she had put out the light she dabbed at them with a handkerchief. When she walked into the living-room she looked bright and apologetic. She took a drink from Ross and carried it to the dining-table, where the other two women were already seated.

Mrs.
Acland, s
till colorless and slack, ate a finger of
chicken
and a slice of tomato. Elinor Weston took salad which she hardly attempted to eat. Ross, taut and exasperated, dared Lou with a glittering, narrowed glance to be as finicky. She accepted the plate of chicken he cut for her, almost choked on it, but made a show. The meal ended and Ross took his coffee to the small study.

Elinor
Weston was lighting her thirtieth cigarette of the day when she asked,
“
Do you know where I can buy a bottle of brandy? I
’
m not sleeping too well and I thought
that if
I kept a bottle in my room I could swallow a tot each night
.
”

Mrs. Acland replied, rather sharply,
“
I
’
m sure Ross wouldn
’
t mind you having a nightcap to take to your room. There
’
s no need for you to keep a private stock of drinks.
”

Elinor drew her long thin body upright. She looked down with distaste at the faded silk print she was wearing and then deliberately crossed to the cabinet and poured a stiff brandy. She turned, holding the brandy high.

“
The best medicine in the world,
”
she said.
“
I
’
ve been missing it
.
”

She went out and along to her room. Mrs. Acland
’
s startled glance met Lou
’
s.
“
She talks as if she
’
s already tipsy.
”

“
But she isn
’
t
.
That
’
s Elinor
’
s first drink since she
’
s been with us.
”
Lou was anxious.
“
Ought I to stop her?
”

“
A woman of her type and age? You can
’
t, my dear. One drink won
’
t hurt her.
”

“
But I
’
ve the impression that she used to drink rather much at one time. It
’
s bad to start up again.
”

Mrs. Acland shook her head.
“
We can
’
t make ourselves responsible for her sins. She
’
s a very unhappy woman. She thinks that responsibility for Keith i
s
the answer to her
problems, but it
w
ouldn
’
t be. She should have married.
”

Lou nodded.
“
Has Ross told you what he
’
s going to do about her?
”

“
He was going to pay her passage to England but Martin Craddock asked him to wait a bit. They
’
ve discussed it a good deal, I believe. Martin is one of those dear souls who believe that every path crosses another for some good reason; he feels the time will come when we
’
ll see what is best for Elinor. I think he
’
s being sentimental. Elinor is headstrong and she
’
s always managed her own life, for better or worse. No one could do anything with her.
”

“
I
’
m not sure. It seems such a pity she should come all
this
way for something that
’
s turned
ou
t to be quite empty.
”

Mrs. Acland looked at the damp palms of her hands.
“
I feel a little like that myself. I used to be so interested in Chekwe and its restricted social life, but all I can do at the moment is lament the heat and wonder how much longer I can stand it.
”

“
Don
’
t you feel any better at all?
”
asked Lou, concerned.

“
Not really.
”
She hesitated.
“
There
’
s something I feel I ought to tell you. Ross doesn
’
t know, and I don
’
t want him to know. You promise to say nothing?
”

“
I promise!
”
said Lou warmly.

“
You
’
re a sweet and sensible girl and I find it very easy to love you.
”
Mrs. Acland sighed.
“
I
’
m a nuisance. About three months ago I had a slight heart attack. I got over it very quickly and was quite well when Ross wrote asking me to come out here. My doctor assured me the air trip wouldn
’
t do me any harm, so I came as soon as Ross wanted me. When I first arrived I thought I
’
d soon be sprightly, but that little attack I had must have robbed me of something. I
’
m afraid I
’
ll never feel quite well while I stay.
”

“
I
’
m terribly sorry, Mrs. Acland. Keith murmured something about your going over to England to see a doctor but I didn
’
t question him. Shouldn
’
t you leave soon?
”

“
While I rest I can
’
t come to harm, and I
’
ve seen the Chekwe doctor.
”
She smiled and added helplessly,
“
How can I make Ross pop the question to Paula? Once they
’
re engaged I
’
ll happily go home. I
’
m sure Paula will want to be married from her place in Hampshire, and I could attend the wedding easily. I can just see the whole thing
”
—the birdlike eyes went very soft.
“
The church on the edge of the estate is ancient and ivy-covered and there
’
s a long paved path from a lychgate into the porch. The whole district would turn out, and there would be hundreds of people at the reception in the old manor house. Paula will make a ravishingly beautiful bride, and it would do my silly old heart all the good in the world to see Ross married. You know, Lou, you have to be old to get this kind of feeling. To young people there is always plenty of time.
”

Lou felt a compulsion to stand up and tidy the coffee tray.
“
Have you ever asked Ross why he hasn
’
t yet proposed to Paula?
”

The older woman gave a gentle laugh.
“
Many times
,
but you know Ross.
‘
Hold your horses, Auntie Maud. All in good time.
’
If I told him why it
’
s become urgent to me he
’
d promptly forget all about getting married and fuss me over to England himself!
”

Lou thought, treacherously,
‘
I could tell him!
’
And then shrugged the idea away. She held out a hand.
“
I
’
ll help you to your room. And if you want anything at all just ring the bedside bell. I
’
ll leave my own door open a few inches—and I shall be reading for an hour or two.
”