The Man at Mulera (30 page)

But Elinor was too cautious about her new-found joy to say much. It would take her weeks, perhaps months, to accustom herself to the knowledge that she was a wife and very much loved; that the past which had dogged her so cruelly could be forgotten. She smiled softly.

“
For the moment I
’
m just grateful.
I’
m not even going to ask how things have happened this way.
”

Then, naturally and without the least shrinking, she bent beside Keith and looked into the bucket poked inquisitively
at one of the reptiles and laughed with the child at the resultant wriggle.

“
Room
’
s a bit crowded,
”
commented Ross.
“
Suppose we all have a drink together, to wish you two lovebirds all the best.
”

Arrangements for the marriage were surprisingly uncomplicated. Martin Craddock had returned, and promised to issue the necessary licence at once. He looked happy and serene, presumably because his own affairs were proceeding smoothly, and within a day or two he announced that his colleague in Zomba would perform the ceremony at a private house in the district.

Quie
tl
y, Elinor altered a smart white suit for the occasion, and she went into Zomba for a new hair style and brightening rinse. She returned late in the evening, looking younger and more vital, and at
dinner
Lou noticed her awakening appetite, her lack of interest in cigarettes. The marriage of Elinor
’
s was the best thing to come out of Dick
’
s and Dorothy
’
s accident. Lou wished Dick could see his sister now
!

Lou wore pastel blue for Elinor
’
s wedding, and Keith wore navy linen shorts and a white shirt
.
They were taken in the estate car and followed by Paula and Martin in the tourer. Mrs. Acland, to her regret, had to stay at the plantation, but her wishes were warm
and
deep, and she had insisted that Elinor accept a pair of ruby ear-rings as a gift. Gifts had naturally been a little difficult, but Elinor stated that it was so lovely having friends of her own at her wedding that gifts would be anticlimax. However, Ross had somehow managed to procure some silver tableware, and Lou had bought house linen at the general store and quickly embroidered each article with an ornamental R.

The marriage took place in the wide veranda of a country house set among poinsettias and palms. Below shimmered a river which ran to the Lake, and overhead spread flight after flight of wild geese and a straggle of herons that flew so low that the red spots above their white ear-lobes were visible. The flying geese meant coming winds and perhaps rain, but now all was calm and full of promise.

Elinor gave her responses quietly and confidently, George Randall sounded rugged and firm
.
A
gramophone
played
Bach while a short procession filed into the lounge for signatures, good wishes and toasts.

Watching Elinor, Lou felt tears stinging her eyelids. She went forward and kissed the thin cheek.

“
You
’
re going to be happy, Elinor. I
’
m sure of it I do wish you weren
’
t going back to Singapore.
”

“
But she
’
s not—yet,
”
said Ross, just behind her.
“
Randall
’
s brother is running the business there for a while, and these two are staying in Nyasaland for at least a couple of months.
”

“
At the Lakeside Hotel,
”
Elinor said, nodding.
“
We feel we need it.
”

“
That
’
s marvellous. I
’
m so glad.
”

Elinor touched Lou
’
s arm.
“
Thank you. After a week or so we
’
ll take Keith off your hands. Ross has promised.
”
Lou slanted
him
a quick glance, smiled at Elinor and moved away so that others could wish the bride well. A cocktail was slipped into her hand and Ross said,

“
Sit down. I
’
ll fill a plate for you and bring it over.
”
Lou sat and tasted the drink. Ross came beside her, pulled forward a low table and placed on it the plate he
h
ad loaded with savories. He hitched his immaculate grey trousers and lowered himself to the chair at her side.

He must have noticed the moisture on her lashes, for he said offhandedly,
“
You needn
’
t weep for Elinor. She
’
s getting a fine chap and she
’
ll give him good value. Or do you feel a wee bit envious?
”

“
Of course not!
”

“
Wouldn
’
t you like to hook a man of George
’
s type? He
’
s dependable.
”

‘
Yes, he is,
”
she replied, ignoring his question. Then:
“
When did you promise Elinor that she could have Keith?
”

“
A day or two ago. They
’
ve booked in at the Lakeside Hotel for a spell, and Elinor rather wanted it
.
Once she leaves Nyasaland she won
’
t see the boy for perhaps years. It
’
s only fair to let her have him for a month or two.
”

“
I agree, but you might have mentioned it.
”

“
There was no hurry.
”
He waved at her plate.
‘
Try the stuffed olives; they
’
re not bad.
”

“
If Eleanor takes Keith for two months I shall hav
e
nothing to do. Ross, I really must
...”

“
Be quiet,
”
he said softly but peremptorily.
“
You have to let me run this my own way, till we
’
re free of entanglements. You haven
’
t a thing to worry about, young Louise. Not a
thing.”

In despair, she said,
“
It just isn
’
t possible for you to see the whole business from my angle, is it? You lost me my job, took away my independence, and you expect me to sit back and smile about it all!
”
Because he did not reply at once, she went on recklessly,
“
I wish I
’
d agreed to marry Greg before you met us that day! He
’
s no less a desirable parent for Keith than
...
Paula Craddock!
”

Her forearm was gripped so viciously that she grimaced with the pain. In a dangerous undertone Ross said,
“
That
’
s about enough. We
’
ll never get anywhere by argument. Eat you
r
snacks, little one, and you may as well drink enough to make you sleepy and unwilling to talk!
”

He got up, and with the shade of a bow in her direction he moved away and mingled with the dozen or so other people in the room. But fleetingly, Lou caught a full view of his face. It was set in angular lines, the jaw inflexible and the mouth thin, as though his teeth were clamped. Lou knew, fatally, that she had snapped the frail
link
which had attached her to Ross Gilmore; some things made him mock, others vexed him, but slighting reference to Paula roused
him
to white-hot, masculine rage. Perhaps it was fortunate, she reflected bleakly, that they were here in the midst of a convivial crowd.

It was good to watch the bridal couple speed away in a hired car, and quite funny to see Keith thoughtfully inspecting
the
handful of rice which he should have thrown. Lou rested a hand on his shoulder, drew
him
to lean against her. He didn
’
t say anything, but just remained there,
c
ompanionably, and let
th
e rice trickle through his fingers. Lou remembered Elinor
’
s final injunction, uttered almost under her breath.

“
Lou, dear, George and I would like you to be our guest at the hotel for as long as we have Keith—unless you want a change from
him.
You must please yourself, naturally, but we
’
d love to have you.
”

They were being kind, she knew. They wouldn
’
t allow her to feel she was playing gooseberry, but the latter would be the truth of it
.
Having Keith with them would be different
.
He would go off to play with other children who might be guests at the hotel, and they would have long evenings free of him. And to Elinor, Keith was a special child, her only relative.

Lou met a pair of china-blue eyes, smiled perfunctorily at Paula and looked down at Keith
’
s fair head. Paula drifted close, still fresh and dainty in a full-skirted printed dakron that revealed exquisite underwear.

“
Who
’
d have imagined that Elinor would inspire devotion in such a man,
”
she commented in a smiling drawl.
“
I suppose she turned him down in Singapore, or he wouldn
’
t have followed.
”

So neither Martin nor Ross had given Paula the details of the romance; which was vaguely comforting.

Lou said,
“
They
’
re both in love, and that
’
s all that matters. I only wish I weren
’
t going to lose touch with them again.
”

Paula
’
s tones were honeyed.
“
Why not tack yourself on to them? If Elinor and her husband were willing to take Keith permanently, you could go along as third guardian. I believe there are good teaching jobs in Singapore.
”

With a sharp glance, Lou reminded Paula that Keith was right there, between them. She answered evenly,
“
I might look into it. Nice wedding, wasn
’
t it?
”

“
I prefer a little more spectacle myself. I intend to marry in the centuries-old ch
urch
on the edge of my place in Hampshire. As a matter of fact, I
’
ve written over to the housekeeper, asking her to get out my mother
’
s wedding veil. Actually,
”
with a tinkling laugh,
“
I
’
m not romantic about these things, but one
’
s employees expect a dash of youthful sentimentality, and seeing that blondes always make glamorous brides I
’
ll do my best by them.
”

“
Are you going to be married
...
soon?
”

Paula
’
s beautiful face looked aloof and assured, and there was the strange, sapphire-hard sparkle in her eyes.
“
Early in October. I
’
ve waited long enough.
”

Abruptly, she turned to speak to someone else. Then Martin appeared again at Lou
’
s side.

“
You and Keith are going home to Mulera with me,
”
he said, with that endearing kind smile of his.
“
Ross is taking Paula and a few others to the club in Zomba, but I have work to do and you have Keith on your hands. I thought you could have gone with them, a
n
d said that I
’
d deliver Keith to Mrs. Acland, but Ross says you
’
re tired. I must say you don
’
t look a hundred per cent
.
”

She nodded without speaking. With Martin, she
thanked
their host and hostess. Ross saw them to the car, looked into the back seat and said something to Keith, and then roved a cool glance over Lou.

To Martin he said,
“
Take care of these
children
, won
’
t you? And you
’
ll call in tomorrow to say goodbye to my aunt? I
’
ve just heard that we have seats on Thursday
’
s plane.
”

“
What about injections?
”

“
It
’
s less than two years since I last slipped over to England. My last lot will cover this trip.
”

“
Want me to keep an eye on Lou and Keith?
”

“
They
’
re going to stay with the Bains near Vima. We
’
ll all get together when I return.
”