The Man at Mulera (7 page)

“
Yes, if he sticks it out in the Service. But he needs lots more experience and that attitude of mind I was telling you about. He
’
s keen to get married, but I
’
ve never even thought about it.
”

“
Then you should, before it
’
s too late!
”

“
I
’
m afraid it's already too late. In ten years or so I shall retire to a few acres in Kenya or Rhodesia and become a club bore.
”

“
You won
’
t
.
You
’
ll be a Governor somewhere and people will have to curtsey to you.
”

He laughed, and a lightness came into his expression.
“
Come on, we
’
ll pick some fruit for you to take back to the bungalow.
”

He unhooked a grass basket from where it hung on a branch, pulled a few oranges, cut about a dozen bananas and two large yellowing papaws. To the basket-load he added a heap of loquats.

There was a sudden rustle high up in a palm and instinctively he gripped her arm and pulled her clear of a huge falling coconut
.
She laughed a little helplessly, put a hand to his jacket to steady herself.

“
I was hoping for a coconut and here it is!
”
she said. The next moment both were aware of figures approaching on the path between the tamarinds. Lou
’
s hand dropped, and a second later Martin Craddock released her arm. Unhurriedly, he bent to retrieve the coconut and place it
beside the basket Then he turned towards Ross Gilmore and the woman at his side.

“
Hallo, there,
”
he said.
“
Miss Prentice, meet my sister, Paula. You
’
ve heard about Louise Prentice, Paula. We were picking some fruit for her to take home.
”

P
aula
Craddock showed perfect white teeth between exact red lips. From her brief acquaintance with Martin, Lou was quite unprepared for the woman. She ought to have known, of course, that if Ross Gilmore was deeply interested in Paula Craddock she would have good looks and poise, but somehow she had imagined Martin
’
s sister would be very like Martin: dependable, friendly and exceedingly pleasant
.

Paula
was none of these things, though she did have an
air
of patronizing camaraderie. She had the stamp of wealth on her and she was amazingly beautiful. Tall and slender, with ash-blonde hair that positively sparkled with whiteness and eyes that were a deeper blue than her brother
’
s, a vivid blue. She wore a white linen skirt and a pink-tan blouse which made her throat look golden. Standing beside Ross, who was as striking in his way as she in hers, she looked as if she had placed herself where she belonged.

Ross, for some reason, looked watchful, though he spoke as casually as ever.
“
Short of fruit down at the bungalow, Louise? What
’
s Ali been doing with it?
”

“
I thought I
’
d like some of Mr. Craddock
’
s. Do you
mind
?
”

“
Not at all, child.
”

Paula took his arm.
“
I
’
m thirsty—let
’
s go in for tea. You know,
darling,
your houseboy may be good but he has the common failing. Too much salt in everything.
”

“
You said the lunch was splendid.
”

“
So it was—because we had it alone and could talk. But there was something we forgot
.
Those
gramophone
records you ordered for
me...”

They moved so far ahead that their conversation was only a murmur. Lou walked with Martin Craddock but found herself sharply aware of those two. She didn
’
t know what it was, but some new element seemed to have entered her own orbit within the last few minutes. She found herself
thinking,
“
So they
’
re that close, absorbed in each other.
”
And she re
a
lized that her own innocence made her blind to much of Ross Gilmore
’
s personality. Unaccountably she felt flat and uneasy.

They had tea in the D.C.
’
s comfortable lounge. Paula, bright and beautiful, poured the tea; Ross handed the cups and Martin took charge of the dishes of minute cakes and sandwiches. Keith strolled in and drank orange juice while he talked about the tropical fish, and then he sidled out again. It was so long since he had last seen the aquarium that he found the fish far more engrossing than human beings.

Cigarettes were lit and Martin put on his pipe. He looked happy and relaxed as he talked about the trifles which make up life in the tropics. He thought it was time someone gave a party.

“
And why shouldn
’
t it be us,
”
he said to Paula.
“
When you first arrived you were party-mad, but it must be all of six weeks since we last had more than a couple of people here.
”

She shrugged, smiled at him sweetly.
“
They
’
re the same old faces, Martin, my sweet, and one does get tired of them.
”

“
I
’
m the same old face, too.
”

“
But you
’
re also like old shoes, darling—indispensable in a hot climate.
”

He smiled.
“
What
’
s Ross—new shoes that have to be tried out fairly often?
”

She wrinkled her nose at him, gave Ross a long, intimate glance.
“
Ross is charged with electricity; he gives a girl a boost.
”
She turned politely to Lou.
“
I suppose you
’
ll hardly have time to get to know us before you leave. I hear you
’
re a school-teacher.
”

“
Of a kind.
”
Lou found herself tightening up and it annoyed her into being cool and deliberate.
“
Actually, teaching the five
-
to seven-year-olds in a particular type of prep school is rather different from ordinary school-teaching.
”

“
But you can
’
t possibly
like
it
.
”

“
I do—that
’
s why I chose it in preference to anything else. On the whole I find children exhil
a
rating.
”

“
Teaching other people
’
s children always seems to me to be a dead end. With Keith one would feel differently, of course.
”
The blue glance, in spite of its vividness, looked
strangely expressionless as she added,
“
It must have been a shock to hear you were Keith
’
s guardian.
”

“
Co-guardian,
”
put in Ross gently.

She flickered him another soft smile.
“
I know, but a woman does more than a
man
towards a child
’
s upbringing.
”

“
Not in this case,
”
he said lazily.
“
Louise takes care of Keith but I make the decisions.
”

Lou
’
s eyes brightened with vexation, but instead of voicing a retort she turned to the D.C.
“
I
think
we shall have to appoint you as arbitrator, Mr. Craddock. Would you take it on?
”

“
Louise means,
”
explained Ross kindly,
“
that she wants you on her side. Don
’
t be fooled by the wistful pleading, Martin. It hides a scheming wit
.
”

“
I
’
m strictly friendly with both of you,
”
Martin s
aid. “
There
’
s no problem yet
.
”

Paula tapped ash into a saucer. Her smooth features were pleasantly smiling.
“
The whole thing is solved when one of you marries, I believe. You two guardians only have to agree till then. And if Miss Prentice is staying only a few weeks there seems to be very little to argue about anyway.
”

“
Except that
I’
m hoping to take Keith with me,
”
said Lou.

“
Tenacious
wench,
”
remarked Ross to no one in particular.

Paula readied for another cigarette, turned to the lighter Ross held.
“
I expect you know the answer to it all, darling. You always do.
”

“
There
’
s no hurry,
”
he said easily.
“
What about this party Martin mentioned? Care to put on one for me at my house?
”

Paula scintillated. "Why, Ross—what a lovely ideal I can think of nothing I
’
d like more.
”

"Good. Make it next weekend and invite the whole bunch.
”

At five-thirty Lou said it was time Keith went home. He came into the room looking grubby and contented, and all five wandered out into the veranda. Martin had something he wanted to show Ross, and as the two men moved along the front of the house towards a shed which was hidden by climbers, Keith decided to follow them. Lou was left with the blonde Paula Craddock.

There was a silence, in which some insects buzzed farewell to the day while others began sharpening their wings in preparation for darkness.

Then Paula said,
“
This guardianship of Keith Weston is a queer business—most unfair to both of you, really. It ignores the fact that a marriage partner would be most unlikely to want a ready-made child in the family. Keith should have been adopted by a childless couple.
”

“
I don
’
t agree. I was Dorothy
’
s nearest relative and we were closer than sisters. Mr. Gilmore was chosen because he
’
s a man and on the spot
.
”

“
I
’
ve a feeling,
”
said Paula Craddock, coolly and agreeably,
“
that even if you were to marry at once Ross wouldn
’
t relinquish his responsibility. He was fond of the Westons.
”

“
I’
m glad to hear it
.
I loved them.
”

Dusk fell softly, but Lou stood there rigidly, keenly aware of this woman who had patently been pampered all her life. She had arrogance in every turn of her narrow, elegant head, an air of contempt in every studied line of her tall, willowy body.

The men appeared, and Keith was perched high on Ross Gilmore
’
s shoulder. Paula shrugged, and though her voice was low, for Lou
’
s ear only, sounded both gay and decisive.

“
Well, if Ross wants to keep the child I must back
him
up. But I
’
m not so fond of children that I
’
d care to be burdened with someone else
’
s brat. After Ross and I are married, Keith will go to boarding school!
”

Lou shivered, whether at the threat of losing Keith or at some more subtle inference from the other
’
s manner and words she could not have said.

Ross called,
“
Be seeing you later, Paula. Thanks for the tea.
”
And to Lou,
“
Come along, I
’
m taking you two home. Say your pretty thanks to Martin.
”

Lou
’
s anger hurt her throat
.
She said goodbye and thank you to Martin and his sister, got into the front seat of the estate car and looked over at Keith, who had stretched himself along the seat behind them. The car moved off, and they drove into a sudden darkness which was gaily decked out with fireflies. But Lou
’
s feelings were too
mixed
to admit gaiety.