The Pride of the Peacock (42 page)

It had obviously been delivered by hand and the writing on the envelope was vaguely familiar. I opened it. My dear Mrs. Madden (I read), I have made a discovery as I hoped I might. I rode in late last night to drop this letter at Peacocks. I must see you alone and in secret.

My enquiries have revealed so much and it would be very unwise for us to meet openly at this stage. You are in danger. So am I. I have something to show you and it is known that I have this. I hope you won’t think this is too melodramatic, but I assure you there is something melodramatic about the whole matter and both our lives could be in jeopardy. Therefore I am going to ask you to meet me tomorrow . that will be today when you get this letter. I have tried to think of a suitable meeting place, for I assure you it must be very secret, and I have decided that the best would be Glover’s Gully. Could you be

there at three o’clock? There should be no one about at that time but we must be very careful. I’m going to suggest that we meet m me underground cnamoers 01 1 the mine. There is nothing to fear and descent is easy by ha: means of the old ladder there.

soi Please don’t show this letter to anyone. That’s very im-ou port ant You will understand the reason for this when we to) meet.

Sincerely, I’s Jeremy Dickson.

The words danced before my eyes. It sounded wildly tw dramatic but then everything connected with the Green Flash bl-‘ was-and I was certain that this was connected with that stone.

Of course I would do it. I was not afraid, although the mine was said to be haunted. I had always liked and trusted Jeremy Dickson. I could scarcely wait for three o’clock.

I did not want anything to be different so I went as usual with Joss in the morning. If I was more silent than usual, so t( was he. We left each other at the doors of the offices and I went into Jimson Laud’s department. n I could concentrate on nothing that morning.

I had seen some of the chambers of disused mines and f would take a candle with me so that I should be able to find a my way through the passages.

I left just after midday and went back to Peacocks, which I had to pass on my way to the Gully. In my room I picked’s up the candle and matches and set out, confident that no one had seen me leave.

There was not a touch of wind nor a cloud in the sky. The day was at its hottest. I rode fast, so eager was I to reach our rendezvous in time.

The sun was high in the sky-a white blazing light-and as I rode I left a cloud of dust behind me. The song of cicadas filled the ah” but I was so accustomed to it that I scarcely J noticed it. Away on the horizon a kangaroo leaped in his ungainly progress among the dumps of mulga. Overhead the inevitable kookaburras laughed together and never before had I felt so conscious of the loneliness of the Bush.

I went through the pass and there was the mine. There was no sign of anyone there. I looked at my watch. It was five minutes to three.

Shading my eyes I studied the landscape. I could see no one. Jeremy had said in the underground chambers and he must be there already

although I wondered whether he had hidden his mount I slipped off Wattle, who showed no objection and seemed perfectly at peace. I tethered her to a bush and went to the mine.

I stood at the head of the shaft for some moments, looking around me.

Just utter loneliness. Could it really be that Jeremy had found the Green Rash and had it to show me? If so, where was his horse? Perhaps he had not yet come and in a few moments I should make out his figure riding towards me. But he had stressed the time. Three o’clock and it was almost that now.

I descended the iron rungs; they were very rusty and looked as though they had not been used for a very long time. I reached the bottom and stepped into a cavern which led into another and from that one several passages had been hewn out of the rock.

I peered into them and could see very little.

I called softly: Tmhere. “

There was no answer.

I lighted my candle and started to explore the first chamber but I had only taken a few steps when the flame flickered. I advanced and as I did so it went out altogether. I relighted it, but it flickered faintly and again went out.

I could not understand What was wrong. The passage had turned at right angles and I was in complete darkness so once more I tried to light the candle. This time there was no flame at all.

A sudden cold fear possessed me. It was as though every sense I possessed was calling out a warning. I did not know what it meant except that I was in acute danger. It was as though a flash of inspiration came to me. Jeremy did not write that letter. But it was in his handwriting. How well did I know his handwriting? I had only glanced casually at it once or twice. Other people would know that handwriting. Would it be so difficult to copy it in order to deceive me?

“Jeremy?” I called.

There was no answer.

Someone had lured me here and it was not Jeremy. I would know very soon . Right at the end I should know.

What a fool I had been to step right into the trap.

“No, Joss,” I said aloud.

“Oh no. Joss … not you.”

I had never known fear like this. It was the strangeness of everything the silence . the darkness closing in on me . and most of all the silence, the terrible silence.

But an odd lethargy was creeping over me . it was some-I thing that was completely alien to me. It was as though I had were being slowly paralysed.

sorI stumbled through the passage out to where I could see a out faint shaft of light, but I could scarcely lift my limbs and tui slowly, it seemed, for it was as though time had stopped, I sank to the ground. Is “Joss?”

tw Yes, Joss had come. He was holding me in his arms. bli “So … you came to kill me,” I murmured.

“So it was you. You want Isa. It’s all so clear. I guessed…”

Joss did not answer, but I could vaguely hear a lot of shouting voices and I realized that I was no longer in the mine.

cc I was lying on the ground and Joss was bending over me. I heard him say: “She’s got rid of the poison, I think. Give her air … don’t crowd round … Plenty of air …” t I opened my eyes and I heard him say “Jessica’ in a way he had never said my name before, half reproachful, half tender. a Something about the way in which he said my name made me feel very happy.

Then I heard him say: “You’ve got the buggy ?” a He lifted me tenderly.

TO take her back,” he said.

I was lying in the buggy and Joss was driving it. We stopped’s and he lifted me out.

I seemed to be only half conscious and the voices seemed very far off.

Trouble at the mine. Mrs. Laud . hot bricks, please, and milk. “

“Oh, Mr. Madden, how terrible.”

“Never mind. She’s safe. I got her out in time.1 He laid me on my bed. My eyes were shut but I was aware I of him. He bent down and kissed my forehead. 1 When I opened my eyes he was sitting by my bed.

He smiled at me.

“Ifs all right,” he said.

“I got you out in time.”

I closed them again, not wanting to know more just then. I wanted merely to revel in the knowledge that he had saved me and that he cared about what happened to me.

It was dark when I awoke. There were candles in the room and Joss was still sitting by my bed.

auu nerec i said.

“I wanted to be here when you woke up.”

“What happened?”

“You did a very foolish thing.” He was the old Joss again.

“I was going to meet Jeremy Dickson.”

“We’re going to get him. We’re going to find out what he’s after.”

“I don’t think it was Jeremy Dickson.”

“I saw his letter. Lilias brought it to me.”

“Lilias 1 Where did she get it from ?”

“She found it in your room. Like you, she doesn’t believe he wrote it.

Thank God she had the sense to bring it to me without too much delay.

I went straight to the mine because I guessed he meant you some harm.

”

“He was not there. It was just that I began to feel so strange.”

“You felt strange because you were poisoned. Jeremy Dickson sent you into that mine because he knew just what would happen. Now we’ve got to find out why he wanted to kill you. People hereabouts know that nobody goes into mines that have been disused for a long period without first expelling the poisonous gases. There are several ways of doing it. You should have seen that your candle didn’t stay alight.”

I did. “

That was a warning. It meant . get out quickly. There are pockets of poisonous gases down there. We’ve searched the place now. There’s no sign of Dickson. He was never there. No one was there. but you. “

“So people went down after I came up?”

“We had made it safe by lighting dry bracken and throwing it down. The descending blaze changes the temperature, stirs up the currents of fresh air in the shaft and so drives out the poison. Then we give it the candle test and if the flame stays we say it’s safe to go down.

Dickson lured you there for some reason. I’m going to find out what.

”

“It was something to do with the Green Hash. I had talked to him about it.”

“Why not to me?”

“You had other interests.”

“What nonsense.”

There was silence for a few moments, then he said: There was something you said when I brought you out. You said:

“So you came to kill me. So it was you. Joss …” That was What you said. “267

i spu&c my muugats aioua.

^ “You really believed that of me? Oh, my God, this farce has ha, gone on long enough.8 soi; ” Why shouldn’t I believe it? It fitted. You got rid of Ezra. out I thought it was my turn. “

tur He stared at me incredulously.

“Don’t you understand anything ?1 he said with the old contempt. I s; ” I understand that you hated me you avoided me . you humiliated me whenever possible. “

tw “What did you expect me to do? Didn’t you avoid me … bli humiliate me by your constant assurance that you wanted me out of your way.”

“Because I didn’t fall victim to your virility…”

“I can see you have a lot to learn, and ifs not about opals. Get well quickly. I have to start to teach you right away.” co I half rose in my bed and he took me by the shoulders and kissed me.

“Joss,” I began, ‘there’s so much. ” te But neither of us wanted explanations then.

At length he said: “Ben was right. I realized that pretty ni soon. I was waiting for you to come and tell me.”

“Why didn’t you say so?2 Too proud.” he replied.

“I wanted it to come from you. a Many times at night I’ve come to your bedroom door. Once I almost burst in.”

“I know. I heard you. I thought you’d come to murder me.” ‘s Tou’re crazy,” he retorted.

“I’ll have a lot to say to you. Just now you’ve had a shock. We might have gone on and on like this, but when you asked me if I’d come to kill you that was the end of it. I to plot to kill my own wife … the only wife I ever wanted 1’ ” Say that again. “

He did, and I cried: “Why didn’t you tell me before? Didn’t you know it was what I wanted to hear more than anything 1 else?”

] “What a deceiver you are! You made me feel you were trying to get away from me all the time. Now you’re getting excited. You mustn’t.

You came very close to death in that old mine. It has its effect.

Perhaps you’ll wake up tomorrow morning and find you still hate me.

”

“Don’t talk of hate… talk of love,” I begged.

“I will … endlessly … when you’ve rested. Don’t forget I’m in command.

You’ve had a great shock and you need to stay here quietly. “

“Will you stay with me?”

“I will, but you must lie still and rest. Just lie there thinking of two foolish people who have said goodbye to their folly and are now going to wake up and live.”

I felt lightheaded as I had in the underground passages of the mine;

but with a difference. This was not the delirium of fear but of joy.

I must have slept a long time for it was mid-morning when I awoke. Joss was sitting by my bed watching me.

“You’re better now,” he told me.

“You’ve had a good night’s sleep.

You’ve cast off the effects of the poison, but you’ll have to go quietly for a day or two. “

There’s so much we have to say. “

“We’ve a long time to say it.”

“Just tell me one thing: Is it really true that you care about me?”

“It’s the truest thing that ever happened.”

“Yet you were planning to go to England with Isa Bannock.1 When I go to England you’re coming with me.”

“Why did you pretend… ?”

“Because I wanted to goad you. I wanted you to show some feeling for me.”

“You seemed so involved with her.”

“I’ve only been involved with one woman since I married. The rest was pretence to try to break through her indifference.”

Tou gave her a magnificent opal. “

“Why did you think I did that ?”

“Because she wanted it and you were so besotted by her and wanted to please her at all cost. You liked to show her what an important man you were. She only had to express a wish for you to grant it.”

Wrong again. I gave it to her because I knew you’d hate it. I thought it might show you how foolishly you were acting and arouse some feeling in you. I thought it might be a first step towards sanity. “

“Rather an expensive step.”

“Anything that brought about that state couldn’t have been too expensive.” Then he turned to me and kissed me fiercely. That’s what I mean by sanity. “

Tou have changed . changed overnight. Because I go down into a mine.

”

“Because I came near to losing you I made up my mind I was going to keep you and make you understand.”

Wny didn’t we talk before? “

I.

“We did nothing else but talk. In fact I think we got rather had fascinated by all those verbal fireworks. Time and time again son I was on the point of pushing all that aside and being the out primitive male.” tur “Which I believe you are.”

“You’ll discover,” he replied.

“But just now you have to I s: recover from a rather shattering experience. You think you have already, but the shock was great. I want you to stay tw quietly in the house for the rest of the day.” bli “Where are you going ?”