The Man at Mulera (29 page)

Her tone became hard and flippant
“
I liked you, George, and it was good to be treated as the person I was then—a woman earning her own living in the East. It took quite a bit of courage to tell you about myself that evening you proposed, and I wasn
’
t surprised at your reaction.
”

“
I
’
ve never regretted anything so much in my life,
”
he said.
“
During the past months I
’
ve hardly thought of your confession. All I wanted was the find you again. That shows the impact wasn
’
t much more than momentary. Elinor,
”
he laid a hand over hers on the arm of her chair,
“
I want to marry you. I want it more than anything in the world. I want to make up to you for all the empty years, and for the unhappiness I
’
ve caused you myself. What you are is what your experiences have made you—that
’
s what I fell in love with. We
’
re not children, my dear, but we
’
re still young enough to create a bright new shining world for ourselves.
”

She dropped the cigarette into the ashtray, flicked jerkily at the grains of ash on her skirt. Then she humbled herself to a point she had never thought possible; her head slipped down sideways, till her cheek lay on the hand which covered her own. George Randall let out a deep breath of relief, and gently stroked the reddish hair.

In the study, the scene was rather different
.
The room was too small, thought Lou, too restricting. Ross and his mood would have filled the space, but Lou
’
s presence overflowed it
.
They ate from a tray which had been set on the
desk,
and though Ross was so close that their knees almost touched, he was as withdrawn as the stars. It took Lou some minutes to find the courage to question him; but inevitably she did.

“
Mr. Randall is the man Elinor knew in Singapore, isn
’
t he—the one she was going to marry?
”

“
Yes,
”
was the brief answer.

“
I
’
m so glad. He looks nice.
”

“
They all look nice to you, honey,
”
with an edge to his tones.

She ignored this.
“
Elinor said he
’
s a similar type to Martin Craddock, and that
’
s what she needs. But how did he get here?
”

“
By plane, and the normal transport from the airstrip.
”

“
I mean, how did he know where to find Elinor? She
’
s been to several places since leaving Singapore.
”

Ross jabbed at a melting curl of butter and wiped it on to his plate.
“
You can always find a lost friend if you
’
re determined.
”

“
But it
’
s a long time since Elinor left Singapore.
”

“
He made it. What more do you want?
”

Lou sighed, and popped a tomato that was no larger than a grape into her mouth. After a moment she said,
“
Don
’
t you want to admit that you had something to do with the man
’
s arrival here today? Both you and Martin talked about persuading Elinor to stay on; you were waiting for Mr. Randall, weren
’
t you?
”

“
We were hoping, that
’
s all. And don
’
t mention any of this to Elinor.
”

“
Of course I won
’
t, but I
’
d like to know what happened. I just can
’
t see you in the role of a match-maker.
”

“
Then don
’
t try,
”
he said.
“
Elinor told Martin a good deal about Randall, and he and I talked it over. We both have acquaintances in Singapore, and we put through some enquiries by telegram. Then we telegraphed that hotel in Hong Kong where Elinor worked, and heard that Randall had been there, which meant that he was still keen. So we cabled some
money
to the hotel and told them to let Randall know in Singapore that Miss Weston had gone to Nyasaland. She
’
d have been bound to tell Randall about her brother, and the rest was up to him. Well, he
’
s here.
”

Lou absorbed this, then said,
“
Won
’
t Elinor realize that someone must have told Mr. Randall that she had left for Nyasaland? I don
’
t suppose she told anyone in Hong Kong, and in any case he would have found it out himself when he went to the hotel.
”

“
When you start tampering with other people
’
s affairs there
’
s always a risk,
”
he said abruptly.
“
It
’
s just possible
that if she didn
’
t, she
’
ll still let it rest for a while and be happy that Randall came so far for her.
”

“
Yes,
”
said Lou thankfully,
“
that does prove he loves her, doesn
’
t it?
”

“
Oh, sure. They
’
re as good as hitched for life already.
”

“
Do you have to be so disagreeable about it? If anyone deserves happiness at last, it
’
s Elinor.
”
Lou paused, her eyes widening as she thought.
‘
You
’
ve been so impatient about Elinor—you even said she was unstable, and so on. Why did you do so much for her?
”

“
Bel
i
eve it or not, I did it mostly for you. You were always so sorry for her, made excuses when she behaved oddly and even suggested that she had a right to Keith.
”
He speared a slice of cucumber.
“
Besides, I was anxious to get rid of a few of the complications at Mulera.
”

Lou put down her fork, asked evenly,
“
Am I one of the complications?
”

‘
You
’
re nearly all of them,
”
he said dispassionately.
“
If you hadn
’
t come to Mulera, Allwyn might have made a go of it
,
I wouldn
’
t have had to get my aunt out so soon, and I certainly wouldn
’
t have had Elinor Weston under my roof if I
’
d been here alone with Keith.
”

“
If I leave, then, your problems will disappear.
”

“
It
’
s too late.
”
He thought of something, gave her a long stare.
“
My aunt is always saying that life here isn
’
t
exciting
enough for you. Would you like to stay with some friends of mine in the mountains for a week or two—you and Keith?
”

“
Well
...
yes,
”
she answered guardedly.

“
Good. That will leave me free to take my aunt over to
England.
I
’
ll fix it up. I shan
’
t be away more than two weeks.
”

“
And when you come back?
”

His eyes narrowed.
“
Another problem, isn
’
t it—but I
’
ll straighten it out
.
”
He poured black coffee rather more roughly
than
was necessary.
“
You don
’
t know how good it feels to have things moving. If there
’
s one thing that
gets
me it
’
s the threat of frustration.
”

“
And if there
’
s one thing that gets me,
”
she said tightly,
“
it
’
s your cool assumption that you can leave me to be straightened out when you have the time. What you refuse to acknowledge is that I
’
m just another person in similar circumstances to your own. We each have our own lives but we have to share responsibility for Keith, which means that our lives are bound to touch occasionally—but that
’
s all.
”

“
Is it? Aren
’
t you losing sight of the fact that you
’
re only a girl?
”

“
Does that make me less important in the world than you are?
”

His jaw hardened but he spoke without heat.
“
No, it doesn
’
t. Why can
’
t you accept that I
’
ll do what
’
s best for you? You won
’
t believe it—but that
’
s what I want to do, very badly.
”

There was that in his expression which stopped Lou in her tracks; a darkness, an angry sincerity. She looked away, sat back and noticed that her napkin was tightly crumpled between her hands in her lap.

“
Well, what do you want me to do?
”
she asked in low tones.

“
For a start, you might trust me. Just do as I ask for the next week or two. Once I
’
ve landed my aunt in England I
’
ll be able to concentrate on other things. I want you to go to these friends of mine, have a good time with them and wait till I get back before acting in any way.
”

“
I can ... try it.
”

His appetite seemed to have departed, with hers. He pushed away the tray, got out cigarettes, lighted hers and then his own. He smiled, but there was no humor in his expression.

“
We have romance under the roof, but the atmosphere isn
’
t so different, is it?
”

“
Not between us, but it isn
’
t likely to be.
”

“
Do you ever wonder why?
”
he asked curtly.

“
Sometimes, though the reason is fairly obvious. We aren
’
t in the least alike.
”

“
To be good friends we don
’
t have to be alike. Have you ever thought how we might regard each other, if we
’
d met normally, without that little bone of contention called Keith appearing on the scene?
”

“
Frankly, I don
’
t think we
’
d have met.
I’
d never have come to Nyasaland and you
’
re hardly likely to come into contact with kindergarten teachers when you go to England.
”

“
I don
’
t know.
”
His eyes had a green glint in them.
“
Last time I was in London I scooped up from the pavement a number of packages belonging to a pretty little nurse. I might have had to do something similar for you.
”

“
If you had,
”
she said, tidying her cigarette on the edge of the ashtray,
“
you have accepted my thanks as you did the nurse
’
s, and gone your way.
”

“
Maybe.
”
He stood up, and was much too big, took the pace to the window and looked out.
“
There
’
ll be more wind before this spell clears up. I did say I
’
d take you on the Lake some time, didn
’
t I?
”

“
Yes, but I won
’
t keep you to it
.
”

“
Stop the backchat
,
”
he said sharply.
“
Let
’
s be matey, if we can. By the time I
’
m less tied up the windy period will have passed. We
’
ll go down to one of the islands for a day.
”

“
Very well.
”

There was a silence. Then he asked, non-committally,
“
Not missing Greg, are you?
”

“
I like his light humor.
”

“
So have a lot of other women
.
”
The savage note came into his voice.
“
What the deuce has the chap got that
’
s so appealing to a girl like you? He can
’
t give you any of those things you
’
re after—peace and security and a home that
’
s entirely your own.
”

“
He can be tender and understanding, which count a lot.
”

What Ross would have answered was problematical. He had no time to say anything before an eerie shriek blasted through the house. Lou got to her feet and raced after Ross through the corridor to Keith
’
s room. The little boy lay sprawled on the floor near an overturned chair, his hand clutching the box which had contained the crocodile eggs. All about
him
lay fragments of eggshell among which crawled several sluggish grey things which, on closer inspection, proved to be newly-hatched crocodiles.

Lou stared, sickly. Normally, she loved small animals, but these things were incredibly evil and the slime made them look as if they had just crawled from primeval mud.

Ross yanked Keith to his feet and said,
“
Good lord, the kid was right
.
The eggs did move. What happened, Keith?
”

The little boy
’
s gaze was fixed and shining. In faraway
tones he said,
“
I got on a chair to look in the box on the top shelf. Then I saw them. Aren
’
t they w
o
nderful
!
”

“
I wouldn
’
t say that
.
Were you frightened?
”

“
Of course not,
”
he said indignantly.
“
I was only surprised. You see, I thought I must have been wrong, so I gave up hope. I only looked in the box because—
”
he thought for a second—
“
because I always do, I suppose. Aren
’
t they lovely
,
Lou?
”

“
Not very, darling.
”
In fact as she watched the revolting little reptiles she felt herself go pale. She stepped back.
“
I
’
m afraid you can
’
t
...”

Her voice failed, and Ross suddenly saw her pallor and the tightness about her mouth. He slipped an arm round her, lowered her to the armchair, whipped out of the room for a glass of water and came back to hold it to her lips. She sipped, drew a deep breath.
“
I
’
m sorry.
”

“
That
’
s all right. They are pretty horrible.
”

“
They
’
re beautiful!
”
exclaimed Keith.
“
I
’
m going to keep them in the bath.
”

“
Oh, no,
”
said Ross firmly.
“
You
’
ll keep them at Mr. Gilchrist
’
s reserve. You may watch them grow, but not here.
”

“
You
’
re saying that just because Lou
’
s scared!
”

“
I
’
m not
scared,
”
said Lou.
“
I merely find them disgusting.
”

“
If you
’
re not scared,
”
chanted Keith,
“
you
’
ll pick them up.
”

“
Get a bucket, and I will.
”

He pranced out. Ross said softly,
“
You didn
’
t have to take a dare from a five-year-old. You go too far, Louise.
”

“
Why did you let him have those beastly eggs?
”

“
I didn
’
t know they were fertile. Gilchrist himself didn
’
t know. You
’
d better go and lie down while I get rid of this mess.
”

“
And let Keith think I
’
ve bolted? Never!
”

“
Don
’
t be absurd. You
’
ll never be able to touch the things—you know that!
”

“
Yes, I will. I won
’
t have Keith think
...
”

But Ross had mercilessly taken one of her hands and opened it wide. Gripping the fingers, he reached down for one of the tiny reptiles and placed it on her palm. Her hand shook, she bit her lip so hard that a trickle of blood
showed, against the whiteness. The wet grey thing slithered on th
e f
loor, and Ross pressed a handkerchief into her palm, took her arm and half-lifted her from the chair.

“
Come on,
”
he ordered.
“
You didn
’
t murmur and we believe you
’
re brave.
”

“
I
’
m staying,
”
she said.
“
I
’
m all right now.
”

Fortunately, Keith did not return alone, so there was no need for a demonstration from Lou. Behind him came Elinor and George Randall.

“
We were a long way up the garden,
”
Elinor said.
“
I
’
ve never heard such a scream in my life.
”

“
It was me,
”
Keith told her proudly. Then he glanced up curiously at Mr. Randall.
“
Are you going to live here too?
”

Faint red came up under the man
’
s tan, and Elinor smiled, a little tremulously. Hesitantly she said,
“
George refuses to ask you to let him have a bed on the veranda, Ross, but I don
’
t
mind begging
another favor. It won
’
t be for long.
”

Ross sp
o
ke far more cordially that he could possibly fee
l.
“
It
’
ll be a pleasure, Randall
.
Got any plans?
”

Keith lost interest in grown-ups. He slipped down on to his knees and lifted the crocodiles one by one and placed them in the bucket; there were seven of them, and he sat brooding over them as a child will brood over anything new-born.

George Randall was saying, in shy but purposeful tones,
“
We want to be married as soon as possible. We might go to a magistrate in Zomba. The District Commissioner could probably help us.
”

“
We
’
ll all help you. Glad you made it
.
So is Elinor, I guess.
”