Anne Mather (19 page)

CHAPTER NINE

I
n
the lounge, Teresa Steinbeck looked at her watch. It was nearly ten o'clock and she yawned sleepily.

'Dear me,' she said apologetically, looking at John. 'I must be tired. It's been rather an exhausting day.'

'Yes indeed,' murmured John moodily, stubbing out his cigarette. 'I think I'll turn in too.'

'Caroline must have decided to go to bed after all,' remarked Teresa casually. 'Poor child, I shan't disturb her. She's had a very exhausting day too.'

John did not reply. He and his grandmother had carefully skirted that topic of conversation for an hour and he had no wish to bring it up now. He was hoping to get to bed and leave all explanations for the morning.

Teresa stood up. She had noticed John's prolonged silence about his fiancee and refrained from making anything of it now. If he and Caroline had finished, then she would know about it all in good time.

Then, without warning, the telephone in the hall pealed shrilly.

Teresa stared at the noise. 'Good heavens,' she exclaimed. 'Who on earth can that be at this hour?'

Liza came along the passage and answered the telephone before Teresa could reach it. Teresa looked expectantly at her.

'It's Mr Adam, ma'am,' she said, holding out the telephone. 'He wants to speak to Miss Caroline.'

Teresa frowned. 'Now?' she exclaimed, taking

the receiver. 'Adam, is this a joke?'

'No, Mother,' came Adam's voice calmly. 'I just want to speak to Caroline.'

'Very well, dear, if you insist.' Teresa shrugged at John helplessly, but Liza looked perturbed.

'Has Miss Sinclair got back, then?' she asked, with the familiarity of an old servant.

Teresa put her hand over the mouthpiece of the telephone. 'What do you mean, Liza? Miss Sinclair is in bed.'

'Oh no, she isn't,' denied Liza, in her calm, unagitated manner. 'I saw her go out myself, not an hour ago. And I haven't heard her come back.'

Teresa closed her eyes momentarily as a multitude of thoughts swept over her. John leapt to his feet and came striding into the hall.

'Has she taken her luggage, Liza?' he asked swiftly.

'I didn't see any,' said Liza thoughtfully. 'But I can't be sure.'

'Oh, do go and see,' exclaimed Teresa agitatedly. 'Hurry, John!'

John ran quickly up the stairs and Teresa removed her hand from the telephone.

'What's going on?' exclaimed Adam, exasperated at the sudden dead sound to the telephone. 'Is Caroline there?'

Teresa bit her lip worriedly. 'Well, I'm not sure,' she began awkwardly.

'What the hell does that mean?' he muttered.

'Well. . .she went out about an hour ago,' said Teresa slowly. 'I. . .we. . .didn't see her go. John's arrived, you see, and we were talking in the lounge. Only Liza saw her going.'

Adam snorted angrily. 'Did she say where she was going?'

'No, Liza didn't see her to speak to. John's just checking to see whether her clothes are still there.'

John came down the stairs as she said this. 'They're still there,' he said, frowning. 'Where the devil can she be?'

Adam spoke again: 'Let me speak to John.'

Teresa shrugged and beckoned her grandson to the telephone. Reluctantly he spoke to his father:

'Yes, Dad. Are you okay?'

'Let's leave me out of it for the time being,' Adam muttered. 'What's been going on there?'

John hesitated and then said: 'Oh, you may as well know now. She broke our engagement. We had quite an argument, one way and another.'

Adam swore furiously. 'Is that why you were checking to see if her clothes had gone? Were you afraid she'd left abruptly?'

'Yes.. .hell, Dad, she may be out walking.'

'In this downpour?' exclaimed Adam sceptically. 'If anything's happened to her. ..' His voice was cut off as the telephone went dead.

John replaced his receiver and looked at his grandmother. She had gathered the gist of the conversation and was leaning against the door of the lounge.

'Well,' she said, 'so there was nothing to keep her here, then?'

John flushed. 'There was my father,' he muttered in a low voice.

'If you think she and Adam are together again, you're mistaken,' replied Teresa heavily.

'Then why.. .?' began John, in bewilderment.

'Why did she break your engagement? Oh, I think she realised after today that she couldn't marry you, and love your father. It was always a tortuous situation.'

John smiled moodily. 'I guess I feel responsible in a way, that is if she has left here for any other than valid reasons.'

'Don't even suggest such a thing,' exclaimed Teresa, shivering. 'Good heavens, she might be sheltering from the storm somewhere. But where?'

'That's the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question,' he replied. 'Well, I guess I'd better go and see if I can find her. Perhaps she's gone down towards the hospital.'

'What? When Adam has just rung from there?'

'Well, I'm baffled,' exclaimed John.

Liza shrugged her shoulders and made her way back to the kitchen. Teresa lit a cigarette with unsteady fingers and shrugged too. She couldn't help but remember Caroline's depressed condition when they left the hospital. The way she had placed so much emphasis on this interview with Adam. So much had depended upon it. Her rather strange words about life not being worth living without him assumed sinister proportions. Could it be possible that Caroline had disappeared purposely; maybe taken her own life? It just couldn't be true. She sank down on to a chair, feeling every one of her sixty-three years.

Meanwhile, John was pulling on his mackintosh. He buttoned it closely round his throat, trying not to consider what would happen if they found Caroline, injured or worse. He, of all of them.should have shown consideration for her highly emotional state, but instead he had quarrelled with her.

Liza came back just then. 'I've looked in the grounds, ma'am,' she said carefully, 'and she's nowhere around.'

'Thank you, Liza,' said Teresa with a slight smile. 'You've done everything you can. Go and get your supper.'

'I ought to have told you when I saw the little lady going out,' said Liza mournfully, shaking her head.

'Not at all,' returned Teresa kindly. 'You weren't to know the circumstances. It's all right, really, Liza. We're sure to find her before long.'

Shaking her head, Liza returned to her kitchen, and Teresa rose to her feet again. 'Well, John,' she said, 'where are you going first?'

John shook his head. 'I honestly have no idea.'

'What about the cove?' exclaimed Teresa suddenly. 'It's natural that she should be drawn to the beach. It always looks so inviting.'

John frowned. 'Surely not? Hell, Grandmother, she would see the notice warning people. She couldn't go down there. Besides, how would she get down?'

'The notice doesn't stretch the whole length of the cliff top,' retorted Teresa irritably. 'I've always said what a dangerous place that was. As for getting down, maybe she fell, like a few others have done.'

John looked unconvinced. 'It's a bit far-fetched, isn't it?' he said, frowning.

'Oh, for goodness' sake,' snapped Teresa angrily, 'stop arguing. Go and find out.'

John thrust his hands into his trousers pockets and walked towards the door. 'You don't think we ought to call the police?' he said thoughtfully.

Teresa lost patience. 'No, I do not!' she cried furi- ously. 'What could we tell them? That a friend staying here is out for a walk and should be back by now? Sounds rather feeble, doesn't it? Or would you rather 1 told them that we were afraid she might commit suicide?'

John flushed. 'All right, all right, I only asked,' he muttered, and opened the door. As he did so there was a squeal of tyres on the gravel drive outside and Teresa put her hand to her lips.

'The police!' she breathed, hardly aware of moving to the door.

The sound of footsteps rang on the steps and the door was flung open. Adam came in, dressed in a dark overcoat, shaking the drops of water from his curly hair. Fully dressed now, he looked powerfully dependable standing there and with a cry Teresa ran to him and hugged him. 'Oh, Adam,' she whispered, 'I'm so glad you've come. We're so worried. How on earth did they let you out?'

'I discharged myself,' replied Adam briefly, looking over her head at his son. 'I gather you haven't found her yet?'

John moved uncomfortably. 'I was just going to look,' he said.

'And where do you intend looking?' asked Adam curtly, turning up his coat collar as his mother straightened up away from him, composing herself. 'I've a cab outside. We may as well use that. It's pouring down.'

'Grandmother suggested the cove,' said John. 'Do you think it's worth a try?'

Adam frowned. 'Why there?' he. asked, turning to his mother.

Teresa clasped her hands nervously.

'Caroline was in a very depressed state,' she explained. 'When we left the hospital this afternoon she didn't seem at all herself. . .and.. .'

'Do go on,' muttered Adam angrily. 'What else?'

Teresa shrugged. 'Surely you can guess what I'm afraid of?'

Adam frowned. 'You mean suicide? I don't believe it. Not Caroline.'

Teresa shrugged.

'Maybe I'm over-sensitive,' she offered.

'I think perhaps you are,' said Adam, but his face had taken on a taut, worried look. Then with sudden decision he continued: 'Right, we'll try the beach. What time is it? High tide covers that strand. If she was to get caught there at high tide it wouldn't make much difference what her intentions were. Have you got a rope, John?'

John shook his head. 'Grandmother,' he exclaimed, 'a rope. Have you got one?'

Teresa paled. 'Oh Adam! Why should I need a rope?'

'A clothes-line, then,' muttered Adam impatiently. 'Hurry, Mother. We may not have much time.'

They eventually took Liza's plastic-covered clothesline and ran out to the cab. Adam ordered the driver to hurry. It was only seconds to the cliff-top, but every second counted when they didn't know how long they had.

Caroline's courage had long since deserted her and she remained unhysterical by a great feat of will-power. The tide seemed to be coming in so fast and it wouldn't be long before it covered the sand where she stood.

Already rivulets were forming on either side of her and she pressed back against the hard cliff face as though she expected the wall to give way and save her. She had been shouting on and off for such a long time and her voice was quite hoarse. She had known that there was little point in it really as no one had passed along the cliff top, but she had had to try to satisfy herself that she really was alone.

She wondered whether the water would be deep enough to drown her. How deep was it at high tide? Of course, the force of it eddying around might sweep her off her feet and if that did happen it would be just as bad. She could swim, but not against a tide that might sweep her against the cliff, and the headlands on either side were too far out to swim round. Besides, even if there were no strong currents in the Sound, there might be nothing beyond the headland but more rocks and she might not be able to get back again.

It was torturing to realise that there were people and houses only a few yards away from the cliff top. Could it possibly be that she was to die here only a few steps from Adam's house?

She was soaked to the skin already and more frightened than she had ever been. What would Adam think of her when he found out? Of course, she thought bleakly, she might not be around to find out. Her trip to America had not proved a very great success one way and another.

The storm had passed over, but a heavy drizzle was now soaking her anew. She felt cold outside but colder still inside. She thought how wonderful it would be to be able to shelter somewhere and maybe even dry herself with a warm towel.

When she heard the car coming she thought she was imagining things. Its headlights swept the cliff and the car came to a halt. She stared in disbelief and then stiffened, panic-stricken, as she felt sea water oozing round her ankles.

As though in a daze she heard men getting out of the car, talking. Summoning all the energy she could find, she shouted as loudly as she could: 'Help, please, help me!' and burst into tears.

They heard her and looking up she saw the silhouettes of two men outlined against the headlights of the car.

'Caroline!' shouted a voice, Adam's voice. She · surely must be dreaming all this. Adam was in hospital.

"Adam," she croaked, her voice giving way, 'I'm down here!'

There was a moment's silence and then he shouted: 'Okay, honey, hang on. We've got a rope.'

Within a few moments, the longest moments of Caroline's life, a loop of plastic clothes-line came down to her. Caroline caught it, her fingers cold and fumbling.

'Got it?' called Adam. 'Right, now, put it round your waist. It's a slip-knot and it will tighten as we begin to pull you up. Try and hold on to the line and take some of the weight off your body, okay? When you reach the grassy slope, you'll be able to walk up with the help of the rope.'

'All right, Adam,' she said hoarsely, and did exactly as he asked. The line was strong and secure and it only took a minute to bring her up. She could hardly believe she was standing on the cliff top again. She looked a sorry sight, wet and bedraggled, her hair strag- gling round her face, her eyes wide and frightened still, naked fear showing in their depths.

John released the rope from around her waist and looked shamefacedly at her, but she looked at no one but Adam.

'Caroline,' he groaned, his voice gruff with emotion. 'Oh, you crazy little fool,' and he pulled her into his arms, uncaring of her wetness, pressing her close against him, warming her a little with his body. His injured arm was forgotten and the cab driver and John walked tactfully away.

Caroline clung helplessly to him. It had been worth all the fear of the last hour to feel his arms around her again and to know he cared.

'You came,' she whispered brokenly. 'You came.'

'Of course I came,' he groaned softly. 'God, Caro, don't ever do a crazy thing like that again. I've been half out of my mind with worry.'

Caroline merely pressed closer against him and regretfully he put her away from him and led her to the car.

'You're saturated,' he muttered. 'Come on, you need a hot bath before you catch a chill, or pneumonia.'

It only took seconds to reach the Steinbeck house. Adam, ignoring the pain in his arm insisted on carrying her indoors and up to her room. Caroline protested that she could walk, but he paid no heed to her words.

Teresa was in the hall, pale but thankful, and instructed Liza to hurry ahead of them and turn on a bath for Miss Caroline. Adam stood Caroline down in the bedroom and said:

'Right, strip off,' in a commanding tone, which brooked no argument.

Wondering wildly whether he intended to supervise her ablutions, Caroline began to unbutton her cardigan, sliding it off her shoulders. However, Adam walked to the door as she did so.

'I'll be back later,' he said, his eyes dark and fathomless. Then he slammed the door behind him leaving her alone.

The bath was very hot, but Caroline found herself enjoying it and her whole body relaxed luxuriously. After the strenuous evening she had had it was balm to her aching limbs. Liza helped her into bed afterwards and she slid thankfully beneath the silk sheets. Then Liza went away to heat some milk for her.

Soon after she had gone there was a light tap on the door and Caroline's heart somersaulted rapidly. 'Come in,' she called expectantly, and then was half disappointed when Teresa entered the room. She walked over to the bed, looking thankfully at Caroline. It was wonderful to see her here, safe and well.

'My dear,' she exclaimed, seating herself on the edge of the bed, 'what a dreadful shock you gave us all! What on earth possessed you to go down there?'

Caroline looked apologetic. 'I'm awfully sorry to have caused you such concern,' she apologised, 'but 1 really didn't intend to do so.'

'Didn't you see the warning notice?' asked Teresa.

'What warning?' exclaimed Caroline. 'No, I'm afraid in the half-light I must have missed it. You see, I was keeping one eye open for the storm. I didn't want to get caught in it.'

She laughed, half-nervously, remembering her ordeal.

Teresa shook her head. 'Thank heaven you're safe!