Vengeance in the Sun (7 page)

It had been a long day. The longest of my life. And there was no way I could survive it any longer. Instinct told me that Leonie would mention Max's marriage at the dinner table and there was no way I could handle it. Not tonight.

I closed my bedroom door behind me, then pulled the blinds, plunging the room into merciful darkness.

Two o'clock found me restless and awake. Wearily I reached for my dressing-gown and padded over to the open window.

In the distance I could hear the sea whispering round the base of the cliff and from the direction of the pines there came the thin, high squeaking of a bat.

I still have no idea what prompted me to look in on Danielle. But instead of returning to bed and the vain hope of sleep, I walked quietly across to Danielle's room and opened the door.

I knew the instant I entered the bedroom that something was wrong. The curtains were pulled back, the moonlight streaming across her as she lay with her arms around her teddy-bear. I walked across to her, putting my hand on her forehead. It was clammy and damp, her breathing unnaturally shallow. I said anxiously: “Danielle! Danielle!”

There was no responding flicker of the eyelids. I reached for the light switch, plunging the room into garish brilliance, and then I saw the medicine bottle. It was on the bedside table, standing stickily on top of the book I had been reading to her. The cork was missing. The contents drained.

My heart began to slam. I shouted: “ Peggy! Peggy!” at the top of my voice as I dragged Danielle upright in bed, slapping her face, frantically trying to remember how much medicine had been left in the bottle, what time she must have taken it, and what to do. Dear God, what to
do
!

She stirred feebly, making a little groaning sound. I picked her up in my arms and ran into the bathroom with her. I was still shouting for Peggy, and dimly I registered the sound of opening doors and the thud of nearing footsteps. Her head rolled on my shoulders as the door burst open and Ian Lyall hurtled into the room with Peggy at his heels.

“What the hell.…”

“
She's drunk the medicine! Get some salt, Peggy. Quick!
”

Peggy took one look at the inert Danielle and raced for the kitchen. Ian Lyall was on his knees beside me, lifting her eyelids.

“
We've got to make her sick!”
I said desperately.

Her eyes were flickering open now, glazed and bewildered, and then Peggy was squeezing into the tiny bathroom with a packet of salt. Ian poured some into a tumbler of water, and as I held her, poured it down her throat. She was struggling now, trying to twist her head away as he held it in a vice-like grip, the water spilling down her nightdress and over my hands. Seconds later I could feel her stomach heave and then she vomited, her tiny body shuddering, the tears streaming down her face. Ian leant back on his heels, his face ashen.

“Go for her mother,” he said to Peggy. “She can't hear a damn thing from her room.”

Dumbly Peggy handed me a towel and did as she was told. I wiped Danielle's face, cradling her in my arms as we sat on the tiled floor. Her hands clung around my neck, small and defenceless.

“I don't like being sick.”

I rocked her gently. “We didn't like making you sick, darling. But we had to, you drank all your medicine and if we hadn't made you sick you would have been very ill.”

She stirred against me. “I didn't. I didn't drink my medicine.”

Ian reached across to take her from my arms, but she clung closer, her hands tightening around my neck.

“I want to stay with Miss Matthews.”

I carried her out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. The empty bottle remained on the table, untouched.

“I didn't drink it, really I didn't.…” I kissed her forehead.

“Let me get you back into bed, my love.” It was no time to start cross examining her. Flying footsteps hurtled down the corridor and Helena and John Van de Naude burst into the room.

“
What's happened? Danny! Are you all right, baby?
”

Danielle smiled waveringly as her mother took her in her arms.

“Sweetheart, you
have
been sick, haven't you? Do you feel better now? Would you like a drink of water?”

Danielle, remembering the salt water, shuddered. “ It's horrible.…”

“It will make your mouth feel better, darling. Just have a little sip.”

Ian rinsed the tumbler out, half filling it with tap water. Peggy began to clean the bathroom up and Ian said curtly: “How did she get hold of the medicine?”

“I don't know … she couldn't have.…”

“She did,” he said, his face grim.

Helena Van de Naude turned towards us and John Van de Naude said sharply: “What medicine?”

“The medicine she takes on a night to help her to sleep. I gave her a spoonful tonight and put it away.” I pointed to the bottle. “It was there when I came in the room.”

“Dear God,” Helena Van de Naude said, “she's drunk the lot.…”

John Van de Naude said bewildered: “But how? You didn't
leave
it there, did you, Lucy?”

“No,” I said unhappily. “It's kept in the medicine chest in the bathroom and that's where I put it tonight.”

“But she couldn't reach.…” John Van de Naude said, staring at the medicine chest high on the bathroom wall.

“She must have. If I had been careless and left it on the table I would tell you so. Honestly, I would. But I
didn't.
I put it back in the medicine chest.”

“Do you
remember
putting it in the medicine chest?” John Van de Naude asked.

“Yes.…”

Helena Van de Naude said tiredly: “ Let's leave the inquest till the morning. I'll stay in here and play cards with her to keep her awake for a while and make sure she really is all right. Goodnight Ian. Goodnight Lucy.”

Peggy, her voice breaking, said reproachfully: “ How
could
you, Lucy! How
could
you?”

“But I didn't, Peggy. I put it back in the medicine chest. I know I did.”

Her eyes veered from mine. “Oh, Lucy.…” she said unbelievingly, walking heavy footed out of the bedroom and down the corridor. Limply I went back into my own room and sat on the bed, reaction setting in. I was trembling violently, shivering with sudden cold. If I hadn't gone in when I had.… But I
had
gone in. Danielle
was
all right. Unhappily I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.

The next morning at breakfast, Ian said: “ Have you seen Danielle yet?”

“I went in to her earlier but she was still asleep.”

“Shouldn't you have woken her?” Leonie asked carelessly.

“She was sleeping quite normally, after last night she needs her rest.”

“Well, I wouldn't blame yourself too much,” Leonie said with unexpected generosity. “ How were you to know the silly child would drink it. Putting bottles on bedside tables is a habit, after all.”

“Danielle is not a silly child,” I said angrily, “ and I did not leave the bottle on the bedside table.”

“Really?” Leonie's eyebrows were raised, a half smile on her lips. “ How strange.…”

“It isn't strange at all. Simply the truth.”

“Then how
did
she reach it?”

“I don't know. But when she wakes up she will no doubt tell us. Would you pass the toast please?”

“Are you quite sure your memory isn't at fault,” Ian asked, looking at me keenly. “You had a splitting headache last night.”

My temper snapped completely. “I don't expect
you
to believe me, whatever I say! I'm quite well aware that you never wanted me to come here and that you'll do your best to make me seem incompetent and careless. Well, I'm not. You thought the car accident was my fault as well, didn't you? It wasn't, and neither was last night! I care very much about Danielle. I enjoy looking after her and I intend to stay looking after her!” and I swung out of the room, leaving him with his mouth wide open and a startled expression in his eyes.

Danielle was getting dressed when I went in to her. She smiled sleepily.

“Do you feel all right this morning, Danielle?”

“Yes thank you. Did I really play cards with Mummy in the middle of the night?”

“You certainly did.”

“Right in the very
middle
of the night?”

“Yes.”

“Gosh, do you think Mummy will let me do it again?”

“I don't think so. It was because you had been sick.”

“It wasn't very nice. I always cry when I'm sick.”

I picked up the empty medicine bottle. “How did you get it out of the medicine chest, Danielle?”

She looked at me, puzzled. “I didn't get it from anywhere.”

“But you drank it, didn't you?” I asked gently.

She shook her head. “I had my chocolate, that's all.”

“Danielle, you were ill last night because you drank all your medicine. Look, there's none left now.”

The grey-green eyes were wide and innocent. “I didn't. Honestly I didn't.”

“It's very important that you tell the truth, Danielle. I won't be cross with you if you do, but I
shall
be cross if you fib to me. How did you manage to get the bottle out of the medicine chest?”

“I didn't.”

“Did you drink it?”

“No, I didn't, really I didn't. I'm telling the truth, really I am,” and two large tears slid down her cheeks. I put my arm around her shoulders. “ There's nothing to cry about, Danielle. Come on down for breakfast. Peggy has made you some scrambled eggs.”

She slipped her hand in mine. “ You do believe me, don't you? I wouldn't lie to you, really I wouldn't.”

I squeezed her hand. “Well, if you remember taking your medicine or how you got it, you will tell me, won't you?”

“I will, honest I will. You're not cross with me, are you?”

“Silly one, of course not. I just wish you could remember that's all.”

“I don't remember. I don't remember even
dreaming
it!”

She was just as adamant when her father questioned her. With a sigh he let her go, saying to me:

“Last night has frightened her. She won't even admit to drinking it, let alone tell us how she reached it. I think we will regard the subject as closed, making sure in future that the medicine chest is kept locked.”

Miserably I wandered down the beach. The only person who would make me feel better was Steve, and there were ten hours before I would have the benefit of his good sense and cheerfulness.

The sand was hot in the blaze of the sun and I quickly changed into my costume, wading out into the welcome coolness of the sea. I swam out towards the yacht, lonely and splendid in the centre of the bay, its dazzling white hull reflected in the clear depths of the water. A mere puff of breeze carried the sharp tang of lemon and the sweetness of the pines. I rolled onto my back, floating blissfully.…

Ian Lyall, in jeans and tee-shirt, was sitting on the beach when turned shorewards.

“Enjoy your swim?” he asked.

“Yes,” I slipped my beach wrap round my shoulders, conscious of his eyes on my body. He stood up.

“I didn't mean to sound insulting this morning.”

I didn't say anything, simply picked up my clothes and began to walk towards the cliff path. He followed me.

“It was quite a genuine question. It isn't always easy to remember distinctly doing something you always do out of habit. Do you know what I mean?”

“Yes,” I said. “I know what you mean. You mean did I leave that bloody bottle on the bedside table and the answer is no!”

There was a brief silence as we negotiated the steep steps that wound up through the thickest part of the trees, then he said:

“What did you mean about me not wanting you to come here?”

I could hardly admit to eavesdropping, however unintentional. I said: “ You've made it quite obvious.”

“Have I?” he seemed bemused. “I thought I'd been friendly.”

“You watch me behind my back.”

“I like you.”

“You've got a funny way of showing it.”

We were rounding a curtain of sweet smelling jasmine.

“Then perhaps this is a better way,” and before I realised what he intended, he had swung me round, taking me in his arms and kissing me, the white petals scattering over my head and shoulders. For a second I was too surprised to even react, then I pushed him away indignantly, saying:

“When I want to be kissed I'll give some indication of it!”

He grinned, the sunlight glinting on his red hair. “Please do. It was a very enjoyable experience!”

For a second I was tempted to slap his face, then I turned angrily away, pushing past thickets of wild roses and myrtle, letting the branches spring back against him as I increased speed. He kept pace with me easily, saying as if nothing had happened: “Helena has asked me remind you about the party tonight. Last night put it completely out of her head. She couldn't remember if she had mentioned it to you or not.”

“Leonie mentioned it last night.”

“When? You weren't at dinner.”

“She came in while I was bathing Danielle.”

“Did she? What did she say?”

“That there was to be a party and that most likely I would be asked to bring Steve.”

“Will you?”

“If I'm asked.”

“Of course you're asked. What do you think I'm doing now?”

“I thought it was the Van de Naude's party?” I said icily.

He laughed. “We're all one big family, hadn't you noticed?”

“Yes,” I said breathlessly as we rounded the curve at the top of the cliffs and stepped out into the dappled shade of the terrace. “So Leonie told me.”

“It would help if you didn't invite Steve. From a personal point of view.”