Rose of the Desert (16 page)

"She hasn't got it yet, then?"

"These things take time."

Time! That was something that Clay and Tamara had both had plenty of lately. And it sounded as though they had used it up together. Moodily she stared at the row of English flowers that Lynn and herself were carefully cultivating. She didn't see what a gay splash of colour they made against the stucco wall of the house. Clay threw away his cigarette and came back to his seat,

"How's the leg?"

"It's fine now, thank you."

"No scar," he said teasingly, "That's lucky, considering what a mule you were about having attention."

"No more than you, who wouldn't believe it was just
a
scratch," she returned evenly.

"Still prickly?" he mocked. "That was more than
a
week ago."

"Nine days, to be exact."

"Nine days!" He studied her with
a
glint in his eyes. "Are you glad to see me?"

"Should I be?" She returned his mocking smile offhandedly. "Skip it."

Mark and Janet tumbled through the french windows, bright orange stains around their mouths.

"Clay! Clay! Give me a swing," Janet called, remembering to tack on a belated "please".

Mark scuffed over to Julie's chair and dropped his teddy bear into her lap. "He's 'ost his eyes" and with a heavy sigh, "again."

"I'll tell you what," Julie said, taking his hand, "let's go
and find
two bright buttons from the sewing box and I'll stitch them on so's they never come off again." Nodding happily, he clutched her hand and they went inside.

Clay left about six o'clock after a boisterous hour with the children and tea on the terrace. He waved a hand briefly and drove off in a cloud of dust, and Julie turned back into the house, knowing just how Lynn felt when she waved Steve goodbye.

S
TEVE'S
arrival at the end of the week was a big day for all concerned. Lynn was complete once more, and the children could look forward to jaunts in the car which they adored. As for Julie, it was enough to be part of the enchantment and to help out in any way she could. The first four were halcyon days spent entirely with the children in mind, picnics on the beach and car rides to favourite spots along the coast, and Julie enjoyed herself as much as anyone. Though she was there primarily to assist with the children, she never felt anything less than part of the family.

Steve and Lynn spent the next two days at a picturesque oasis some miles out of Tripoli. They returned much relieved to hear that the children hadn't been unduly disturbed at their absence. On his last day, when Steve was digging a swimming pool for the children, he pushed his hat to the back of the spiky blond hair and looked up at Julie,

"We were planning to fly out to Malta for a few days next leave, Julie. Do you think you can cope?"

Julie smiled, scooping Mark up from a mound of earth,

"We'll have lots of fun on our own, won't we, young man?" Mark chuckled and clutched a portion of dusty soil.

"Is it all right if I take the car occasionally while you're away? I think I can handle it now."

He nodded. "From what I've seen of your driving this week you'll do O.K. In fact it was the best thing Clay ever did for us, mentioning your name. Lynn needs a break from the children once in a while, and your being here has had a marvellous effect on her. Thanks for coming, Julie," he added with shy sincerity.

"I'm on to a good thing too, you know," Julie laughed. "Bed and board, and the children are no trouble. I feel a bit of a fraud 1"

Janet ran across the garden, jumped and landed with a flop in the dusty hole, laughing loudly at her performance.

"No trouble, eh?" Steve scoffed with a twinkle. He swung Janet up and sat her on his shoulders, disregarding the small fingers tugging at his hair,

"How was he—Clay?"

Julie fingered the handful of soil in Mark's hand.

"Clay? Up to his neck in it as usual. A borer snapped last week, and the Arab section is a bit restless. Something to do with rates of pay. It's no wonder he hasn't much to say to people these days." He dropped Janet down and continued digging.

It could be pressure of work keeping Clay's thoughts busy, Julie pondered. On the other hand it could be plans for his future that occupied most of his time. After all, it was a big decision he was considering—whether a desk job in Tripoli had as much to offer as the Guchani oilfields. With Tamara waiting for him what else
could
he decide?

Steve left early next day and the house settled back into a peaceful routine. Lynn had the children from rising in the morning to lunch time. After that they had a nap in the heat of the day and then Julie took over until their bedtime. It was an ideal arrangement for both concerned. Lynn was happy just to potter around the house without having to worry what the children were up to every five minutes, and Julie spent her leisure hours walking around the town and sometimes bathing from the third beach. Occasionally she wrote a long letter to her father.

One day when she had written a particularly lengthy epistle she gave it to Lynn for posting.

"To your father?" Lynn handled the bulky packet with a knowing nod. "I write reams to my sister in Marubo. Like you and your father there's only the two of us."

"Really?" Julie was surprised. "I imagined you to have dozens of relatives. You're so ..." she shrugged, trying to find the right word "... complete."

Lynn smiled, glancing out into the garden to where the children were romping. "I've got everything to make me complete, haven't I?" She dropped the letter into her hand-- bag and pulled on a pair of white gloves. "Steph is five years younger than me. We were brought up by different foster-parents. She lived in Yorkshire and I was down in Kent. We didn't see an awful lot of one another."

"But that must have been terrible 1" Julie was indignant "Couldn't they have arranged to let you live together?"

"I don't think it occurred to anybody. They weren't all that fussy in those days. We were lucky to have a home."

"Marubo," Julie mused. "Where's that?"

"It's a little kingdom sandwiched between Ethiopia and the Sudan. Steph's husband is a farmer ... or at least trying his hand at it."

"Marubo? I remember now. Isn't that the place that has just gained independence?"

Lynn nodded. "There's a great agricultural scheme under way. John volunteered, though I don't know how Stephanie will come off. She's used to the bright lights of Nairobi. They used to run a night club there, quite a show- place, I believe."

"Do you visit her?"

"I haven't done yet." Lynn smiled wryly. "Stephanie's communications are few and far between. In fact the letter I received telling us of their move is the first I've had in months. You might say I know you better than I do my sister."

"She must be missing the night club people, on a remote farm," Julie commented absently, staring out of the window.

Lynn picked up her handbag and studied Julie thoughtfully.

"You know, we should have
a
party," she said suddenly. "I've been so busy becoming domesticated I'm not on much more than speaking terms with the English contingent here. And you need young people around you ... perhaps
a
young man eventually."

Julie smoothed the gathers of her dress and coloured slightly.

"Unless," Lynn queried, "there's someone already. Is there? He's quite welcome here, you know."

Composed again, Julie lifted her head, and forced a tight smile.

"There's no one special."

"But there will be." Lynn dropped an arm affectionately around her shoulder. "And wherever he is, he's in for a nice surprise. Do you want me to make an appointment for you while I'm at the hairdressers?"

"Yes, please. The day after tomorrow, I think."

Lynn waved to the children on her way out, and Julie watched her go, knowing that for the first time since her arrival in Africa she had found a genuine friend.

The swimming pool had been cordoned off until work could be resumed, and Julie saw the children were hanging precariously from the ropes.

"Janet! Mark!" she called. "Come up here. I've gat a surprise!"

Wide-eyed, the children fell over themselves to see what was in the box that she was holding. "Have you ever made a jig-saw?" she smiled, showing them the picture. "This one is of the zoo, and it's got big wooden pieces. Let's all sit round the garden table, and I'll show you how to fit the pieces to make the picture."

The contents of the box were spread out and Janet longed excitedly. "Here's a tiger! A real tiger!" she cried.

"And I've got the tail," Julie laughed. "Put that piece in there, and you've got a whole tiger."

Mark pondered over a monkey's head, and Janet picked up the body.

"Here you are, Mark. You can fix this one."

Small hands forced the two pieces into one, adding a blow with a plump fist for good measure. They soon became engrossed, and Julie was able to glance at a magazine. She was studying the latest range of London fashions when a car sounded on the drive. The next minute Tamara was stepping from a long black Cadillac.

"Hi, honey!" She smoothed down the skirt of the lilac suit and swung a handbag from the car seat. "So this is where you finally landed, huh?" She glanced round approvingly through the inevitable sunglasses.

"Hello, Tamara." Julie went to greet her. "I wondered if you would call."

"First chance I've had. And even now I can't stop." She dropped down under a striped awning at the edge of the garden. "You know, that's one thing I'll say for the Americans. They're thorough. I thought I was being tested as a possible first woman on the moon. Even now I'm not sure 1 haven't joined the American air force!"

Julie laughed. "I take it you've got the job at the air base."

"I'm on my way." Tamara saluted gaily. "It looks as if we both made out O.K., doesn't it? You didn't have to go back to England. And I finally got an 'in' at the base."

"You really wanted that job, didn't you?" Julie smiled, noticing a glow in the other's eyes that even penetrated the sunglasses. Tamara laughed throatily.

"I'm following that formula. You know the one that says, 'You should know what you want, and then go out and get it.'"

Julie's heart lurched. What else did Tamara want besides the job at the air base? It was almost as though she had asked the question aloud, for Tamara was saying,

"I'll tell you, honey. There's this chemical reaction between a certain Major and myself—that's his car, by the way. We figure it will have more of a chance to ... er ... ferment," she tossed a dry smile, "if I'm on the spot."

"A Major? But I thought ..." Julie blurted, and then looked down at her hands in embarrassment.

"You thought what, honey?" Tamara's voice held no surprise, and Julie raised her head to see a tilted eyebrow and an enigmatic smile. The head was being turned slowly from side to side. "Uh-uh! I leave the tough oil men to you. By the way, have you seen Clay lately?"

"Clay? I saw him a couple of weeks back. I think." Tamara's smiling glance was penetrating.

"You're looking a bit peaky ... around the heart."

"I suppose it's the heat," Julie said quickly, determined to misunderstand her.

"Oh, sure! You're pining for the heat. "Tamara got to her feet and adjusted her sunglasses with a sigh. "So much for my efforts to play Cupid. Well, I'm on my way. If you want to get in touch with me, here's my address. I don't know when they'll let me out, so I can't male any promises about coming over this way."

"You talk as if you were going to prison 1" Julie laughed, taking the slip of paper.

"I rather think I'm in for something better than a stone cell and a five-barred window. That's something else I'll say for us Americans. We're a comfort-loving race, and spare no expenses to prove it." She slipped into the car and revved up flamboyantly, calling through the window,

"So long, honey. Don't forget to keep in touch!"

Later Julie pondered over Tamara's remarks. What had she meant by looking a bit peaky around the heart? Was it as obvious as all that—her love for Clay? If so she had better smother it now. It wouldn't do for Clay to come to the house and find her looking starry-eyed. She could just imagine his face! The granite features wearing an air of tolerant amusement for just another one of the many who must have succumbed to that rugged, arrogant charm. But what of the girl who was compelling him to give up the oil-fields? Was it Tamara? Didn't he know her interests lay elsewhere? With a sigh Julie decided to forget it. After all, it was Clay's business, not hers. If he was in for a shattering disappointment there was nothing she could do about it…

On the day that Steve and Lynn flew over to Malta, Julie took the children to see a puppet show. Organised by the oil men's wives, in aid of a local charity, it was a tremendous success. The puppets performing on a red- curtained stage were all lifelike characters of famous show business personalities, and though Janet and Mark couldn't appreciate this, they thoroughly enjoyed the music and animation. Later there were ice creams and rides on a baby camel in the courtyard.

That evening Julie contacted the hotel in Malta as planned to let Lynn and Steve know that all was going well. After that time simply flew by. Before she knew where she was the day had arrived when they were due back home.

The morning began like any other.

She awoke to the sound of Bella commencing her daily chores—the Italian woman had grudgingly consented to sleep at the house while the Rowlands were away—the next second the door had burst open and Janet and Mark hurled themselves at her.

"Julie! Julie! Can we go to the beach today?" Janet rolled on the pillow, bright-eyed and volatile. "I want to see the coloured fish in the pools and put my feet in too."

"I'ne going to catch some fish. I'ne got a net," Mark announced, dumping himself on Julie's feet.

"We'll have to go early," Julie explained. "Mummy and Daddy are coming home this afternoon. You wouldn't want to be out and miss them, would you?"