Stormy Haven (12 page)

CHAPTER NINE

When Melanie came
into Elfrida
’
s bedroom next morning it was impossible to divine from her appearance the momentous and astounding truth that scarcely twelve hours ago she had experienced her first kiss. She was impeccably neat in white linen, and had hardly more color than on the day they had arrived at Port Fernando. As she had assured herself in bed during the dark hours, the embrace had been too swift and impersonal to have meaning. By the time they had beached the canoe Stephen was so normal that, but for an alien heat and a stiffness in h
e
r lips, she would have doubted whether they had ever been closer than as they trudged back to the car.

Having eaten in the dining room, Melanie sauntered onto the balcony. It was a translucent morning. She thought of the sun rising over the coral reef, warming the surface where she and Stephen had lain and watched the fish. She thought of his tones, still hard but friendly, of his hands on her shoulders, of the suffocating moment when her heart had seemed to leap out of her breast. It would have been the same with any man, of course
...
the palpitation, the shrinking, and longing for she knew not what; they were merely first-kiss symptoms. In a way she was glad it was over.

It would be wiser to say nothing whatever about last night
’
s outing to Elfrida. If eventually it came out it couldn
’
t be helped, but her cousin was always careful not to make too much fuss about anything connected with Stephen. Melanie suspected that he was nearly as much of an enigma to Elfrida Paget as on the day they had met.

“
Melanie!
”

She answered the summons, came to Elfrida
’
s bedside.

“
Melanie, I want you to do some shopping for me. Try and buy a box of tissues and some good soap at the big store, and then go down and see if that bogus French milliner has completed my hat. And while you
’
re out—
”
a slight but noticeable pause
“
—buy yourself those little Indian sandals that took your fancy. I
’
ll treat you to them as a belated birthday present.
”

“
Oh. That
’
s
...
decent of you.
”

“
Not at all. Here
’
s some money.
”
Melanie was at the door when Elfrida added,
“
By the way, we
’
re due to have tea with Ramon and his father this afternoon. The old
senor
’
s
knee is nearly right.
”

“
I
’
m glad. Did you see them last night?
”

“
I saw Ramon. He was frantic because you weren
’
t with me
—
he
’
d have chased down here if I hadn
’
t told him you
’
d be in bed. I know you
’
ve a habit of going early when you
’
re alone. We had a long and very interesting talk. I
’
ll tell you about it later.
”

Though Elfrida was smiling, the promise in her voice was vaguely sinister. Melanie nodded brightly and got out of the room.

In the sunshine among the shops she felt differently. She didn
’
t buy the slippers because she was beginning to hate receiving things from her cousin. One way and another she earned her keep
—
as dressmaker alone she was worth several pounds a month—but this way of living, with Elfrida indisputably paying the hotel bill, was becoming more and more unsatisfactory.

As if it had been arranged at this phase of her thoughts, a two-seater passed her with a hand waving from the window. It was Jameson, the plantation manager—no, the plantation
’
s owner—and beside him sat a small, brown
haired woman who must have been his wife.

“
Don
’
t forget you
’
re coming out to see us,
”
he called.
“
Anytime!
”

The woman nodded pleasantly in corroboration, and within a minute the car was swallowed in the medley of donkeys, mule carts and noisy tradesmen, all of whom were enveloped in clouds of fine dust.

When Melanie returned to the hotel, Elfrida was in the lounge drinking lemonade with a dash of gin. She had ordered an early lunch for both of them, to be served on her balcony, so that they could be sure of two hours
’
rest before dressing to visit Senor Perez.

Melanie seldom went to the balcony after that luncheon shared with Elfrida. Merely to stand in the French doorway brought that horrible, sickening sensation to her throat, the cold rigidity to her limbs.

She had not eaten much. She was leaning sideways, with one arm on the wall and her attention upon the garden coolie
’
s efforts with an ancient and cumbersome lawn mower, when Elfrida murmured,
“
I
’
ve some good news for you, Melanie. Ramon wants to marry you.
”

Melanie stared, aghast yet hardly surprised. Some part of her had known it for weeks, known and rejected the knowledge. But here it was, a strident fact for all Elfrida
’
s even tone and level smile.

With an effort she gathered her forces.
“
He only thinks he wants to marry me. He
’
s the sort of man who can
’
t be happy unless he
’
s in love with someone.
”

“
You misjudge him. We
’
ve been here two months which is ample time to become infatuated and disillusioned as well. For a Latin, he
’
s shown extraordinary tenacity and
single-mindedness
, particularly as you haven
’
t encouraged him.
”
She inclined her head, approvingly.
“
You
’
ve managed him amazingly well. I wouldn
’
t have believed you had it in you, and the most remarkable part of it is that he seems to be genuinely in love with you.
”

The sting in the tail of this remark passed Melanie by. Paler than ever, her green eyes burning, she was incapable of speech. With studied carelessness Elfrida filled in the pause,
“
The Perez family is important in Cadiz. One uncle is a count and another is married to the daughter of Lord Denisham. Their riches are even more fabulous than we thought, and as Ramon
’
s wife you
’
d have a position of power. Cadiz is only a couple of hours by air from London, remember.
”

“
What,
”
asked Melanie with difficulty,
“
did you say to Ramon?
’

“
What could I say? I reminded him that I was only your cousin by marriage, that you yourself would have to make the decision. In Spain these matters are conducted between parents or guardians, and Ramon gave me to understand that
Senor Perez will ask my sanction to the marriage this afternoon.
”

“
You surely don
’
t expect me to
...
agree?
”

“
You
’
ll be an utter fool if you don
’
t,
”
said Elfrida mildly.
“
Just think over the advantages. A dashing young husband who adores you, the best social set in Cadiz and London, unlimited means. Ramon said there would be a handsome marriage settlement; and you
’
ll admit you
’
ve already experienced both his generosity and the old
senor
’
s
.”

“
But you
’
ve ignored one thing,
”
said Melanie bleakly.
“
I
’
m not in love with him.
”

“
My dear innocent,
”
Elfrida
’
s urbanity was wearing at the edges,
“
in marriage, wholehearted love is more of a handicap than a blessing. Don
’
t try to tell me that you couldn
’
t respond to his passion; any woman could. You
’
ll be a thousand times happier with Ramon than you would be struggling to make a career for yourself in England. And as his wife you could even continue studying the piano, if you wished, and afford the best masters.
”

Melanie
’
s fingers curled tightly into her palms.
“
However you look at it, it would be an arranged marriage, for financial gain. If I went through with it I
’
d never again be able to face my conscience. I
’
d loathe myself for the rest of my life.
”

“
Melodramatic, aren
’
t we?
”
A sneer edged her voice.
“
I
’
d advise you to reflect upon the past months that you
’
ve spent with me. It
’
s nearly a year since I had you away from that grim school, and I
’
ve kept you ever since. I took you across France—
”
Elfrida, well aware that France had been no picnic for Melanie, did not elaborate
“
—and I brought you to Mindoa.
”

“
I know all you
’
ve done and I
’
m grateful. But I don
’
t have to marry the man you choose
. I
f you wish us to part it can be arranged without that.
”

“
How?
”
Elfrida infused the query with cold, heavy sarcasm.
“
Maybe you could just about rake up tourist-class fare from your mother
’
s money, but even that would take time in correspondence with the lawyer—and who would pay your expenses meanwhile? You
’
re not in a position to be finicky about your conscience.
”

Melanie got up. Elfrida, still comfortably seated at the table, met her eyes, challengingly.

“
You don
’
t have to decide right away. Ramon prepared me for this afternoon
’
s formality for obvious reasons, but you
’
ll be given a couple of days in which to overcome your natural modesty.
”

Paperwhite, her whole being strung up on taut wires, Melanie answered,
“
I don
’
t need a couple of days. I won
’
t marry Ramon.
”

Elfrida lay back, clasped her slim white hands upon the edge of the table.
“
Since you force me to it, I
’
ll be frank with you. You
’
ve no option but to marry Ramon. You see, Melanie, I
’
ve no money, not a cent. I owe
madame
downstairs about seventy pounds. She thinks I
’
ve cabled to England for money, but it wouldn
’
t be any good if I did—there
’
s none there. In addition I owe Henry Jameson eleven hundred pounds, which he may or may not get.
”

Melanie listened, fascinated, terrified. John had sold the plantation before he died. Elfrida was worse than penniless— she was alarmingly in debt. And it emerged that Elfrida wasn
’
t wholly to blame; she had honestly believed she owned the plantation, however poor its condition.

“
There
’
s a British governing council here,
”
she said desperately.
“
They
’
ll help us, and as soon as we get back to England I
’
ll find a job. We
’
ll...
”

“
Don
’
t be ridiculous. Your earnings wouldn
’
t pay many bills and I
’
ve never worked in my life. Why should we plunge into poverty when there
’
s a fortune that
’
s yours for the taking?
”

“
Elfrida, please.
”
Melanie felt as if all those wires in her body had snapped in one go, as if she had no position, no entity.
“
Couldn
’
t we consult Stephen?
”

The other woman leaned forward, her nostrils pinched, her mo
u
th a thin, vindictive line.
“
Don
’
t you dare to tell Stephen! If I
’
ve run up debts in order to get you a rich husband, only you are concerned.
”

“
But even if I consented to marry Ramon, you
’
d still owe the money.
”

“
Leave that part of it to me. All you have to do is be submissive and sweet. There
’
ll be no hurry about the wedding. There won
’
t even be an official engagement till you reach Cadiz, because Ramon has a sentimental affection for his mother and he
’
d like her to be in on it. Now go to your room and rest that stricken look out of your eyes before we go to the villa
...
and for heaven
’
s sake try to realize your good fortune!
”

Perhaps it was shock that sealed up Melanie
’
s reasoning processes. Like a sleepwalker she went to her own room and dropped down on the side of the bed, and presently she lay full-length and pressed hot fingers over her eyes. She only knew that nothing, no one, would ever persuade her to marry Ramon Perez.