The Primrose Bride (20 page)

He laughed.
“
Do or die. Is that how you always meet catastrophes? It must be a great help.
”

“
It
’
s not always a help,
”
Andrew said evenly.
“
It can make one reckless.
”

“
Perhaps.
”
The Governor
’
s voice was kind and teasing.
“
Karen was either reckless or very much in love when she married you, Andrew. I
’
d like to think it was some of both. You
need an adventurous woman.
”

“
If he needs a woman at all,
”
said Karen lightly.

Her glance slid past Andrew
’
s, but she knew he was smiling one of those aloof, watchful smiles he used for hiding whatever he felt. Would it ever be possible to penetrate deep below that armor of experience and cynicism? Would she ever be able to ignore that camera-like mind of his? It seemed as if there could never be a time in which she could accept philosophically the void in their relationship.

A crescendo of thunder that shook the house put an end to conversation. Sir Wallace tried to read, Karen sat facing the window, not caring much if they didn
’
t get away till midnight. A servant came in to ask whether dinner would be needed. Everything had been packed away, as ordered by Her Excellency.

Sir Wallace shrugged uncertainly.
“
What do you think, Andrew?
”

“
Bread and butter and a few hard-boiled eggs. We
’
ll take them with us.
”

The servant withdrew, but Andrew did not settle. He remained at the window, staring over the rain
and wind-lashed terrace into a grey nothingness. It darkened completely and lamps were brought. Thunder and lightning eased a little but did not cease, and the rain continued to fall with its own monotonous roar. Sir Wallace went from the room, and Andrew said quietly,
“
You put on a good act, but you
’
re still tense. Being scared of tropical storms is nothing to be ashamed of.
”

She answered, low-toned,
“
It
’
s possible that I feel I have to prove I
’
m not the coward you think I am—physically, anyway.
”

“
Well, you
’
ve made your point, if it helps at all,
”
he said wryly,
“
it was something I remembered from your early days that made me feel you
’
d be able to handle the hazards of this part of the world. You must have been about eight when you plunged into the river to save a puppy from drowning.
”

She looked down at her locked fingers.
“
It was a ridiculous effort. The puppy could swim better than I. I didn
’
t know you
’
d heard about it.
”

“
The whole village knew, and I remembered it the moment I saw you again, grown-up and dreamy-eyed. You can
’
t be so very different from that little girl today. If you start off with that delightfully foolish sort of courage you never lose it. I told myself,
”
non-committally,
“
that you
’
d be a gay and spirited companion, that you
’
d mature beauti
fully.”

Her throat was locked. He had expected too much in return for the bestowal of his name and government rank. He was looking at her, and she managed a reply.

“
I
’
m well aware that I
’
ve disappointed you, but I see now that it was inevitable. I
’
m far more sorry than you are.
”
He drew in his breath sharply, but before he could retort the Governor returned.

“
I
’
ve been talking to Marcia,
”
he said, quite unaware of the electricity in the atmosphere.
“
We
’
re staying the night
,
Andrew, all four of us. Nothing else for it, really.
”

Andrew turned towards him suddenly.
“
It
’
s wise for you and Marcia to stay, but Karen and I should try to get through. This is bound to ease off within the next few hours, and I
’
ll send a car for you early in the morning.
”

“
But why go through the storm when it
’
s not necessary? They won
’
t expect any of us in Government Town. You can be sure they
’
re getting this as well. It
’
s lasting too long for a local storm.
”

Andrew let a moment elapse. Then he said,
“
Karen can stay with you, and I
’
ll go alone.
”

“
But why, my dear fellow? You
’
d probably get stranded at one of the rivers and have to spend the night there, cold and drenched. Far better to remain here and do the trip in daylight. If the rain stops soon the rivers will be down again by morning.
”
He turned concernedly to Karen.
“
You mustn
’
t let him go, my dear. It would be most dangerous!
”

A horrid dryness in her throat, Karen said.
“
I
’
ll go with him, Sir Wallace.
”

The Governor stared quite militantly at Andrew.
“
There! You
’
ve frightened the child. I wouldn
’
t dream of letting her go, and I won
’
t keep her here alone, worrying herself silly about you. You
’
re not a bachelor now, you know. Karen has a right to keep you here.
”

As Andrew looked at them both across the room, a muscle twitched in his jaw.
“
We
’
ll decide a bit later. This sure is a hell of a spot in the rain!
”

Karen opened a book, but was acutely aware of him. He was like something caged, and the miracle was that Sir Wallace only saw him as an impatient, strong-minded man who was showing a lack of thought for his young wife. The older man was really jolted and bewildered, and Andrew was now behaving right out of character. Was it possible that in this instance he didn
’
t care what the Governor thought?

The lightning had almost ceased, and soon Lady Prichard came blinking into the lamplight. Her presence was like a cool zephyr in an overheated room.

“
Well, we seem to be stranded,
”
she said serenely,
“
so let
’
s make the best of it. I
’
ve seen the servants and they
’
re preparing a light supper. We
’
ve had a long day in great heat, and I think we should all go to bed early, so that we can start away at dawn, if it
’
s possible. Karen, you look tired, and I don
’
t wonder. Go and have a nice cool wash, my dear, and when you come back we
’
ll have a drink. We always keep a little Dutch courage in stock!
”

Karen stood up, and Sir Wallace remarked dourly,
“
Andrew has been talking of going off on his own. What do you make of that?
”

His wife laughed and lifted an eyebrow.
“
A little coolness between Andrew and Karen? Don
’
t worry, it won
’
t last. Oh, Karen, I
’
ve told one of the boys to make up the beds in the spare room, but you might make sure the sheets are quite dry. If they
’
re not, there
’
s plenty of heat in the kitchen. There are spare pyjamas and so on in the top drawer of the chest in your room, and several new toothbrushes i
n
the bathroom. Really, we
’
re very well prepared.
”

Karen smiled her thanks and went out. She washed and used a lipstick, walked along to the end bedroom, turned up the lamp and automatically felt the sheets. She stood back against the wall, pressed a hand to her forehead, pushed back her hair.

She waited for some time, hardly knowing what she hoped for or expected. Andrew did not come and finally she turned down the lamp and went back to the lounge.

The three of them were there, taking a drink, and Lady Prichard seemed to have taken charge of the situation, though Andrew looked very cool and detached from it all. As her blue-green glance met his she saw, with a shock, that in an angry fashion he had begun to enjoy the situation. Almost he looked as though this were some revenge for
...
for her support of Tony? He
’
d known she was waiting along there in the bedroom, that she had been going to plead with him to do something.
“
The deuce I will,
”
his glance said;
“
you
’
re my wife and I
’
m damned if I
’
ll help you wriggle out of a perfectly normal domestic situation.
”
The evening was endless, overcharged but shot through with the clear common sense of Marcia Prichard. At ten the older woman went to the window.

“
It
’
s still raining, but the storm has paused. I think we shall be able to go to sleep now.
”
She hadn
’
t yawned, but she tapped her lips.
“
Goodnight, you two. I
’
m afraid we
’
ll have to take this lamp—ours has run dry. Goodnight, again.
”

Karen moved first along the passage. She said goodnight to Sir Wallace and went into the end bedroom. Andrew came in and closed the door. The lamp was sputtering and quickly, nervously, she pulled in the french window to reduce the draught. The lamp still flickered.

“
This one is almost empty too,
”
said Andrew drily.
“
Shall I rouse the servants for paraffin?
”

“
What
’
s got into you?
”
she asked in low tones.
“
Haven
’
t you been sarcastic enough this evening?
”

“
I didn
’
t create the storm, little one.
”

“
You created the atmosphere. I can
’
t bear any more of it.
”

“
That
’
s a step in the right direction. Let me see,
”
very calmly,
“
how would Tony handle this? But then he
’
d never get into this kind of nightmare, would he? You know,
”
as he sank down into an upholstered wicker chair,
“
you
’
ve shown me a side of Tony I wasn
’
t aware existed. He
’
s not highly colored or forceful, and I don
’
t believe he
’
s ever been drawn to a woman before.
”

“
He
’
s not drawn to one now!
”

He slipped his hands behind his head, looking infuriatingly comfortable but steely-eyed as he studied her through half-closed lids.
“
Oh, yes, he is, but he wouldn
’
t do anything about it without a whole lot of encouragement.
”
A pause.
“
He
’
s the type you really wanted, isn
’
t he? He wouldn
’
t frighten you—loom like a threat every night—you feel you could handle Tony, don
’
t you? Since you
’
ve
known him you
’
ve compared us; kind, gentle, accommodating Tony and
...
me. A darned shame you couldn
’
t come here and meet him first, without being tied to me.
”

“
I
’
m not attracted to Tony in that way.
”

“
Maybe it
’
s a bit soon for that, but it wouldn
’
t take long. Unhappy wife, compassionate friend, too much heat and not much to do. It
’
s happening all the time out in these places. But it
’
s not going to happen to you.
”

“
I could have told you that!
”

His tone altered slightly.
“
While we
’
re on the subject, there
’
s a couple of things I want to know. Why did you feel guilty about his coming to the house yesterday?
”

“
Please, Andrew,
”
she said entreatingly.

“
It
’
s something I have to know.
”

“
Well, it wasn
’
t guilt. I realized that you
’
ve changed towards Tony and that it was my fault. I kept quiet about his call because I didn
’
t want to cause any more trouble.
”

“
I can
’
t accept that, but let it pass. There
’
s something else
w
hich is far more fundamental.
”
He didn
’
t seem to move, but a stiffness had come into his posture.
“
When you said that if Tony were to leave tomorrow you
’
d go with him you really meant it, didn
’
t you?
”

“
Yes, but
...
”

His lean face seemed actually to have lost color as he leaned forward to interrupt her. His voice was just a little thick.
“
You
’
d have done
that
to me, if you could?
”

She was sitting well away from him, on the foot of the bed nearest the window and not for from the lamp, and as she looked down at the rug she appeared thinner and more withdrawn. Tension flattened her tones.

“
We
’
ve both realized our marriage was a mistake, and the sooner I go the fainter the impression it will leave. Please,
”
very hurried, as he made a swift movement,
“
it
’
s time I said this, and you must listen. You know how it was in Cornwall. A perfect summer, I was feeling restless and
...
and romantic, and then the overpowering Master of Welhayes came from the South Seas and actually noticed me. I was dazzled, I seemed to lose my identity. I
...
I wasn
’
t myself again till the day we arrived in Nemaka.
”

“
I know all that,
”
he said in clipped tones.
“
I
knew it before you did, but till we got here I had no doubts about you. You say you woke up on the day we got here, but you didn
’
t, my child. You
’
re not awake yet.
”