The Primrose Bride (27 page)

On the second of these days Rita Vaughan sauntered in at about four-thirty for a cup of tea. She was wearing one of her new frocks, a tight red thing that fought furiously with her hair, and for some reason she sported a green choker. She looked what she was, a woman who had gone very much off-key and was defiantly opposed to any attempt to get back to normal. Yet her smile was nonchalant.

“
One thing I like about coming to see you,
”
she said with a crooked smile,
“
is
that
I never come across you writing screeds home.
That seems to be the
passionate occupation of every woman in Government Road
...
except you and me. You haven
’
t got parents, and mine would think I
’
d some illness if I wrote more often
than
twice a year. Do you write to your aunts, by the way?
”

“
I
’
ve started, a few times.
”
Karen changed the topic.
“
Very quiet since Cath Rawling
’
s party, isn
’
t it?
”

Rita nodded, and stretched her long thin legs.
“
Can
’
t decide whether it
’
s the silence before or after the storm. Could be that strange pause you sometimes get during a really noisy squall. Only there
’
s nothing so exciting as a
squall, at the moment, is there? Let me see, what happens next in the Nemaka calendar?
”

“
Isn
’
t it the fishing festival?
”

“
That
’
s island stuff. You just look on, if you feel like it.
”
She lifted an eyebrow.
“
It
’
s on Friday, you know.
”
And with a wink:
“
There
’
s something else doing on that day, too. You know our friends on the
Vesica
—Captain Kidd and his merry men? They
’
re throwing a sundowner party on board for their various friends at the other end of town. I was asked to invite you along.
”

“
The man has a sense of humor. You
’
re not going yourself, are you?
”

“
I wouldn
’
t mind. They
’
re leaving at the weekend, and Friday will be my last chance of getting a spot of relaxation.
”
She did not sound urgent, but she said,
“
I wish you
’
d go with me, Karen. I
’
m sure we
’
d enjoy it.
”

“
You
’
re crazy.
”
With a faint glint of her old humor, she asked,
“
Why don
’
t you ask Clive to take you? Might do you both good and it would certainly cause a mild upheaval among your friends on the
Vesica.
I
’
m sure they
’
re averse to husbands!
”

“
Don
’
t be funny. The chief thrill about this indiscretion of mine is keeping it secret. But I
’
ve wondered a few times whether it wouldn
’
t be good to be free. I
’
d like to have married the sort of man who
’
d steer off in a ship and look for treasure.
”

“
The trouble is, they don
’
t marry. I hope one day you
’
ll know how lucky you are in having a man who dotes on you, as Clive does. And don
’
t be too sure he
’
ll stand anything so long as you stay with him. He probably has his breaking point.
”

“
You know,
”
said Rita seriously,
“
I wouldn
’
t want to be there if Clive reached his. Not that there
’
s any fear of it
.
The one thing
he
won
’
t believe is that I
’
ll clear off. He
’
s no idea how close I
’
ve been to it!
”

“A
good
thing
too. Just being married to someone like you must be gruelling enough. You don
’
t deserve him.
”

“
That
’
s where you
’
re wrong, my dear. We all get the husband or wife we deserve—didn
’
t you know that? Just look at Government Road—the Coppards, fussy Mr. Rawling, even Jake Mears and his wife. And what about you and Andrew! Surely you
’
ll admit you deserve a big protective cavalier! Of course, some people might say he deserves someone who
’
ll stand up to him and take a knock at that self-assurance of his, but on the whole you
’
re not badly matched.
”

“
And you and Clive?
”
said Karen evenly.
“
Would you say that Clive is such a mouse that he deserves to be pushed around?
”

“
I refuse to feel a cad,
”
stated Rita equably.
“
I like Captain Kidd and that
’
s why I want to go to his farewell party. It
’
s only because it
’
s at sundowner time that I can
’
t just slide off on my own. You might co-operate, Karen. We could take a picnic tea and get back late without causing a ripple.
”

Fleetingly, Karen reflected that the man could have said nothing against herself to Rita Vaughan. Perhaps even to Camilla he had only been frank, not vindictive. But it didn
’
t matter.

“
Even if I wanted to, I couldn
’
t possibly go with you,
”
she said flatly.
“
Have a cigarette and talk of something else.
”

“
I
’
d like to have attended the little binge,
”
Rita said regretfully,
“
but there it is. You don
’
t get anything good without taking a risk.
”
She didn
’
t explain her final sentence, but instead began to talk about people she knew who were now settled in Hong Kong. At five-fifteen she went off as she had come, sauntering.

On Thursday, Andrew came in to lunch for the first time that week. They had reached coffee and a cigarette when he said,
“
We
’
re invited to dine privately with the Prichards this evening; it will probably become an accepted thing every Thursday unless something official crops up. I used to go there alone one evening a week.
”

“
Very well.
”

“
Formal wear, but nothing
s
tartling.
”
He paused.
“
By the way, some time we
’
ll have to go across to the mainland and get you some jewels. If V.I.P.
’
s turn up here they like to see full dress.
”

Karen took care to make no obvious retort. She nodded. But she thought she would probably be far away and forgotten before important visitors came to Nemaka. Andrew didn
’
t know it, but the only way she kept going these days was by reminding herself quite often that this could not possibly last much longer.

That evening she put on a figured blue silk frock and the row of pearls Aunt Grace had given her on her twenty-first. As she pushed home the clasp she recalled the occasion. Aunt Grace, who was never entirely sure of herself, had quite palpitated through breakfast and gone tearful with relief when, after Karen had enthused and kissed her for it, Aunt Laura had placed the seal of her approval on the necklace.

“
The pearls are very sweet, Grace dear, and I
’
m most glad you bought them because I
’
m giving Karen a cheque, and we wouldn
’
t want her to have nothing to remind her of her coming-of-age. There
’
ll be gifts from her friends, of course, but she can
’
t keep chocolates or bath salts as a memento, can she?
”

How long ago it seemed, that day which the aunts had done their utmost to make memorable for her. Friends in for tea and sandwiches and a piece of the magnificent
cake
—she still had the gilt key from it — and dinner in Falmouth with quite a good show to follow. At the pottery they
’
d made her a white china basket full of flowers, and later, when they
’
d heard she was to be married, they
’
d
...
She drew a shaky sigh, squared her shoulders and stood back from the mirror. Not bad. Blue always brought out the greenness in her eyes, but that made them look clearer and more lively. Looking alert was the next best thing to feeling it; one had to be on one
’
s toes with Marcia Prichard.

She drew in the bedroom
’
s french window. It was very dark out there, no moon yet, and the
thick branches of the giant tree shut out the early stars. There came the scent of jasmine, the headier fragrance of ginger bush and frangipani, all of them tropical and alien. Impossible, now, to recall the lavender sweetness of the garden in which
s
he had grown up. It was hardly more than a fortnight since she had last walked the old paths, and perhaps quite soon she
would see them again. But nothing would ever be the same as before. Too much had happened to her, too much that went right through to her depths, and changed her. She clicked the lock of the french window, gathered her stole and went through to the living room.

Andrew was there, tall and impeccable in one of his white jackets, the picture of arrogant, overbearing masculinity. With a practised, relentless charm he took the wrap from her and threw it about her shoulders. If he noticed the modest necklace and lack of earrings he made no sign.

They set out at a purring speed, moved the length of Government Road and turned between the posts of the Residency. From within the cloister of trees that lined the drive they could see the splendid white outline of the mansion, the flag, the illumined lower rooms and terrace.

He pulled up just beyond the steps, came round to help her out. Sir Wallace stood in
the wide entrance, extending a hand.

“
Good evening, my dear Karen
...
Andrew.
”
He clapped a hand to Andrew
’
s upper arm.
“
This is really like old times, but much better. I always knew that what you lacked was a wife, but I wasn
’
t clever enough to realize just the kind of wife you needed. You had to do that yourself. Come along to the small sitting room. Marcia will be there by now. The servant will take your things, Karen.
”

Marcia Prichard was friendly graciousness itself. She drew Karen to a sofa in the cosy little sitting room, accepted her own drink when Karen had been served, and spoke comfortably about the trifles that make up daily living. It was odd, Karen reflected as she smiled and gave automatic replies, that without really trying she should have made almost an ally of Lady Prichard. Had everything been ecstatically normal between herself and Andrew this relationship with the Governor
’
s wife would have loomed like a black mountain, but as things were, she gave almost no thought to it beyond ma
i
ntaining a certain quiet correctness.

Her success with the Prichards was ironical and bitter. More so when she saw Andrew standing with Sir Wallace,
suave
and smiling, answers to every question about
the islands right there on the tip of his tongue. Even Sir Wallace, the veteran overlord, could not confound Andrew.
No one could.

They had dinner in an adjoining room, just the four of
them.
A silent servant, candle-glow, good wines, a slow bowl of smilax and gardenias softly reflecting the yellow light, unrehearsed family conversation.

They were almost ready to move back to the sitting room for coffee when Lady Prichard said,
“
I think it
’
s time you spoke your piece to Andrew, Wallace. After all, we four do understand each other now, and I
’
m sure Andrew won
’
t mind.
”

Sir Wallace, who had looked a little awkward and even colored faintly, made a gruff reply.
“
Trust Marcia to make me do something a little delicate while we
’
re all here. I intended speaking to you about it alone, Andrew.
”

“
What have I done?
”
asked Andrew with a casual
smile. Superbly sure
he had done nothing wrong, thought
Karen hollowly.

“
Do go on, Wallace,
”
said his wife plaintively.
“
It
’
s not for me to put these things into words, but if you
’
re going to hesitate and skirt the subject I
s
hall have no
option.
”

“
The fact is, my boy,
”
said Sir Wallace, even more gruffly,
“
Bin
gham
put your personal file before me this morning.
”
An apologetic shrug towards Karen.
“
There was the
matter
of the marriage allowance and one or two
o
ther things
...
”
He stopped and said irritably,
“
Marcia, it was wrong of you to insist on this now. I would much prefer to talk this over privately with Andrew, a little later in the evening.
”

“
I know you would, dear,
”
his wife answered smoothly,
“
but it affects Karen as well. Go on. We
’
re all waiting.

Resignedly, but smiling again, the Governor went on,
“
Well, Andrew, you know how Marcia and I felt about your marrying so suddenly. We were a little put out. But since we
’
ve known Karen we feel very differently, I assure you! We
’
ve talked of a wedding gift, but Nemaka is not an ideal shopping center, a
n
d in any case, we wanted to give you something you
’
d treasure. The fact is,
”
he actually eased his collar a little nervously,
“
when I looked at you
r
papers I noticed that you weren
’
t married on the date we
’
d all assumed. Indeed, I was quite astounded and most perturbed to see that you must have married on the very day you left England for the Leaman Islands.
”

“
That
’
s so,
”
said Andrew, cool and pleasant.
“
I thought it would be better for Karen if everyone here thought we
’
d been married a couple of weeks when we arrived. Even Bingham didn
’
t see the usual form. I filled it in and put it in the file myself.
”

The Governor looked slightly nonplussed.
“
I do appreciate how you must have felt, and it was right to guard your wife against
...
anything facetious or even a little embarrassing. What I don
’
t understand is why you returned to Nemaka a week before you were due. You two could have had that week—or longer, if you
’
d sent me a wire. You know that.
”

Karen said nothing. She sat with her hands clasped wetly in her lap, her glance a little glassily on Andrew
’
s face. Watch him slide out of that, she thought faintly; he
’
ll do it.

After a brief glance at her he did, with truth and charm.
“
I
’
m afraid you and Marcia were the reason, Sir Wallace. If we
’
d arrived a week or so later, Karen would have been thrown straight into the Residency circle. I didn
’
t think that would be fair to her either. Far better for her to
take in the Nemakan scene for a week and get to know the neighbors before you returned. I
’
m sure now that it was the right thing to do.
”

“
But Wallace and I aren
’
t ogres,
”
protested Lady Prichard.

“
Certainly not,
”
said Andrew smoothly,
“
but I couldn
’
t be absolutely certain that you
’
d approve of my marriage, could I?
”

Something passed between the three of them. Karen sensed it, even though it was gone wi
thin
seconds. Sir Wallace fidgeted, smiled and nodded.

“
I do see how you were situated. We
’
ll say no more about that aspect.
”

“
But there remains the rather astounding fact that you and Karen had no honeymoon,
”
said Lady Prichard with lifted brow.
“
We must do something about that Mustn
’
t we, Karen
?
”

K
aren was in condition to use her voice; she smiled thinly across the table.

The older woman tapped Andrew’s wrist with
her fore-
finger. “A bride needs
breathing space, Andrew.
Coping with ordinary li
f
e and a brand-new marriage is
rather much f
or any young woman, but Karen
’
s had even more than that to deal with. The climate and strangeness.
”

Andrew
’
s smile was guarded.
“
What do you suggest?
”

“
Hill Lodge,
”
said the Governor promptly.
“
Our wedding present is a honeymoon at Hill Lodge. We
’ll
send out
all
the supplies you may need and definitely won
’
t worry you with anything at all during the first week. After that you
might
stay on for the rest of the month, only coming into Government Town when it
’
s imperative. Karen needn
’
t show up at all. She can forget we exist!
”

Marcia Prichard turned a bright, enthusiastic glance upon Karen.
“
Won
’
t that be lovely? You
’
ll get your honeymoon after all. And I
’
m sure you need it What with the excitement of the wedding in England, the plane trip and landing here among such a crowd as we are, I
’
m quite sure you
’
ve been feeling strained and unnatural. I don
’
t mind admitting that I was utterly appalled when Wallace told me at lunch-time that even now you
’
ve been married hardly more
than
two weeks. And you haven
’
t had Andrew to yourself
at all!”

In even tones, giving nothing whatever away, Andrew said,
“
It
’
s most generous of you both. I don
’
t quite know what to say, except that we shall be happy to accept as soon as it
’
s convenient.
”

“
Convenient!
”
exclaimed the Governor.
“
Can
’
t wait for that—there
’
s always something turning up. No, Andrew, we
’
ll make this definite. You
’
ll go this weekend
—
Saturday or Sunday, whichever you prefer. And our
blessing and very best wishes will go with you.
”

Inevitably the Governor called for more wine and offered a toast. He almost laughed with relief and pleasure, and
Lady Prichard looked confident and just as happy as he about the gift she and the Governor had concocte
d
between them. Neither thought it peculiar that Karen was silent. They probably thought she was shy, and no wonder
...
poor child.

The rest of the evening wasn
’
t nightmarish for Karen; she was too stupefied to feel anything. Just one thought persisted dully in her brain. Andrew had accepted. He had actually felt they could face a week of each other
’
s unadulterated company in that isolated dream house on the hillside. All Karen was really sure of was that she herself couldn
’
t even contemplate it without a feeling of te
rr
or.