Unknown (16 page)

Later, Lorna supposed that something in his attitude should have warned her of what was to come, but all she said was, “You’re a fine one to talk,” and slipped on to the opposite bunk. “I couldn’t imagine you having much fun. How about your home comforts? Surely you’d miss your penthouse in London and your villa in Durban? And what would you do for excitement with only one girl? You wouldn’t find another when you tired of her.”

A shadow crossed Ashley’s face and his lips tightened. “That’s rather unfair, don’t you think?”

“Aren’t you being unfair—keeping me here like a prisoner? Don’t you think it’s about time you took me back? Mar—” she stopped. She had been about to say Margo would be worried. But damn the fellow! She wouldn’t tell him he had made a mistake. Let him think she was marrying Pieter. It had nothing to do with him anyway. Why he was trying to talk her out of it she couldn’t imagine. “My—my friend will be wondering where I am.”

“Pieter won’t be back until tomorrow, as well you know. Mombasa, is it?”

Lorna stared. “How do you know? Unless—” suddenly suspicious. “You didn’t! You wouldn’t dare!”

“Send him on a wild goose chase?” He smiled broadly. “All’s fair in love and war—that’s my motto.”

“What do you mean?” Lorna began to feel more confused than ever.

“Do I have to spell it out? I love you, my dear Lorna. It’s as simple as that. And I don’t intend letting you waste your life with Pieter.”

For a full minute Lorna stared at him, before bursting out, “You’re joking! You’ve got to be. You didn’t know the meaning of the word love.”

His eyebrows rose until they disappeared into the thatch of hair falling across his forehead and he smiled mysteriously. “We shall see.”

“You think you know,” scoffed Lorna. “You’ve had enough experience. But to you falling in love comes as easily as falling off a log. You’re nothing but a—a sensation-seeking old man.”

“Hey, steady on—less of the old! I’m only thirty-two. And you’re wrong about me, you know—as you’ll find out.”

“I doubt it,” said Lorna icily. “I don’t intend spending enough time with you to find out. You’re one of the most despicable men I’ve ever met. Now, will you take me home?”

Ashley rose slowly to his feet. “You certainly know how to make a fellow feel small,” he said. “Okay, we’ll get going.”

Lorna watched him warily. He had agreed too easily for her peace of mind. What was he planning now? But as the engine throbbed into life and they moved away Lorna relaxed. Her hatred of him made her suspicious of his every move, that was all. He would take her back to Verva now and she could forget the whole unpleasant episode.

She followed him up on deck. It was an exhilarating feeling with the wind blowing through her hair. Cool and refreshing, it helped clear her head and she endeavoured to put her muddled thoughts into some sort of order.

The most amazing fact was that Ashley had declared he loved her! He had certainly taken her rejection badly going to all this trouble to try and stop the marriage he expected to take place. But she didn’t of course believe him. Wounded pride was his main enemy and the thought that anyone would have the audacity to turn him down had resulted in this farce. For that’s all it was. She could imagine Margo’s amusement when she learned of today’s events and smiled to herself at the thought.

“That’s better,” called Ashley. “Enjoy yourself. Such an opportunity may never come your way again.”

Lorna chose to ignore his remark and concentrated on the island that had appeared on the horizon. As it drew nearer a suspicion that had been steadily growing with every passing minute suddenly became a real and frightening fact. She turned to face him and with a voice that was not quite steady said:

“That’s not Verva! ”

Ashley looked at her solemnly. “I know.”

“Then what are you playing at?” and strength returning to her voice. “Where are we?”

“Paradise—would you believe?” quirking an eyebrow.

Lorna’s eyes narrowed. “Just what is your game?” She took a step nearer and as she did so her foot caught on an object protruding from beneath a wooden seat. She looked down, then disbelievingly looked again. It couldn’t be. Yet it was. “My suitcase!” she yelled. “How did that get here?” and then suspiciously, “You’ve planned this. It all fits now—

the motor boat I heard, the time lapse before you showed up, and now this.”

“Clever girl,” he grinned maddeningly. “Right first time.”

“You won’t get away with it. Pieter will send out a search party when he discovers I’m missing.”

Ashley shook his head. “I don’t think so. You left a note, in case you didn’t know, saying you’d decided to go away for a few days with me. You’d had second thoughts and wanted to make up your mind.”

“A few days! I don’t believe it.” She meant she didn’t
want
to believe him.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to.”

His complacent calm over the whole situation irritated Lorna. “You do realise,” she said with as much dignity as she could muster, “that what you’ve done constitutes a criminal offence? I don’t know what the laws are here, but in England you can be sent to prison for—for kidnapping.”

“Kidnapping?” he said in assumed innocence. “Who said anything about kidnapping? You came of your own free will. The note will prove that.”

“Pieter will know the handwriting’s not mine.” Margo would anyway, thought Lorna, and her sister also knew how Lorna felt about Ashley. She would soon persuade Pieter the note wasn’t genuine and they would come to look for her. Except that they wouldn’t know where to look. There were eighty-six islands in the Seychelles alone. Or they might think she had gone to Ashley’s place in Durban. It could be days before they found her. A fear more strongly confirmed by Ashley’s next words:

“Maybe so—but I used Pieter’s typewriter.”

Lorna had not known that Pieter even possessed a typewriter—but her heart dropped. What proof was there now that she had not sent the note? Even Margo, with her knowledge of the truth, could think that Lorna had indeed had second thoughts. It looked as though she was well and truly trapped.

As the island loomed nearer she broke out in a cold sweat. She had never trusted the man and now goodness only knows what plans he had in mind. She was completely at his mercy, with nowhere to run and no one to turn to.

In that moment of panic she read evil intent in his smile. Scarcely knowing what she was doing, and with fear lending strength to her actions, Lorna hurled herself at Ashley. Caught unawares, he lost his balance and crashed into the side of the boat. Quick to take advantage, Lorna gripped the wheel with both hands and swung it round with all her might. The
Poiret
cut an arc in the water. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ashley picking himself up. She steeled herself for his attack, at the same time concentrating on steering the boat back the way they had come.

“Keep away,” she gritted, as he reached her side. “We’re going back to Verva.”

“Then you’ll have to swim for it,” he returned. “The wheel, please.”

“Not on your life!” her grip tightening automatically.

“Do I have to take it? I’m stronger than you.”

“Just you try,” she said, lashing out with her foot and catching his shin a stinging blow with the toe of her sandal.

“Why, you little—vixen,” he breathed. “You deserve to be spanked for that!”

“Oh yes?” Lorna scoffed. “You’ll have to get me away from here first.”

“That’s easy,” with an amused glint in his eye. “I’ll show you,” and he lowered his head, brushing his lips across her cheek in a soft, caressing gesture.

As he had anticipated, Lorna instinctively raised her hands to push him away. With a cry of triumph the wheel was his and despairingly Lorna realised how easily he had tricked her.

“I hate you,” she said, pummelling her fists against his back as he swung the
Poiret
round. “I hate you.
I hate you
!”

AS Lorna felt the boat’s keel crunch against the sand she looked wildly around. There must be some way of escape, somewhere she could go to be rid of this hateful man.

The island appeared to be roughly circular with a central tree-covered ridge. She had seen many coves as they approached, each one differing in size and shape. This was one of the largest beaches, fringed by the inevitable palms, takemakers and casuarina trees; but as if once again reading her thoughts Ashley said :

“There’s no point in running. The island’s deserted. You may as well resign yourself to the fact that you only have me for company—and make the most of it.”

“Never!” declared Lorna stoutly. “Never in a hundred years. If you think that by keeping me prisoner you’ll be able to make me return your—
love,”
she said the word with distaste, “you can think again.”

Ashley merely smiled with exasperating calm and offered his hand. Ignoring him, Lorna climbed on to the side of the boat and jumped. They were only a few yards from the shore, but unfortunately for Lorna the water was deeper than she had anticipated. She lost her balance and floundered helplessly for a second or so. With ease born of familiarity Ashley vaulted over the side and placed a steadying hand on her arm. “Allow me,” he said politely, but Lorna snatched away.

“Don’t touch me,” she snapped. “I can manage.”

Ashley shrugged. “Suit yourself. But there might come a time when you’ll be glad of a helping hand.”

“I’d rather die than ask you for help,” said Lorna haughtily, wading towards the shore. “Suppose you tell me what you propose doing now you’ve got me here?”

“I have no ulterior motive,” he called over his shoulder, “if that’s what you mean. I thought a few days’ holiday on this peaceful sun-drenched island would help you change your opinion of me, that’s all.”

“Then you’re wasting your time. You may as well take me back right now.”

“I couldn’t do that,” he drawled, turning to face her. “Not after all the trouble I’ve gone to to speed up the purchase of Paradise—it’s certainly that, don’t you think?”

Lorna’s mouth fell open. “You mean, this—is yours?” circling her arm to indicate the whole island.

“The very same,” he grinned. “I thought if Pieter can do it why not me? Except that I’m not quite so civilised—yet.”

Lorna frowned. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

“Take a look,” invited Ashley, “while I fetch a few things from the boat. Make yourself at home. You’re my first visitor. I’m sorry your welcome was not as I’d have liked.”

Lorna threw him a scathing glance and headed inland. The heat of the sun had already dried her bikini and although she was certain her sandals had been ruined by the sea water they did afford some protection as she stumbled over boulders in her haste to put as much distance as she could between Ashley and herself.

She ploughed through scrub and woodland, startling hundreds of birds by her sudden and unexpected appearance. She brushed unseeing past flowers of Gauguin-bright colours. Uncaring, unappreciative of her surroundings, she searched, until at last she came to the unhappy conclusion that Ashley had spoken the truth—Paradise was indeed uninhabited. There was still much of the island that she had not seen, but she had no reason to believe that the other parts would be any different. Uneasily she sat on a boulder, her shoulders hunched and her head in her hands. For the first time in her life she felt afraid, really afraid. There would be no escaping Ashley now. This can’t be happening to me, she whispered in anguish. I’ve read about such things in books, seen it on the films; but it doesn’t happen in real life—hot to ordinary people. Oh, God, what am I to do?

The thought of returning to Ashley filled her with terror. Admittedly he had said she would be safe, but she couldn’t trust him. A person devious enough to plan her abduction from Verva was capable of anything so far as she was concerned. Perhaps?—an idea began to take shape. Maybe if she found her way to the other side of the island she might be able to hail a passing ship? She certainly wouldn’t starve, no matter how long she had to wait. There was breadfruit in plenty, as well as bananas, pawpaws and mangoes, and lots of other fruit she didn’t know the names of. She would have to live in her bikini—but it was warm enough, too warm in fact today; the perspiration was running down her body. She would manage, somehow—she would have to.

An hour later Lorna collapsed, exhausted. It was not so simple as she had thought to reach the other side. Not knowing the geography of the island, and having lost her sense of direction in her first headlong dash, she had eventually found herself within a few hundred yards of the beach where they had arrived. She had backtracked immediately and was now on top of what appeared to be a central plateau with magnificent views of the coastline.

She could see the
Poiret,
but of Ashley there was no sign. There were wide, sweeping beaches in almost every direction; the surf creaming lazily against their shores, and patches of dense woodland and vegetation in most shades of green with pockets of limpid shadow. A lagoon, sparkling waterfalls, and everywhere the birds. Despite Lorna’s tiredness and frustration she could not fail to appreciate the beauty of her surroundings. A trip to this island in different circumstances would have been a sheer taste of heaven.

All at once she heard Ashley calling and struggling to her feet she ran down the hillside away from the sound of his voice. The rough undergrowth tore at the calves of her legs, but she blundered on, heedless. She must get away from him. She must! As she ran she searched for a place to hide—anywhere so that Ashley would not find her. So intent was she on escaping that she did not see the tree root across her path, until suddenly she hit the ground with a force that knocked the breath from her body. She lay quite still, her eyes closed. There seemed no end to her troubles this day.

“Lorna, are you all right?” Ashley’s voice was urgent in her ear.

He appeared concerned, she thought, looking up at him, then dismissed the idea as ludicrous. Why should Ashley be worried about her? She’d been a nuisance, a hindrance; he’d admitted as much to Avril—even though it didn’t correspond with his attitude today. There was something mysterious about that. Why he had gone to all this trouble over someone he had played along with was confusing to say the least. She closed her eyes again, trying to clear her muddled thoughts, and the next moment felt two strong arms lift her as easily as if she were a child. Instantly she began to struggle. “There’s no need for that, I’m quite all right.”