Seven for a Secret (33 page)

My relief was immense. The prospect of being left alone in this place had daunted us both; and now here was our rescuer suddenly coming upon us with the news that he had come to look for us.

“How did you find us so soon?” asked Tamarisk.

“Mrs. Jennings said they had lost you in the market. I knew the place and guessed you’d come out where you did from Mrs. Jennings’s description. I thought it best to hang about there for a few minutes.

And you see, it worked. “

“It is the second time you have come to my aid,” Tamarisk reminded him.

“First the hat and now this. I shall expect you to be at hand at the next time of danger.”

“I hope 1 shall always be at hand to help you when you need me,” he said.

1 was almost happy as we mounted the gangway and stepped on board. It had been a miraculous rescue and 1 still shivered to contemplate the alternative. I was glad, too, that it was Luke Armour who had saved us. I was liking him more and more.

So was Tamarisk, although she still referred to him as St. Luke.

She had certainly changed towards him. On one or two occasions I found her sitting on deck with him. I usually joined them and we would have a pleasant time together.

We were getting near to the time when we should leave the ship and Tamarisk admitted that she was glad we should not be the only ones going to Casker’s Island, and that it would be good to have St. Luke there. He was resourceful and would be of great help.

She told me that he had even talked to her about what he was going to do on Casker’s Island. He had no idea what he would find there, but he believed it would be different from any other place he had known. The mission was in its infancy and the initial stage was always the most difficult. They had to make the people understand that what was being done was in their interest and not for the sake of interference.

“He’s an unusual man,” said Tamarisk to me.

“I never knew anyone like him. He is very frank and honest. 1 told him about myself, how I had been infatuated with Gaston … about my marriage … and everything … even how Gaston had been found dead. He listened with great attention.”

“I suppose,” I said, ‘it is a story which would attract most people’s attention. “

“He seemed to understand how I felt that frightful not knowing and wondering who … and also being under suspicion myself. He said the police could not have suspected me, or they would not have let me leave the country. 1 told him that it had seemed as though we were all cleared myself, my brother and the man whose daughter he had seduced, everybody. That was what made it so difficult for us all, not knowing. I said that I thought it was someone from Gaston’s past, someone who had had a grudge against him. He promised he would pray for me, and 1 replied that I had prayed for myself without much effect, but perhaps he would be listened to more than I would, being on better terms with those above. He was a bit withdrawn after that.”

“You shouldn’t have said it.”

“I knew afterwards, but I meant it in a way. He is such a good person and I suppose it is logical to suppose he would get a hearing more easily than someone like me. If there is any justice he would. He’s the sort of person whose prayers ought to be answered and I reckon he prays as much for others as he does for himself. He’s a nice man, our St. Luke. I really like him.”

We were sailing up the Australian coast first Free-mantle, then Adelaide, Melbourne, and that brought us very near to our departure from the Queen of the South.

At last we reached that splendid harbour which Captain Cook had said was one of the finest in the world. It was magnificent, passing through the Heads, to see that town which not very long before had been merely a settlement, stretching out before us.

There was little time for us to see much, for the bustle of approaching departure prevailed throughout the ship. There were goodbyes to be said to the people whom we had sailed with all those weeks, with whom we had sat down to meals three times a day. I said to Tamarisk: “We do not see our close friends at home as often as that.”

And now they were going out of our lives for ever and most of them would become just a memory.

Luke Armour had become very businesslike. He wanted to make sure that all our luggage was conveyed to the Golden Dawn and that we should all go aboard together.

It was a pity we could not see more of Sydney a very fine city, we realized from what little we could observe. However, the most important thing to us was to proceed satisfactorily on our journey.

“How very efficient our holy man is!” said Tamarisk. There was always a note of mockery in her voice when she talked of Luke. She liked him;

it was just that she could not regard a man who followed his calling as being like other men.

At last we had boarded the Golden Dawn and were on our way. She was a cargo ship first and foremost, and it was only occasionally that she carried passengers.

We had a rough crossing of the Tasman Sea when we spent most of our time in bed before we reached Welling ton. Our stay there was brief, as it depended on the amount of goods to be taken on and off. Then we were on our way to Cato Cato.

There followed a leisurely day at sea. The weather was calm and hot and it was a great pleasure to sit on deck and look out on a smooth and pellucid sea in which one glimpsed here and there flying fishes rising gracefully from the water and now and then a shoal of dolphins at play.

We sat on deck with Luke and learned of his childhood which had been spent in London. His father was a business man who had done well in financial circles. He wanted both Luke and his elder brother to join the business but Luke had had other ideas. On his father’s death, he had been left sufficient money to follow his inclination and the elder brother had taken over the business.

Luke had not liked his father’s business but he admitted that it enabled him to do what he wanted with his life. As his brother had complied with their father’s wishes, he felt he could go his own way with a clear conscience.

“So,” said Tamarisk teasingly, which was typical of her manner to Luke, ‘you do not like your father’s business, but you admit that because of it you can spend your time doing what you want. How does that suit your conscience? “

“I see your point,” he said with a smile.

“But 1 believe in life one must apply simple logic. My income, which enables me to work as I want, comes to me through a business in which I do not wish to work.

But I can see no logical reason why this money should not help to promote something I believe in. “

“I suppose,” said Tamarisk grudgingly, “I shall have to say that sounds like good sense.”

“I hope you will never say anything to me which you do not believe.”

And that was how the days passed. Tamarisk kept up a friendly badinage with Luke which they both seemed to enjoy.

And in due course we came to the island of Cato Cato where we were to leave the Golden Dawn and await the ferry which would take us to Casker’s Island.

Cato Cato was a small island, but when we arrived it was full of activity. There were shouts of welcome as the Golden Dawn sailed in.

Little boats came out to meet the ship and the passengers were-taken ashore before the unloading of goods began.

We were surrounded by shouting and gesticulating people. They were obviously excited by the arrival and all were eager to show us what they had for sale. There were pineapples, coconuts, carvings on wood and stone images of what appeared to be mysterious and malevolent-looking gods or warriors. Tall palm trees grew in abundance and the surrounding vegetation was lush indeed.

Luke said that the first thing was to find a hotel where we could stay until the ferry arrived, and as soon as we

2. were settled somewhere he would make inquiries as to when it could be expected.

We found a man who was eager to be our guide. He spoke a little English but he depended to some extent on a kind of mime.

“Hotel?” he said.

“Oh yes. 1 show. Nice hotel … lord and ladies . nice hotel. Ferry he come. Not this day.” He shook his head vigorously.

“Not day.”

He had produced a wheelbarrow on to which our lug gage was loaded and, pushing his way through the little crowd which was beginning to assemble about us, he signed to us to follow him. Several children, without a scrap of clothing to cover their brown bodies, stared at us in wonder as we went, and our guide kept turning his head to make sure we were behind him.

“Come follow,” he shouted.

Resolutely he wheeled the barrow to a white stone building a few hundred yards from the shore.

“Fine hotel. Very good. Best in Cato. You come. You like.”

We went into a room which was several degrees cooler than outside. A large woman with a very dark skin, brilliant black eyes and dazzling teeth smiled at us.

“I bring, I bring,” said our guide.

“Lords, ladies …” And then he began to talk volubly in their native tongue.

The woman went on smiling as she directed her attention to us.

“You want stay?” she asked.

“Yes,” Luke told her.

“We have to stay until the ferry comes to take us to Casker’s Island.”

“Casker.” She blew with her lips.

“Oh no. Best here. I have two …”

She held up her fingers.

“Two rooms?”

“Two rooms would suit us very well,” said Luke, and turning to me:

“You two will share?”

“We did on the ship,” said Tamarisk.

“Let’s see what they are like.”

We were very speedily settled and as there was no choice we gratefully accepted what there was. The plump lady seemed very pleased by our arrival and her only regret was that we were waiting for the ferry.

The rooms were small and somewhat primitive, but there were two beds in each. It would only be a short stay. There were mosquito nets over the beds and the fat lady was very proud of these, which was obvious when she pointed them out to us.

At length the guide went off happily with the air of a man who has done a worthwhile job.

We discovered that the ferry was due on Friday and as this was Wednesday we considered that we were fortunate that our stay would be so short.

It seemed strange to be on dry land after so long at sea, and it was all so new to us that we were eager to get out and see a little of the island, which we guessed could not be so different from Casker’s as they were no great distance from each other.

We went to our respective rooms and took from our baggage the few things we should need during our short stay.

Tamarisk thought it was all very exciting.

“I liked the fat lady,” she said.

“She was so pleased that we had come, and sorry because we were not going to stay long. What better welcome could you have than that?”

The ferry connecting Cato Cato and Casker’s Island paid more or less regular visits, taking to both islands goods which had come out from Sydney. It was also one source of conveying the mail.

We settled in and prepared to wait. The heat was intense, but at least it was a little cooler in our rooms than outside.

We were exhausted after our arrival and had a meal of some unknown fish

and fruit and as, by that time, it was getting late we decided to have an early night, for we should have to explore, if we wished to, during the morning or evening, since we realized the heat would be too great at midday and in the afternoon.

Tamarisk was soon asleep, but I lay awake listening to the sound of the waves and the strains of a musical instrument which someone seemed to be playing some little distance away.

I wondered what Crispin was doing at this moment. And Aunt Sophie? She would be asking herself what could be happening to me. And soon I should see my father. It was what I had always wanted. But how I should love to be back in England!

“If only,” I kept saying to myself.

“If only that woman had never existed. If only she had never come back.”

This was not the way. I had to put a distance between myself and all that. I had to think which way I was going, what I should do with my life.

One thing was certain. I should never forget Crispin.

I glanced at Tamarisk. She looked beautiful in the moonlight, her hair spread over the pillow; the mosquito net under which she lay made her skin look translucent. It was easier for her. She had longed to get away and her one desire was to escape, to forget. She had changed a little but often the old Tamarisk looked out. This journey was what she had needed, and she was succeeding in loosening the bonds which held her to the past.

I believed I never would.

The next morning we explored Cato Cato. Our presence excited a certain amount of curiosity among the natives, although they were not completely unaccustomed to Europeans. Tamarisk’s golden hair received a good deal of attention. One woman came up and touched it. None of them attempted to hide their curiosity. They stared at us

openly, laughed and giggled as though they found us a cause for hilarious amusement.

The heat was intense and we stayed in the hotel after lunch. We sat looking out on the scene just waiting for the time to pass.

“Not long now,” said Tamarisk.

“Soon we shall be there. I do hope it won’t be as hot as this place.”

“Probably not much difference,” said Luke.

“You’ll get used to it. One does.”

“You’ll have your work … your important work,” said Tamarisk.

“What shall I do?”

“You might like to come and give me a hand. I dare say I shall find something for you to do.”

Tamarisk grimaced.

“I don’t think I am quite the right type, do you?”

“I am sure you could make yourself so.”

They were smiling at each other.

She appealed to me.

“Can you see me doing good works?”

1 said seriously: “I believe you could do anything if you wanted to enough.”

“There, you see, St. Luke. There is hope for me yet.”

Casker’s Island

At last, to our relief, it was Friday morning and the ferry boat was seen approaching. People hurried to the shore. Our guide of the first day came to us with his barrow and when the ferry came in we were ready waiting for it.