The Secret of Spring (15 page)

Herb was more shocked. Moon had a husband? He sat down in the chair. "Are you absolutely sure of this?" he asked weakly.

"Yes. They were on vacation. He said she was very impulsive. I thought about it, and I knew you would never bed a unionized woman. Not intentionally." She looked at the floor forlornly.

"I didn't bed anyone. She just needed a place to spend the night. You must believe me!"

"I do. I really do," Lily said, hopping into his lap. "And I am so sorry for jumping to all the wrong conclusions. Can you ever forgive me?"

Herb cleared his throat, and spoke righteously. "Yes, I think we can let it go this time, Lily, but if we are to have a good union you must trust me in the future." He remembered an old Earth story, and wondered whether his nose would sprout a few inches.

"Yes, Herb," Lily said docilely. "She is gone now?" Her eyes darted about like an eagle's, searching for tell-tale signs of her rival.

"You can see for yourself," Herb said nervously. "Now, you run along like a good girl so I can get some rest. I had to call in sick today because I barely got a wink of sleep sitting up in that hard chair all night." That part was true.

"Oh, poor Herb," Lily said, hopping up and opening the door, pausing only to blow him a kiss. "I promise never to doubt you again."

Herb smiled and waved, and slammed the door. And locked it. He sat back down. So much to vegetate on. Could it be true? Had Moon lied to him? He had only her word for her life on New Moon. Could she be just a bored housewife looking for alien playmates for new thrills? Well, Herb Moss was nobody's joy toy.

"Moon Maiden. Come here," he called firmly. "Now."

Spring emerged from her hiding place behind the shower curtain. "What's wrong, Herb?"

"Never mind. I want the truth. Are you in Union?"

"I don't have a job," she answered, confused.

"Married. Are you married?" he shouted.

"What are you shouting about?"

"I am not shouting," he yelled. "I want to know if you are married. Are you?"

"But why ask such a thing?"

"Because Lily, that is, my secretary, told me a man claiming to be your husband asked for you at the Nursery, uh, office. Why would someone say that if it wasn't so?"

Why indeed, thought
Spring
. She sank down upon the bed, her sudden pallor showing through the makeup. "A man asked for me? How would he know where to find me this soon?" she asked, more to herself than Herb.

"So. You were lying to me from the start," Herb stated angrily. Never mind how he had lied to her. That was different, naturally.

"I didn't mean to mislead you, Herb. I just haven't told you everything. And I can't. I don't want to put you in danger as well. But believe this. I am not married. Whoever that man is, he is certainly not my husband."

Herb's anger left him, to be replaced by concern. "You said something about danger. Is that man trying to harm you? Please Moon, I want to help you, but you must tell me the truth."

Spring sighed. "I suppose I have to tell you now. If he saw your secretary, he must have an idea where I am." She suddenly realized what that meant. "Oh-I have to get out of here fast!" She jumped up and ran about gathering all her things from the shower and throwing them into the bag from beneath the bed.

"Wait! Are you hiding? What's going on? Tell me," Herb demanded.

"No time to explain everything. That
man,
or other men may be looking for me. They-they killed my father. And now they want me," she panted, trying to force the bag shut.

"Someone killed your father?" Herb knew offworlders were violent, but actually killing someone? "Why? What have you done?"

"Done? Nothing. And I don't intend to do anything," she said, thinking of the sexual requirement of the transference. "I have some information, and they want it, but to get it, they have to-oh, I don't know how you say it." She was floundering. "You
know,
the sex act."

"They would bed you against your will?" he breathed, shocked and amazed.

"Exactly. So you see, Herb, I can't let them find me here."

"An abomination!" Herb exclaimed. Such acts were virtually unheard of on Paradise. For one thing, it was impossible for most of the species to pollinate without cooperation. Perhaps once in many seasons, some loco weed would grow wild and attempt it, but that was a biological defect. To do such a thing on purpose was unthinkable. "Moon, I don't understand."

"Much better that you don't,"
Spring
agreed. "This trouble is not for you." She had finished packing and tucked her small rock pouch into a pocket of her skirt. "Well, that's everything."

"But where will you go?" asked Herb. "What will you do?"

"I don't know. Maybe I'll try to get back on the starship. Or hide out here. I don't know, but for your own sake, please don't try to find me. I know it wasn't much of a visit. I wish we had more time to know each other." She smiled, fleetingly. "Who knows? We might have liked that." She stood up on tiptoes to plant a lingering kiss on his lips.

Dazed, Herb stood aside as she went to the door. Her touch had been pleasant. Very pleasant indeed. He was sorry this pale Moon Maiden had beamed into his life for so short a season. He was about to protest this mad departure-but instead stiffened along with
Spring
at the sudden violent banging at the door.

15

Double Trouble

Spring retrieved her case and dashed quickly into the shower closet while Herb advanced cautiously toward the door.

"Who is it?" he called, hoping he didn't sound half as scared as he felt. There was no answer. Herb pressed his ear against the frame, but could detect no sounds outside. He could see no one out the viewer, but they might be hiding at the side away from his vision. Gathering all his failing courage, he released the lock and slowly opened the door. First a crack, then all the way. There was no one there at all. Only a crumpled paper lying at the middle of the entrance where someone had hastily shoved it.

Herb picked it up and read the scrawled message: "We have your green girl, Lily. If you want to see her in one piece again, bring us Spring Gabriel. Don't call the authorities or you will regret it. We will be watching. Wait for instructions."

Herb stood in the doorway, baffled at the message. What could it all mean? Someone had taken Lily? And who was this
Spring
person they mentioned, and why did they think he knew anything about it? It was all some terrible mistake. He closed the door behind him in a daze.

"Herb? What is it? Who was at the door?" asked
Spring
, returning as soon as she heard the door shut.

Herb handed the letter to
Spring
. He was still too confused to speak.

As she read, dismay clouded her features. It had already begun.

"They've kidnapped your secretary? I'm so sorry Herb."

"No. No," Herb said slowly. He was still trying to sort it all out. "I must be truthful with you now, Moon. Lily is not my secretary. She-she is my fiancée."

"Oh. I see,"
Spring
said. Evidently she had not been the only one keeping secrets.

"I know I should have told you about this before, but it just didn't seem that important when we were only corresponding by mail. I never expected-"

"That I would end up on your doorstep."

"In my bed," Herb corrected her.

"Whatever,"
Spring
said, dismissing the subject. "I have a confession to make, too. I haven't been completely honest with you about
who
I am and why I'm here either. You see-" She swallowed. "I am the Spring Gabriel in the note. I am the one they're after."

"Then, these are the same men. But what about Lily? They say they will harm her unless they get you. But I can't let you go now. They will harm you instead!"

"It's a trap. I'm convinced that once they have me, they won't let any of
us
go. I know that slimy little Ki behind this outrage. He has no scruples."

"We should call the Patrol," Herb said. "Ask them what we should do."

"
Wait,
is that the same thing as the Police? I don't think that's a great idea, Herb. Zygote's men will be alert for any double-cross. They could disappear so fast we'd never find them again, and I hate to think of what might happen to Lily if we disobey them."

"No, nothing must happen to Lily," Herb said, blanching. He replaced the
communiline
speaker in its slot.

"Do you love her?" Spring asked quietly.

Herb hesitated, his eyes showing the inner turmoil.

"I'm sorry, that doesn't deserve an answer,"
Spring
said, angry at herself for saying such a stupid thing. "You've just said you plan to be married. Of course we can't let anyone harm her. We won't," she said emphatically, trying not to let Herb see how hopeless it was to prevent it at the moment. She sank down on the bed in despair.

Spring could not deny she had been surprised by the news that Herb was engaged, but after all, it had nothing to do with her. She had come to Paradise to hide, and make plans. Certainly not for romance. Herb wasn't for her. He wasn't even human. Not that she held that against him. He was very nice, and sweet, and different from any of the boys she had met on New Landers. There was a naiveté that made you trust him right away.

Well, of course that was a crock. He wasn't all that innocent. He managed to hide a fiancée well enough. What else had he been hiding behind that honest, good-looking face of his? Those big green eyes and thick lashes that any woman would envy were not going to make her forget why she was there. But, all this trouble wasn't his. It was hers. She felt bad that he and his friend had been dragged into it through no fault of their own. Herb was a nice person, and it had been nice when they kissed, too. He didn't deserve this.

Herb sat reading the note over and over again. What could they do to help Lily? Paradise was a peaceful planet. They had their share of native law breakers, but violent crimes were a rarity. It was simply not the nature of things there so he did not have the background to prepare him for something of this magnitude.

"What are you going to do?" he asked. "You might still escape if you told the Patrol. They could protect you. At least get you safely off the planet."

"You know I wouldn't,"
Spring
said, a bit hurt. "You know I couldn't do that to your girlfriend.
It's
bad enough it happened. Do you think I go around leaving a trail of bodies in my wake?"

"No, but-"

"But I have a darn good track record so far?" she said sarcastically.

"I don't blame you. I just wish you had trusted me and told me about it from the beginning. We could have gone off some place where you'd be safe. And Lily would be safe."

"Ha. Don't give me that, Herb Moss. If I had said, 'Hello, I'm on the run from some powerful men who want to rule the universe. How about risking your life to help me out?' What would you have said to that, eh?"

"I-"

"I'll tell you what you'd have said. You'd have told me I was crazy. To go fly a rocket." Her defiance crumbled and she turned away to hide the tears.

Herb stood by helplessly as she cried and agreed inwardly that he probably would have thought she was unbalanced if she had told him such a story. "It's been hard for you. Alone," he said sympathetically.

"I've managed," she said briskly, in control once more. "The note said to wait for instructions. They have to tell you where to deliver me. All we can do is
wait
, but if we learn where she is, maybe we can think of a plan. A way to rescue her." She tried to sound encouraging.

"Yes, we can find a way," Herb agreed, grasping at hope once more. "They won't hurt her while they still believe we will trade. We have time."

They settled down to an uneasy wait. Herb made a path to the door every few minutes to check for notes, but found nothing. Time crawled. They had a light meal which neither did more than pick at, and Herb took a short nap on the condition that
Spring
wake him at the first sign of contact.

The evening was interminable. It grew late and both grew tired. Herb sat nodding in the chair while
Spring
perched with legs drawn beneath her on the side of the bed.

"Herb, they may not even call tonight,"
Spring
said. "They may be waiting to be sure we haven't contacted the Patrol. Why don't you come to bed? You had no sleep last night and only a nap today. Here, I'll take the chair tonight. I refuse to chase you out of your own bed another night."

"No, I don't want you to sit up," Herb protested, ever the gentleman.

"Then come over here,"
Spring
said firmly. "We've already slept together, if that's what you're worried about," she added mischievously.

Herb's face registered confusion. He might have overlooked a lot of things about Moon, but that would not be something he would forget.

"I meant during your nap, Herb," she clarified. "When I came back from the kitchen, you were asleep and I sat down on the side of the bed. You threw your arm around me and I didn't have the heart to move and waken you." She smiled.