| 1 | Chapter 16 . |
| 2 | Darkness had descended like a curtain by the time they docked at Belleray . |
| 3 | And though Guy , made nervous by Beryl 's silence , drove at reckless speed to the Villa , it was quickly evident that the party was over . Piers came strolling out to meet the Deanes , and as_soon_as Guy had driven away , invited them casually to come to his flat for a drink . |
| 4 | To Beryl , at_least , this was anti_-_climax with a vengeance . She had expected to be met with violent reproaches — and here he was bland and smiling . But it did not take her long to realise that his mood was less pleasant than appeared on the surface . He told her nonchalantly , as he led the way to his own veranda , that he had taken the liberty of asking Jack — as a representative of the Vallin family — to come over and make the presentation in her stead . ‘ I caught him just as he was going to the airport to meet Blanche , ’ he said . ‘ As a matter of fact I 'd asked him last night to deputise for me and fetch her . He brought her to the party too . They 're both here . ’ |
| 5 | ‘ I did n't know she was coming back from Barbados so soon . ’ Beryl said the first thing that came into her head . ‘ Oh , she was due ! ’ And then he added in the same casual tone , ‘ She 's not returning to her family . She 's going to live with friends of the bank manager , just this side of Belleray . ’ |
| 6 | Mrs Deane made a suitable comment , but Beryl said nothing . She was trying to sort things out in her mind . That beneath his unnaturally smooth exterior Piers was simmering with anger against her she had no doubt . But had n't she cause for anger too ? |
| 7 | Had he acted within his rights in inviting Jack Vallin to act on her behalf , in having Blanche there — not doing the honours , perhaps , but as the only white woman of position ? Be this as it might , she must on no account show resentment now , and she greeted Jack and Blanche with friendly courtesy , thanking Jack warmly for coming to the rescue , and explaining as best she could how it was that she had been obliged to miss the celebrations . Jack and Blanche were quick to sympathise , and to express their disgust at Sir John 's abominable treatment of his guests . |
| 8 | But Piers remained aloof , and when Beryl suggested having a second party , the following week , he poured cold water on the project . Everyone , he declared , had had a thoroughly good time , and it would take them nearly to next week to settle down again . |
| 9 | Meanwhile Hubert would have betaken himself and his well_-_earned gratuity to his native village at the north of the island . |
| 10 | It was all over and done_with . |
| 11 | For the time being Beryl was content to let it go at that , but she resolved to have it out with Piers when a reasonable opportunity presented itself . He must learn that he could not treat her with injustice and contempt , ignoring her explanations as_though he were a schoolmaster and she a small , ignorant child . He gave her no chance of any private conversation that evening , for_when Blanche and Jack left , he went with them . But next morning she insisted on his taking her out in the jeep — to find , if possible , Hubert and his relations , and tell them of her great disappointment at being held up in Balicou . |
| 12 | With an air of resignation he sent Judy , his Boxer , to the back , and made room for her beside him . ‘ Is that all you want to do ? ’ he asked , letting in the clutch . ‘ No ; I want to make you understand just what happened about this Balicou trip , ’ she returned coldly . ‘ I 'm a_little tired of being treated like an ineffective imbecile . ’ ‘ And I 'm heartily sick of being constantly called to account for my manners , ’ he retorted . ‘ What have I done wrong now ? I cover up for you the best way I can by getting hold of Jack to make the presentation , I run the damned party to the best of my ability — saying the sugary things you ought to have been there to say — and all you can do is to find fault . ’ |
| 13 | ‘ It 's your superior attitude that riles me . ’ Beryl was scarlet with annoyance . ‘ How I happened to be marooned at Balicou does n't interest you in the faintest degree . You look as_though it was only what you expected of me , as_though I did n't care a hoot about letting Hubert and his pals down . ’ |
| 14 | ‘ As your employee it 's not my business to understand all the whys and wherefores of your actions , ’ he said stiffly . ‘ Still less to criticise you . ’ ‘ Oh , drop that nonsense , Piers ! Be yourself , ’ she exclaimed , with mounting exasperation . |
| 15 | ‘ Very well ! ’ |
| 16 | He brought the jeep to a standstill in a rough path fringed and shaded by citrus trees . |
| 17 | ‘ If you want my true opinion I 'll give it . You made some sort of a protest to Graybury . I 'll give you credit for that . But you did n't press the matter because , very naturally , you were thoroughly enjoying Forrest 's company in idyllic surroundings . ’ |
| 18 | ‘ How dare you say such a thing ? ’ she blazed . |
| 19 | ‘ For goodness ' sake show a glimmer of reason , ’ was his equally indignant rejoinder . |
| 20 | ‘ One minute you order me to behave like your secretary , the next like an uninhibited human being . ’ |
| 21 | And then he added caustically , ‘ I 've only to mention Forrest 's name to put you in a temper . Why not admit that you 're in love with the fellow and have done with it ? ’ ‘ Because I 'm not , ’ she snapped . ‘ You expect me to believe that ? ’ There was open mockery in his tone . ‘ You 'll be telling me next that you spent all those hours together on Balicou without his kissing you . ’ |
| 22 | She caught her breath . |
| 23 | ‘ Of all the caddish things to say ! ’ |
| 24 | ‘ Nonsense . |
| 25 | If I 'd been in his place I 'd have kissed you myself — good and hard , as I 'm tempted to now . ’ |
| 26 | ‘ You talk as_though we were alone on Balicou ! ’ |
| 27 | She avoided his gaze , and tried to ignore that last impertinent remark . |
| 28 | ‘ With four other people — ’ |
| 29 | ‘ Whom you never once managed to circumvent . ’ |
| 30 | The mockery in his voice had deepened . |
| 31 | ‘ With all due deference , Miss Deane — come off it ! ’ |
| 32 | She met his eyes then . |
| 33 | ‘ Very well , ’ she said coolly . |
| 34 | ‘ We were alone together for an hour or two , the first afternoon . |
| 35 | And he did kiss me . |
| 36 | But if you think I acquiesced in the delay because I wanted his company — well , you 're misjudging me badly . ’ |
| 37 | ‘ You mean that ! ’ |
| 38 | His expression had changed . |
| 39 | ‘ It was n't on his account at_all that you allowed Sir John to get away with this — this Hitlerish behaviour . ’ |
| 40 | She wavered , and at_last said slowly , ‘ If you must drag the truth out_of me , I must ask you to regard it as confidential . ’ |
| 41 | ‘ My dear Beryl , do n't tell me anything , if you 'd rather not . ’ |
| 42 | He was clearly startled by her words . |
| 43 | ‘ But remember , it was you , not I , who started this conversation . ’ |
| 44 | ‘ I know . Absurd as it may seem , I did n't want you to think badly of me . ’ |
| 45 | She turned away from him to fondle Judy , who , sensing something amiss , was nudging her in the endeavour to gain her attention . |
| 46 | ‘ The truth is that if I had absolutely insisted on sailing at the time originally arranged , Sir John would have had it in for Guy . You_see , it was , apparently , through a mistake on Guy 's part that we missed seeing the flamingoes our first morning on the island . ’ |
| 47 | ‘ What harm could possibly have come to Forrest through Sir John 's nonsense ? ’ |
| 48 | Piers could hardly have spoken with more contempt . |
| 49 | ‘ A bully like that respects anyone who dares to stand up to him . ’ |
| 50 | Beryl tried to suppress the thought that this was precisely the remark she had made to Guy . She said icily , ‘ As you pride yourself on your knowledge of all the affairs of the island I need n't tell you that Sir John Graybury is one of Mr Hewson 's most important customers . ’ |
| 51 | ‘ So what ? |
| 52 | You 're not trying to say that Hewson would victimise Forrest for behaving with ordinary moral courage ! He 's quite capable of telling Sir John to take himself and his business to an unmentionable destination . ’ |
| 53 | ‘ There 's a difference between what a senior and a junior partner can do , ’ was her quick reply . |
| 54 | ‘ What they can bring off ! I 'll admit that . |
| 55 | But Forrest might at_least have tried . He 's pretty spineless ! ’ |
| 56 | ‘ You think you could have carried more weight with Sir John ? ’ she enquired cuttingly . ‘ For all your good opinion of yourself , I doubt it . He 's about as easy to push around as # — as a grounded whale ! ’ |
| 57 | He had to smile at that , but went on airily , ‘ I 'd have made an attempt to show my lady_-_love that I put her interests before my own . I would n't have cared to risk her thinking me a selfish weakling . ’ |
| 58 | The barb hurt cruelly . |
| 59 | For in her heart of hearts Beryl had resented Guy 's apparent indifference to her dilemma — had come near , indeed , to despising him . But her soreness merely increased her anger with Piers . |
| 60 | ‘ Was it studying my interests to bring your girl friend to my party for the labourers ? ’ she demanded . ‘ To have her act as hostess in my absence ? ’ |
| 61 | He looked at her , not wrathfully now , but quizzically . |
| 62 | ‘ My girl friend , as you call her , remained as much in the background as even you could wish . ’ |
| 63 | He patted the Boxer 's huge head . |
| 64 | ‘ Judy , here , was more forthcoming . |
| 65 | In_fact , she trotted round , obviously trying to make everyone feel at home , gazing reproachfully at the few timid ones who bolted . ’ |
| 66 | She was tempted to laugh , but it was as_though that barb still stuck in her quivering flesh . ‘ You 've an answer — of sorts — for everything , ’ she said shortly . |
| 67 | ‘ Personally I 've no more to say , so I suggest we get along . ’ |
| 68 | To her great relief they arrived at the cluster of little houses where Hubert had been living to find the old man stowing in leisurely fashion his few possessions into a ramshackle and incredibly ancient car , surrounded by innumerable friends and relatives . Their air of smiling somnolence showed them to have been guests at yesterday 's celebrations , and their friendly welcome and warm sympathy , as she explained how she had come to miss the party , made her send a complacent glance in Piers ' direction . |
| 69 | What a fuss_-_box the man was , she thought impatiently , trying to worry her into the belief that her failure to appear at a function on the estate was a major error : that it was the kind of thing that , with these simple folk , spoiled the master_-_servant relationship . And then she received a jolt . Old Hubert , standing beside her , his battered hat in his hand , his toothless mouth stretched in a wide grin , told her in halting patois that ‘ Mistah Piers ’ had explained right at the start that ‘ Mis' Beryl ’ would be ‘ plenty , plenty sad ’ not to be back at the Villa in time . That it would n't be her fault at_all . That she was a lady who , like her Uncle Charles , took the highest pride in keeping her word . |
| 70 | ‘ I could see anudder t'ing , ’ he went on in a lower voice , his sunken black eyes twinkling . ‘ He powerful anxious , poor Mistah Piers . We all know how Balicou Island dangerous to all kin' o' boats , wid d'ose big , big rocks in_an'_out_o' de water . He full o' fear you comin' bad harm , Mis Beryl . I see it in his eyes , even when he smilin' and larkin' wid us . I knowin' him well , Missie . He always sayin' he one of us , 'cos he born an' bred in de islands . An' he say for true ! ’ |
| 71 | This sidelight on Piers had its effect on Beryl . Without taking it too seriously she found herself regretting some of the sharp things she had said to him and when , her goodbyes said , she climbed back into the jeep , preparatory to returning to the Villa , it was with the resolve to make up her quarrel with him — to achieve , at_least , a surface peace . |