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This idea of Drus stepbrother Mart sounded rather fun-he had suggested that she join him
on the beautiful Caribbean island where he lived and pretend to be his fianc, to keep other
husband-hunting females at bay. But that was before she met the enigmatic but irresistibly
attractive Captain Keith Faulkner! From their very first precipitate meeting Dru had
managed to give the worst possible impression of herself, so even after she had fallen
headlong in love with him Keith continued to have the lowest opinion of her. And anyway,
he believed she was engaged to another man...
CHAPTER ONE
THE scream of the jet engines died away. The plane door
opened and the warm air met Dru like the opening o an
oyen door. Already, she was feeling overdressed in her
trim linen suit as she stepped from the plane into a drowsy
sunlit world to the quiet rustle o palm trees murmuring
in the soft aftemoon breeze. Beyond the runway, densely
wooded hills were outlined darkly against the shimmering haze o a tropical blue sky. Dru's breath of pure
blindly for a suit of white drill, yet she did not regret it
one bit. The thrill she had experienced was one she
wanted to repeat again and again. She must either be
mad or overtired ever to think of such a thing, of
course.
Mart was saying, 'We're going to the clubhouse, again
a popular place, where everybody meets including the
hospital staff. Introducing you there as my intended is as
good as announcing it in the press.'
'I've no ring, a little fact you seem to have overlooked,'
Dru said dryly ..
He grinned. 'You forget I'm only a poor registrar. Advertising that along with your presence should keep me
safe.'
She chuckled. 'What about hooking a rich wife?'
. He snorted. 'And dance to the fiddler playing the tune?
No, thanks. How do you like your hotel?'
Dru thought back to bright cheerful rooms leading out
on to a balcony and remembered her elation as she emptied her case into spacious built-in cupboards. Her sigh
was ecstatic.
'Lovely. Someone put a vase of flowers on my dressing
table that I don't know the name of, apart from a few
li:lies among them. I feel as if I had a little serpent of
energy inside me ready to shoot forth at the drop o a hat
and run riot around the island. I'm going to love it.'
Mart swung the cal' on to the shingle coast road going
further north. Five minutes later they were passing
through the village almost hugging the sea where small
jetties were lovingly lapped by the calm water. Yachts
and small craft swayed gently at their moorings and, as
they left the town behind, scents from the gardens of
villas greeted them.
Dru guessed that the clubhouse lay between the village
and Government House, which seemed much nearer
when Mart dipped the nose o the cal' downwards to the
beach. The setting was hewn out of rock, an enclosed
semi-circle with a windbreak of palm trees fronted by the
clubhouse with its own private beach.
Tennis courts and bowling greens lay behind the main
building, sheltered and cool with a luxuriant growth of
cascading creepers lining the rocks of the cliffs behind,
Mart parked the car and led the way between gaily
striped loungers and tables to the clubhouse veranda
where he guided her along to the end table.
A smiling waiter brought them drinks and the other
tables filled. The husky dulcet tones fell pleasantly on
Dru's ears from behind where she sat with her back to
the other tables.
'Mart's done it again. Trust him to hook a new arrival!
Tourist, probably. He always plays safe.'
Mart grinned over Dru's shoulders, in no whit dismayed by the mocking laugh.
'No tourist this time, Liane. May I introduce my intended? Miss Dru Temple, Miss Liane Marshal1 and Mr,
Howell Seabright, our pedriatic surgeon.'
Dru tumed to see the woman she had admired at the
airport that aftemoon. She looked breathtaking in a
halter-necked dress of vivid pink imparting a deep rich
glow to her honey-coloured shoulders. Her raven hair,
which she wore loose about her neck, had the blue-black
sheen of a raven's wing. The carmined lips parted to present a wary smile.
Her greeting was perceptively cool, but the warm
cordial one of her companion more than made up for it.
Beauty and the beast, Dru thought. A nice beast with a
pleasantly ugly face and bulky figure. His hand clasp was
furo and reassuring, his features clean-shaven and topped
by hair receding from a high intelligent forehead. The
frank and engaging twinkle in his eyes put her immediately at her ease and she could imagine his charm working wonders with his small patients.
'Delighted to meet you, Miss Temple. Have you been
in this part of the world before?'
'No.'
'Then I envy you first impressions. In my opinion
nothing is ever quite like them.'
He hitched up immaculate trousers to take one of the
chairs Mart had hastily drawn up at their table. Before
Mart could sit down again they were joined by a second
couple, a pleasant red-haired young man, obviously American, and a pretty dark-haired girl with merry brown
eyes.
Mart said 'Pete Brady and Wisp Mallon, the
,
Govemor's daughter. My fiance, Dru Temple.'
Dru thought Wisp looked a little taken aback, but the
next moment her face still reflected an inner sense of fun.
She had two delightful dimples when she smiled and they
peeped out at Dru.
'Y ou don't know what you're taking on, Dru - I may
call you Dru?'
'By all means.'
to free herseIf, demanded him to let her go, but his grip
remained to bite unmericfulIy into her soft flesh,
'How dare you! Let me gol' she cried, gasping with
pain. 'You're hurting my arms!'
'Stop struggling, then, and tell me what you're doing
here,' he commanded curtly.
"Go and bump your silIy head against a walI,' she cried,
furiously near to tears. '1'11 scream if you don't let me
gol'
'You're scared at last,' he jeered.'You're going to get
what you're asking for if you don't teH me.'
Her only answer was to struggle in another desperate
attempt to free herseIf - all to no avail. She was no match
for his brute strength,
'I'll scream if you don't let me go,' she threatened
again.
He gave the only answer possible to that one. Hauling
her into his arms, he bent his head and smothered the
scream with his mouth fastening firmIy on her own. The
kiss deepened brutally, a kiss meant to punish, to send her
down into the depths of degradation. It was impossible for
her to move an inch. She savoured the tang of sea water
from his lips and bare flesh with a feeling that she would
hate it for the rest of her life. Then she was swaying on
her feet as he released her.
'Now get out,' he commanded. 'And thank your lucky
stars you got off so lightly.'
For seconds, Dru could only stare at him in bewilderment, too shaken to speak, trembling too much to
face his angry eyes glinting in the gloom.
It was he who strode forward to open the door. And
Dru, whose only desire was to escape, went swiftly from
the room.
CHAPTER TWO
DRU surfaced dazedly as the shrill ring of the bedside
phone penetrated through the mists of sleep. Her watch
said four o'clock as she reached sleepily for the receiver.
Mart. She might have known.
'Mart,' she protested, 'did you have to ring me up at
this hour? What's wrong? Has one of the nurses assaulted
you?'
. He chuckIed. 'Sorry to waken you, but it may be my
only chance to talk to you. It's been one of those nights
with a steady flow of the rest of the crew from the cruiser,
The car was parked near to the hotel entrance and she
slipped inside after he had taken her beach bag and tossed
it on to the back seat.
'Comfortable, Miss Temple?' he asked before starting
the car, and she wondered what else he had found out
about her.
'
The silence which foIlowed was not an easy one. To
begin with, Dru was trying to dissect her feelings. Her
companion was disturbing enough as an enemy. As a
friend, he was too disturbing for words. A longing to be
with Mart where everything was straightIorward and uncomplicated swept over her. Mart was so easy to be with.
The man beside her, with his remote smile and magnetic
charm, was dangerous to her peace of mind. At the same
time she was deeply aware of a delicious fear and wondered with an apprehension new to her what lay ahead.
She gave him a swift sidelong glance without tuming
her head. The firm, brown profile and the strong hands
holding the wheellooked as unshakable as his cruiser; he
was the kind of man who would never flap in any emergency,
His dark hair was cut short and almost hidden by the
uniform hat which he wore correctly and not at a provocative angle. Dru was guessing his age to be around
thirty when he tumed his slate grey eyes upon her suddenly,
'How are you liking the island?' he asked.
'Very mucho I suppose it's only one of many suco
places you've visited in the course of your duty?'
'Yes. We get around,' laconically.
The silence was restrained. For a man whose keen
trained eyes missed nothing he was surprisingly reticent.
'Well?' he asked with a hint of amusement in his
voice,
Dru started, aware that she had been staring at him. "1
... I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was staring. I was wondering what kind of man you are.'
'Don't attempt to discover what makes me tick,' he
mocked. 'We men of the sea are no different from the
landlubbers. We happen to live by the rules and like it.'
'But surely you enjoy being ashore? Even a life you
enjoy can become tedious when you see the same faces
day after day?'
'Naturally, I'm enjoying the break. 1 would enjoy it
more if 1 was sure the men were going to be all right. Half
the crew are sick.'
CHAPTER THREE
SATURDAY was the evning of Wisp Mallon's birthday
ball. Dru stepped out of a scented b'ath to put on her
nicest evening dress in delicate blue-green taffeta to
impart a rich glow to her lightly tanned skin and deepen
the green of her eyes. She looked cool, fresh and radiant
with the golden tendrils of hair caressing the lovely
planes of her face. The high-coiffured hair-style suited
her face, throwing into relief the widely spaced bright
eyes, the youthful contours of her cheeks and the little
firm chino She was ready when Mart called, looking very
distinguished in a white evening jacket over black
trousers.
He looked her over with approval from the mohair
stole around her slim shoulders to the twinkling feet in
silver sandals, as he helped her into his caro
'1 can see you being the belle of the ball tonight - only
don't forget you're supposed to be engaged to me,' he said
as he slid into his seat beside her.
An air of gaiety welcomed them as they drove along
the drive of Govemment House beneath trees festooned
with fairy lights. Mart parked the car and they were
greeted at the entrance by an elderly servant who smiled
and stood aside with a murmured greeting for them to
entero Dru was aware of the perfume from masses of
flowers decorating the hall and a radiant Wisp in white
organza with a flower in her dark hair waiting to greet
them.
Her parents stood a little behind her. Sir Athol Mallon
looked a kindly man, with white wings of hair at his
temples and horn-rimmed spectacles. Lady Mallon,
charmingly dressed in lavender blue, was an older edition
of her pretty daughter. Generously equipped by nature to
make a success as the wife of a govemor, Lady Mallon
had achieved a sophisticated poise and chic during her
term of office which she could not fail to pass on to her
daughter. Dru tried hard to imagine Wisp as a struggling
registrar's wife and failed.
Introductions were made politely and they moved on
to make way for further arrivals. Th room they entered
was already half filled with a select gathring evidently
already acquainted with each other. Uniformed footmen
moved silently around balancing filled trays over the
coiffured heads of beautifully dressed women and men
whose white evening jackets looked well against their
tan.
Dru by now was growing calmer and she saw something more beside the broad outline of her rescuer's
shoulders and the dark head. He was holding her wrap,
which he now dropped on to her shoulders with a disdainful flick of his hands.
She stumbled forward and the walk back to where his
car was parked seemed never-ending, The scene was a gay
one as the cars of guests drove away down the drive lit by
fairy lights in the trees to the babel of voices saying their
goodbyes. Inside Keith's car all was quieto Dru felt a little
sick and annoyed with herself for allowing Francis to go
so faro Yet, looking back, she did not see how she could
have avoided it. It had been the blossoms, of course,
laughing up at him and catching a blossom. Had it been a
provocative gesture? It had not been meant tobe, It was
too late now 10 do anything about it. Keith Falkner would
have to believe what he had seen and he could hardly
refute the evidence of his own eyes.
If his profile was anything to go by he was definitely
not in a convincing kind of mood. He kept his attention
on the road ahead and travelled at speed as if he could
not reach the hotel soon enough. However, she was gratefuI to him for having appeared when he did, for he had
rescued her from a very unpleasant situation.
Strain weakened her voice. '1 would like to thank you
for ... for giving me a lift back to the hotel.'
He lowered his headlights as a car appeared around a
bend in the road. When he had flicked them on again, he
said coldly, '1 would have given a yone else a lift back in
the circumstances. Mter all, we're both going the same
way.'
Something, a little core inside her insisting upon fair
play, forced her to continue. 'The scene you carne across
in the garden just now was ... was not what it seemed.'
'I'm not interested, Miss Temple.'
Dru bit on her lower lip, 'But 1 want to explain. I'm
very grateful for you turning up just when you did.'
'Let's forget it, shall we?' he said curtly. 'There's
nothing to be gained by continuing with this conversation.'
Suddenly Dru was angry, very angry. :'Why do you
insist upon thinking the worst of me?'
'On the contrary, 1 think you're a very clever young
woman.'
'Clever?' she echoed. 'In what way?'
interest.
'Are you in the next room?'
She smiled. 'Yes.'
He seemed pleased at this. ~Are yQU married?'
Dru was rather startled by this question. :'No. Why do
you ask?'
'AlI grown-ups are married. Dad's been married
twice.'
Isn't he your real daddy, then?'
'Oh yes. Mummy died when 1 was little and Daddy
married Sheila - she's my stepmother. She's alI right.'
He spoke with no deep emotion but rather like someone repeating a lesson. Dru wanted to gather hirn up in
her arrns and give him a warm hug. Instead, she sat down
on the bed and reached out to push the truant lock of hair
frorn his forehead. She said gent1y,
'I'm happy to know your steprnother is all right. Why
did you go to the beach when it was so late? You know 11
was wrong to leave your room after Mummy had put you
to bed?'
'1 couldn't sleep. 1 was hot.'
'But you will go to sleep now, won't you? Close your
eyes and I'Il stay with you until you do. Would you like
me to teIl you a story?'
He nodded and Dru brought her hand down gent1y
over his eyes and began.
It was not long before he was asleep and Dru sat for a
while listening to his regular breathing before leaving the
room. As she entered the main bedroorn someone entered
from the corridor. It was Mrs O'Brian, who turned on
entering as sorneone spoke behind her on the corridor.
'Your purse, Mrs. O'Brian. You left it in the car.'
Dru stiffened at the sound of the deep familiar tones
and moved back out of sight of the open door.
'Thanks, Captain Falkner. You've been very kind. I'rn
so happy to know that rny husband is going to be aIl right.
Thanks for all you've done. Goodnight.'
Dru waited while Mrs. O'Brian carne back into the
room and closed the door. 'I'm sorry,' she began, scarletfaced at the women's uplifted eyebrows. 'I've been telling
Bud a story. He was hot and couldn't go to sleep.'
'1 see.'
Mrs. O'Brian's brown eyes traveIled over Dru's pretty
evening dress and her slim youthful figure with an air of
dismissal. Dru took the hint and walked to the door.
'Have you far to go when you leave here, Miss ... ?'
less sensation now becoming all too familiar each time she
saw him. She seemed to feel that life was less painful if
she kept her eyes from his mocking, tanned face.
Mart lifted his head to address Liane in no uncertain
terms. 'What an idiot you are, Liane, to even venture out
in this contraption. How long is it since you had the thing
serviced?' He lifted a hand. 'No, don't tell me. Just leave
it here for a garage to tow it in.'
Keith backed him up after leaving his seat to take a
brief look inside the bonnet.
'Mart's right, Liane. I'll give you a lift to wherever you
are going. I'm on my way to Govemment House. You're
welcome to come alorrg with me if you wish.'
Liane needed no second invitation. She slid inside
Keith's car and with a brief salute at Mart and Dru, he
drove away.
Mart watched them go with lifted brows, gave a resigned shrug and took his place beside Dru in the driving
seat.
'That was neatly done. He drves up and takes the
woman away without a by your leave,' he muttered in
disgusto
'We are supposed to be a practically engaged couple,'
Dru commented dryly. 'The man evidently thinks he's
doing us a good tum in taking away a third person.'
'Nothing personal,' Mart said abruptly, rather too abruptly. '1 wanted a word with Liane about one o my
patients. I understood she was on duty today.'
'Is she that good?'
'Not only good, when you've worked with the same
people for ayear you sort of come up with the same deductions. Yes, Liane is extremely efficient at her job.'
"Then couldn't that be one of the reasons Captan Falkner whisked her away? He might have wanted to ask her
about O'Brian or members of his crew, How are they
doing, by the way?'
'They're all doing well now that we've established the
cause o the mystery epidemic.' After a brief silence, he
added, 'Why the sudden defence o the Captain? I
thought you didn't care for him?'
Dru was a little taken aback at this since me had been
surprised at her own defence of the mano She chuckled,
'Do you know, I haven't a clue except that I like to be
fair and try to see things in their true perspective,' she
said rather weakIy.
Mart made no answer but drove on in silence. If he was
'Hurricanes,' laconicalIy.
Dru moistened a dry throat. 'Hurricanes. When do
they happen?'
'Don't worry about that. This island just happens to be
right in their path. The inhabitants didn't give up without a struggle. Eventually they moved out, after finding it
too costly to keep rebuilding after the damage.'
He bent the bamboo stick for strength and watched it
spring back withsatsfaction. Then he led the way, beating aside the undergrowth to reveal a path. They carne
after a surprisingly short time to a stone hut cuddled by a
semi-circle of rock forming the hilIside behind a wind
break of trees. Sturdy and defiant, it had weathered the
hurricanes as though blessed with immunity.
Keith grinned down at her. ~'Amazing, isn't it? The
story goes that a certain bishop of an English church was
marooned here for months, the sole survivor of a shipwreck. When he was picked up by a passing ship, he
blessed the place for giving him shelter.'
He beat a twisted mass of grey rnangoes choking the
entrance over which a crude wooden sign had been fixed
and rnade a way through.
'Bishop's Rest.' Dru read the name on the sign aloud.
'Sounds like the name of a pub,' she said.
'With all mod cons,' he suggested, leading the way
inside. When Dru's eyes became accustomed to the
dimness, she saw a bench-like bed against one waIl, a
rough-hewn table and chair and shelves on one wall containing pots and pans. Two windows shed light into the
room showing up the dust on a small corner cupboard.
She sobered as she looked around. 'No fresh water?
How did the bishop survive?'
"There's a mountain stream in a glen. It runs frorn the
hills and forms a pool where one can bathe. Care to take a
dip?'
Dru coloured. 'I've DO swimsuit with me.'
An instant picture of a swimsuit top deepened the
blush.
He laughed. "Don't look so embarrassed. Ever bathed
in the nude?'
Dru shook her head.
"Then it's time you did. I'm going to wash the fish in
the pool and while I'm cooking it you can have your
swim. No one will disturb you.'
He unhooked an old hatchet from a hook on the wall
near the door and Dru followed him to where they had
left the dinghy. Tossing her a bath towel from one of the
boxes, he took a kitchen knife from the picnic hamper
and carrying one of the fish he picked up the hatchet and
bade her follow him. ,
He seemed to know the way, for he hacked away at the
dense undergrowth with an unerring precision, going off
to the right of the hut into the interior. Dru heard the
refreshing rush of water before they reached the glen. It
was a green grotto with fingers of sunlight stiffiy spread
through the foliage of immensely tall trees overhead giving
it a kind of stage setting, Water cascaded down over rocks
to flow into a pool.
Keith cleaned the fish along with two large cabbagelike
leaves and wrapping them round it gave Dru a mocking
salute. 'So long,' he said. 'Enjoy your swim.'
Minutes after his footsteps had crushed away to silence
in the undergrowth, Dru was in' the water. It was
heavenly to swim free of any clothing. She floated on her
back in sheer enjoyment. Above her a ceiling of trees
ranging from yellow-gold to blue-green towered to fantastic height to pierce the vast bowl of sky. The scene
mirrored in the water dazzled with a breathtaking beauty
and Dru would have stayed longer had not the fact that
shewas minusa covering alerted her to the dangerof Keith
coming to see what was keeping her. She towelled her
hair, decided to leave it loose and lightly made up her
face. Keith had cut more from the path on his way back
to the shore making it easier for her to retrace her steps,
and Dru went forward on winged feet to meet an appetising aroma of fresh fish cooking.
He was on his haunches re-stoking the fire he had built
among stones and looked up at her arrival. With one lithe
movement he was on his feet. His smile flashed,
'Enjoy it?' he queried.
She nodded, tossing back her golden hair, almost dry
now in the heat of the sun. 'It was super!'
He reached out for her towel, slung it over one broad
shoulder and saluted lazily. 'So long. Keep an eye on the
fire until I get back.'
Dru nodded again and sank down on the sand, feeling
decidedly odd. She lay back and closed her eyes. Her acquaintance with Keith was far too short for deep
emotions. Yet seconds ago, exposed to his scrutiny, her
strength had melted away. Whatever was the matter with
her? She hardly recognized herself as the girl who had
come away so lightheartedly a few days ago. Life on the
island was a thing apart from any previous existence. It
opposite sexo
Dru shook her head. e'No, thanks. I'm enjoying meandering around out-of-the-way places. 1'11 be off, unless
you'd like me to come a little early this evening to lend a
hand?'
'1 have plenty of staff coming.'
Dru accepted her refusal with a sense of relief and took
her leave, resolving to forget all about Liane's dark
beauty and disturbing personality, It was relaxing to
come down to earth once more with a natural feeling of
normality, to feel suddenly detached and free. Keeping to
the narrow winding paths near the coast, she became
steeped in a deep quietness undisturbed by the soft lapping of the sea, the swish of the grass beneath her feet and
the murmur of the foliage in the trees. At last she paused
and stood isolated upon a hill to look down on the village
blow. It was a hive of activity right down to the shore
where men sorted out fish into baskets for the market. A
glimpse of gay canopied tables outside a restauran: reminded Dru that she was feeling peckish and she decided
to take her time on her way down to lunch.
Later she would explore the shops, then go back to the
hotel t; prepare for her evening out with Mart. Tbat
evening held all the magic of an indian summer. The
trees in Liane's garden were festooned with fairy lights 10
readiness for the barbecue and there were tables and
cbairs placed upon the lawns for guests to sit outside if
they wished. The few guests already assembled ,;hen Dru
and Mart arrived were tanned and athletic-lookng.
Tonight Liane was softIy alluring, sec.ure in her triumph. She wore a white dress from which her honeycoloured shoulders rose tantalizingly. Her dark eyes took
in every detail of Dru's black chiffon dress emphasising
her slenderness. Diament-embroidered, it billowed out
from her small waist over a stiffened underskirt. Her
golden hair was piled high on the top of her small head
leaving curly tendrils against her cheeks.
'1 haven't seen you for a few days, Miss Temple. I hope
you've been enjoying yourself. We've let Mart off the
hook as much as we could.'
Howell Seabright was behind them and Dru turned to
meet his admiring regard.
'1 appreciate that,' Dru smiled up at him. Im enjoymg
myself tremendously.'
'Good. I hope you have an appetite. I m to preside
over the barbecue la ter and I expect you to do justice to
my cooking.'
His keen penetrating gaze rested a mement on her
glowing face before he obeyed a signal from Liane to join
her. Over a drink with Mart, Dru told him how she had
visited the house earlier that day.
'A charming place.' Dru's eyes tea sed over the rim of
her glass. 'Liane told me you'd done quite a bit to it.'
Mart's face went a dull red. 'AIl done in mad moments.
They're over now.' And as if to show that they were
indeed over, he changed the subject abruptIy. 'You're
looking very enchanting tonight. Black shows up your
clear skin marvellously. You look youthful and sophisticated, and very lovely.'
Dru's lips curved sweetIy. 'Thank you. You don't have
to flatter me. But it's nice against so much competition to
be told I'm holding my own.'
She looked round at pretty women and smart men in
evening dress. Mart greeted old friends. Dru heard him
say something conventional to a tall soldierly-looking
mano Tlien Wisp was there in a flame-coloured dress with
several young men in tow. The evening had begun on a
lighthearted note, much to Dru's relief. A few couples
began to dance in the lounge to a record player and it was
the cue for everyone to join them.
Mart and Dru danced together, then parted and circulated. More guests arrived later, including officers from
the cruiser in the bayo Dru was taking a breather from
dancing with them when a deep voice startIed her.
"May 1 have the pleasure, Miss Temple?'
Half tuming, Dru felt her waist encircled and her
heartbeats quicken. It was useless to rebel against the
emotion he roused in her. Held close against him she was
conscious only of his neamess and the strength of his body
moving effortIessly across the floor. She drifted from ordinary surroundings to a new, exciting world of precious
ecstatic moments stolen from time never to be replaced.
Then, with the sudden chill of an east wind, she saw the
position she had saddled herself with. As Mart's fiance
she was not free to enjoy the companionship of another
man She was honour bound by her word to stand by him.
Her face paled as she realized she had to batten clown
her own feelings regarding any other mano She was trembling a littIe when Keith released her through an excess
of emotion and somehow she drew herself away from
him. She heard him say swiftIy, 'Are you all right, Miss
Temple? You're very pale.'
'PerfectIy, thanks.' The quiet reply did come from her
own lips, which surprised her, for she feIt beyond speech.
'1 t's probably the heat.'
'Then let's go into the grounds. But first a wrap in case
you hook a chill.' He looked around and picked up a
mohair stole flung on the back of a chair near the open
french window. 'We can borrow this.'
He dropped the stole around her shoulders and taking
her e1bow in a firm grip, led her outside into the fragrant
garden. Someone had lighted the barbecue fire and he
steered her in the opposite direction to avoid the smoke.
The air was filled with the pungent smell of buming
wood which reminded Dru of autumn fires back home as
they strolled past a small arbour of white blossoms to a
seat in a small clearing where they sat down.
The newly risen moon sprayed silver coins across the
water, while Dru's cornmon sense mocked, Now get yourself out of this one!
'Beautifully peaceful,' she commented, when she felt
anything but herself. 'Y ou must see similar views like this
over the water many times when you're at sea.'
'Yes, 1 do. But then this is only one of many. The sea is
very much like a woman, she can present countless
moods, each one different within a space of a few hours.
She can be as now, scintillating and mysterious in evening
dress, or be as green and fresh as youth itself. She can be a
vicious murderess or a dangerous siren, yet be as sedate
and dignified as a queen in a mande of blue edged by,
ermine-white foam.' He tossed a glance at her averted
profile. 'The sea can also, like a woman, make aman very
aware of his own masculinity.' Her sudden blush amused
him. 'How are you feeling? Better?'
Dru wanted to say, Happier than I've ever been in my
life. Instead she said, 'Much better, thanks. You must
lead a very satisfying life.'
'Satisfying?' He savoured the word. 'In a way.' He sat
motionless for a few seconds as though debating the point
with himself. After a considerable pause, he said, '1 never
intended to make the sea my career when young.
Strangely enough my brothers did, yet both of them
landed up as landlubbers. I was the one who eventually
chose the sea.'
'Are they married now, your brothers?'
'Yes. I'm noto Are you fond of the sea?'
"Very.'
"Do you live by the sea ?'
'No.' Dru found herself telling him about the boutique.
"I'm thinking of going after something new in the way of
leaving the isIand too. Dru hoped she was not taking her
supposed engagement to Mart too much to heart. She
liked the girl.
-'Ah well,' Francis drawIed. -'1 can see the subject is di stasteful to you. 1 wouIdn't have minded being in the Captain's shoes, though. It was some greeting, by all
accounts.' His smiIe was meant to be disarming, aIthough
he continued with the subject.' I find it hard to believe he
didn't follow up the encounter by making at least one
pass at you.'
Dru said dryly, :'He's not the marrying kind. He's absorbed in his career.'
'A typical sailor, eh? With a wife in every port? The
strong silent type, though, wouldn't you say, whom
every woman goes for?'
Francis kept his full-lidded eyes lowered and tapped
ash carefully from his cigarette into a beautiful pink shell
ashtray. Dru's blush matched it as she parried the question adroitIy.
:'As you say, a wife in every port.'
She picked up her taIl glass and swirled the ice cubes
around the remainder of her drink before taking it down.
Looking at his veiled eyes, she felt her dislike of him
mounting. What an objectionable type of man he was, the
omniscient male so full of his own ego that he could
become a bore. And a malicious one at that. Their parting
when he drove her back to her hotellifted a vague weight
from her mind.
The reception clerk handed her a note with her keys. It
was from Pete.
'We've had our marching orders, Off early tomorrow.
Am giving a fareweIl party at the clubhouse. Will send a
car for you. Pete,' he had scrawled hastily,
For the party, Dru put on her favourite dress, a delicate white chiffon which set off her golden tan perfectIy.
The bodice moulded, the slender curves of her figure, billowing out from her smaIl waist into a fuIl swirling skirt
delicate as a cloud. The emerald green necklace of perfectIy matched stones brought out the clear green of her
eyes. It had been a wedding present from her stepfather
and quite the nicest gift Dru had ever received. At least,
she thought as she clasped it around her slender throat, he
would .appreciate what she was doing for his son if he
knew. But it was smaIl consolation when she went downstairs at the hoot of a car after waiting vainly for Mart to
put in an appearance.
a sense of reality. AlI that had gone before carne into her
mind, all that Keith had done to her, what he believed
her to be. What had happened to her in the last few
moments did not make sense. She had been madly jealous
of the girls surrounding him, aman there was no reason
at all even to like.
If only Mart were here, she thought hopelessly, and
turned in nervous haste as someone came up swiftly
behind her. Swiftly, silently, she was hauled close to a
hard body and her Ips were imprisoned in a suffocating
kiss, _
Anger swept through her like a devouring flame and
wrenching herself free, she slapped his face hard.
"How dare you ' .. ' you worm!' she cried, trembling
with fury. ['1 never thought you'd be despicable enough to
make the same mistake twice. 1 shall teIl Mart about
you!'
Francis Gurley touched his smarting cheek, his look an
open insulto '
"Mart! That's rich. Anyone who's been with Mart is
reckoned as fair game - or didn't you know that?'
['1 don't believe you. Mart is a gentleman. He doesn't go
around forcing his attentions upon defenceless girls,"
'No? 1 wonder how well you know him.'
'That's none of your business.' Dru spoke with dignity
covering a sense of humiliation. He could be right about
Mart. Liane had hinted that day at her villa. She gazed
up uncertainly at the heavy-lidded eyes not far above her
own. He was neither taIl nor broad, but he seemed to
tower above her menacingly.
'Why did you come out here if it wasn't with the intention of inviting someone to join you? You can't blame a
fellow for accepting the invitation.' He had regained his
poise and smiled ruefully as he continued to stroke his
cheek. 'Besides, this is a party.'
'But not a free-Ior-all,' Dru said coldly. "1 happen to be
engaged to Mart - or have you forgotten?'
He laughed. 'Mart and 1 are friendly rivals. We've been
with much the same girls.'
Dru stiffened. 'Well, this one doesn't happen to be
available. Now, will you please go?'
"Come now . you and 1 could have fun. Why don't you
relax and enjoy yourself? Mart would have no qualms at
enjoying himself if he were here.' He reached out to
touch her and she recoiled in revulsion. ~ Ah, I'm beginning to understand. You're waiting for someone else.
for him that he had not enjoyed seeing her upset and had
been uncomfortable about it. Dru, glancing at his absorbed profile, wondered at the intangible thing that
made one man fill a woman with passionate longing and
another so negligible. She would always like Mart despite
his failings; love him, never.
When they reached the clubhouse the party was still in
full swing. Quite a number of the guests were dancing in
the room where Pete had entertained with his concert
party. Others sat around at tables on the veranda enjoying sandwiches and drinks with the moon making everything as light as day. Pete was the centre of the gathering.
Had it not been his party he would still have been the
focal point. He had the American congenital gift of warm
hospitality. It flowed from him naturalIy and, allied to his
particular gift of showmanship, set the hallmark on a
very enjoyable party. While they talked to Pete, Dru noticed with relief that Keith had left. Mortified colour
crept into her cheeks as she realized a feeling of disappointment. lt remained with her despite her wish to
forget the mano Mart enjoyed himself, demolishing a pile
of sandwiches before whirling Dru on to the dance
fioor,
And so the evening wore on, with Dru discovering that
there were some things she could not do even for Mart.
One of them was to endure his amorous advances.
'Y ou're looking lovely tonight, darling,' he murmured,
his lips against her ear.
'Thanks.' Nerves ragged, she contrived a light rejoinder. '1 hope you're noticing how late it is - or should 1
say early in the moming? You did say you had to be on
duty part of the day.'
Then Pete was there. :'Who's for coffee to end the
party? We have an early plane to catch.'
Dru went eagerly with Mart to join other guests sitting
down to take coffee from circulating waiters. The small
dance band wearily put their instruments away and followed suit ..
'lt's been a marvellous party,' someone said, and everyone agreed. In the general conversation which folIowed,
Dru sipped her coffee, feeling a reluctance to go back to
the hotel with Mart. She had had more than enough
amorous attentions from the opposite sex for one night.
Francis Gurley's hateful kiss had filIed her with disgust
and Mart's, should he be that way incIined, would be
equally distasteul. Fortunately, Pete asked him to give
two of the guests a lift since they lived near to the hospital
in one slim suntanned arm, the long slender legs and all
her slender freshness. ''Y ou're too bright a vision for tired
eyes, my peto 1 hate to think of you wand,ering around
without me.'
Dru chuckled in sympathetic amusement. "So what? I
shall soon have an escort - Bud.'
"Budi" Mart echoed, dragging back his thoughts from
where they had flown.'Bud isn't here.'
'Not here?' Dru's heart jolted. 'Why not? Where is he?'
'Out with Marie, the chambermaid from your hotel.
She called to see how he was as it's her day off duty and
he wanted to go out with her. He'll be back at the hotel
tonight. By the way, should you take him out, take care
not to overtire him. He's apt to get breathless at the least
exertion.' He smiled down at her, a smile filled with
boyish charm. 'He can't wait to get back to the hotel, and
I think you're the reason. He's very attached to you.'
He had taken her arm and was walking with her along
the corridor towards Mrs. O'Brian's ward. Suddenly the
door of one of the small private wards they were passing
opened and Liane stepped into the corridor carrying a
chart, She looked crisp, vital and glowing, as beautiful in
her uniform as she was out of it. She greeted them
both briefly and continued down the corridor with her
lovely graceful walk showing an enchanting back view
of her legs.
Mart's eyes were glued on her, but they revealed
nothing. Liane had revealed a little more. Dru had seen
the look she had given Mart, brief though it had been.
She herself had never looked at Mart in that way, for a
very good reason. She was not in love with him. Liane
was.
'Lovely girl, Liane,' she remarked as Liane's skirts
swung around a comer out of sight.
'Hmm. What did you say?'
Mart looked round at her almost startled. She
laughed.
'Nothing,' she replied. "How is Mrs. O'Brian?'
'Much better. I presume those flowers are for her?'
Mart had paused with one hand on the door handle of
Mrs. O'Brian's ward.
'Yes. Is it all right if I see her?'
Mart's glance was lingering on the curly tendrils of
golden hair by each small ear. 'Go right ahead. 1 wish I
could supply all my patients with such an enchanting visitor.' He bent to kiss the softly rounded cheek nearest to
him. 'Have a nice day. 1'11 give you 'a ring when I'm
free.'
Sheila O'Brian was sitting up in bed in a bower of
flowers. She looked very young in her pretty mauve
nightdress and matching bedjacket, although the sun
picked out an occasional grey hair in the brown.
'Come in,' she said, 'if you can find a way through the
flowers.'
Dru stared, then chuckled at the array of blooms spilling around the room, on the bedside locker, on a table
near the door, along the window sill and in two floor vases
placed in corners.
'Y ou look like a prima donna on her first night,' she
said, laying down her flowers by the vase on the small
table by the door.
'Aren't they lovely? Captain Falkner brought these
beautiful blooms on my locker. The rest are from my
husband's shipmates and officers.' Do come and sit
down.'
Dru obeyed, taking the chair by the bed after laying
her purchases on the bed. '1 hope 1 remembered everything you asked me to bring.'
'I'm sure you have. 1 must pay you.'
Dru protested as Sheila leaned sideways to reach for
her purse from her locker.
'Oh no, please don't. They didn't cost the earth. How
are you?' She stood up before Sheila could lie back again.
;'Let me shake your pillows. There, isn't that better?'
'Lovely, thanks.' Sheila lay back against the soft
mound and smiled palely. 'Everyone is so kind.'
-'Y ou could do with a bit of kindness. Y ou haven't
exactly had a very kind time.' Dru's eyes lingered on the
wedding ring below the diamond solitaire on the small
white hand as it rested on the counterpane, and paused
before adding, "I'm very sorry about Bud.'
Sheila blinked rapdly and hung on to her composure.
;'1 expected it. 1 suppose 1 ought to be thankful that my
husband has been spared, but 1 want them both so much.'
Her voice wavered. '1 haven't told my husband yet about
Bud. 1 want him to be happy for as long as possible. I'm
not going to tell him. Do you think I'm wrong not to?'
Dru met her look squarely. "No, 1 don't. No one can do
anything about it and there's nothing to be gained in
making your husband prematurely unhappy. Besides,' her
smile flashed, -'1 simply don't believe that fate has any
more blows in store for you. You've had your share. Just
keep hoping.'
"You really think so?' Sheila's expression was one of
doubt.
'1 do. After all, things are beginning to look brighter
already. This slight adjustment you're to have in order to
have children of your own and the faet that your husband
is going to recover are two wonderful breaks in the dark
clouds. Who knows? There might be a third. These cycles
of fate are said to come in threes. 1 shall keep hoping for
Bud.'
Sheila's lips were tremulous, her eyes overbright. ~I
pray for Bud's recovery every night. It never ought to
have happened really. You see, when Bud's mother died,
his father left him in the care -of his sister, a divorcee.
Unfortunately he didn't know she was an alcoholic. 1 had
the flat next door and Bud was always around my place in
the evenings and at week-ends. When Bud's father, Bill,
carne home on leave, he took me out for looking after
Bud.' She gave a tremulous smile. 'Baby-sitting, his sister
called it. Then 1 had to go away for six months. 1 designed fabrics for a textile firm and they opened a branch
abroad. 1 returned to my flat on the day Bud's aunt was
rushed to hospital in a coma from an overdose of drugs.
She never recovered. Bill carne home on compassionate
leave during which time we discovered our love for each
other. We were married.
'Bud had been terribly neglected, poor darling, and it
took some time to nurse him back to health. Bill bought a
house with a garden and went back to his ship. About six
months ago there was an epidemic of 'flu at Bud's school.
He caught it and didn't seem to recover wholly from it.
W orried about his lack of energy, 1 took him to the hospital for a check-up.'
Sheila swallowed painfully, cleared her voice and continued. 'The result was given to me on the day 1 received
the news of Bill's accident. It .. , it was like receiving a
death sentence on them both, for 1 knew Bill's injuries
must have been causing concern or they wouldn't have
sent for me.'
Dru squeezed her hand. "But it wasn't, was it? Not on
Bill. He's going to be all right. And he's going to be so
thrilled when he hears that it's going to be possible for
you to have children. After your slight operation, of
course.'
Sheila nodded and managed a pale smile. Her fingers
closed warmly round Dru's.
"I'll never forget the joumey here with Bud prattling
'Er ... weren't you with him?' He cushioned the question with bis disarming srnile, but she was not deceived.
She parried bis words adroitIy.
'Mart very kindly offered to take several of the guests
horne on bis way back to the hospital. If he didn't return
until nine o'cIock then he must have had a breakdown.'
'A very convenient one, wouldn't you say?'
She bristIed. 'If you mean he stayed the night with me
you're wrong. What a filthy mind you must have!'
'Beca use 1 know how rnany beans rnake five? Liane
arrived after spending the night at her villa just five
minutes before Mart. Rather intriguing, don't you think?
Especially as they used to put on the same performance
before you carne.'
:'1 don't believe you.'
They had almost reached the reception desk and Dru
looked up at him with a hatred she could barely conceal.
He, however, seemed sure of bis facts.
"You will eventually. You're an intelligent girl as well
as a very pretty one. Y ou and 1 must become better acquainted. I'm sure you'd find ,it interesting.' He looked up
suddenly, then over her head when the flying white coat
of Howell Seabright caught his eye as the surgeon left a
side ward along the corridor. 'Excuse me, there's my
man.'
Dru watched him stride along the corridor with no
doubt in her rnind as to the rnan's intentions to ingratiate
himself with her. He was probably in love with Liane and
was madly jealous of Mart. But was Mart in love with
Liane? She wished she knew the answer to that one. Certainly he had admitted to taking her out more than the
others. It was no surprise to hear that he had spent the
night with her. He was aman who believed in satisfying
his sexual appetite to the full. She made her way back to
her hotel with the feeling that her enthusiasm whipped
up in a desire to help him by. posing as his fiance was
already on the wane. .
Dru was about to change for dinner that evening when
Bud knocked on her door.
'Dru!' he cried delightedly. 'Look what 1've brought
you. Bend down.' He hooped a garland of flowers around
her neck and hugged her.
She stooped down to kiss and hug him in return before
gazing up over his fair head into the dark eyes of a slim
girl around her own age.
'You must be Marie,' she said.
'Marie Denva, and you are Miss Temple.' The dark
eyes danced.
'Dru to my friends.'
"Bud has been talking about you all the time and 1
know he would rather you put him to bed. Do you mind
... Dru?'
Marie's dark eyes looked pleading. Dru smiled, surveying the girl's sIeeveless cotton frock and beautifuIly
tanned limbs with a warm glow of friendship.
'Not at a1l. I'd love to put Bud to bed,' she answered
with her usual spontaneous warmth.,
'Thank you.' Marie showed a perfect set of smaIl
pearly teeth in her delight.'It's my day off duty and 1
wanted to go dancing this evening with my boy-friend.'
She paused. 'Sure you don't mind?'
'Go along and have a good time. 1'11 look after Bud.
He'll have such a lot to tell me.' Dru straightened and,
looking down at Bud, ruffied his hair. 'Won't you, Bud?'
she added, laughing.
But Bud was too tired to say mucho He was asleep
within a few minutes of his head touching the pillow. Dru
sat for a long time by his bed looking tenderly on his face,
--which seemed 10 have gone thinner since their last meetmg, Back in her room she slipped the garland of flowers
from her neck, breathing in a fragrance strangely like
tears.
She went down early to dinner in order to get it overo
With Pete gone and Mrs. O'Brian absent too, the diningroom, full as it was, had an air of loneliness. Keith was not
there either and she fell to wondering what he had done
with the top half o her swimsuit which he had not returned,
Later, after looking in on the sleeping Bud, Dru went
to her room and stood on her balcony and, breathing in
deeply, looked down past the wind break of trees to the
calm iridescent water in the bay. So far the sun had
reigned supreme each day since her arrival with the sky
practically free of cloud, Tonight, the clouds were there,
a menacing pinky opal pressing down until they seemed
near enough to touch. The air was breathlessly still, and
too emotionally restless to stay indoors, she hurriedly
changed into slacks and light sweater to take a short
walk.
Avoiding the beach, she struck off inland to take a
mountain path. The light was not yet on the wane and
she was rewarded with breathtaking views from every
slipped into his shirt and shorts. They fitted where they
touched, but she pulled in the belt of the shorts and proceeded todry her hair. After what seemed an age, he
opened the car door to slip into the driving seat, bringing
with him a shower of water, and pressed the starter. For a
while nothing happened, then the car leapt into life and
slid forward with a jerk on to firmer ground. After driving for a little way, he stopped. He then sloughed off his
waterproof and wiped his streaming face. The dark disturbing look was there when he turned all vital and glowing in his seat to ask her how she was feeling.
Dru pushed back hair she had rubbed into a golden
gleam feeling decidedly odd as she assured him she was
much more comfortable. His dark grey eyes seemed to be
entangled in the halo of bright hair cascading down on
her slim shoulders as she added, :I really am sorry to have
caused you all this trouble.'
"Forget it. We must hurry back to the hotel for you to
have a warm drink. Can't risk you catching a chill.'
He made no move, however, with the width of his
shoulders practically filling the two front seats. He was a
strong vitally healthy man who had shrugged off the
recent struggle against the weather as being of no consequence. It had been child's play to him after facing such
tremendous odds at sea. She watched him push back a
truant lock of hair from his forehead and said, '1 missed
your ship from the bay. I thought you'd gone.'
She hoped her voice did not sound as shaky to him as it
did to her. Beneath his steady regard, her heart was stalling and her eyes lowered to the lean brown hand and
arm very near to her on the baek of his seat.
"Not yet. We've moved further north into the Atlantic
and out of the path of the hurricanes.'
She felt his eyes willing her to look up and when she
did not he turned in his seat and started the caro On
reaching the hotel, he pulled up close to the entrance and
whisked her away into the dry interior.
;'All right?' he asked.
Dru gazed up at his expressionless face. ~Fine, and
thanks for all you've done.'
'Don't mention it. I'm only sorry I had no time to take
a drink with me to warm you up inside. Will you come
down to my room and have one with me when you've
ehanged? It isn't very late and it might be my last night
on the island.'
Her heart jolted and she felt strangely sick inside. So he
was going! She found her voice.
"It's Bud,' she gasped, "He isn't in his room and I ... I
left him in bed when I went out.'
'Say nothing else until you've had a drink. Then you
can tell me everything.'
Keith made short work of bringing her a drink which
he held to her ashen lips. Her teeth chattered against the
glass and he cupped her shaking hands with his own and
made her take part of the contents. The liquid ran
through her body like fue, melting away the numbness.
Then he drew up a chair facing her and taking away her
glass took both her hands in his.
Dru wondered however she could have thought him
hard and cynical.
'Now take your time and tell me why Bud not being in
his room has upset you like this?'
Dru told him how she had found Bud on the shore one
night and her fears that he could have awakened before
the storm began, gone out to look for her and was even
now lying somewhere, perhaps ... perhaps ... She could
not go on, for tears were rolling down her face.
"Steady now.' Keith released her hands and she wiped her eyes as
he strode to the telephone.
"What are you going to do?' she asked.
'Ring up reception to ask if he's anywhere in the hotel.
Haven't I seen him in the company of one of the
chambermaids ?'
He turned to look at her, phone in hand, and she
nodded miserably.
"Marie. I know he isn't with her because she's gone out
dancing with her boy-friend.'
He nodded, got through to reception and after speak ..
ing a few words put down the phone.
'They're going to search the hotel.' He paused to look
at her significantly. "You don't suppose he's been taken
back to the hospital? Your fianc, for instance? Is it possible that he could have calIed while you were out, saw
the boy and took him back with him?'
Dru shook her head. :'1 saw Mart earlier on. He
happens to be out ... I ... I'm sure he won't call.'
Keith thrust his hands into his pockets, taking in her
sudden blush.
"Then he isn't on duty?'
Again she shook her head. 'No. He .. he had to go out
somewhere.' Suddenly she was on her feet, finding his
look unbearable. "Look, I must go to see if 1 can find Bud,
He was far too busy with his usual routine cases to treat it
as emotionalIy as she did. When she saw him again at the
hospital his night out with Liane had not been men .
tioned. In her opinion1 Mart was only being Mart; Dru
realized that now, as she also realized how little she had
known him until she had come to the island.
With so little knowledge of a person one liad little
chance of reacting in the right way to their ways. It was
doubtful whether his affair with Liane would end with
marriage, To him the woman was satisfying a need and
was part of his growing up. And her own role as his
supposed fiance was to help him towards that end,
As for Keith, apart from one ortwo bref encounters,
he seemed to have gone out o her life, Bis manner at
such times had been politeIy cool and impersonal. Most of
his crew had now recovered from their indisposition and
were to be seen brightening the village with their cheery
uniforms as they helped to fasten sturdy shutters to shops
and houses in preparation for the hurricanes,
According to Mart, Bill O'Brian was much better and
was taking nourishment. Dru had not the heart to inquire
whether he had been told of his small son's dllness. Fortunately, Liane was in charge of Bud and telephoned her
each morning about his condition. Dru was very grateful
for her kindness, for it meant that, after the daily bulletin
on Bud, she was free to go out and let the beauty of the
island act as a balm to her troubled mind,
She now spent her days at the clubhouse in a whirl of
activities which gave her no time to think. The members
had accepted her wholeheartedly into their midst and she
found a measure of comfort and relaxation in their
company. Often when her mind was not on Bud, her
thoughts strayed to Keith, The embarrassment of their
first meeting was fading, but the memory of his lips and
arms was acute. Whenever her eyes alighted upon a naval
officer's uniform her heart bounded. Their wide-shouldered athletic figures presented a back view which could
only be his.
It never was, of course. Tnen came an evening when
she met him face to face. Mart had taken her to a dinner
party given by one of the hospital governors - a weaIthy
patron, his villa, with dts wide terraces presenting panoramic views of the sea, rivaIled that of Government
House. Dru had seen him immediately on entering the
room and his brief pause on reaching for a drink offered
him by a waiter was long enough to indicate he had seen
His smile was reassuring. -'I'm sorry 1 can't join you for
lunch. 1 have to go out again. Meanwhile the staff will
look after you.'
Then he was gone. Dru felt strangely alone as she followed the silent Miles across the great hall lit with candelabra. Shuttered and silent and minus electricity, there
was a grim yet safe air about [t. Weapons glowed mellowly on the panelled staircase and the wide corridor upstairs was lighted by oil lamps placed in alcoves. The
room Miles showed her into was quite spacious with the
rich drapes at the window drawn and muted in the glow
of the oillamp on her beside table.
Putting down her overnight bag, Miles told her that
the morning-room was the second door to the left of the
staircase in the hall and that lunch would be ready in
fifteen minutes. Should she require anything she had only
to ringthe bell on her dressing-table.
When he had gone Dru went to the phone and rang up
Mart, It was a few minutes before he was found.
'Hello, Dru,' he said breezily. 'Sorry 1 was late in sending for you. Actually 1 expected you long ago. 1 wasn't
able to coIlect you myseIf and was going to ask one of
the staff to use my car. However, I saw Liane leaving
around ten on her way to take a last check at her villa.
She agreed to pick you up on her way back to the hospital.
You haven't seen her, by any chance?'
'No, I haven't.' Dru went on to telI him that she was at
Government House. 'Y ou don't think anything could
have happened to Liane?' she said apprehensively.
There was a brief pause from Mart. '1 doubt it. Liane
has been in hurricanes before and knows her way about.
There's been a steady stream of casualties coming in and
I dread to think of what faces us at the end. By the way,
your friend Bud is improving. We're quite pleased with
him. I believe Liane has been keeping you infonned?'
'Yes. It was very kind of her. It's wonderful to hear
that he's improving. Do you ... think he'Il ... recover?
Oh, Mart, do make him betterl' Dru's voice faItered, near
to tears.
'Howell Seabright says he's going to be all right, and
that's good enough for me.'
Dru gave a shaky laugh. 'It's good enough for me too.
You don't know the relief I feel. I suppose his parents are
aIl right?'
'Of course. 1'11 have you know we very rarely lose a
patient.' He paused significantIy. 'I'm wondering why the
gallant Captain Falkner dragged you off to Government
gaze.
''Yes,' he said very quietly, "I've seen her. As I said, she
missed the worst o the hurricane.'
Her eyes pierced his like a sword, dilated with dread.
'Y ou mean ... she's dead, don't you?'
He nodded soberIy .. r'A tree fell on her caro She never
knew what hit her.'
Dru recoiled as from a mortal blow. She stared at him
in horror.
"Was .' .. was she on her way ... to pick me up?'
He made a gesture o irritation with a lean brown
hand. :'You want me to say yes, don't you? Then you can
blame yourself for her death. Aren't you flaying yourself
enough over Bud?'
"But then it wouId be my fault, Don't you see?' Her cry
was wild and piteous. "She wouId be taking the road leading to the Garland Hotel instead o making straight for
the hospital.'
"And if she wasn't? Liane was killed by the elements
and not by anyone else,' he said grimly.
Dru leaned her head back in her chair. The tears
streamed down her face. She thought o Liane, her lovely
limbs crushed beneath fue weight o the tree, and quivered with a passionate pity for a lovely woman who had
been cut off from life so soon. And what about Mart?
How wouId her death affect him? He had been expeeting
a number o casualties from the hurricane, but he had not
expeeted one of them to be Liane.
Following her train o thought, Dru asked tonelessly,
Have there been other casualties?'
'Not serious ones. Liane was your rival. Have you
thought o that? Wisp went, now Liane. It seems you
have a clear field.'
He spoke roughly and she stared at him fue tears
sparkling in her eyes. Had he Ioved Liane? He had been
off his food at dinner. Apparently he had been shocked by
her death. Yet he had joked of taking his bride to spend
the night at Bishop's Rest. Come to think o it, his smile
and chuckle had sounded ironic,
''You don't understand.' Her lips trembled in spite of
her. :'1 liked Liane. She's been giving me a daily bulletin
on Bud. Why did she have to go?'
'Thats something we can't answer. We have to accept
these thmgs. Every precaution is taken to ensure that as
few people as possible are involved when the elements go
haywire. Im as shocked as you are at Liane's death but
there's nothing we can do about it.' '
.Dru blew her nose and wiped her eyes. Huskily, she
said, I think 1'11 go to bed to be up early in the mornng,
I can help somewhere, if it's only giving out food to the
homeless.'
She was on her feet and he rose too.
'I shall be !eaving early myself, so I can give you a lift.',
He was Iooking down at .her with perfeet steady eyes. "1
want your promise first that you won't put yourself on the
rack about Liane's death. You had nothing to do with it,
You understand?'
He laid a hand on her shoulder to stop her quivering.
Dru stood motionless, her eyes avoiding his. Then she
nodded. His grip relaxed and she felt his arm warm
around her shoulders.
"Do you?' he insisted.
Dru looked up at him against her will. "Yes,' she whispered.
Her hand clenched on the handkerchief wet from her
tears. The temptation to lean upon his strong encircling
arm was unbearable. She wondered afterwards where she
had the strength from to resist the impulse.
His deep tones pierced her agony of mind, ~od girl,'
he said.
His arm drew her close before he released her. He was
smiling when he held open the door for her to go. In her
room, before going to bed, Dru tried to telephone Mart,
only to find that the lines must have been down. The line
was dead .
CHAPTER NINE
By the following moming the hurricane had blown itself
out. Dru was up and dressed when the maid carne with
early morning tea. The heavy window drapes were drawn
aside and the shutters unbolted. In her neat tailored
blouse and slacks, Dru went on to her balcony to breathe
in the fresh warm moming air. The damage was appalling,
utter devastation as if vandalism had been rife.
The once irnmaculate grounds were a shambles. Apart
from the more hardy trees few were left standing. Others,
tom up by the roots, were strewn about among heaps of
greenery and tangled vines, She clutched the balcony rail,
breathing inthe odour of crushed leaves, broken flowers
and mangled earth. It smelt strongly like tears. Debris
fIoated on the sea and she blinked back the tears thinking
of all the birds blown out there who had died. Like Liane,
lowed painfully.
.
'1 don't realIy know. 1 got off lightIy, thanks to you,
which is more than poor Liane did. She was so beautifuI.'
The break in her voice on the last word was not entirely for Liane, but she hoped he would think it was.
'Yes, she was very beautiful. lt was rotten luck.'
He stubbed out his cigarette then as if he had lost the
taste for it and began to pack the picnic basket with what
was left. They drove back to the Garland Hotel and
neither spoke - Dru because me had nothing to sayo It
was like dying a littIe.
Keith was staring ahead and it did not help to know
that he was probably thinking about Liane. Had she been
the bride he had hoped to take to Bishop's Rest on rus
island? He had reacted very strangely when she had mentioned Liane's name. She had only to recaIl the grim way
he put the things back ID the picnic basket to see that.
The deadly silence they had shared during the run to
the hotel was broken by a spate of activity when they
arrived. The staff were straightening up the grounds and
men were on the roof doing repairs after the hurrieane.
The hotel entrance was stacked with garden furniture
which was being retumed outside as they left the ear and
they stood to one side while it was moved.
They were standing very close. Keith's expression as he
looked down at her was steady and intento
Dru looked up at him mouth parted, cheeks flushed. -'1
suppose xhis is good-bye,' she said galIantIy. "Thanks
again for what you've done for me. 1 ... 1 wish our acquaintance had been happier.'
There was a short awkward silence during which he
dug his hands into his pockets.
'I'm sorry too,' he replied, the faint lines of tiredness
around his eyes more pronounced by their cIoseness.
'How long wilI you be staying?'
The question took her unawares. "1... 1 don't know.
There's no hurry for me to go back and 1 would like to
wait to see how Bud gets on, his parents too.'
'And your fianc? Doesn't he come into it?'
She had forgotten Mart and she aImost admitted it, but
stopped herself in time. She bit her lip and lowered her
eyes against his keen perceptive regard.
;'Mart wilI be busy some of the time. He always is.'
Her eyes were stilllowered and he placed a firm finger
beneath her chin. 'You're still content to take a place in
the queue for aman who's so promiscuous?'
pletely.'
In the end they both went to tell Sheila the good news
the fo11owing morning. Dru thought it would be better
for Mart to te11 her personalIy in order that she could
rea11y believe it. After a11, the findings before had been
fairly conclusive. Besides, roe was sure to be overcome by
the news and if Bud was with her he would not understand her emotion.
They found her in the kitchen of the villa trying to
finish a birthday cake for Bud and failing miserably to
blink the tears from her eyes at the thought that it might
be his last one. Bud was out with Marie and her boyfriend in his boato
''Do come in: she said, trying to hide her misery. 'I've
been trying to ice Bud's birthday cake, but I'm afraid 1
shall have to leave it until tomorrow.'
There were more tears when Mart told her the good
news, but they were tears of joyo In the end it was Dru
who iced the cake and made the coffee while Mart and
Sheila talked.
"Thank you, Mart.' Sheila kissed his cheek as they were
leaving. Then she hugged and kissed Dru. "And you, Dru,
1 simply can't put into words the way 1 feel, Some day
Bud is going to know what you and Mart have done for
him. God bless you both.' She smiled through her tears,
"I'd like to donate a bed for the hospital. Any suggestions?'
1<Ves: said Dru, f<Donate it in Liane's name with a
plaque to remember her by.'
"That was sweet of you,' Mart commented when they
were driving away. :'1t was the kind of thing we a11 had in
mind at the hospital. We've discussed a brass plaque to
be put up in the hall with a vase beneath it for flowers.'
Dru was a11 for it, She had watched Mart closely since
Liane's death to see if it had rea11y affected him more
than he admitted. It had not, for he still had that unquenched twinkle in his eye - the keen appraisal of a
pretty face. She noticed it when he picked her up that
evening at the hotel and later when he picked Sheila up
to take them both out to a celebration dinner, which
Sheila had already booked for them at the clubhouse. It
was a relief to see hirn mourning her as he would a very
close friendo Dru would have hated to see him brokenhearted. As it was, he had made Liane's last days happy
ones.
Sheila had planned two parties at her villa on Bud's
birthday. One was in the afternoon for Bud and his small
friends, including those he had made since starting
school. The other was in the evening, mainly for the staff
of the hospital. Sheila had wanted to thank them for their
care of Bud. Since the good news of his complete recovery, however, it was more like a celebration.
Dru helped to prepare for it with Mart dashing up
from the hospital to fix fairy lights in the garden and
arrange for extra chairs and tables.
Bud's party in the afternoon had been joyously gay,
with Sheila and Dru joining in a11 the fun, and he had
gone to bed a happy little boy. She had tucked him into
bed while Sheila had gone to dress in order to be ready to
meet her guests. Then she had gone to wash and
change.
The party was a huge success with Sheila a very pretty
and happy hostess. Her husband had gone away for skin
grafts, he would come back to a very long convalescence
with her and Bud, and the stars in her eyes could be
twinkling for those babies she was aiming on adding to
the O'Brian family.
Dru felt her happiness as deeply as she would her own.
She had been too busy to dwe11 upon her own unhappiness and the bleak future facing her without Keith.
That would come later.
The two late arrivals entered the lounge with a cataclysmic suddenness that took her breath away. Her green
eyes dilated at a radiant Wisp displaying a huge diamond
on her engagement finger as she greeted her hostess on
Keith's armo As in a dream, she saw Sheila moving forward to welcome them and congratulate Wisp on her en ..
gagement. That was enough for Dru, who turned blindIy
frorn Mart, who was standing by her side and made for
the open French windows into the garden.
Mart's startIed look as she pushed past him counted for
nothing. AlI Dru could see was Keith, immaculate in
evening dress and as dear as ever. The sound of footsteps
behind her meant that Mart had followed her. But she
was past hiding her grief. With a moan, she tumed
blindly and crumpled against his chest.
'Oh, Mart,' she sobbed, "I'm sorry I couldn't stay and
congratulate Wisp and Keith. Y ou see, I love him too have done since that first day I threw myself into his
arms.' She felt his arms creep around her in sympathy
and went on, :'1 wanted to tell him about our bogus engagement, that we were only playing a part, that it wasn't
genuine. But I thought it wouldn't have been fair to you.'