He said impassively, ‘The young missy is very much alive. It pleases me to see her so.’
Lindsay threw off his soiled shirt. ‘Was she unhappy?’
‘I think lonely. But that is gone now.’ He picked up the shirt and added, ‘I will have the women attend to this for you.’
Lindsay watched him walk slowly down the hallway. Old but very dignified. Another Jupp perhaps.
Then he turned and looked around the room. The green dress lay on a chair beside the bed. He touched it. It was still warm. Then he opened his case and took out the silver model. On — a teak table was the girl’s wristwatch. After a second’s hesitation he put the little ship beside it. Four silver teapots, Jupp had said. It must. have taken some explaining at the time.
With a smile he turned and ran down the hallway, the floor very cool under his bare feet.
He found her standing waist deep in the sea, her slim body being pushed from side to side in the deep swell.
‘Come on!’ She was squinting into the sunlight and he wished he had brought a camera. ‘There you go! You’re doing it again!’ Then she laughed, the same sound he had heard that ‘night at Scapa Flow, and plunged into the water.
When finally they emerged dripping and gasping from the sea the light was already fading. The tall line of trees was topped in the last of the sun’s rays, their shadows like black bars across the house.
She threw him a towel and began to rub another one vigorously over her hair.
She said suddenly, ‘I haven’t asked yet.’
He turned but she had her back to him. ‘What?’ ‘How long?’
‘Two days.’ He saw her shoulders stiffen, the skin still shining with droplets of spray.
Then she replied quietly, ‘We’ll make it last, won’t we?’
Her shoulders were shaking now as if from — a chill breeze, but when he put his arm around them she said, ‘I’m. not going to cry.’ Then she twisted on his arm and looked up at him. ‘I’m so happy. I can’t tell you.’
He picked up his towel. ‘By the way. The old man was quite upset when I called him Mohammed.’
She stared at him, appalled. ‘You didn’t!’ Then she saw his face and exclaimed, ‘You beast! I’m not speaking to you again, ever!’ She chuckled. ‘Although I suppose he is pretty old!’
Together they ran up the shelvingbeach and into the house. Several lights were already burning, and in the low-ceilinged room a table was laid and a bottle of wine stood chilling in-a silver bucket beside it. They stood side by side in the doorway just staring at the table and the quiet room. Then he slipped his arm around her shoulders again, the damp skin almost cold under. his touch.
He heard her say, ‘It’s quite marvellous. I didn’t know ‘things like this could happen.’
‘Nor me. I have a feeling that your friend Marion has had a hand in it.’
‘Yes. I was thinking the same thing.’ She moved away, light on her feet, before he could reach her. ‘I’m going to change. I shall try and look like a lady, just for you.’ She paused. ‘Then — you can get into something. But not uniform. This once.’
‘I wasn’t going to.’ He smiled. ‘This once.’
‘Help yourself to a drink over there. Not too much. I want to share everything.’ She ran down in the hallway towards the bedroom. ‘God, I feel wicked! I really do!’
The old servant appeared silently with a bath robe. ‘I will call you when missy is ready, sir.’
‘You’ve done a fine job here. Thanks very much.’
The man shrugged. ‘It is nothing.’ But there was a hint of a smile as he walked away as dignified as ever.
Lindsay was stooping at a drinks cabinet when she burst in on him again. She.was still wearing the swimsuit and was holding the silver ship in her hands.
‘This is a wonderful present, darling!’ She ran to him and kissed him impulsively on the cheek. Her face was wet, but it was not spray this time.
‘It was Jupp’s. He wanted you to have it.’ -
‘Bless him.’ She stood back and studied him for several seconds. ‘And you.’ Then she walked away again, very slowly, holding the ship against her body like a talisman.
The dinner, like everything else, was perfect. While Lindsay had been changing into shirt and slacks, candles had appeared on the table, and while the old man and his son waited on them, he and the girl sat facing each other, aware of nothing but ‘each other. In the distance an animal was howling in the darkness and insects maintained a steady buzzing attack on the screened windows. But.beyond the circle of candlelight nothing was real or important.
She was wearing a dress of soft yellow which left her shoulders bare. In the candlelight her face was very clear, her expression changing to match their mood with each passing moment.
Only once did she touch on that other world.
‘When is it all going to end? It might be years yet.’
‘Don’t think about it.’ Their hands clasped across. the table. ‘Think about us.’
After thatt they said very little, and when the table was cleared, the coffee cups empty, Lindsay could sense yet another change in her mood.
She walked to the door and said, ‘Don’t look at me. 1–1 don’t want to make a fool of myself.’ She turned towards him, her voice very low. ‘But it’s so little time.’ Her lip quivered. ‘And I want you so badly.’ When he made to speak she added quickly, ‘Just give me a few minutes.’ Again she tried to laugh. ‘I’m a bit fluttery inside!’
Lindsay sat in the quiet room listening to the insects against the screens. The animal had stopped howling, so that the silence seemed all the more intense.
Then he blew out the candles and walked from the room. One light still burned in the hallway and beneath the bedroom door was another.
She was lying quite motionless in, the bed but her eyes followed him as he moved into the lamplight and stood looking down at her.
A black nightgown lay across a chair and she said, ‘.It belongs to Marion.’
He sat down on the edge of the bed and touched her hair.
She added quietly, ‘But I don’t want anything belonging to anyone else. You don’t think I’m silly?’
‘No. Of course I don’t..’ He leaned over and kissed her forehead. ‘I think you’re very special.’
‘I just want you to be happy with me.’ She dropped her eyes to his hand as he pulled the sheet gently from beneath her chin. ‘I don’t want to spoil anything.’
Then she closed her eyes and lay still as he dragged the sheet away and sat looking at her, his hand moving gently across her body. She did not move until he had slipped out of his clothes and lay down beside her, an arm beneath her head, his other hand around one of her breasts. Then she opened her eyes and watched him, her breath warm against his face.
‘Two days and three nights.’
He felt her body go. rigid as he moved his hand across the gentle curve of her stomach, and when he lowered his head to her breast he could feel the heart beating like a small trapped animal. Beating to match his own.
Her arms came up and around his head, her fingers gripping his shoulders with sudden urgency as she whispered, ‘Oh, God! I do love you!’
The fingers seemed to be biting into his flesh as he moved his, hand still more, feeling her come alive to his touch, the need and the desire breaking down their reserves like an unspoken word.
As he rose above her she threw. open her arms and stared up into his face, her mouth moist in the lamplight.
Then he was falling, feeling her arch to receive him, holding him, dragging him down and down, until the fierceness of their love left them entwined in the soft glare like statuary.
The next thing Lindsay realised was that he was awake, his head cradled against the girl’s hip while she ran her fingers gently through his hair. The lamp was out and through the shutters he could see the faint gleam of dawn