I decided to ask Maria who she was when I next saw her. Maria would be sure to know.
To my amazement Maria came to my room. That was another habit of hers. She would come in without knocking, and although I had asked her to remember to do so, she often forgot.
"Miss Mallory," she said in a high-pitched excited voice and she appeared to be so consumed with laughter that she could scarcely speak, "there's a lady downstairs asking for you. She's come to call on you."
"Oh, who is she?"
Maria was so overcome that for a few seconds she was speechless.
"It's Mrs. Manuel," she burst out at length.
"Is that the lady I saw a little while ago? Tall, dark, in white?"
Maria nodded.
"I'll come down," I said.
Mrs. Manuel was seated in the reception area and I was aware of Rosa behind the desk, and several of them standing there, tense as though waiting for something extraordinary to happen.
She rose when I appeared.
"Miss Mallory," she said, "I have come to see you. I am Magda Manuel."
"Oh, how nice to meet you. I've heard of you."
"Everybody hears everything on these islands."
"I have heard about you from Milton Harrington."
There was silence about us. They were all listening intently as though there was something of great significance about this meeting.
"Perhaps we could go somewhere and talk," I said.
Rosa betrayed the fact that she had been listening by saying guilelessly: "Oh yes, Miss Mallory. Come this way."
She led us to the room with the balcony overlooking the harbour where I had once talked to Milton.
"You would like some refreshment?" I asked.
"Yes please."
Rosa said she would bring Lalu, which was the name of the local drink which was made of fruit and was only slightly alcoholic— the perfect drink for a hot day which was obviously why it was so popular.
We sat together side by side on the balcony.
"I have been meaning to call on you for some time," she said. "But we are so busy on the plantation."
"The plantation?"
"Oh, didn't you know. I come from Second Island. We have our plantation there. Not as big as the one here ... but there is a great deal to do in it. I can't keep my work people in order as Milton does his. I lack the touch ... so did my husband. Milton has taught us a few things."
"So you have a sugar plantation, too."
"Oh yes... It's a little too much. I lost my husband quite recently. I don't know how I could carry on without Milton's help."
The refreshment was brought by one of the men who seemed reluctant to leave us. I had a notion that beyond this room they were all talking about the meeting between myself and Magda Manuel.
"Milton was talking about you and I thought I'd call," she said. "You must visit me. Come to dinner. I believe you have a friend with you."
"Yes. But she has been very ill and still is."
"I heard about that terrible business in Australia." She looked at me apologetically. "You see, news travels fast here. It hasn't far to go."
"She is not well enough to see anyone just yet, but she is improving."
"You haven't been to Second Island yet, have you? I know you haven't or I should have heard."
"No, but I have often looked at it. It seems green and inviting."
"The green is the cane ..."
"Are you managing the plantation yourself?"
"Not exactly. I have a good man. George Callerby. He was my husband's right-hand man. So many things go wrong in a plantation. Storms can beat down the canes; rats and white ants can eat them; the boilers give up at the wrong moment and the mills grind to a halt. Milton has all his under control and the best equipment... and most of all a way of handling people. He rules with the iron hand in the velvet glove. I have never known how people achieve that. Nor did my husband. He used to say Milton had a genius for these things. These people must know who is master. They've got to respect you, otherwise they'll slack and you'll find them half asleep with their
cutters in their hands. But I am boring you with all this talk of business. What I want to know is, will you dine with us?"
"I should enjoy that."
"I'll fix a date. Milton will row you over. It is not really far. I've wanted to meet you so much but I have been busy. You see, my husband died only a few months ago. It was while Milton was in England."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"He was ailing for a long time, so it wasn't unexpected. Til let you know the date. It will probably be next week. That will be all right, won't it? You're not thinking of leaving us yet?"
"I shall have to go soon, I suppose. But I want to make sure that Mrs. Granville is fit to travel."
"Of course."
She rose. She was very gracious and graceful; the gold glinted in her ears and the sun caught it about her neck. She was a very beautiful woman.
I walked with her through the reception room to the door of the hotel.
I was very much aware of the eyes which followed us. I was sure that as soon as we were out of sight, the whispering would begin.
I went up to my room.
Maria was there, making a great play with a duster, but apparently doing very little.
I spoke to Milton about Magda when I saw him that evening. I wondered whether he had spent the day with her.
He had come to have dinner with me which he usually did. He often asked me to go out to his house, but I was wary of doing this and I did not care to leave Felicity alone in the hotel for too long. I wanted to be somewhere within call if possible.
We sat in the courtyard before dinner and I said to him: "I had a visitor this morning. A friend of yours."
"Magda," he said.
"She told you?"
"Yes."
"I suppose she called on you after she left me."
"She came up, yes."
"She tells me they have a plantation on that island."
"That's right. Smaller than this one."
"She told me that, too. She manages it on her own."
"She has a very good man in George Callerby. Jose Manuel wasn't meant for it. He should never have taken it up."
"She said you had been helpful to them." "I gave a bit of advice... when Jose was alive." "I gather that he died while you were in England." "I can see she has brought you up to date with the news." "Everyone here seems to be very amused that she should come to see me."
"They are easily amused." "They seemed to find this especially hilarious." He looked at me sardonically. "Magda has been almost a widow for some time. She had a hard life. Jose was injured in his mill. Something went wrong and he wasn't experienced enough to handle it properly. He was badly hurt and had been an invalid for four years." "And you were a great friend of his and helped him a good deal." "I found George Callerby for them. He is an excellent man." I could imagine it so clearly. The husband who was no husband; the vibrant woman, young and beautiful, and Milton's going over to their island to help them, being the good friend... especially to Magda.
And of course the islanders would know. There was little they did not know. Perhaps they had thought that now Jose was dead, Milton would marry his widow. Then ... I had appeared. Oh yes, it was very clear to me.
I had a rival. I could not stop thinking of her sinuous beauty, which made me feel almost clumsy in comparison. She had dignity and good looks. She fitted into this island life far better than I would. I wondered what he felt about Magda. I fancied his voice had softened a little when he spoke of her and I was aware of twinges of jealousy. It was absurd. I kept telling myself that as soon as Felicity was well enough I would go home and marry Raymond.