"Oh Raymond!" She was crying now and I had not seen her cry for a very long time. She put up her hands and touched his face as though to assure herself that he was really there.
He held her tightly, rocking her to and fro. "It's all right now," he said. "I'm here. I'm here to take you home."
She put her hand against his chest and I saw the tears rolling down her cheeks.
I shut the door and left them together.
I went to my own room and thought: She loves him and he loves her too. Oh, what a mess we have made of everything. And what will happen now?
I was not surprised to see Milton. He had heard of Raymond's arrival and had lost no time in coming to the hotel.
I was sitting on the terrace with Raymond and Felicity when I saw him. He bounded up the steps and I rose to meet him.
I said: "Raymond Billington has come."
He looked rather grim.
"Come and meet him," I said. "Raymond... this is Milton Harrington. I've told you about him. He has helped us so much."
Raymond held out his hand. I watched Milton sizing him up. I could not tell from his expression what he thought of him.
"We were sitting here watching the harbour," I said.
"You look very much better, Felicity," said Milton.
"Oh, I am," she replied.
Milton sat down with us.
"This is rather a surprise, isn't it?" Milton turned to me. "Or did you know?"
"A great surprise," I told him.
"Letters take so long," said Raymond. "It makes communication difficult. I went to Sydney and made enquiries. Then I caught the first boat."
"Shall you stay long?"
"No. I can't do that. I shall be returning soon, I imagine. I believe the ship goes only once a week."
"You mean you are thinking of going next week?"
Raymond smiled at me. "I shall have to see about that. I've only just arrived. We haven't had time to discuss anything. It was a great shock to find that Felicity had been so ill."
Felicity lowered her eyes and flushed slightly.
"You must come up to the plantation and dine with me," said Milton.
"I hope you'll dine with us at the hotel tonight," I said to Milton.
"Thank you. I have to go back now. I'll come in at seven."
I walked with him to the stables where he had left his horse, leaving Raymond with Felicity.
Milton said: "You're not going back with him."
"I don't know. It's all so unexpected. I was astounded when I saw him getting off the boat."
"And you'd no idea that he was coming?"
"None at all."
"He should take Felicity back. She's much better since he's come. She seems like a different person."
"Yes," I agreed.
"Due to him, is it?"
"I think it must be."
"Let them go. You stay here."
"I don't know, Milton. I can't think what I should do."
"I'll think for you."
"No. I must think for myself."
He looked at me ruefully. "I might ask myself what hope I have," he said, "with a saint and a ghost for rivals."
"I don't think you would be overawed by either."
He turned to me suddenly and held me against him. I wished I could wave a wand and remove all the obstacles which stood in my way.
"I'll see you at dinner tonight," I said.
"I shall be there and perhaps I shall get to know this paragon of a man, this saint, and I am going to discover something about the ghostly one too. He's a queer character. Then I shall come to claim you for my own. You're going to stay here, you know. You're going to marry me."
I smiled at him and thought: That is what I want.
Then he mounted his horse and rode away.
There was tension in the air. Raymond's arrival had created that. Felicity had passed through the first stages of euphoria; she was very much aware of Raymond's feelings for me and there were moments when I felt she hated me for it. She was deeply in love with him. I could see that clearly. It was something she would never get over because he had been the hero of her childhood, whom she had dreamed of marrying. In fact she had implied that his family and hers
had thought that a match between them was certain. Then I had come along. No wonder she felt less than kindly towards me.
I wanted to tell Raymond that I could not marry him. I wanted him to take Felicity home and leave me here. But I had not had a chance to speak to him at any length for Felicity was with us most of the time.
I wanted to explain to him that I could not go home. Perhaps I was not going to find my brother. Perhaps I had subconsciously accepted the fact that he was lost forever and the theory that he had drowned was correct. I had discovered nothing about him really. But what I had learned was that I was unsure of myself. That I loved Milton Harrington in a different way from that in which I had loved Raymond was certain and if I went back with Raymond I should never have a moment of real happiness because my heart would be in Cariba. Yet, if I stayed here I could drift into a state of blissful oblivion of everything but the moment.
All this I wanted to explain, but I must wait for the right occasion.
The previous night Milton had dined with us at the hotel as we had arranged. It had been an uncomfortable meal. Milton was inclined to be aggressive, talking about the plantation and the island and keeping the conversation to himself. Raymond, of course, deferred, which was exactly what one would expect of Raymond.
I was glad when the meal was over and Milton left.
"A very interesting man," was Raymond's comment.
I think Milton would have been less complimentary of Raymond. But that was an indication of their different natures.
I had been unable to sleep. I had another search for the map. I went through everything I had and could not find it.
The idea occurred to me that someone had stolen it. Why? Who would want it? What use was it to anyone? It was very strange.
Looking for the map I came across Felicity's pills. She hadn't needed one for some time now and I had almost forgotten them. I had regarded that as an indication that she was getting better. But I had made sure that I had some in case she should need them. There were ten still left in the bottle. I hoped she would not need them again.
During the afternoon when Felicity was resting I did have a talk with Raymond. We sat in the courtyard under a big sunshade. The heat was intense. The cicadas were making a great noise and now and then I heard the call of the fig-bird.
He said: "So you have discovered almost nothing about your brother's disappearance."
I shook my head. "Some people remembered him. He came and stayed here. Then he went away. That is really all 1 have found out."
"It was a long way to come for such a small reward and it has brought you no nearer to what you sought. ,,
I shook my head.
"You've changed. And so has Felicity for that matter. Do you think she will ever be the same again?"
"I think she could in certain circumstances."
"You mean if she went back home."
"I mean if she had someone to care for her... someone loving and tender... someone who would show her that marriage was not what she endured with that man."
"I am so glad you were with her. She said she did not know what she would have done without you."
"It was a terrible experience for us both."
"Yes. It has changed you, too. Are you longing to come home?"
I hesitated.
"No," he said. "You're not. The life here fascinates you in a way. I believe I can understand that."
"Raymond," I told him, "you are the most understanding man in the world."
"And have you been thinking about... us?"
"A great deal."
"And are you still unsure?"
I was silent again.
He said: "I think I understand. That man is in love with you. isn't he?"