Margery's hands trembled and she drew a sharp breath as Lavina went on quietly:
'And I'm not thinking only of Sam. Although we've never been great friends I'm fond of you in my own way, because you are my sister and I haven't forgotten the good times we had together as children. We've grown apart a lot, but now we're up against it those sort of memories come back. It wasn't always my fault that every man we knew always fell for me, but I'd like to make it up to you a bit, now I have the chance.
'As there're no Law Courts or clergymen or anything left in the world, we'll have to go back to primitive conditions and look on Gervaise as our law-giver and priest. By his word, in the presence of the party, we must consider that he has formally divorced myself and Sam. Then he can read the marriage service over Sam and you. I hope, darling, that you'll be very happy.'
'Oh, Lavina!' Margery suddenly burst into tears and flung her arms about her younger sister. 'You don't know what this means to me. You can't. You've had so many people in love with you; but I've never known the joy of the love of a fine man before. If only we can get to Calais you've opened the gates of Heaven for me.'
For a little she sobbed, and then she said: 'But what about you, darling? What are you going to do?'
Lavina gently disengaged herself from Margery's embrace, picked up her package, and stood up. 'Oh, you needn't worry about me,' she smiled. 'I've still got a string to my bow.'
Pulling her furs round her, she added as she left the tent: 'I'll send Sam to you.'
The four men were still huddled in the tent which was shared by Sam and Hemmingway. Lavina undid the flap, poked in her head, and calling Sam out led him to the third tent, which at the moment was empty.
'Sam,' she said, as they crouched together in the confined space, 'I've just left Margery. I suppose you feel the same as you did when we talked things over a month ago?'
He nodded. 'Yes. I hate to hurt you, but I'm still in love with her—in fact I love her more than ever.'
Lavina smiled. 'I felt quite sure you did because I've been watching both of you very carefully.'
'Today's the 7th, isn't it? What have you decided?'
'That I love you a great deal, Sam dear.'
As she paused she saw by the light of the candles that his face went white and that he was biting his lip, so she went on quickly: 'Therefore, I'm going to give you up. Just give me one kiss before you go to her.'
Sam took her in his arms and kissed her cold little face, muttering his thanks; then, feeling an utter brute, he turned and left her.
Sam had felt all along that Lavina would release him and he knew now beyond a shadow of doubt that he loved Margery best. Their perfect understanding of each other all through the long hours they had spent together during the last terrible month had proved that to him. As he entered the tent she lifted a face radiant, transfigured, beautiful, to his, and said:
'I didn't think Lavina would say anything until we were really safe again but I've just realised why she insisted on telling us now.'
Sam smiled as he knelt down and gently drew her to him. 'Why, it's the 7th and Lavina always keeps her promises. What other reason could she have had?'
'She wouldn't have waited till the 7th if we'd been in such desperate straits before. She wanted to give us tonight, Sam; and afterwards—well, I'm not going to mind half so much if we do have to die.'
'But we're not going to,' he said firmly. 'I have a hunch we're coming through. I don't get such hunches often but when I do I'm never wrong.'
Ten minutes later the coffee was boiling and Margery called out to the others. The three men came out of their huddle and as they crossed the few feet of open space between the tents Gervaise exclaimed:
'Hullo! The wind's dropped. Thank God for that at least.'
'It did last night,' said Hemmingway, 'but it didn't stop snowing.'
'Anyhow, it'll make it easier for me to do a little job I have in mind,' remarked Derek. 'There's a biggish hump about fifty yards inland. I noticed it while we were pitching the tents but I was too cold to go and examine it then. There's just a chance that it might conceal the roof of a cottage and it would be a godsend if we could shelter there for the night. Ask Margery to keep my coffee hot for me, will you, while I go and see?'
'Where's Lavina?' Gervaise asked as he and Hemmingway joined Margery and Sam.
'She's in your tent,' Sam replied at once. 'I left her there about a quarter of an hour ago.'
They called her loudly but she did not come, so Gervaise stepped outside, crossed the yard of snow, and lifting the gap of his own tent looked into it. Lavina was not there, but by the light of a candle he saw the big flask of brandy. Scrambling inside, he picked it up, then the chocolate, the Brand's Essence and then the map. Turning the map over, he saw writing on it that was addressed to him and, his hands trembling so that he could hardly hold it, he began to read.
Dearest, if the rest of you can hang out for forty-eight hours I'm sure you will find Calais; and, once you've done that, there'll be a really sporting chance for you all. But you'll never stick mother two days of this without fires and with so little food. My share won't amount to very much between the five of you, but it'll help a little; and I've been carrying my own emergency-rations. The beef essence, the chocolate and the brandy will keep the warmth in you for just that extra day you need.
You're such a clever old sweet that I expect you guessed long ago how the wind was blowing between Margery and Sam. They love each other and I want them to be happy. I've released Sam and told Margery that you'd divorce him and me, but that won't be necessary now because I love you alt so much that I'm going to leave you.
You mustn't worry about me because I'm not a bit frightened. It all seems quite natural and the reasonable thing to do. I'm the most useless member of the party and physically the weakest and, anyhow, I wouldn't be able to stick it out for another day.
It's no good you rushing out and trying to follow me. 1 know you will, but I'm going to cheat you there. I'm going to walk straight over the cliff edge, just to prevent your doing anything silly out of your dear love for me.
It's agony not to see you again before 1 go but I daren't risk any of you guessing what 1 mean to do, and I must go before the meal otherwise I'd have to eat my ration with the rest of you.
Give my love to them all but keep my fondest love for your own dear self. Lots of luck, and remember that I'm quite happy because I'm certain that, somehow, you'll pull through.
Your own Princess.
While Gervaise had been reading Lavina's scrawl Sam and Hemmingway, their suspicions aroused by his continued silence, had entered the tent behind him. One glance at the things Lavina had left, and another at Gervaise's stricken face, was enough to tell them what had happened.
Without a word the three men turned and went out into the snow. Outside the circle of the tiny encampment the broad tracks made by Lavina's snow-shoes showed plainly leading towards the cliff. Had she been gone one minute, two minutes, or ten, was the thought that leapt into all their minds. It would take her a good five minutes to cover the sixty yards of snow to the precipice. If she had been gone less than that time they still might save her.
Shouting her name at the tops of their voices, all three of them dashed forward along her tracks, but there came no answer to their shouting and at the cliff edge the tracks ceased.