It was this brief conversation that led James a few minutes later to get hold of Gregory and say to him, `Dear friend. You have made no secret of it that Manon is your mistress. How would you wish that situation to be treated while you are here? If I put the two of you in separate bures I take it you will want to join her in hers now and then. I have not the least objection, but the servants will be certain to learn of it, so, although they will be no less respectful, it will be goodbye to her reputation. How much you or she cares about that, I have no notion; but if the thought disturbs you there is an easy way out. During your stay here we could refer to her as “Mrs. Sallust”, then I could put the two of you in a double bure. How does that idea appeal to you?'
Gregory grinned at him. `I don't think Manon is the sort of woman to care much what the servants say of her, but as far as I am concerned your idea is admirable. I have always hated having to leave the warm bed of a girl in the early hours of the morning and make my way back to a cold one. I'll tell her, and I'm sure she'll raise no objections.'
Far from objecting, Manon was delighted. To become, even temporarily, Gregory's official wife, seemed to her a splendid omen. Already, in eager anticipation, she could visualise her slim, short, pointed fingers manipulating the Sallust cheque book.
After lunching on board they all went ashore in the speed boat… When they landed at the harbour Gregory left the others, as he wanted to find out as quickly as possible from Hamie Baker how Lacost was getting on with salvaging the gold from the wreck.
Outside the Bonne Cuisine he found its fat Indian proprietor seated under an umbrella, just finishing his midday meal. Recalling their previous brief meeting, Gregory enquired for his diver. Continuing to munch a mouthful of bread and guava jelly, the landlord shook his head.
`He's not here. He's on the far side of the island, working on the wreck with the French Colons.'
That Hamie should have gone over to the enemy was a disconcerting piece of news, as for Lacost to have the assistance of two professional divers instead of one meant that he would be able to complete operations considerably quicker than Gregory had thought likely. Deciding that it would pay him to secure the good will of mine host of the Bonne Cuisine, he invited him to join him in a cognac.
The landlord readily accepted and, as they sat over their drinks, Gregory learned that the Pigalle had arrived at Revika early on the morning of the preceding Friday, April 29th, remained there only for a couple of hours to take on supplies of fresh food and collect the two divers, then set off round
the coast to the site of the wreck. That meant this was the sixth day that Lacost's party had been at work there. Naturally, everyone in Revika was taking a great interest in the proceedings, and natives were frequently going off to the Pigalle to offer for sale fresh vegetables and fruit. The accounts they brought back were to the effect that excellent progress was being made. Lacost had been particularly lucky in having an unbroken spell of calm weather. The great beam that had blocked the entrance to the stern cabins had been lifted clear on the second day. Two more days had passed while the native divers cleared away the mass of rotted debris that had fallen in when the beam had been removed and it was reported that on the previous day they had begun to get up the treasure.
All this gave Gregory furiously to think. He now feared that he might have given Lacost too great a start. Leaving the Bonne Cuisine, he hurried up the hill to the Royal burs, told James of the situation and urged upon him the necessity for taking immediate action.
18 ?Triumph and Disaster
Having listened to Gregory's alarming report, James said that he had heard much the same from Aleamotu'a, and had sent a message to Commandant Elboeuf, asking him to come to the bure that evening, so that they could learn what steps he was taking to prevent illegal salvaging from the wreck.
By then, Manon, rejoicing in her wifely status, had unpacked for both Gregory and herself, and came jauntily into the main bure, provocatively clad only in a bikini. With her was Olinda, who, at James' suggestion, had brought ashore a vanity case and swimsuit and had changed at the same time. On their appearance, Gregory and James temporarily shelved the problem of how to deal with Lacost and ten minutes later joined the girls at the pool, where the four of them spent a most enjoyable hour.
Afterwards, when they were sitting with their drinks, Gregory said to James, `These rumours we have heard give a rough picture of how things are going, but we must try to secure really accurate information. Above all, it is important for us to know when Lacost expects to be through with the job and, make off with the loot. The only way I can think of to do that is to get hold of Hamie Baker. He is now living with the others in the Pigalle. For you or me to go out to her would almost certainly result in a showdown, and we daren't risk that in a place where the odds would be so heavily against us. But it is very unlikely that they would do Aleamotu'a any harm if we sent him out with a message; so would you agree to his acting for us?'
`By all means,' James replied. `He wouldn't have to go
aboard the Pigalle, only hand a letter up for Hamie, and I'm sure he would be willing to do that.'
Accordingly, Gregory wrote a note for Hamie, in which he said that, on arriving back in Tujoa, he had found a letter from Hamie's boss, Mr. Trollope, which contained certain instructions that were to be passed on to him; so would he come ashore to receive them. Soon after five o'clock he set off in the jeep with the handsome Aleamotu'a, up through the mountain pass, past the great waterfall and down to the bay on the far side of the island in which the wreck of the Reins Maria Amalia lay.'
They parked the jeep behind a screen of banana palms and, while Gregory waited there, Aleamotu'a walked on to the beach and had himself paddled out to the Pigalle in one of the boats used by the natives to peddle their wares to the Colons.
Three quarters of an hour later he returned with Hamie Baker. Gregory greeted the diver with a frown and said abruptly, `Well, Hamie. As the other party got in first, it seems that, instead of waiting for me, you decided to lend them a hand.'
The half caste gave a sullen nod. `That's so, bass. I got fed up sitting on my arse doing nothing all them weeks, and me an' Phil Macauta had become good buddies. Anyways, your contract wi' Mr. Trollope had run out and I'd heard nothing from either of you, so I didn't see why I shouldn't earn a bit o' extra money.'
`I gave you some extra money before I left here,' Gregory remarked, `but we'll say no more about that. I've had you brought ashore to let you know that Mr. Trollope's orders are that you are to co operate with me, otherwise you'll be out on your ear when you get back to Fiji. To that I should add that I am ready to make it very well worth your while if you do as I wish.'
At that Hamie brightened a little and said, `I didn't mean no harm, an' I've no wish to quarrel wi' Mr. Trollope or yerself. What is it you want o' me?'
`For the moment only information. How have things been going out there?'
`We've done fine, baas. Got the big beam away much quicker than expected, an' yesterday started gettin' up the stuff. 114y! Yer eyes would pop at some o' the things we brought up. Crosses and cups wi' precious stones as big as 'aricot beans stuck in 'em, an' lumps of gold coins all bent and fused together as though they'd been half melted in a fire. But come evening we got a nasty jolt a real nasty one:
`In what way?' asked Gregory.