Authors: Rosalind Brett
“
Better late than never, though. Don
’
t you agree?
”
He was baiting her, cynically. Well, she could take it, and he wouldn
’
t stay long. He obviously wasn
’
t in a sociable mood. He was wearing an immaculate light-colored linen jacket with dark trousers, but his shirt was open, showing a strong brown neck. His shoulders looked straight and broad and his casual stance suggested the sort of relaxation you might expect of a leopard.
“
Would you like something—whisky and soda?
”
she asked politely.
“
I might like something, but it wouldn
’
t be whisky and soda,
”
he returned, as evenly.
“
Are we quite alone?
”
“
I
’
m afraid
so.”
“
Don
’
t be afraid, Teresa. We
’
ve been alone before, in far more lonely spots.
”
Almost imperceptibly he drew closer to her.
“
You smell very sweet, and you look like a clean, scrubbed little girl. I shall be free tomorrow—I
’
ll take you out for a picnic.
”
The hands she had sunk into the pockets of her gown clenched themselves damply.
“
I don
’
t think that would be very wise, do you? And I honestly don
’
t think we
’
d enjoy it. Staying apart as we have for the last week has been much better for both of us.
”
Then hurriedly, hoping
the
topic could be shelved
i
f she introduced another:
“
Have you seen Mr. Bretherton lately?
”
“
Only on the company
’
s business, but he did mention that he
’
d like to keep in touch with you. Some time soon he
’
ll be inviting you to have lunch with him.
”
Again cold mockery in his tones.
“
He
’
ll probably want to decide for himself that you
’
re being a good girl. You are, of course, aren
’
t you? Although you may have hoped for a tender farewell scene tonight with Roger. I hear he
’
s off to Singapore tomorrow.
”
Terry felt as if her throat were closed. So that was why he had come—to make sure, and to taunt her. He stood there, looking cold and arrogant and sure of himself, but watchful too.
“
That
’
s right,
”
she managed.
“
Wish you were going with him?
”
She drew in a horribly dry lip, said with husky defiance,
“
That
’
s not a bit funny, Pete. If you
’
ve guessed that I
’
m definitely going with Roger, and
...
”
But in that second she saw, fatally, that he hadn
’
t guessed it at all. His mockery, the watchfulness, the faint indolence in his posture, all vanished. He was suddenly blazingly angry.
“
Say that again,
”
he said, his tone dangerously soft. Terry
’
s knees were fluid, her heart beat a frightening tattoo.
“
There
’
s no need to make a mountain out of it,
”
she said quickly.
“
I told you I was determined to go to Singapore.
”
“
And I told you you weren
’
t going! How dare you go ahead and make arrangements as if I don
’
t exist? You gave me your word!
”
“
I didn
’
t.
”
Terry was angry as well, but frightened with it.
“
If I
’
d given my word I
’
d have kept it.
”
“
You let me believe you
’
d accepted my attitude; to me it was as good as a promise. But you
’
ve actually been going ahead with the plan behind my back—taking advantage of the fact that I had extra plantation work to keep me busy. It
’
s rank treachery!
”
“
That
’
s most unfair,
”
she flung
‘
at him.
“
I told you that I feel free to do as I please. I had a simp
le
invitation from an oldish couple in Singapore and I can
’
t see a single reason why I shouldn
’
t accept it. We already have the plane tickets
...”
“
To blazes with them!
”
he snapped.
“
I told you that if you persisted I
’
d make a public announcement about us
...
and I will. You can
’
t possibly have thought I was joking!
”
“
Not joking ... but I did think it was just a threat. You wouldn
’
t really want Astrid Harmsen to know about us.
”
“
I could have managed Astrid, if it became necessary. As it happens, though, she
’
s left Penghu with her brother
.
”
“
For
...
for good?
”
“
Possibly.
”
His eyes cold and furious, he dismissed Astrid with a wave of his hand.
“
Don
’
t let
’
s confuse this. It happens to be something that
’
s between you and me. While you
’
re bound to me you
’
ll stay here.
”
“
But I
’
m going home to England in a couple of weeks!
”
“
You
’
re not. You
’
re staying right here in Penghu till that annulment is through,
”
he clipped out.
“
I wouldn
’
t trust you anywhere else.
”
Terry
’
s cheeks were scarlet, her mouth trembled.
“
I
’
ve told everyone I
’
m leaving. I can
’
t suddenly change my mind. Besides, there couldn
’
t possibly be any hitch to the annulment if we
’
re apart. Mr. Bretherton would have mentioned something about it.
”
“
I don
’
t care about Bretherton
’
s opinion or anyone else
’
s. I told you flatly that I wouldn
’
t have you go to Singapore as an unattached girl to be looked over by Payn
’
s parents. It
’
s almost unbelievable that you yourself are so keen to go there under such conditions!
”
“
I
’
m
not
going to Singapore as Roger
’
s
fiancé
e.
”
“
I
’
ll say you
’
re not! You
’
re not going there at all. And this time I
’
m not asking for your worthless promise. I
’
m just telling you that if you so much as attempt to leave Penghu with Payn tomorrow, I
’
ll yank you out of his car right there on the square, in front of everyone—and tell them why I
’
m doing it!
”
She drew a sharp, painful breath.
“
You
’
re insufferable,
”
she whispered.
“
It
’
s incredible that you can be the man who brought me from Vinan.
”
“
I
’
m the same guy,
”
he said grimly,
“
but there was no question in our minds then about that marriage. It didn
’
t exist.
”
“
If you hate it so much, why don
’
t you just let me go? At least you could forget it till we
’
re legally free.
”
“
Letting you loose would be like leaving dynamite near a bonfire. You
’
re right ready to fall into someone
’
s arms, and your first reaction would be to confess the blot on your past.
”
“
I swear I
’
d never say a word about it!
”
His mouth thinned in a smile.
“
Don
’
t try that. I happen to know the value of a promise from you.
”
“
How many times,
”
she demanded unsteadily,
“
do I have to repeat that I made you no promise? You were tyrannical and I had to give in just then. But even after we
’
d parted that night I had no intention of giving up the week
’
s holiday. I
’
ve explained that
...”
“
You
’
re only worsening the matter. Get one thing very clear in your mind. No
woman
is going to explain away something that happened to
me.
If I have to, I
’
ll announce the blighted marriage myself, but I won
’
t have you confessing it as if it were something to be ashamed of!
”
His final statement halted Terry. She put up a hand and drew together the lapels of the wrap, looked at his dark and angry face. Despairingly she wondered if anything she could say would get through the savage barrier he had thrown up between them.
At last she made an effort.
“
I do need that week
’
s holiday Pete. Please believe me when I say I won
’
t do
or
say a single thing you wouldn
’
t approve of.
”
“
I don
’
t want to hear anything more about it,
”
he said curtly.
“
Payn leaves without you tomorrow. You
’
d better feel ill and stay in bed.
”
“
But don
’
t you see
...
”
“
That
’
s all!
”
he said sharply.
“
If you try anything in the least underhand, I
’
ll not only use force to keep you here, but everyone will know that I have a right to use it I mean that!
”
By now Terry was spent and reckless.
“
You brute,
”
she said hotly, shakily.
“
You unfeeling, domineering brute! I suppose the trouble at the Harmsens was your own connection with Astrid. She expected some declaration you weren
’
t free to make, and ran out on you. And now you
’
re taking things out on me, because I
’
m the reason you couldn
’
t beg her to marry you. In your heart, if you have one, you
’
re blaming me for Astrid
’
s actions. I
’
m the
...
the obsta
cl
e. The deadweight you can
’
t throw off for another month or two. So you
’
ll do your best to keep me here, and torment me for the pain I
’
ve caused you.
”