'That bitch? She's been here already?'
'Well
'Demanding me departure, I reckon.'
'Well. . .' Dick got up, walked around the bed. The legs promptly moved again, to allow a space on the other side. But he remained standing. 'I mean, I doubt you'd want to stay,' he said. 'In view of your, ah, relationship with my uncle. Not now I'm here. Oh, please, I understand about the money. I'm prepared to make you an offer. I mean, a settlement.' He could feel his cheeks burning. 'What do you think would be right?'
Little creases appeared on that high forehead. Then she patted the bed, with the hand which had been holding the sheet; a pink nipple peeped at him. 'Sit down, Mr Hilton.'
'Oh, I . . .' But he obeyed, waited for the hand to return to its duty. It didn't.
'She'll have told you all she thinks you need know,' Harriet Gale said. 'Bitch. They're all bitches. Jealous bitches, while my Bob lived. Vengeful bitches, now. There's nothing worse.'
'Well, of course, I suppose it was reasonable of them to be jealous . . .'
'Do you remember your uncle?'
He shook his head. 'I suppose he may have patted me on the head as a child, but I don't remember him at all.'
'He was a fine man, Mr Hilton. A fine man. But he had that accident. You've heard of that.'
'My mother has mentioned it.'
'Aye,' she said. 'But think of it, man. He'd just inherited the plantation. Why, just like you, Mr Hilton, and no older I'll swear.' She smiled at him. 'Not that I was born then, you'll understand. But he told me himself. His horse threw him, and then kicked him. You'll know where?'
'Well. . .'
'If it'd been his worst enemy it couldn't have aimed better. They say he nearly died, from the pain of it. One ball was gone altogether, and his tool was bent like a branch.'
'Oh. I say, do . . .'
'So you'll understand what it did to him. The most eligible bachelor in all the West Indies, and he was afraid to lower his breeches for fear of being laughed at. So first of all they rumoured about him, and then, when the truth was out, they laughed behind their fans. Women can be a cruel lot, Mr Hilton.
I should know. Christ, how me head hurts. You'd not pour me some of that water?'
Hastily he filled a glass from the earthenware pitcher on the window sill, and held it to her lips.
'So he turned in on himself,' she said. 'He couldn't even take a nigger girl, because they laugh louder than anyone, and a white man must have authority. He was just shrivelling away.'
'I can understand how bitter he was,' Dick said. 'But I don't see . . .'
'Harry was a bookkeeper, right here on Hilltop. Oh, he was a miserable little lout. If me father hadn't left me destitute I'd never have looked at him twice. But it was Harry Gale or starve. And so you know what he did? He filled me belly with that terror out there, and then died of a colic'
'Oh, dear,' Dick said. 'I am sorry to hear that.'
'Well, I had to go. So I came up here to say goodbye, all swollen belly, and there was me Bob staring through the window of the study, and you know, Mr Hilton, we didn't hardly say a word? Maybe he'd been looking at me during the year I'd lived here. And I had to be looking at him, because he was the master. And we looked at each other for five minutes, then he said, why not stay a while, Mistress Gale. Oh, he was nervous. I'd never have believed it, in a man like Robert Hilton. And would
you
believe it, Mr Hilton, all he wanted was the company, then. He figured with me belly full there couldn't be anything else. But I knew what he really wanted.'
Dick scratched his head. He was interested, despite his embarrassment. 'I don't quite understand, if he was as crippled as you say . . .'
'I used me hands, Mr Hilton. He could still feel.'
'Oh. I . . .' Hastily he got up again.
'I made him happy, Mr Hilton. His last nine years were the happiest he'd ever known.' 'I'm sure they were.'
'But of course, you can imagine the gossip,' she said. 'They used to make up lampoons about what we did in bed. And they'd whisper behind me back. But with Mr Robert Hilton protecting me, there wasn't anyone dare say nothing to me face. And then he died. Would you believe it, Mr Hilton, he wasn't buried, wasn't even cold, when those bitches from down the hill, led by that Laidlaw, came marching up here demanding that I leave, immediately.' 'But you refused?'
'I locked Judith and meself in here and told them to break down the door. Well, they've no belly for it, have they? We'll not soil our hands with her, they said, loud enough for me to hear. When the new owner arrives, he'll see to her. Mr Hilton . . .' She rose out of the bed rather like Venus rising from the waves, and as the sheet fell down to her thighs it occurred to Dick that she was indeed Venus. He had never actually seen a naked woman before, and these were the most flawless breasts he had ever imagined, large and firm, white-skinned and blue-veined, with hardened pink nipples and a wondrous damp valley between.
'Mistress Gale,' he gasped. 'For heaven's sake.'
She subsided, and regained the sheet. 'Mr Hilton, if you turn me out of here, they'll have tar and feathers to me arse before I reach the end of the drive. And what they'd do in town . . .'
'Surely you're exaggerating.'
'I'm not, Mr Hilton. Truly, I'm not. It's not the money, Mr Hilton. I'm in fear of me life. I made him happy, Mr Hilton. I swear I made him happy.'
Dick scratched his head some more. How he wanted just to lie down and go to sleep. But how the idea of lying down and going to sleep, or not as the case might be, was associated with that magnificent sight of a moment ago, and the even more magnificent sight he had just avoided. 'Well, of course,' he said. 'We'll have to make arrangements for your safety. Perhaps if you were to leave Jamaica . . .'
'Leave Jamaica?' she cried. 'I was born here, Mr Hilton. I've never been nowhere else.'
‘
Ah. Well. .
'Just let me stay a while, Mr Hilton. I'll not be in your way. Just 'til the gossip dies down. It won't be long.'
'Hm. Yes, I suppose that would be the simplest thing. All right, Mistress Gale, you can stay, until you think it is safe to leave.'
'Oh, thank God. And thank you, Mr Hilton.' She started to move again, and he hastily backed to the door.
'I think you want to have a good rest,' he said. 'But perhaps you'd join my brother and me for lunch.'
'Your brother? Well, land's sakes. But it'll be a pleasure, Mr Hilton. I don't know how to thank you, Mr Hilton, really I don't.'
He gave her a smile, backed through the door, closed it behind him, and found himself sweating. And more than sweating. The sight of her, the sound of her, the smell of her, the very
idea of
her, and Uncle Robert, had him remembering Joan Lanken, and quite forgetting poor Ellen.
'Well, Mr Hilton? Does she leave now?'
He looked down the stairs. Clarissa Laidlaw waited there, and she had been joined by half a dozen other white women, some giving him a nervous smile, others attempting to look suitably severe.
'Ah,' he said, and began his descent. He could hear the clatter of a knife and fork from the dining room to suggest that Tony was still eating. 'Well, you see, Mrs Laidlaw, Clarissa, ladies, she has explained her circumstances, and I am inclined to agree that it would be heartless of me to set her in the street so to speak . . .'
'She's not going?' Clarissa Laidlaw's voice rose an octave.
'Well, not immediately. When she has got over her grief, and . . .'
'She's flashed her tits at you,' Clarissa Laidlaw shouted. 'That's what she's done.'
'Please, Clarissa.' He reached the bottom step. 'Well, of course . . .'
'I'll not stand for it,' Clarissa declared. 'We'll not stand for it. You must make up your mind, Mr Hilton. It's us or her. If she stays, we go. All of us. And we'll take our husbands with us.'
5
The Planter
Dick scratched his head. 'Now, really, ladies, please do not take on so. It will only be a short while, and then Mistress Gale will be gone.'
'A short while?' cried Clarissa Laidlaw.
'She'll be here forever,' said another voice.
'We know her like, Mr Hilton,' said a third.
'We'll get rid of her for you, Mr Hilton,' said a fourth. 'But tell us to do so.'
'Ah,' Dick said. 'That is exactly what she is afraid of. No, no, ladies. I have told her that she may stay for a while, and given her my promise that she will not be molested.'
Clarissa Laidlaw glared at him. 'And that is your last word on the matter?'
'Why, yes, I suppose it is, for the time being. Now, Clarissa, if you'd be good enough to introduce me . . .'
'That's it, then,' she declared. 'We leave. The moment our men come in from aback.'
'Leave?' Dick cried. 'You're not serious.'
'They say they're going,' Tony observed, from the dining room archway. 'Well, then, Mrs Laidlaw, I suggest you get on with it.'
She glanced at him, and flushed. 'There's the notice . . .' 'Just clear out,' Tony said. 'We'll forget the notice.' 'You can't speak to me like that,' she declared. 'You're not Mr Hilton.'
'What they are trying to do, Dickie boy,' Tony explained continuing to smile at the women,
'is to establish who really is
the master here. You surrender to them now, and they'll have you waiting on table.'
'Really,' said one of the other women. Mrs Laidlaw appeared to have lost the power of speech.
It occurred to Dick that Tony, as usual, was absolutely right, that in fact Clarissa Laidlaw had been treating him like a slightly backward younger brother all morning.
Tony could read his expression. 'And it is always better to dismiss people than have them dismiss you,' he said. 'Ladies as of this moment, you are under twenty-four hours' notice to quit Hilltop. Oh, and take your husbands with you.'
'You . . . you . . . you'll not permit this, Richard,' Clarissa shouted.
'I'm afraid you have brought it on yourself,' Dick said. 'Of course, I'm perfectly willing to forget the whole business . . .'
'Never,' she cried. 'Not while that woman stays.'
She was looking up the stairs, and Dick turned his head; Harriet Gale, wearing the same crimson undressing robe as when he had first seen her and with her feet bare, was standing on the gallery above him.
'Christalmighty,' Tony remarked. 'Well, then, ladies, you'd best be off.'
'Mr Hilton,' began one of the other women.
'Out,' Tony commanded, advancing on them. 'What are the magic words, Mrs Laidlaw? I'll set the dogs on you. Or is it Absolom?'
The other women were already backing towards the door. But still Clarissa hesitated. 'You won't get away with this,' she said. 'You think you'll find other overseers? None like my Charlie. Your cane will rot. You'll go bankrupt. Hiltons. You think . . .'
'Boscawen,' Tony said, for the butler, and the other domestics, were hovering behind him in the pantry, listening
to the row. 'Would you find thi
s chap Absolom. Tell him to bring his stick.'
'Oh, you . . .' Clarissa Laidlaw turned and fled behind her companions.
'You were magnificent. Magnificent.' Harriet Gale descended the stairs, her undressing robe threatening to disintegrate at every movement.
'I wonder if we weren't a little hard,' Dick mused.
'Strength, boy, that's all any of these people understand,' Tony declared. 'Aren't you going to introduce us?'
'I do apologize. Harriet Gale, Anthony Hilton. Mr Hilton is my brother, Mistress Gale.'
'Me pleasure, Mr Hilton.' She gave Tony her hand, but withdrew it immediately to grasp Dick's arm. 'But your brother is right, you know. You must be strong. With those people no less than with the blacks.'
'Oh, no doubt,' he agreed. 'But supposing they carry out their threat. . .'
'Carry out
their
threat?' Tony demanded. 'You have dismissed them, Dickie boy. You can't change your mind now.'
'Oh, indeed, your brother is right, Mr Hilton,' Harriet said.
'Aye, well, when they have gone, who is going to manage the plantation?'
Harriet gave his arm a squeeze. 'Why, you are, Mr Hilton. It'll be in your blood. And besides, I'll show you.'