Authors: Margaret Tanner
“But, but, I want to go to different shops.”
“I’ll sort something out when I get back. I’m sorry about before.” He rummaged his fingers through his hair. “I really do hate curry. I’ll grab something to eat at the airport.” He went over to the phone and called a cab.
She went up to him and put her arms around his neck. “How long will you be away?”
“Two days, three maybe. I’m not sure.”
“It’s too long to be on your own.”
“You don’t trust me. Think I can’t survive without sex?” Angry color suffused his cheeks. “I haven’t been on starvation rations lately.”
The thought that he might turn to another woman almost killed her. “No, I give it to you every night.” Why did he continually feel the need to ride roughshod over her feelings?
He grabbed his overnight bag and stalked out of the room, and she could almost believe he was upset because she didn’t trust him. She dashed to the door to call him back. Too late. He was gone.
Feeling about a hundred years old, Caroline cleaned away the uneaten meal. She ran herself a nice warm bath and soaked in it for half an hour before sadly tr
udging
off to bed.
Next morning she was up early. She couldn’t let an argument with Bryce prevent her from helping Kerry and Trevor. After tidying up the apartment she caught the elevator downstairs. In pale pink-and-white-checked slacks and a simple white button-down-the-front blouse she wouldn’t stand out in a crowd.
She bought a solitaire diamond ring and matching eternity ring at one store, a chunky gold bracelet and a diamond brooch at another, knowing full well the pawnbroker would drive a hard bargain. She pawned the rings first. “They’re worth much more than this. Look, I’ve got the receipt.”
“Listen, lady, it’s only worth eight hundred bucks to me. Take it or leave it.” She took it. She didn’t have the luxury of telling this predatory shark how despicable he was, playing on people’s desperation.
At the second pawnbrokers she didn’t fare much better. “I’m sorry, things have been a bit rough lately,” the man almost apologized. “If you could wait a couple of weeks, I might be able to give you more.”
“I can’t wait. I need the money now.”
All up, she raised two thousand, three hundred dollars. She gripped her bag tightly. What if she got mugged?
When they met, Caroline couldn’t hide her shock. White-faced, eyes red-rimmed from crying, Kerry was more distraught than Caroline had ever seen her.
“Thank God, you came. Have you got the money?”
“Yes, two thousand, three hundred dollars.” She explained how she came by it.
“Daylight robbery. Money-hungry sharks.” Kerry displayed some of her old fire.
They ordered cappuccinos and a piece of carrot cake.
“You might as well take all the money. You might need it.”
“Thanks, but two thousand is enough. I’ll never forget what you’ve done for us,” Kerry said. “Never.”
“It’s the least I can do for a friend.”
“Don’t look now, but isn’t that guy over there, the one in the navy shorts, staring at us?”
“I don’t know.” Caroline glanced around, as if casually observing a passerby.
“I think I’ve been followed.” Kerry burst out laughing, as if she didn’t have a trouble in the world.
Caroline forced a smile and tossed her head, pretending to ogle a young man sitting at a nearby table. Her mouth dried up. Butterflies twirled around in her stomach. She clenched her hands under the table so no one would see them shaking.
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know.” Kerry gave a hunted look around. “We’d better separate. You take the money to Trevor.”
“What!”
“Pretend to give me some money. Make sure he sees. He’ll follow me, and you’ll go to Trev. I’ll tell you where he’s hiding.”
“My God! What are you getting me into?”
“Ten years rotting in some military prison because he’s standing up for his beliefs.”
“I know, I know. Bryce would kill me if he ever found out. Andy, too.”
“Yeah, Harrington would, but not Andy. He’s fighting for what he believes in, like Trevor is. They’re just on opposite sides.”
Caroline found an empty envelope in her bag and made a big display of handing it over to Kerry.
“I’ll dash off like I’m in a hurry and catch a train to Ringwood or somewhere to lead him away,” Kerry said. “You dawdle around, window shop for a while then catch the bus to the address in Carlton.”
“All right. Good luck.”
“Yeah, thanks. If you see Trevor, tell him I’ll catch up with him tonight.” Kerry scuttled off.
Caroline got up from her chair slowly. She wasn’t very good at this cloak-and-dagger stuff. She wandered around the shops for a time, bought an ice cream and forced herself to eat it as she walked along. Finally, she deemed it safe to catch a bus to the address in Carlton.
It turned out to be a rundown double-storied place in a line of terraces. Shaking with nerves, she knocked on the door and waited. A bearded young man, wearing a gray caftan, warily opened it.
“Is Trevor Higginbotham here?”
“Who wants to know?”
“I’m Caroline Harrington, a friend of Kerry and Trevor.”
“Trevor,” he yelled down the passageway. “You know Caroline.”
The young man opened the door fully and Caroline scuttled in.
Make love not war. No
conscripts for
Vietnam
.
The walls were plastered with anti-war posters and peace signs.
Trevor, looking pale and drawn, gave her a hug.
“Where’s Kerry?”
“She thought someone followed her, so she caught a train to Ringwood. Said she’ll catch up with you tonight. I’ve got the money.”
“Thanks. We’ll pay you back one day, I swear.”
“It’s all right. Here’s the money. Best of luck.”
“Thanks. How’s Andy?”
“All right. He’s in Vietnam, I think, but I haven’t heard from him.”
“Kerry told me he’d gone.”
Caroline could hear other male voices but didn’t see anyone.
“Would you like a coffee?” Trevor asked.
“No, thanks, I’d better go. I’m no good at this cloak-and-dagger stuff.”
“It’s terrible. We’re supposed to live in a democracy,” he went on bitterly. “I’m not a coward. I would fight if someone attacked
Australia
, but this war is morally wrong. It’s purely political.” His mouth twisted. “I’m a fugitive in my own country, now.”
“Don’t get bitter. What are you going to do?”
“We’ve linked up with other anti-war groups. We’re going to get out of Australia and lie low in a sympathetic country. Some American draft dodgers are crossing the border into
Canada
, but it’s
too
far for us. I didn’t want to involve Kerry in this, but you know what she’s like. I love her, but I can’t go against my conscience.”
“I know, and a team of wild horses wouldn’t hold Kerry back once she makes up her mind. I’d better go. Good luck.”
“Thanks. When we get settled somewhere, we’ll write. It might have to be a bit cryptic, though.”
“Mention my dog Sebastian.” She gave a nervous laugh. “Then I’ll know it’s from you.”
Caroline caught the tram home, and by the time she let herself into the apartment she felt exhausted. You’re not cut out for all this clandestine stuff, my girl. Why wasn’t she going into screaming hysterics?
She couldn’t be bothered cooking anything much for tea, so she heated up some of the curried veal and ate that.
Would Bryce ring up to make sure she was all right, after the harsh words they’d exchanged? Not likely. What made him tick? Was he a chip off the old block? Alexander Harrington
appeared to be
a nice old man, but she recalled hearing office gossip about him having a ten year affair with some woman in the accounts department. Could infidelity be in the Harrington genes? Iris might have been prepared to share her husband, but it had turned her into a bitter woman.
I won’t make the same mistake.
Chapter Eighteen
Caroline awoke the next morning, revived after a good night’s sleep. Her good deed must have tired her out. She wasn’t sorry about helping Kerry and Trevor. That’s what friends were for.
She showered and dressed, then cooked herself some poached eggs for breakfast.
The door buzzer interrupted her solitude. For some reason she glanced at her watch. Nine o’clock.
“I’m coming.” She swung the door open. “Good…” The greeting died on her lips.
An army officer and a soldier stood there, somber-faced.
“Andy,” she screamed. A black veil came down over her eyes. Her legs buckled and the officer sprang forward and caught her before she hit the ground.
“Your brother’s all right.” He helped her into the lounge room.
“He isn’t dead? Hasn’t been killed?”
“No, no. He’s wounded, but it’s not life-threatening. I’m Lieutenant Curtis.”
“Sergeant James.”
“Oh, God, I thought…”
“Where’s your husband, Mrs. Harrington?”
“In
Canberra
.”
“Make her a cup of tea, Sergeant, unless you want something stronger, um, Caroline?”
“No, tea will do. What’s wrong with Andy?” She couldn’t stop shaking. Her teeth chattered and she felt icy cold. He wasn’t dead. Thank God. He wasn’t dead.
“Your brother has sustained serious leg injuries.”
“How serious?”
“Bad enough to get him out of
Vietnam
.”
“He’s coming home?”
“Yes, he’s being evacuated to the Heidelberg Military Hospital. There’s a top orthopedic surgeon there.”
“He won’t lose his leg?” Visions of Andy hobbling around on an artificial limb brought tears to her eyes.
“I don’t think so,” the lieutenant said. “We haven’t got many details. He’ll be admitted to Heidelberg within the next couple of days.”
She trembled so much she could barely hold the mug when the sergeant gave it to her.
“Thanks. Have one yourself.”
“Is there someone who can stay with you?”
“No. My husband is in Canberra on business, some tender for the army. Ironic isn’t it?”
“Where’s he staying? We’ll ring him up for you.”
“Thanks. I’m not sure where he is. What’s the best hotel there?”
“The Grand,” the lieutenant said. “Frightfully expensive.”
“That’s where he’ll be. The Harringtons accept nothing but the best.”
The lieutenant marched over to the phone and asked the operator to put him through to the Grand hotel.
“Good morning. I’d like to speak to Bryce Harrington urgently. Put me through to his room, please. Thank you. Hello? Hello, is that Bryce Harrington’s room?” he asked. “And you are? Ashley who?”
Caroline’s heart turned to stone. Nine o’clock in the morning and Ashley Fontain answered the phone in Bryce’s room.
“Where’s Harrington?” the lieutenant snapped. “In the shower?”
“Hang up, hang up,” Caroline pleaded, and the lieutenant dropped the receiver as if it were contaminated.
“What a bastard. I’m awfully sorry.”
“It’s all right.” She felt calm, deadly calm because her heart had frozen over. “I’m not surprised. I suspected he might have another woman.” But not so soon. The ink is barely dry on our marriage certificate.
“Is there a hotel near the military hospital?”
“There’s one around the corner,” the lieutenant said.
“Could you ring and see if they’ve got a vacancy? I’ll stay there until I find out what’s happening with Andy.”
“Sorry about all this.” The lieutenant looked embarrassed, and the sergeant stood stony-faced.
“Don’t be, I’ve been more or less expecting it. If the hotel has a vacancy, I’ll stay four days initially.” That three hundred dollars Kerry wouldn’t take could prove to be a lifesaver. “Would you mind driving me over?”
“Of course not.” The lieutenant picked up the phone again.
Hurriedly she packed a case, making sure to take only her own things. Anything that had been paid for by Bryce she left behind. Gold digger, was she?
All the store cards, the jewelry, and the keys to the apartment she piled in a heap on the island bar. She tried to slip her wedding ring off but her finger was too swollen. Fluid retention. No wonder her legs felt puffy and tight.
She debated about leaving a note, but if Bryce suspected foul play he would contact the police. And that she didn’t want. Quietly, unobtrusively, she wanted to disappear from his life. Let him have the oh-so-suitable Ashley.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” the lieutenant asked, staring intently at her.
“Yes,” she said in a low, dead-sounding voice. No tears fell. The pain and humiliation went too deep. Bryce cared so little for her or their child that he could break their marriage vows without a twinge of remorse.