Seven for a Secret (32 page)

“That is what we are doing.”

“Well, it is interesting to find someone who is going to this little-known place.”

“Rather comforting,” commented Tamarisk.

“I agree,” he said with a warm smile.

We were both happy to have discovered the identity of Luke Armour and to have found him so pleasant.

He was very knowledgeable and told us that when he visited places he liked to learn as much about them as possible. That was why he was frustrated at being unable to discover much about Casker’s.

“It is wonderful to see the world,” he said.

“One has heard of places from school lessons but it is seeing them in reality which brings them to life. I like to think of Tariq ibn Ziyad coming to this place years ago in 711, I think. That would be nearly twelve hundred years ago.

Just think of that! And the English thought Jabal Tariq (Mount Tariq) was too foreign for their liking and Jabal Tariq was trans lated into Gibraltar. And now the place is in British hands the only entrance to

the Mediterranean from the Atlantic Ocean, to be guarded as one of the most important fortresses in the world. “

“That’s true,” said the Major.

“And long may it remain in our hands!”

“And now,” said Mrs. Dunstan, ‘if everyone is finished, 1 think it is time for us to return to the ship. “

We were very tired that evening. Tamarisk and I lay in our beds talking about the day’s adventures.

“It was wonderful,” said Tamarisk.

“The best I’ve had since-‘ ” It was interesting,” I agreed.

“The most marvelous moments were when Luke Armour came up with the hat and when he said that he was the name on the luggage label. And he’s going to Casker’s! Isn’t that wonderful?”

“Well, we knew he had to be on the ship somewhere.”

“But that he should be the one to retrieve my hat from that odious little monkey! It was wonderfully dramatic. And when he said who he was, I wanted to burst out laughing. He’s nice, isn’t he? There’s something about him.”

“You don’t know him yet.”

“Oh, but I shall,” she said.

“I am determined to and I don’t think he will be averse.”

We did see a good deal of him after that. He did not offer to tell us why he was going to Casker’s and we did not ask him. We knew that, as we were all going there, we should know in due course.

We gravitated towards each other. We used to meet on deck; then we would sit and talk. He knew a great deal about islands. He had spent a few years in the Caribbean and on one near Borneo; but Casker’s was more remote than any of these.

By the time we reached our next port, which was Naples, we were on friendly terms and it was natural that he should

suggest that we should accompany him to the ruins of Pompeii. Mrs. Dunstan, having by now cultivated the acquaintance of Luke Armour, thought it was quite in order for us to go with him.

It was a most interesting day and Luke Armour was an instructive companion. He had said he liked to know something of the places he visited and he talked very vividly and made me, at least, feel I was back in that tragic year of 79 a. u. when Vesuvius had erupted and ruined the thriving city, together with Herculaneum and Stabiae. The remains seemed to come to life and I could picture those people and the panic of bewilderment and not knowing where to turn to escape the destruction.

When we returned to the ship Tamarisk remarked:

“What a serious man our Luke Armour is! He seemed to care so much about all those ancient ruins and the people who had lived there.”

“Didn’t you think they were interesting?”

“Yes, but he does go on. It’s all in the past, isn’t it?”

“He is serious-minded. I like him.”

“The way we met him was fun, but now he seems …”

“He is certainly not frivolous, but I should have thought you would have learned to be a little wary of people who are all charm on the surface with not very much of value beneath.”

1 was sorry I said that afterwards. It had an effect on her. She lost a little of her high spirits for several hours, and when we were next with Luke Armour she was very charming to him.

We were both looking forward to going through the Suez Canal and were not disappointed. I was enchanted by the golden banks and the occasional glimpse of a shepherd tending his flock. Such were like the pictures in the Bible we had had at Lavender House. We saw the occasional

camel making its disdainful way across the sandy soil and people in their long robes and sandal led feet added a picturesque touch to the scene.

It was pleasant to sit on deck and watch this as we slowly & ‘- “I! passed by.

Luke Armour came to sit beside me.

“Inspiring, isn’t it?” he said.

“It’s a wonderful experience. I never thought I should see it.”

“What a feat making such a canal! And what an asset to shipping!”

“Indeed yes.”

“Well, we are getting on with our journey.”

“You must be accustomed to travel. Imagine what an experience it is for those who have not done it before.”

“There is something very special about the first time in doing anything.”

“That’s so. I wonder what the other ship will be like?”

“Not as big as this one and less comfortable, I imagine. The Golden Dawn which will take us to Cato Cato may be similar, though much smaller. And I have had some experience of ferries. They are not so good.”

“You must have done a great deal of travelling in your business.”

“To outlandish places, yes. Your father, too.”

I hesitated. Then I decided I should tell him, for he would know in due course as he was bound for Casker’s Island.

I said: “I have never seen my father. He left home when I was too young to remember. He and my mother were divorced. She died some time ago and I live with my aunt. Now 1 am going to see him.”

He nodded gravely and we were silent for a while.

Then he said: “I dare say you are wondering what my business is. I am a missionary.”

I was astonished, and he laughed.

“You feel a little shocked?”

-Shocked? Why should 1 be? “

“People sometimes are. I think I look like an ordinary man going about an ordinary business. They don’t expect me to be what I am.”

“I suppose it is very laudable.”

“I see it as my destiny-as it were.”

“So you go to these far-off places.”

“To bring people to the Christian faith. We have a mission in Casker’s Island. There are only two people there a brother and sister, John and Muriel Havers. They have recently set it up and are having difficulties. I am going out there to help get things in order if I can. I did this in another place … and now I am going out to this one to try to do the same.”

“It must be very gratifying if you are successful.”

“Everything is gratifying if one is successful.”

“But this particularly so.”

“We try to help the people in every way. We teach them hygiene, how to grow crops suitable to the land-well, to lead good and useful lives in general. We are hoping to set up a school.”

“And the natives are friendly?”

“Usually, although they can be a little suspicious at times. That’s very understandable. We want to show them the Christian way of life -how to forgive their enemies and love one another.”

He began to talk of his plans and his ideals. I liked his zeal.

“I am very fortunate,” he said.

“I am able to do the work I want to do. My father left me a small income, so 1 am more or less free. This is the way of life 1 have chosen.”

“You are fortunate to know what you want to do with your life,” I said.

“And you and Mrs. Marchmont?”

“Well… there was trouble at home and we thought this would help.”

“I knew there was sadness there-even for Mrs. Marchmont.”

He waited, but I did not tell him more, and shortly after that I left him.

1 found Tamarisk in the cabin waiting to go out.

I said: “I’ve just had a talk with Luke Armour. He told me he is a missionary.”

“What?”

“A missionary who is going to work on Casker’s Island.”

“You mean convert the natives?”

“Something like that.”

She grimaced.

“Do you know, after the way he retrieved my hat, I thought we were going to have some fun with him.”

“Perhaps we shall.”

“I had no idea,” she said.

“I thought he was just an ordinary man. I think I shall call him St. Luke.”

“That seems, shall we say, a little blasphemous.”

“But a missionary!” she murmured under her breath.

She was disappointed.

The days were passing. We had slipped into a routine and one day was very like another until we came into port;

and then there would be times of activity during which we would be absorbed by new impressions in a world that seemed very far away from Harper’s Green.

My friendship with Luke Armour was growing. He was charming and a diverting companion. He told amusing stories of the places he had visited and rarely spoke, unless pressed, of his dedicated calling. He told me once that when people discovered it they were inclined to change towards him, sometimes avoiding him, at others expecting him to preach to them. He had noticed that Mrs. Marchmont’s attitude seemed different since she had known.

Tamarisk had certainly been a little taken aback. She had been so delighted by the manner in which he had rescued her hat from the ape. She had said to me that it was an interesting way to begin a friendship and she had thought there might be fun in developing the acquaintance, particularly as he was going to Casker’s Island. I was amazed that, after her recent experiences, she could contemplate a somewhat flirtatious relationship, for I was sure she was wondering how there could be such with a missionary.

I thought then: All that has happened to her has not changed her.

The Dunstans left us at Bombay. We said goodbye to them with some regrets on both sides, I think. They had been good friends to us and helped us considerably by initiating us into the ways of shipboard life.

After they left Tamarisk and I went ashore with a party of acquaintances. We were struck by the beauty of many of the buildings and appalled by the poverty we witnessed. There were beggars everywhere. We wanted to give but it was beyond our means to help all those who crowded around us; and I felt I should be haunted for a long time by those pleading dark eyes. The women in their beautifully coloured saris and the well-dressed men seemed indifferent to the plight of the beggars; and the contrast between wealth and poverty was both distressing and depressing.

We had an adventure in Bombay which might have been disastrous. The Dunstans had impressed on us that it was always unwise to go ashore without ship companions and we should never go alone. We were passing with our party through narrow streets in which stalls had been set up.

Such places always caught the attention of Tamarisk. 1 must say the goods looked intriguing. There were displays of silver articles and said lengths beautifully embroidered, trinkets and all kinds of leather items.

Tamarisk was interested in some silver bangles.

She picked some up and tried them on and after that

decided she must have them. There was some difficulty about the money and by the time the transaction was completed we found that the rest of the party were out of sight.

I seized Tamarisk’s arm and cried: “The others have gone. We must find them at once.”

“Why?” said Tamarisk.

“We can get some conveyance to take us back to the ship just as easily as they can.”

We started along the streets. We had been with a Mrs. Jennings who had once lived in Bombay and knew the place well. She had taken charge of us all; and now that we had lost sight of the party, I could not help feeling apprehensive.

There were crowds everywhere and it was not easy to make our way through the press of people. When we reached the end of the street I could not see any of our party. I looked round in dismay, for nor was there any sign of a vehicle which might take us back to the ship.

A small boy ran into me. I was startled. Another dashed by. When they had disappeared, I saw that the small bag in which I was carrying our money was no longer on my arm.

I cried: “They have stolen our money. Look at the time! The ship will leave in just over an hour and we were asked to be on board half an hour before she sailed.”

We were both panic-stricken now. We were in an unknown country with no money; we were some way from the ship and had no idea how to get back to it.

I asked one or two people the way to the dock. They looked at me blankly. They had no idea what I was talking about. Desperately I searched for a European face.

Possibilities flashed into my mind. What should we do? We were in a desperate situation and all because we had been absorbed in Tamarisk’s purchase.

We went up another street. There was a wider road ahead of us.

I said: “We have to try this.”

“We didn’t come this way,” replied Tamarisk.

“There must be someone who can tell us the way to the docks.”

And just at that moment 1 saw him.

I cried out: “Mr. Armour!”

He came hurrying towards us.

“I met Mrs. Jennings,” he said.

“She told me you’d strayed in the market there. I said I’d come and look for you.”

“We lost our money,” said Tamarisk in great relief.

“Some horrid boys stole it.”

“It’s unwise to be on your own.”

“Oh, how glad I am to see you!” cried Tamarisk.

“Aren’t you, Fred?”

“I can’t tell you how glad! I was getting more and more terrified every moment.”

“Afraid we’d sail without you? Which would have happened, of course.”

“You are our saviour, Mr. Armour,” said Tamarisk. She took his arm and smiled up at him.

“Now you will get us back to the ship, I know.”

He said: “We shall have to walk a little and then we can get a ride.

There’s nothing just here. But we are not so very far from the docks.

”