‘He must have. The young Mrs. Farrell—’
‘All right, all right! You either don’t know anything or else you’re determined not to talk. But remember,’ she added in a threatening and rasping voice, ‘what I’ve said! If you so much as let out a murmur about this conversation I shan’t hesitate to expose your affair with the wife of your employer - the boss of Wolton Creek Station! And now you can get back to your lady love,’ she added with a sneer. ‘She’ll be hunting for you – wondering where you are.’
Gail stood, her heart beating so rapidly that she felt sure it must be heard by the two behind the trellis, and waited for them to come out and find her here; but to her inordinate relief they both went the other way and she was free to walk on unseen by either of them.
Kane found her sitting by the pool, her chin in her hands. She was crying, and in some consternation she tried to keep her face averted. But he tilted it up with a gentle finger under her chin.
‘Why are you crying?’ he wanted to know, his grey eyes searching her face as if they would find an answer there. ‘My dear—’
‘It’s Rachel,’ she broke in desperately, her one intention being to keep from him the real reason for her tears. ‘Kane, she’s been trying to extract information from someone - no, don’t ask me his name,’ she added hurriedly, even though Kane had not made any attempt to do so. ‘I won’t divulge it - or what the hold over him was. But—’
‘Gail dear,’ broke in Kane gently, ‘you’re not being at all clear. See, I shall sit down here beside you, and you shall tell me everything.’
‘It’s Rachel-’
‘On second thoughts,’ he interrupted, ‘I feel it will be better to find some spot which is more private. My stepmother seems to be far too active tonight for me to take any risks. Come—’ He took her trembling hand and helped her to her feet. ‘We’ll go into the house and talk.’
Chapter Ten
BY the time they had reached the homestead Gail had managed to gain command of her emotions sufficiently for her to relate most of what she had heard, Kane listening intently, appeared to be as deeply interested in her as he was in the story she was telling. His expression was curious indeed, yet unreadable. He had complete control of any emotions that her story might have aroused within him, and this surprised her, expecting as she was a swift show of anger.
‘She suspects — and that’s a pity, because, as I told you earlier, I rather thought we were to get rid of her.’
‘We...’ A turn of phrase only; it did not mean a thing. Gail’s lip quivered, but she averted her head so that he would not see.
‘Do you think something happened this evening — something which aroused her suspicions?’ she managed to inquire presently.
‘Her suspicions were aroused some time ago — in fact, they were probably there all the time, since the day I produced, in so dramatic a manner, my long-lost wife and child.’ He spoke almost casually, just as if he was not too perturbed at all by these suspicions which his stepmother had. ‘But there was nothing she could do about it — she could scarcely tell me to my face that I was tricking her, and that you and Leta were not my wife and child.’
‘No...’ Gail was thoughtful. ‘I do realize that she’s had these suspicions - her questions to me that time proved it. However, as you say, there was nothing she could do, and so she was, you think, ready to accept the inevitable and make her exit. But twice this evening she’s been trying to find things out—’
‘Her watching us was intended,’ he broke in, his brow furrowed in thought. ‘That’s why she didn’t appear at the party. Her intention was to have me believe that she and Ertha were staying at home. I wonder what Ertha’s been up to this evening?’ he added as an afterthought.
He little realized just how soon he was to find out! For he and Gail had been talking only a mere five minutes or so when the door opened without even a knock and Ertha and her mother entered the room. Kane’s eyes smouldered as, standing up, he demanded to know the meaning of so unceremonious an entry into his private sitting-room.
‘I have some important things to say to you,’ began his stepmother, but she was interrupted and told that they were not so important that they could not be left until tomorrow.
‘The time’s almost two o’clock! I have no intention of talking to you until—’
‘I think,’ cut in Ertha, her tones cold as ice, ‘that you will listen, now! Otherwise, Kane—No! Allow me to speak! Otherwise you’re going to find yourself denounced before your guests. I believe the house will be full in a few minutes when they all appear - those who are staying, that is!’ Ertha’s face was pale with anger; the glance she threw at Gail was alive with venom. Mrs. Farrell, having seated herself, was looking rather worn, and Gail did not wonder at it, since she had been outside, probably all the evening, wandering about, searching for an opportunity of spying on her stepson and his ‘wife’.
‘I see ...’ So quiet the tone, and, to Gail’s alert ears, resigned. ‘Carry on, then; let’s have it all.’ Kane sat down again and leant back, languidly, against the up holstery, his piercing eyes fixed intently on Ertha’s face.
Gail too, was watching her and, fascinated, she saw the girl bring a picture book from behind her back.
‘What—!’ exclaimed Gail, instantly recognizing the book. ‘That belongs to Leta.’
‘So I assumed. I might as well come straight to the point, Kane,’ said Ertha, turning to him but idly flicking back the cover of the book. ‘I’ve been into Leta’s playroom this evening - the opportunity of doing so being afforded me by the absence from the house of any prying eyes—’ She sent Gail a glance of utter contempt. ‘I found this book ...’Slow deliberate words that sent an involuntary shiver down Gail’s spine. She knew what was coming next and her eyes sought those of Kane, sending out her apology in advance, but to her amazement he was smiling and his attitude was still one of languid comfort as he rested his back against the chair, ‘The child’s name is here, inside the cover. Her name is Leta Stafford.’
The final, dramatic sentence was almost spat out, but rang with triumph all the same. Gail, scarcely knowing what she was saying, so put out was she by this discovery, suggested that the book was one that had been lent to Leta by a friend, and it had not been returned before they left England. But even as the words left her lips she realized just how weak they must sound. Kane thought the same, because when she lifted her face to look at him he was shaking his head from side to side as if to say, ‘It won’t do, Gail.’ But he was retaining his calm exterior and she did wish she could do the same. She was hot and flustered and feeling defeated in addition to the unhappiness she was experiencing as a result of what had happened out there in the bush. And she was desperately tired into the bargain, so it was no wonder that an ache of tears was troubling her and causing her to blink rapidly in order to keep those tears from falling. She glanced again at Kane, sending him another apology and silently pleading with him to overlook her lack of foresight in leaving the book around.
Ertha was speaking, saying softly, and with a hint of amused contempt in her voice,
‘You mean she had a friend called Leta?’ A short laugh and then, ‘You’re not very clever at thinking up excuses, are you? Leta ... A name so uncommon that I haven’t even heard of it before, and yet she had a friend of the same name. What a remarkable co-incidence!’
Kane spoke at last, his grey eyes narrowed almost to slits.
‘Just what are you trying to prove?’ he asked in his unhurried Australian drawl. ‘Cut out the procrastination.’
She looked directly at him and said,
‘This woman here is not your wife!’
Silence, the silence of tension, the very air seemed to vibrate with it.
‘And so,’ came in Mrs. Farrell at last, ‘I shall not be leaving here. On the contrary,’ she added, managing to sit up straight as an illustration of her authority, ‘I shall from tomorrow be resuming my position as mistress here.’
‘I think not, Rachel.’
‘Oh, and what makes you say that?’ Was she in doubt? wondered Gail. Her face had gone pale and her hands, clasped together in her lap, were tightening so that the knucklebones shone through the skin. ‘That autocratic, superior manner won’t serve you this time, Kane.’ Mrs. Farrell looked to her daughter for support and Ertha responded with the information that she had been into Gail’s room too, and examined her passport and other documents.
‘There is no doubt whatsoever that her name’s Stafford,’ she asserted, poison in her tone.
‘You’ve been prying into my private papers!’ Gail could scarcely believe what she had heard. ‘You despicable creature!’ It was her turn to exhibit contempt and this she did, her eyes wandering from the girl’s face to her feet and back again. ‘I don’t know how you dare own to such disgusting conduct!’ Aware that Kane was watching her with keen interest, Gail flushed and lowered her head. But he was amused, as she discovered from his laugh as he said,
‘What an entertaining little scene this is.’
‘You think so?’ sneered his stepmother. ‘We’ll see whether you’re as pleasantly entertained by the next part of it.’
‘You have something else - er - up your sleeve, Rachel?’
‘I want this wanton and the brat Leta sending away! You’ll make the promise here and now — otherwise you’ll be denounced—’ Mrs. Farrell stopped speaking and cocked an ear. ‘The first of your guests have come in,’ she told him unnecessarily. ‘The promise, or else!’ And when he made no attempt to answer, ‘This will be more than a nine days’ wonder, Kane. You have an illegitimate child, remember! That in itself is going to bring your name right down into the mud! Make your decision, because you haven’t much time!’
‘So it would appear,’ agreed Kane, lifting a hand to stifle a yawn.
Momentarily at a loss, Mrs. Farrell turned her attention to Gail.
‘You,’ she said imperiously. ‘Are you willing to be shown up in front of all those people? I make no idle threats, girl! I shall speak right out and say that your child is illegitimate—’
‘That’s enough!’ Kane stood up and the three women all started at the white-hot fury that mingled with the deep bronze of the sun-bitten skin. ‘That is slander! Gail doesn’t happen to have a child - any child - get that!’
Gail could only stare, her heart throbbing so that the pain was very close to being physical. For there was no doubt at all that Kane was possessed of a searing fury and that fury was all on her account!
‘What are you talking about?’ Ertha’s face had gone a sickly green. ‘Leta’s her child — and yours—’ But she stepped back before she had finished, since Kane had come towards her as if he meant to strike her across the mouth.
‘Leta is not her child! By God, Ertha, you’re asking for it! Apologize to Gail at once!’
‘But-’
‘I said apologize, and then get out of here!’
‘Look here, Kane—’ began Mrs. Farrell, but she was also prevented from continuing as Kane ordered her out of the room.
‘If you’re not gone in ten seconds I shall throw you out bodily!’
Gail gasped at this threat which, judging from his expression, he would not hesitate to carry out. His fury was unbelievable and she was heartily thankful that she was not the cause of it.
‘I’ll go—’ Mrs. Farrell rose in a hurry as she saw his sudden movement towards her. ‘But I shall denounce you—’
‘Denounce away - and see where it gets you!’
She left the room without a backward glance and as the door closed behind her Kane once again ordered Ertha to apologize to Gail. A long hesitation followed but, aware now that something was drastically wrong, the girl obeyed, although her apology was spoken in tones of snake-like virulence.
‘Kane,’ said Gail rather breathlessly as Ertha left the room, ‘what is all this about? I mean, you don’t seem at all perturbed that they’re going to denounce you.’ She stopped, her heart seeming to turn a somersault as she noted his expression. ‘Kane—’ She got no further, for, coming to her, he took her hands in his and said quietly,
‘Gail - dear Gail, will you marry me?’
‘Marry...?’ Despite what was so plainly written into his expression she was dazed by the question. And because she just stood there, staring up at him, he jumped to a wrong conclusion and promptly assured her that he was not asking her to marry him simply to thwart Rachel.
‘She’s found out the truth and she could denounce me; she would also remain here if you went. But that’s not my reason for wanting to marry you.’ He smiled lovingly at her and once again her heart did strange things. ‘Out there, this evening, I discovered that I loved you—’
‘Oh, but no, you didn’t!’ she interrupted without thinking. ‘It was an act. You said it was.’ A catch in her voice told its own tale of the hurt she had received, and tenderly he drew her to him and kissed her unresisting lips. ‘You did say it was,’ she repeated when at length he had released her.
‘And that was true. There in the shadows I saw Rachel — no one could possibly mistake that shape! Well, I wanted only to give her something convincing, and that was why I acted as I did.’ He stopped and smiled ruefully down at her. ‘Dearest Gail, it was when I kissed you that I at last owned that you were the girl for me.’
‘At last?’ in some puzzlement, and then she was hearing that Kane had been noticing her as a woman for some time.
‘But only a fortnight ago you reminded me that I was only an employee and that I would soon be leaving here.’
‘I did.’ He frowned a little. ‘You see, marriage had not appealed much to me, and I must admit that I had no wish to be involved in any intimate relationship.’ Again he paused and Gail recalled that Dave had said some such thing about the Boss of Vernay Downs. ‘However, since that evening I have been gradually accepting the fact that you appeal to me and tonight I knew that my bachelor days were rapidly coming to an end.’
She looked at him, deliriously happy, but yet into her happiness there intruded the picture of Sandra.