Authors: Unknown
‘Unfortunately,’ he said, taking her fingers in his own, ‘... mind, this paving stone
is
uneven ... the island is overrun with wretched and mangy dogs.'
‘But,’ she cut in, to try to calm her fluttering fingers in his, ‘why don’t they
do
something?’
‘You are an impatient young thing,' he said. 'I was coming to that. The Hindu religion forbids the taking of life.'
‘I see. I wondered.’ His fingers were warm and held hers very firmly and she glanced down at them. ‘Some ...' she swallowed and looked up again, ‘of the dogs appeared to be dying on their feet, with absolutely no hope.’
‘Do not trouble yourself with this problem now.' He gave her a sideways glance. ‘I went into Curepipe after I left you today.' He pronounced it Kuur-peep. ‘That is where I have my business.'
‘Apart from the hotel business, you mean?' Jade asked.
‘Yes. I must take you there—also to my house on another part of the island.’
‘I’m afraid I’m going to be too busy at the hotel to gad about,' she told him, thinking of Marlow and why she was here.
‘In other words you are bothered by being seen about with me?' He sounded angry.
Well ....’ They had reached the double-storey chalet now, which along with several other chalets sat on green lawns with gardens in the coconut grove which fringed the curving white beach.
‘Forget the games,’ he said curtly. ‘The man you have come to marry will have to resign himself to the fact that he is older than you by twenty years and that other men are going to find you desirable and seek your company.’ He stopped walking suddenly, and took her in his arms. ‘I’ll show you what I mean.’
Don’t!’ she said sharply, while he continued to look into her eyes with an intensity which she found unnerving.
‘Don’t what?’ His eyes went to her mouth and then, very slowly, tantalisingly almost, he put his lips on hers. Against her will her hands went to his shoulders and she felt the sudden need to press her body against his.
And you feel you really
know
yourself,’ he said, against her lips. ‘You know what it is you want—and that is to marry this Marlow Lewis?’
‘I
hope
I know myself.' She pulled away from him and he made no attempt to hold her back.
‘It is time you cleared up these things,' he told her.
‘I think you have a nerve!’ She felt angry and humiliated now. ‘This puts me in quite another mood. I was feeling happy before, and now....’
‘Now you are confused and uncertain, is that it? That comfortable feeling has gone, no?’
‘If it has, what satisfaction has it brought you?’ she asked.
Why fight me?’ he asked. ‘But come, don’t look so serious. I want you to relax. That is why I have invited you here.'
Like the hotel, his chalet was air-conditioned and had magnificent views across the sea-lagoon and ocean, beyond the reef. It was simply furnished with lightly-scaled bamboo and wicker Chinese tables and chairs, with comfortably upholstered cushions, and the ceiling was high and made of timber, stained a light golden shade.
‘It's beautiful,' said Jade. ‘These very high fan-backed chairs are called peacock chairs, aren’t they?
‘When I am in a tropical environment,' said Laurent, ‘I want to feel it. But for all that, my house is quite different from this chalet. In this chalet I would have been quite happy to live in the rooms without any furniture at all. The proportions of the rooms are excellent and the windows expertly placed to frame the views. What more can I wish for? All I can think of when I live here is that it is the way I often like to live —light and airy and with a sense of being part of the environment I happen to be in.'
Jade’s eyes scanned the few highly personalised objects, books and memorabilia placed casually among the simplified furnishings. ‘It’s all very nice,’ she agreed.
Taking her by the arm he said, ‘I hold parties upstairs, in what I call a studio, for want of a better word. My guests know where to come, so we will go upstairs now.’
Suddenly their eyes met. ‘What time are your guests coming?' she asked, regarding him with distrust and disappointment.
‘We will just have time to enjoy a drink together,' he told her. ‘What is the matter?' She noticed the quirk to his mouth.
‘As if you didn’t know,’ she said, ‘but in any case, I’ve formed a good many disagreeable impressions over a very short period.’ This was the time of the day, she was thinking, when his eyes obviously began to change colour ... from that exciting dark sea-green to malachite, almost. With his dark skin smoothly tanned it was an unusual combination.
Suddenly he laughed. ‘Come,’ he said. ‘Have you forgotten that I am a velvet-hatbox gentleman?'
It was obviously a room where people stood around in groups talking, overlapping on to the balcony with its cane and wicker chairs and a vivid assortment of cushions. There was a bar at one end of the studio. The whole area was an exciting backdrop for casual entertaining to solitary sun worship.
‘Go out to the balcony while I mix you a drink,’ Laurent said easily, and then, later, he came to stand next to her. As Jade took the cocktail from him she said, ‘Thank you—how delightfully chilled the glass is. Is this one of your island cocktails?’
‘Try it,’ he told her. ‘I am sure you will like it.’
While he watched her she took a sip. ‘Mmmm ... excellent. I notice that every chalet has the most glorious view, including yours, of course. You’re very fortunate.’
‘Island and paradise are words that go together,’ he said. ‘My life here happens to be an excellent demonstration of this cliché. I do consider myself to be very fortunate, believe me.’
The tide was pounding the reef, but the sea lagoon was very still and everything seemed to be bathed in a translucent mauve light. Two small fishing vessels released their lanterns which wavered on the mauveish water.
‘Here,’ Laurent was saying, ‘I can eat by candlelight, in formal dignity, or I can simply lie around in casual clothes.'
‘You talk about eating. Do you cook?' Jade felt a little ridiculous asking this man who looked like a fictional character, with that bold gaze from greenish eyes and sometimes aggressive personality, whether he could cook. 'I—I can’t imagine you cooking,’ she went on lamely.
'No? And why is this?’
Laughing a little, she said, ’Well, you just don’t look the type ... you know, the domesticated type.’
'I have a cook, as it so happens, but I guess I know enough to cook for a chic dinner party ... very small, of course.' While he was speaking she was thinking that part of his sex appeal was the kind of constant mystery he radiated about himself.
‘What do you call a
small
dinner party?' she asked.
‘For two,’ he said. He gave her an almost piratical grin.
From where they were standing on the balcony, they could see the first guests arriving, so she was saved an answer.
‘So you like my chalet?’ he said.
‘Yes, it's most attractive. The view is so beautiful, into the bargain, that my eyes keep going to it.'
’I intend to change that,’ he told her. ’The view will not be allowed to monopolise your attention. However, later on you will of course live in a sugar plantation house.' His eyes were suddenly darker. ‘That is if you do marry Marlow Lewis.'
’There are no ifs about it. I’m here to marry Marlow.’
‘And yet,’ his eyes held hers and then went to her mouth, ‘the tone of your voice indicates that you have reservations about this.'
'Not at all. That’s a ridiculous thing to say!’ She laughed lightly, trying to hide the fact that he had ruffled her.
‘Come,' he said. ‘Unfortunately there is no time to continue with our little discussion on this subject.’
They went back into the large room, which he referred to as a studio and which looked stunning with bowls of flowers and baskets containing jungle orchids. Two young Indian men had already begun to hand out drinks from trays, while another dispersed them behind the bar counter. There were snacks of all varieties.
Laurent Sevigny had apparently invited a small number of carefully selected guests, and the atmosphere was multi-racial and cosmopolitan and very elegantly casual.
Holding a fresh drink between her slim, tanned fingers, Jade found herself being introduced around by Laurent. Whenever she found herself separated from him she stood sipping her island punch and watched him, with fascination, as he talked with people and moved from one group to another. He had complete confidence in himself and appeared highly experienced in his dealings with women, she noticed, and the thought gave her no pleasure.
t
here was a little rustle as Nicole de Speville, wearing a black embroidered voile caftan, arrived, and when she saw Jade she left the people she was with and came to stand next to her. ‘Hello. I went to your room, after first having tried to get you on the telephone, but you were not there. I wanted to find out what you were doing this evening. I was then told by reception that you had gone with Laurent to his chalet ... and here you are. You appear to be managing very well without Marlow.’
At that moment Laurent joined them. 'I was just saying to Jade,’ said Nicole, looking at him, ‘that owing to the fact that I feel responsible for her welfare until Marlow arrives back, I rang her room and then went there myself to invite her on your behalf to come here with me. It didn’t strike me that you had already done this. A drama is going on here, maybe?’
‘Yes—and no.' Laurent laughed shortly, but Jade could see that he was angry.
‘You have fallen in love at first sight, maybe?’ Nicole's voice was slightly amused, but her eyes were probing.
‘Love? That counts for nothing in my estimation.' Laurent spoke carelessly. ‘What is love, after all?’
‘You seem to be so—friendly,’ Nicole went on, ‘on such short acquaintance. It just did not strike me that I would find Jade here, although you
have
been seen about.’
‘Society has reached a stage where it no longer says no to temptations,’ said Laurent. ‘On very short acquaintance I was tempted to invite Miss Lawford here, and as you can see for yourself, she was tempted to accept.’
‘It seems I’ve committed a crime by accepting this invitation.’ Jade’s voice was stiff.
‘Well, temptation can only get you into trouble, said Nicole, and although her voice was amused now, there was an expression in her eyes which Jade could not understand. ‘After all, you have come here to marry Marlow, but perhaps you will change your mind, after all?’
‘Perhaps she will,' Laurent cut in, ‘and perhaps to your advantage, Nicole, no?'
‘I have no experience in this sort of cross talk,' said Jade. ‘How am I supposed to act?’ She laughed lightly, but she was furious.
Cool and self-assured, confident in the knowledge that she was a beautiful woman, Nicole was very still and said nothing, but her breathing gave her away. ‘I am thinking of Marlow,' she said, after a moment, ‘who is away right now. I am afraid I cannot stay long. I came here direct from the clinic and I hate driving at night on the island, so ....' she glanced round for a place to set her glass, ‘you will excuse me, please. I’ll see you in the morning.' She glanced in Jade’s direction. ‘By the way, did Laurent tell you that he is a collector of jade?’
‘Yes, I believe he did mention that,' Jade replied stiffly.
‘He is a man of style,' Nicole went on, ‘a man who manages to maintain that almost lost art of evoking elegance, don’t you think? Even when he is wearing sun-bleached denims and a tee-shirt.'
‘And you are given to flights of fancy,' he replied shortly.
‘He is also a rich and exacting man,' Nicole said. ‘He likes beautiful things.'
When Nicole had gone Laurent said, ‘Come out to the balcony. There are not so many people out there.'
‘Some of them are preparing to leave,' Jade made no effort to move. ‘I must be going too. Thank you for having me.'
‘I think Nicole has succeeded in causing you annoyance,’ he commented, taking her by the arm.
‘And I don't think you’re overstating the case,' she snapped. ‘What I do in my leisure hours has nothing to do with her.'
‘She has her reasons.’ He led her in the direction of the balcony and, curious to hear more, Jade allowed him to get away with it.
On the balcony she said, 'I'm feeling very ruffled. Of course, I was a fool to come here.’
‘Nicole is seen at all the fashionable restaurants and night spots on the island. She never stays very long, whether it is at one of these places or a private residence, but she is often outspoken and unpredictable.’
‘Contrary to the impression she might have gained, I have no desire to engage in an affair with you,’ Jade went on. The fact that she was annoyed spurred her on. ‘I’ve enjoyed seeing your chalet. It’s an ideal setting for—a philanderer. Obviously, Nicole resents the fact that I was invited here.'
‘There is much you don’t understand about Nicole,' he told her.
‘And much I have no wish to understand.’ While she was speaking Jade was thinking that she was in no position to be critical of the fact that Nicole was so much older than Laurent Sevigny. After all, who was she to criticise when she was here to marry a man who gave her twenty years? ‘I must leave now. It s getting on for dinner time.’
‘Are you hungry?’ he asked.
‘Hardly. You put up an excellent spread for a cocktail party,’ she replied, wanting to leave and yet wanting to stay here with him. ‘I was trying to work out what some of those curried savouries were.’
‘Samoosas,’ he said. His eyes never left her face. He seemed to be saying things automatically, without thinking. ‘You mean the thin pastry envelopes filled with curried meat and diced potatoes, of course?'
‘Yes.’
'So you believe that this is the place of a philanderer?’ He went on looking at her. ‘How can you be so sure?’
‘You’ve given me all the proof I need,’ she replied. ‘You’re a class of your own.'
‘Oh?’ His voice was cool. ‘And how do you explain that?’