“Are you telling me …”

“He is my half brother. I am three years older than he is. My mother was a seamstress who came to the Castle to work for Lady Crediton. She was very pretty and she caught Sir Edward’s eye, as others had before her. When I was born Sir Edward gave my mother an allowance so that she did not have to visit the Castle. My education was taken care of and in due course I was given my training and joined the Company. But I was never acknowledged as Sir Edward’s son, as the Captain was.”

“Does the Captain know?”

“No. I shall tell him.”

“I think he will understand your feelings. I am sure he will.”

“They can’t be the same from now on. You can’t hate a man who has saved your life.”

“I’m glad … for you and for him. You’ll both be better without that senseless hatred.”

“And don’t forget, whatever happens in the next two months, I’ll be back. How I wish that you were sailing with us! I don’t like to think of you in that house.”

“But it was solely to be with Edward that I came.”

“Two months,” he said, “is not very long, but a great deal can happen in that time.”

“A great deal can happen in a day, as you’ve just discovered,” I reminded him. “Not long ago you hated the Captain, now your admiration is greater than your dislike. Tell him so. I am sure he will understand.”

“You think very highly of him, don’t you?” he said wistfully.

I did not answer. I was afraid to speak of my feelings to anyone.

When I left him to come ashore Redvers was waiting for me at the gangway.

“There won’t be another opportunity to speak to you alone, Anna,” he said. “I’ve written to you.”

He thrust a letter into my hand.

We stood close looking at each other but it was impossible to talk there. So I said: “Goodbye, Captain. A safe and happy voyage.”

And then I started down the gangway.

I could not wait to read the letter. It was short, but his love for me was in every line. It was my first love letter.

My dearest Anna,

I should say I am sorry for last night but I’m not. I meant it … every word. There is no happiness for me without you. I love you, Anna. Anna … wait. I know it will not always be as it is now. Think of me as I will be thinking of you. I love you.

Redvers.

I should have destroyed it. I should have remembered that it came from one who was not free to write in that way to me, but instead I folded it and tucked it inside my bodice; and the feel of paper scratching my skin filled me with elation.

I was loved.

Chantel came to my room. She looked startled at the sight of me. “Something’s happened,” she said. “You’ve grown beautiful.”

“What nonsense.”

She took me by the shoulders and dragged me to the mirror. She stood there holding me by the shoulders, and then she laughed and spun round. The letter had ridden up and was showing at the top of my blouse. She snatched it, laughing at me mischievously.

“Give it back to me, Chantel,” I cried in panic. Even Chantel must not see that.

She allowed me to snatch it from her. She was smiling. Then she was suddenly grave.

“Oh, Anna,” she said. “Take care.”


* * *

That afternoon the ship sailed away.

Edward was in tears. We stood in the garden watching it for I had thought it unwise for him to go down to the beach.

I said: “We can see it as well from the garden.”

So we stood watching. The tears fell slowly down his cheeks as he wept silently and this was far more moving than when he cried noisily.

He put his hand in mine and I pressed it firmly.

I whispered: “Two months is not very long. Then we shall be standing here watching it come back.”

The thought cheered him a little.

“You can mark the days as they go by on your calendar,” I told him. He had been given one last Christmas and always meticulously tore off each month as it passed. “You’ll be surprised how quickly time can pass.”

Monique came into the garden; her eyes were red and swollen. I thought: She really does love him. And the thought was like a death knell, but loving him or hating him she was bound to him.

She saw me standing there with Edward and she cried dramatically: “My baby! My baby! We are alone now!”

She held out her hand but Edward turned away and stared stonily in front of him. Suka had come out in the stealthy way she had.

“Come in, Missy,” she said. “There’s nothing to be gained by tears.”

Monique immediately began to wail. She came over and took Edward’s hand but he snatched it away and buried his face in my skirt, which was unlike him. He hated to behave like a baby.

“He doesn’t want me,” said Monique bitterly. “He’d rather have Miss Brett.” She laughed hysterically. “And he’s not the only one.”

Suka put her arm about her.

“Come in, my pet Missy. Come in.”

Monique’s eyes were dilated, her cheeks suffused with blood.

I said, “I’ll call Nurse Loman.”

Suka looked at me scornfully and led Monique into the house.

The glance she cast in my direction was venomous.

How she hates me! I thought. Far more than Monique does. I believed it was true that Monique rather liked me because I gave her a reason for making scenes.

I was very uneasy.

20

Monique was ill a few days after the departure of the ship, and Chantel was constantly with her.

I told Edward that we would get down to our lessons without delay and that would help to pass the time. He was fascinated by geography and history, and I made a point of dealing with those places through which we had passed and which were more than marks on a map to him. He pored over the blue of the Pacific and found our island a black spot in the vast expanse of blue among other black spots. The names enchanted him; he went about saying them in a singsong voice: “Tongatapu, Nukualofa, the Friendly Isles. Kao: Fonuafoou.” He was going to visit them all when he was a sailor. We had worked out the approximate time of the ship’s return and he had painted red lines about the date. He had been amused by the phrase “a red letter day.” This was going to be one. He had made certain of it by coloring it in red.

He did not like the house; he did not like the food. He liked best to be with me or with Chantel. His mother embarrassed him with her too ardent caresses, and he seemed relieved when she ignored him. He did not like Suka who tried so blatantly to win his affection, but Pero amused him and he liked to tease her; also he liked old Jacques and would climb in and out of the carriage and help groom the horses. He was a little in awe of his grandmother but at least he respected her.

He liked the Island, but I was afraid to allow him to swim for fear of sharks. And I was glad of Dick’s adventure, since he had come safely through it, because in addition to its changing his attitude toward Redvers, I was able to assure Edward of the danger.

We walked a little, usually after the heat of the day. We would go down to the group of shops which were like huts and watch the girls in their long colored skirts making shell necklaces, bracelets and earrings. They sat under a thatch — “a house with no sides” Edward called it — and worked till it was dark; and they were there in the early morning. It was at midday and just before and after that the Island was deserted.

Along by the waterfront were the storing places for the copra and fruit which was to be shipped abroad and by which trade the islanders lived.

“It’s not much like Langmouth,” Edward commented. “And we’re going home one day.”

There were moments when I felt that we had slipped into a normal routine. There were others when the atmosphere of the house seemed unbearable. This would be at night when I lay in my bed unable to sleep, thinking of Serene Lady, wondering where she was now and whether Redvers was lying in his cabin, thinking of me. Then I would take out his letter and read it. I could not find a safe place for it. There were no keys to the cupboards and drawers. So I put it in between my clothes and whenever I came back to my room after being away, I assured myself that it was still there.

Boards creaked uncomfortably by night. In the corridor the oil lamp was replaced by a rush light after midnight. I would hear Suka come along the corridor, flap-flap in the raffia shoes she always wore — just a straw sole and a bar across and on the bar were colored strands of straw. They looked very untidy and hers had usually been worn too long. I would hear her pause, and I used to imagine that she came to my door and stood there and that if I leaped out of bed and opened the door I would catch her.

Why? It was pointless. But I could never be near her without feeling those great eyes on me … watching.

I used to look at Edward’s red-lined date and I was sure that he did not long for that day with more intensity than I did, although I wondered what hope it could bring me beyond the joy of seeing Redvers again.

It would be easier, I told myself, when Chantel was less occupied, but she told me that she was afraid to move far away from Monique.

The foolish creature was working herself into illness — which was very easily done with her complaint.

The Island doctor came. He was very old and only waiting for the new man to come out before he retired. He talked to Chantel but she told me that he was years behind the times. And could you wonder? He had been on the Island for the last thirty years.

About three days after the ship left Monique sent Edward to bring me to her; and as soon as I saw her I knew she was in a dangerous mood.

She said slyly: “You must be lonely, Miss Brett.”

“No,” I replied cautiously.

“You’d miss the ship?”

I did not speak. “How strange!” she went on. “The two of them liked you, didn’t they? Dick Callum as well. You don’t look like a femme fatale … I’d say Nurse Loman was more that, and she didn’t get Mr. Crediton, did she?”

I said, “Did you wish to talk of Edward’s progress?”

That made her laugh. “Edward’s progress! He doesn’t want me either. No. You are not content with the Captain. You want everything. You would not even leave me Edward.”

Edward looked alarmed and I said: “Edward, I think we should be working on those maps.”

Edward rose with alacrity, as eager to get away as I was. But she began to scream at us. She was a frightening sight. She changed suddenly; her eyes were wild, her face scarlet; her hair had escaped from its restrictive ribbon and as she threw herself about in a frenzy the words of abuse fell out … fortunately she was incoherent. I should not have liked Edward to have known of what she was accusing me.

Chantel came in. She signed to me to go and I hurried away.


* * *

I said to myself: I shouldn’t stay. It’s an impossible situation. I should get away before the ship returns. But how?

I pictured the ship’s coming in. How could I sail away with Redvers and leave her there? Chantel had said definitely with a gleam of determination in her eyes that she would not stay on the Island. When the ship came back she would go with it. And I must go with her too.

But how could I? And where to? Could I sail back to England with Redvers? I knew that would be madness.

I washed my hands and changed my dress. The doctor came. Chantel had sent for him. It was a bad attack this time.

As I let down my hair and was combing it, my door slowly opened. I saw Suka in the looking glass, standing there. She looked murderous and I thought she had come to do me some harm.

How she hated me!

She said: “Missy Monique is very ill.”

I nodded. We faced each other, she standing there, her hands hanging limply at her side, myself with my hair loose and the hairbrush in my hand.

Then she said quietly: “If she die … you have killed her.”

“That’s nonsense,” I said sharply.

She shrugged her shoulders and turned away. But I called her back.

“Listen,” I said, “I will not allow you to say such things. She brought the attack on herself. I had nothing to do with it. And if I hear you say such a thing again I shall take action.”

My firm and resolute voice for some reason seemed to frighten her for she recoiled and lowered her eyes.