by Wynne May
‘You’ll get used to the corrugations as time goes on,’ he told her.
‘I’ll have to, won’t I?’ She sounded amused.
As they neared the outskirts of Thabana her nerves began to lighten up.
Lyle must have given orders for the Mini to be taken out of the showroom window and parked in the street, all ready for her to drive off.
As she stepped out of Lyle’s car, she was aware of the heat which still clung to the town and of the harsh but stimulating climate. Thabana looked out on the distant great spectacle of the Berg and the lines of free-standing peaks were examples of weathering and erosion over the long years.
‘Come into Vic’s office,’ Lyle touched her elbow and started to lead the way.
Vic looked up from his desk as they entered the office and then stood up. ‘Feels like there’s going to be a storm,’ he grinned, ‘it’s hot enough. How are you standing up to it, Miss Abbott?’
‘Oh,’ Michelle smiled, ‘I’m adoring it, to be perfectly honest. I’ll admit, though, that sometimes it just about knocks me out. Do you get many storms?’
Vic whistled softly. ‘Do we get many storms?’ He laughed. ‘I’ll say we do!’
‘The Drakensberg is the birthplace of storms, they say,’ Lyle said.
‘Remember that, Michelle, when you happen to be out walking or climbing. They batter the mighty crags out there.’
‘I’ll remember, don’t worry,’ she replied.
Vic gave Lyle the keys to the Mini and, in turn, Lyle tossed them lightly in Michelle’s direction. She made an attempt to catch diem, but afraid of breaking one of her cherished fingernails she allowed them to fall instead. Immediately Lyle was beside her. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said, ‘I shouldn’t have done that.’
‘I was afraid of breaking a nail,’ she answered, then watched him as he stooped to retrieve the keys from the floor. He gave them to her and she bit her lip and asked, ‘So what’s the position now?’
‘The position is that you have tea with me and then we head back.
How’s that?’
‘That’s fine.’
‘We’ll have tea at the Mountains Hotel, just up the street.’
‘Fine,’ she said again.
They went outside just as a Land-Rover drew up. The driver, wearing a khaki safari suit, jumped out and began opening up so that his passengers, two girls and two men, might emerge. The girls were laughing and looked windblown and excited. ‘Whew!’ they both exclaimed together. ‘What a trip!’
‘It’s good to know that we’re back in one piece,’ one of the men laughed.
Looking at Michelle, the dark girl asked, ‘Have you been up the Pass?’
‘No.’ Michelle’s eyes went in the direction of the vehicle, which was smothered in dust. A mirage seemed to be dancing on top of it and the heat of the engine could easily be felt. ‘Not yet.’ Her eyes came back to the girl. ‘Is it exciting?’
‘It’s a must. You simply must go up. It’s absolutely hair-raising, of course, but you can laugh - afterwards.’ The girl turned to the driver.
‘Well, thanks,’ she said, ‘it’s been wonderful. I wouldn’t have missed the experience for anything.’
Eventually, after several moments of thanking the driver of the Land-Rover, the party drove off in a car which had been parked nearby.
‘Meet Miss Michelle Abbott, our new hairstylist,’ Lyle was saying.
‘Michelle - Jake Gobbi.’
After the introductions had been made Jake Gobbi said, ‘By the way, that foursome came from the chalets. I’m told that Hayes is getting his own Land-Rovers soon. Two.’
‘In that case he’ll have his hands full,’ Lyle replied, with some curtness. ‘What kind of trip did you have?’ He changed the subject.
‘How was it up there?’
‘Well, as hot as hell to begin with, but cold at the top. In fact, there’s a howling gale blowing up there.’
‘You wouldn’t think so, would you?’ said Michelle. ‘I mean, it’s hard to believe that it’s so cold up there when it’s so hot down here.’
‘When are you going up?’ Jake asked cheerfully.
‘I’ve heard so many stories,’ Michelle laughed, shrugging her shoulders, ‘and then, to crown everything, there was a film at the hotel which put me off for life.’
Jake laughed. ‘Have you heard the stories about the old-timers in the pubs?’
‘No.’ She gave a baffled little laugh.
‘Well, the old-timers like to tell of the early days, before the track was improved, when even the horses had to bend themselves to get round the hairpin bends.’
Michelle’s eyes widened. ‘Then it’s not quite so bad now? All the stories I hear about vehicles having to reverse backwards and forwards, in order to get round some of the bends, are not true, after all?’
Grinning back at her, Jake said, ‘I didn’t say that. They’re true all right: Anyway, you must try it some time.’ He winked at Lyle, who was a patient bystander. What do you say?’
‘I quite agree. We’ll see to it that she does go up. And now, how about that tea?’ Lyle smiled at Michelle.
The Mountains Hotel had been orientated to the view and they sat on the veranda with its peacock chairs and sun-smelling fibre matting.
Suddenly the heat seemed to go out of the day and Michelle shivered slightly; looking at her, Lyle said, ‘When we get back I’ll give you a drink - to calm your nerves.’ He laughed a little. ‘But not now - not with all those potholes and corrugations you have to drive over presently.’
‘That will be very nice, thank you,’ she smiled back, forcing her mind to switch off to the fact that she was in love with him whereas he was just trying to be kind in getting her settled. ‘I must admit I’m feeling a little on edge.’
‘I tell you what,’ he said, ‘we’ll go to the house and have one there.
How’s that?’ The question was delivered smoothly and, brooding, she glanced away.
‘Just as you like, although I should be getting back to the hotel.’
‘Why should you be getting back?’
‘Well, because I often help out at the desk.’
‘Have you made plans to help out this evening?’ His brusque superiority unnerved her.
‘No, but the hotel is very booked - they’ll be busy at Reception.’
‘I don’t remember Sylvie ever helping at the desk,’ he said.
‘I’ve come to an arrangement,’ she murmured. ‘With your father.’
‘I see. Well, this evening is out.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘There won’t be time. Now, what can you tell me? What have you been doing with yourself lately?’
There was a moment of silence, then she said, ‘Well, nothing much, of course. I’ve spoken to Glen Hayes on the telephone.’
‘Oh?’ She was aware of his interest.
‘Well, he often rings Liza - and …’ she broke off, wondering whether she was doing the right thing, ‘I often answer,’ she finished lamely.
‘No explanation is necessary,’ he surveyed her coolly, ‘Nevertheless, indirectly, we work along with him. Our Land-Rovers are at the disposal of people wishing to go up the Pass and so it follows therefore that people staying at the chalets get in touch with us.
Although we have no arrangement, so to speak, with Glen Hayes, we work in with him. However, it would appear that he’s going to operate his own vehicles in the near future.’
‘Yes, I knew about it, actually.’ She saw the flicker of hard interest in his eyes and realized, immediately, that he was of the opinion that she and Glen Hayes had become more than just a little friendly on the telephone. She was going to add that she had overheard Liza talking to Debbie about it, but decided that she had said enough. Feeling tense and uneasy, she sipped her tea.
Finally Lyle said, ‘Well, shall we go? I’ll drive ahead of you,’ he told her when they had got back to Little Switzerland Motors. ‘I’ll keep you in my rear view mirror, don’t worry. You won’t get lost.
If you went in front you’d probably miss the turn off to my house.’
So they were going? For a moment her mind argued with itself and then the argument as to whether she should go or not petered out.
‘I’ll be careful to follow, don’t worry,’ she answered lightly. ‘I don’t particularly want to get lost - the light will be fading soon.’
As she followed Lyle’s car in her Mini Michelle gave her attention to driving. Once the Mini skidded across the corrugations and, bearing in mind what he had told her about corrugations, she let it ride until it sorted itself out.
The house looked pink in the light. The clouds on the distant horizons of Lesotho, which appeared as domes and prominent ridges, were tinged a pinky-grey. The storm which had been threatening seemed to be petering out - otherwise it had moved on, without breaking. That was something she still had to experience, she was thinking, the fury of a Berg storm, not to mention the snowfalls which she had been told could occur during every month of the year, although it was rare in summer. Often, however, the highest peaks did have snow on them, especially in the crags where the sun could not get at it.
Before the turn-off to Lyle’s house there was a trading store with boards at the windows and a lean-to veranda where empty drums were stacked. The earth in front of the uneven steps had been brushed smooth by switches made of sticks and leaves and by the movement of feet and the scratching of fowls.
Lyle’s house, in the distance, looked somehow out of place, and yet in a way it belonged here, in this beauty, more than it would have belonged in an exclusive suburb somewhere, Michelle thought.
She followed Lyle’s car into the sweeping driveway and when she got out of the Mini he was already coming towards her. ‘Well, how did it go?’
She ran her fingers through the tips of her hair. ‘I got into a skid, once-but I did what you told me and …’ she laughed, ‘here I am!’
On the way into the house he said, ‘It seems a pity not to have people to this house, to share its beauty.’
‘Where are the dogs?’ she asked. ‘Listen to them barking. They must know it’s you.’
‘They’re in the courtyard at the back. Usef watches over them like a hawk. Mostly they have the run of the place, however, unless Usef happens to be busy.’
When they were in the lounge Lyle said, going to the built-in stereo,
‘Let’s have some music on the subject, shall we? This can be a very silent house, as I’ve grown to learn.’
Michelle watched him as he put on a record and then she went to stand next to the windows. Beyond the trees in the garden the jagged peaks of the mountains rose up, piercing the clouds in some places.
Behind her, Lyle was adjusting the volume and the music was soft Impatient with herself, Michelle felt her breathing coming faster.
‘I’ll let the dogs in,’ Lyle was saying, ‘unless you’re afraid?’
She turned. ‘No, I love dogs. They sound huge. What kind are they?’
‘Boxers - with funny faces.’
‘Oh, They do have funny faces -1 agree with you. Somehow I always expect a boxer to break into conversation.’
‘Come with me, then I’ll pour those drinks. Are you hungry, by the way?’
‘No,’ she answered, ‘It’s been too hot today to want to eat much.’
On the way to the courtyard he said, ‘Would you like to see the kitchen? I think you’ll like the highly glazed ceramic tiles.’
Designed for maximum workability, the kitchen caused her to take in a breath. ‘It’s perfect,’ she said. ‘I wonder if they ever used it in the film?’
‘Yes, they did - but not for cooking …’ his eyes mocked her, ‘at least, not for the actual film. There was a love scene in it, actually.’
Recovering herself quickly, she said, ‘Oh, was that all? It seems a pity, somehow. Still, I expect Usef makes up for it now.’ Her eyes went to the floor to the ceiling window at the far end of the kitchen.
‘Look at the view. Oh, how wonderful!’
‘Wait here, and I’ll let the dogs in,’ said Lyle. ‘They’re very well behaved, as it so happens. They won’t jump up.’
Michelle waited for him to come back and when he did he said, ‘Meet my family, Michelle - Jason and Jacques. They were christened, by the way, before I bought them.’
She held out her fingertips and the dogs searched her face with their brooding eyes and came towards her. Michelle’s expression became startled and a small shock went through her. No matter what she had to say about adoring dogs she was still nervous of them, until they got to know her. ‘Hello,’ she said, in a tiny voice.
‘It’s all right,’ said Lyle. He took her fingers in his own and held them still. She had been about to snatch them away from the inquiring noses of the animals. Once again a small shock went through her, but this time it was because of the touch of his fingers on her own.
While Lyle patted the dogs with his free hand, she took her fingers away and stepped back, losing her balance, then she felt his hands on her shoulders holding her so that she would not fall. It could have been an embrace, she thought. ‘Careful,’ he said, releasing her.
The moment was over and she said, ‘They must be wonderful company for you. Don’t you feel terribly lonely at times?’
‘It suits me very well here,’ he replied. ‘My father enjoys his life at the hotel - but I like to get away from it.’
‘All those empty rooms,’ she went on, ‘especially at night.’
‘Oh,’ he shrugged, ‘sometimes, to break the monotony, I throw a house-party. I have an assortment of friends in an assortment of places. They enjoy a break.’
Laughing, she said, ‘But that’s bad for business. What about the hotel? You should make them book in there.’
‘I try to work when the hotel is completely booked up. It eases my conscience.’
‘Is that important - your conscience, I mean?’
‘Yes, it is important to me. I try to keep on the right side of it -
usually, anyway.’ He gave her an easy grin. ‘Come and I’ll get us something to drink.’
In the lounge he said, ‘Sit where you can watch the sunset.’
Before he joined her he turned on the black-iron standard lamps with their crowns of yellow glass. From where she sat Michelle could see the mountains changing colour.
‘Do you enjoy entertaining?’ she asked, holding out her hand for the glass which he had brought for her. In it, tiny bubbles were surfacing to the top of the golden liquid. She knew she was asking a lot of questions, but she was afraid of the silence which made her heart beat too fast.
‘I don’t mind it, but I don’t make a big thing of it. It has to be a special occasion. It’s not as lonely here, as you think. I’m always busy. Tell me, what did you think of the Mini? How did she run?’
‘Beautifully. I’m longing to show it to Laney and Pete. You see,’ she laughed, ‘I’ve got into the habit of saying Pete now, just like everybody else.’
‘You’ll always get your money back on the Mini,’ Lyle said casually.
‘You - you mean if I were to sell it?’ she asked.
‘Yes. If you decide to go back to England, that is.’ She had the feeling he was testing her.
‘I’m in no hurry.’ She took a sip of her drink.
She refused a second drink and then they went outside and he showed her the garden. The air was like champagne now. It was amazing that such heat could have given way to this, she thought, shivering a little. Nearby, the dogs, Jason and Jacques, began romping dangerously near to one of the flower beds and Lyle spoke to them sharply and they stopped playing to look at him with their dark, moody eyes.
‘You’ve made them miserable,’ Michelle laughed.
‘They’ll make Usef more than miserable if they break those plants.’
‘Tell me,’ she said, ‘do I have to cross that rickety little bridge to get back to the hotel, or can I by-pass it?’
‘I’ll take you back in your Mini an
d we’ll by-pass the rickety bridge, then you’ll know the way the next time.’ His voice was mocking.
‘And,’ she sounded puzzled, ‘how will you get back?’
‘I’ll make a plan. In any case, I’ll probably walk back. I often do. It’s good exercise, and besides, it’s not far.’
Jason and Jacques were romping again, getting out of hand. They bumped against Michelle, sending her staggering, and once again she felt Lyle’s fingers on her bare shoulders. ‘Steady,’ he said, ‘I’ll put them in the courtyard presently.’ There was a frozen moment of waiting. For a moment she thought he was going to kiss her, then he said, ‘You’re very sweet, Michelle, do you know that? Somehow you’re not my idea of swinging London - not my idea of swinging anywhere, for that matter.’
The dogs bumped them and the moment was over. Michelle moved away. ‘That could be taken both ways,’ she kept her voice very light, but she knew it was shaking a little. ‘It could mean that - well,’ she took a little breath and laughed, ‘it could be a compliment or, on the other hand, it could be taken the other way.’
‘There’s a curious mixture of sophistication and little girl about you,’
he said. ‘It never ceases to amaze me, actually.’
‘That gives me hope,-anyway.’
‘I’m not going to let you go back to England,’ he told her.
‘How do you aim to stop me?’ she laughed again.
‘Easy. I’ve already got you into financial difficulties, haven’t I? I mean, you’ve already mentioned that you’ll have to save up again in order to get back.’
That was true, she thought. She should have been frightened - but she wasn’t.
‘You should have known better, even if I didn’t,’ she told him. ‘It was no good consulting Pete and Laney. They’re just about as giddy about money as I am.’ Sobering, she added, ‘That’s not true, of course. I’m just joking. They’re not giddy, really. Just foolish, in some ways, perhaps.’
They went back into the silent house and she looked around for her bag and found it on a chair where she had dropped it. Lyle said, ‘I want to tell Usef not to prepare a meal for me. I’ll eat at the hotel. I won’t be a moment. Usef was with us before my mother died, as a matter of fact. Then he came to the Berg with us and looks after me now. It all works very well. As a result of my mother’s death my father likes company. I don’t, particularly - not all the time, anyway.’