The Isle of Song

by Hilary Wilde

  `I like this one . . . I shall be but a moment, Kate,' she added, turning to a big stout woman in a bright red pareu with a striped lily behind one ear. Caterina spoke softly and Kate could not understand what they were saying, only that the big stout Polynesian woman was arguing about something and when Caterina obviously insisted, the Polynesian woman threw up her hands in the air as if she knew it was hopeless to go on arguing.

  Caterina turned to Kate and led her back to the car.

  `Wear your prettiest frock tonight, Kate,' Caterina told her. 'It is an important occasion in the lives of the islanders.'

  But Simon said they're always having feasts.'

  Caterina laughed. 'So they are, but each one has its own importance. They are eager to pay Simon compliments, for they see him as the only man who can save them from starvation and eventually emigration from their beloved island. Once upon a time they made good livings from copra, but the trade is dying away now and the hurricanes have done much to destroy

  their crops. Simon is giving new life to the island,' she finished.

  Caterina dropped Kate at the big house and then sped down the road towards the hospital. Kate walked to Adam's office and he looked up with a smile.

  `Interesting ?'

  Kate nodded. 'They go to a terrible lot of trouble.' `It isn't trouble to them,' Adam pointed out. 'They love it. You'll enjoy tonight, Kate.'

  `So everyone says,' Kate replied. She opened the ledger she was working on and a companionable silence filled the hut.

  That evening Kate looked in her wardrobe for her prettiest frock. She had to have something to set off the lime-green lilies that would be the flowers of her lei. Finally she picked an oyster-white satin frock. Miss Stern had chosen it, though Kate had said it was too expensive and that she would have no occasion for which it would be suitable. It was a straight frock with deep pleats either side. She shampooed her hair and set it so that it was a long straight bob with curled ends.

  She went downstairs and found the rest of them waiting for her. Nancy had chosen a pale blue frock. Simon was immaculate in a white dinner jacket and black trousers. Jerome wore evening clothes, also, but Adam was in a dark suit.

  Taro drove them to the feast. He was dressed in his best suit, and he sang as he drove them. Already a great moon was climbing up the dark sky and the sound of music drifted on the soft wind.

  The clearing was brilliantly lighted by great torches on stands and the whole of the island seemed to be

  there. Pretty Polynesian girls met them as they got out of the car and put wreaths of sweet-scented tiare flowers round their necks. The pupae, or white people, were given chairs on which to sit, but the Polynesians all preferred the ground.

  The tables were weighed down with food — all kinds of fruit and fish as well as roast pig.

  Caterina, on Simon's right, for Simon sat in the place of honour as the guest of the evening, glanced across the table at Kate with a smile.

  `Was I right ? It was worth the trouble ?'

  Kate smiled 'You were right, Caterina.'

  `As usual,' Simon joked. 'That's the irritating part about you, Caterina. You are always right.'

  `You admit that ?' Caterina said, but the laughter in her voice had gone and her dark violet eyes seemed to smoulder as she looked at him. 'And yet you still ..

  Simon put his hand on hers. 'Please, Caterina, not tonight,' he said, and there was a stern note in his voice.

  She turned away, shrugging her shoulders slightly, and turned to Jerome who was on her other side.

  After they had eaten and drunk various strange-tasting drinks, a tall dignified Polynesian rose and made a speech in pedantic yet poetic English as he thanked Simon for all he was doing.

  `While we rested in the strong wise arms of your great-aunt, we were happy, and we wept when she left us and we could only sing for joy when you came to take her place. Here is one who loves us, we said gladly, for we had been through a time of great puzzlement but once again, the sun shone . .

  Simon stood up to answer. He looked so virile and

  strong, so reliable, Kate thought. No wonder the islanders respected him.

  Simon's speech was short, but worded in the same poetic way. 'I find it very good to be here with you. I am still young and foolish and have much to learn before I am wise like my great-aunt. This is a difficult time, but we have no need to fear the future. We will work as a family and make this island happy and prosperous again.'

  He sat down amidst cheers and clapping, and Kate felt the same goose-pimples on her skin that she had felt when Simon had recited the poem about the rainbow shell. His deep voice was very moving, his whole attitude towards the islanders was so sincere.

  There was dancing to follow and the guitars played the tantalizing, intoxicating music of the Polynesians as the girls danced, their long grass skirts whirling, their shapely arms moving to the rhythm, their bodies twisting and moving. Men joined in some of the dances, twirling and twisting.

  Then the dignified Polynesian rose, clapped his hands and the music stopped at once.

  Simon was led forward into the centre of the clearing as the dancers made a great circle round him. With much laughter and clapping, a very pretty Polynesian girl tied a big white scarf round Simon's eyes. Immediately several Polynesian girls came round with trays of leis of flowers. Apparently each lei was marked with the name of the girl who had chosen that particular flower, for immediately one girl came to Kate and put the lime-green lilies round Kate's neck.

  The musicians began to play a haunting tune with

  a strange beat to it, and when the leis had all been distributed, one girl took a large tray covered with flowers forward and stood before Simon, saying something to him.

  Kate, standing next to Caterina and Nancy, shivered. It was a strange tense moment watching Simon put out his hand, let it rest for a moment above the tray, and then pick up a flower, holding it high in the air so that everyone could see it. Kate caught her breath with mixed dismay and delight. Simon was holding a lime-green lily in the air. Even as she saw this, she felt Caterina give her a gentle push forward so that Kate could be seen.

  There was a strange silence from the onlookers and then a sudden chatter followed by laughter. The pretty Polynesian girl was untying the scarf round Simon's eyes and for a moment he stared at Kate without moving.

  Then he walked forward, taking her hand in his, turning her round as he bowed to the crowd of onlookers.

  Someone shouted something — Kate could not understand what it was he said, but Simon smiled and bent down to kiss her on the cheek.

  There were sudden shouts from the crowd, mixed with laughter. One sentence seemed to be repeated again and again.

  `What are they saying, Simon ?' Kate asked.

  Simon looked at the slight girl with the young bewildered face, at her straight silky honey-brown hair, her slim body in the oyster-cream frock and the lime-green lei round her neck.

  `They are saying it was not a proper kiss. That the queen of the evening deserves something better,' he told her.

  He saw the swift fright in her eyes, but before she could speak, he put his arm round her, and with his other hand turned her face towards him. She felt breathless and startled, unprepared for his action and for the close way he held her. As his mouth came down on hers, firm and hard on her lips, she closed her eyes.

  She did not know how long the kiss lasted — she was only conscious of the warmth of his arms round her, of the strength of the kiss and of the fact that her lips responded to his. It seemed a moment that lasted for ever and yet was, incongruously, over almost before it had begun, but when he released her and all the circle of people round them burst into laughter, Kate did not know where to look or what to do, for she could only think of one thing — that she loved Simon. And by the way she had responded to his kiss, she felt he must know it, too.

  Before she had time to move, the music started and Simon swept her in his arms. Simon danced well, and no
rmally Kate would have enjoyed every moment of it, but she was too startled and embarrassed to enjoy anything.

  As the music stopped, Kate and Simon found themselves standing near Nancy and Adam. Simon took his arm from around Kate and smiled.

  `Nancy's turn now — if she will do me the honour,' he teased.

  Nancy moved forward with a laugh and Kate found herself standing next to Adam.

  He was apologetic. `I'm not a good dancer like Simon.'

  Kate gazed at him and hardly saw him. 'It doesn't matter,' she murmured automatically, and went into his arms.

  Adam was a clumsy dancer, but Kate hardly noticed. She kept saying the same words over and over again to herself — words that didn't make sense and yet made the greatest sense of all. 'I love Simon,' she kept saying again and again. And suddenly she wanted to run and lock herself in her dark bedroom and face up to facts. How could she have been so stupid ? How could she have been so blind ? She should have seen it coming and made some excuse to get away, to leave the island, and escape before she got too badly hurt.

  For she knew that was all that could happen. Simon was in love with Caterina, Kate felt certain of that. Just as Jerome thought, too. And who could compete with Caterina ? Kate thought miserably.

  The music stopped and Jerome was there.

  `May I, Kate ?' he asked.

  It was a relief to go into Jerome's arms. He was a deft, practised dancer and she could relax. She found herself fighting a desire to tell him, to weep on his shoulder, to have him comfort her, for somehow she must find a way to leave the island. She could not bear to go on living there, loving Simon and having to watch him loving Caterina.

  `You look very lovely tonight, Kate,' Jerome said. She glanced at him, her cheeks hot. 'Thanks, Jerome.'

  `Very lovely,' he said thoughtfully. D'you know

  something, Kate ?' he asked. 'Tonight, for the first time, I saw you as a woman.'

  The quick frightened colour flooded her cheeks. Had it been so obvious, she thought with dismay, her discovery that she loved Simon ? Had her response to his kiss betrayed her to everyone ?

  `Why?' she asked Jerome, more to cover up her embarrassment than for any other reason.

  He smiled at her. 'You have a youthful dignity which is enchanting. You behaved very well when the crowd told Simon to kiss you properly. You were not coy nor shy. I was proud of you, Kate.'

  Kate's eyes smarted. 'Thanks, Jerome,' she said. 'I didn't have much choice.'

  Nor did Simon,' Jerome said wryly. 'He's the last man to force a kiss on a girl who is unwilling.'

  `Did I look so unwilling ?' asked Kate, startled.

  Jerome smiled. 'Forget it, Kate, you behaved very well.'

  Kate tried to smile. Was he comforting her? Had Simon realized ... ?

  It was a terrible evening for Kate. She could not plead a headache and escape as she would have liked, for being Queen of the evening, she was an important person and special dances were performed for her, and she had to sit by Simon and dance often with him. They spoke little, which helped Kate overcome her initial dismay, but she felt most absurdly weak every time he looked at her. It was as if his strange grey-gold eyes could see into her mind, read her every thought, and she wondered how she could ever bear it if he discovered that she had fallen in love with him.

  The laughter and the loud music seemed to get noisier and noisier and once, dancing with Simon, Kate closed her eyes, trying to retreat from it all.

  `Headache ?' Simon asked.

  Kate opened her eyes quickly and looked up at him. `I'll be all right.'

  `There's no need to suffer,' he said, his voice dry. `They don't need us now.'

  Before Kate could say anything, Simon had led her to the car and was driving her home. Kate relaxed, closing her eyes. Soon she would be alone, able to think this matter out sanely. Perhaps she had imagined it all — perhaps all girls responded to a kiss as she had done. It needn't necessarily mean love, need it? she asked herself.

  But it was a waste of time, she knew that, trying to convince herself that she was not in love with Simon. Suddenly she realized that it was taking them a great deal longer to drive home than it had taken them to reach the feasting place. She opened her eyes and realized with a shock that Simon was not driving her home, for the car was climbing a narrow mountainous road, going higher and nearer towards the mountain peak.

  She sat up. 'What .' she began.

  Simon was relaxed behind the wheel. He did not bother to turn his head. 'I thought some fresh air would do you good.'

  `But

  She caught her breath and stopped speaking. What was the good of arguing with a man like Simon? He always got his own way. She sat very still as Simon

  drove off the main road and on to a flat plateau of rock. As he stopped the car, she gazed ahead, catching her breath again, but this time with delight.

  Had she ever seen anything so beautiful as the moonlight on the water? They were high above the lagoon and could see far out into the dark ocean with the moon's wide swath of silver.

  Simon lit a cigarette and twisted in the car to look at her. 'What upset you, Kate ?' he asked abruptly. `Was it the kiss ?'

  She stared at him and could feel the blood draining from her face. So he knew! Knew that she had fallen in love with him !

  `In a way . . .' she began.

  `But, Kate,' he said, and now there was amusement in his voice, 'what's in a kiss ? Especially a kiss like that when we have an audience cheering us on.'

  So he did not know she loved him, Kate realized with a shock of relief, followed the next moment by annoyance at his tone.

  `A kiss should . . . a kiss is . .' she began to try to explain. She stopped speaking because of the way Simon was staring at her.

  Then he nodded. 'I agree that a kiss can be a very serious matter at certain times, but...' he frowned, `you must have been kissed before ?'

  Kate coloured. 'Of course, but .

  She had been going to say 'but never like that'. However, Simon gave her no chance, for he interrupted her.

  `But not often ?' He lifted his hand as he saw she was about to speak. 'Please, Kate, not again! I know —

  you were far too busy looking after your family to have time for...'

  Kate's anger flared up unexpectedly. 'I wish you'd stop sneering about it. I never minded looking after them . . .' she began.

  His hand moved and closed over hers, holding it prisoner. Kate shivered. It was absurd, but it was like an electric shock — stirring her deeply.

  `I'm not sneering at you, Kate,' he said gravely. admire and respect you for what you did for them, but it's no longer necessary. It's time you lived your own life, otherwise Jerome will feel he's cheated you out of something.'

  Kate was startled. But he hasn't!'

  `Not yet, but you must lead your own life now, Kate,' Simon said sternly, his face in the moonlight looking grim and stubborn. 'It's time you grew up.'

  Kate was silent. She had grown up. She knew that now. This was love — this feeling of weakness, this desire to have him touch her and yet at the same time, the feeling of fear in case he did so, because she wondered how she could hide her love for him. She stared ahead of her miserably. Why had it to happen to her like this ? She knew that Simon had only to say the word and she would follow him round the world.

  `Adam's a nice guy,' Simon said unexpectedly, starting the car. 'You get on well together.' He reversed the car on to the road and turned to look at her. 'You like him, don't you ?'

  Kate nodded silently. What was Simon suggesting? `Well, that's something,' he said cheerfully.

  They drove the rest of the way in silence. Kate

  curled up in her corner, her eyes tightly closed. Was Simon trying to marry her off to Adam ? Why ? For her own happiness or because he thought it would be good for Adam to be married to someone quiet and sensible ? If Simon only knew the truth, she thought miserably, and if only it was not the truth!

  CHAPTER ELEVEN
>
  THE next day everything was back to normal, or so Kate kept telling herself as Simon took them down to the lagoon in the morning before the sun was too high and the heat unbearable. The gentlest of trade winds rustled through the palm trees as they reached the emerald-green lagoon.

  Mike shouted to a small naked Polynesian boy who was standing patiently in the shallows, fishing spear in hand.

  Mike looked up at Kate. 'I've been out with his big brother, Mopelia, in the outrigger canoe. He's promised to take me sailing.'

  `Has he ?' said Kate, looking down at Mike whose cheeks had browned from the sunshine and whose thin body had filled out since they came to the island.

  How she had changed, she realized with a shock. A few months back, she would have been furious with Mike, for she had known nothing about his having gone out in an outrigger canoe ! As for the thought of letting him go sailing— ! What had happened ? Had her outlook broadened ? Had she realized that once she had fussed unnecessarily? Or had she merely ceased to worry about her family? Had ... something or someone taken its place in her heart ?

  She glanced at Simon who was teaching Nancy how to swim underwater. His lean virile form was brown from sunshine, his fair hair smooth from the water,

  his voice quiet as he talked to Nancy, who was listening impatiently.

  Kate looked away quickly. It was better not to look at Simon — someone might see more in the look than Kate wanted seen. It was wiser to look up at the mountain peaks covered with palm trees, at the bushes and creepers with their huge creamy white and crimson flowers — wiser to look at the old Polynesian woman walking along the sand in a black Mother Hubbard dress, a relic of the early days of the missionaries, or to gaze admiringly at the girl by her side with long black hair and a creamy flower behind one ear as she seemed to float along, so gracefully did she move, in her crimson pareu and her dark eyes watching curiously as she passed the group of white people wearing such queer headgear as they went into the water.