The White Witch of the South Seas gs-11

by Dennis Wheatley

  The day's fishing did not prove very successful. Olinda showed no interest and Gregory's thoughts, also, were too occupied with James for him to concentrate fully on the sport. Manon did best by catching several medium sized colourful fish and a large walu, fried slices of which they enjoyed at dinner. Gregory landed only an angel fish and a 'sea snake, then hooked some weighty, unidentified monster probably a Tuna which, after he had played it for only a few minutes, snapped his line.

  That night they returned to the anchorage off Beqa and the following morning, as none of them felt like going fishing again, they decided to remain there, although it was uncertain whether James would rejoin them that day. If he had spent the past twenty four hours fasting in seclusion and there had been nothing to prevent the fire pit from being prepared that morning they should learn from him soon after midday of his success or failure. But it might be that, as he was not a native of Beqa more prolonged preparation for the ordeal was necessary, or that ancient custom dictated that fire walks should be undertaken only at a certain phase of the moon.

  This last possibility worried Gregory considerably, as if they had to remain off Beqa for any length of time that would give Lacost so long a lead that he might get up the gold and make off with it before they could reach Tujoa. But he endeavoured to console himself with the thought that securing the treasure was of secondary importance to James' being able, once and for all, to free himself from his fear of Roboumo.

  By ten o'clock the sky had clouded over and it began to drizzle. Olinda, already in a state of feverish anxiety, walked the deck restlessly, cursing the weather; although Gregory assured her that, if the `party' were on, light, warm rain would have no effect on the heat of the stones, so would not lead to a postponement. Manon alone had no reason to be worried, as James meant nothing to her, but she tactfully suppressed her normal high spirits and endeavoured to show the same concern as the others.

  The morning seemed endless and, with poor appetites, they ate their lunch almost in silence. Up on deck again, they sat staring out into the mist that now nearly obscured the island, miserably aware that they might have to keep up their uneasy vigil for another twenty four hours or more.

  The dreary hours of the sunless afternoon dragged by. Wrapped in coats and rugs against the mist, they sat on, facing the vaguely seen coast: Olinda telling the beads of her rosary and murmuring prayers, Gregory from time to time scanning through binoculars the partially obscured patches of jungle that stood between the village and the beach, and Manon doing her best to conceal her boredom.

  A little before six they came to the conclusion that they would have to remain at anchor there for at least another day, and stood up to go below. It was then, as Gregory gave the murky vista a last sweep with his glasses, that he suddenly sighted a boat coming towards them. The now fading light, added to the mist, had caused him to miss seeing it as it put off, and it was already some way from the shore. Quickly he pointed it out to the others; then Olinda shouted to Captain Amedo to send the speed boat in to meet it.

  Now, lining the rail, they waited with almost unbearable impatience, striving to pierce the gloom and see if the native boat carried James, returning to them, or if it bore only a messenger to report that the fire walk had had, for some reason, to be delayed.

  The speed boat met the native craft about halfway from the shore and a figure transferred to it. But many of the natives of Beqa were as tall as James, so his friends could still not tell if it was him or a messenger.

  Another agonising five minutes passed; then Olinda, to whom Gregory had passed the binoculars, cried: `It's he! It's he! And he can't have been maimed, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to step so easily from one boat into the other. Oh, Holy Mary be praised!'

  Gregory and Manon could also by then recognise the figure in the stern of the speed boat as James. He waved to them and they all waved back. But the all important question still remained. Had he passed through the ordeal unscathed or had he, at the last moment, allowed fear to overcome him and refused the trial?

  As the speed boat drew alongside the yacht, they had the answer. James' handsome face was lit with a radiant smile that told its own story. No man who had to confess failure through lack of courage could have worn such an expression. When he scrambled aboard, Olinda, sobbing with relief, threw her arms about him and, regardless of onlookers, kissed him again and again with fervid passion. No sooner had she released him than Manon went on tiptoe to kiss his cheek, Gregory and Captain Amedo shook him warmly by the hand, and the crew, although ignorant of his reason for having stayed ashore overnight, but realising that he must have achieved some triumph, cheered him lustily.

  With flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes, Olinda told Captain Amedo that all the crew were to be given an extra month's pay and a good ration of wine with their meal that evening. Down in the saloon, the steward produced two magnums of the late Valentim's best champagne, and James' friends drank his health again and again as he told his story.

  It had taken the whole of the previous morning to persuade the old Chief to let him attempt the fire walk, so he had not started his twenty four hours of segregation until well on in the afternoon. While in the darkened bure, he had followed the Chief's instructions and told himself countless times, hour after hour, until it had resulted in self hypnosis, that he would feel no pain when he walked over the hot stones.

  When he had emerged, everything had been made ready for the ordeal and the whole population of the village had assembled to watch. At the sight of the slight drizzle sizzling on the hot stones, thus turning into steam, his courage had ebbed, but the Vunivalu had taken him by the hand, told him that he must not look at the stones but straight ahead of him, then personally led him down into the pit. Concentrating his whole mind on Olinda, he had visualised her standing waiting for him on the opposite brink of the pit. His body had seemed to become lighter, the heat about him was so intense that it had vaguely crossed his mind that his clothes might catch fire, but he had felt no pain on the soles of his feet, only a swift tingling. Before he fully realised it, his ordeal was over, the Vunivalu was embracing him and giving him the nose kiss, the villagers were shouting their applause and he was being escorted to the Meeting House for a yaggona ceremony.

  He had only just finished his account when Olinda’s chef appeared to say that, with the Senhora's permission, he proposed to put on a gala dinner. In the meantime quite a sea had got up, so Olinda told her Captain that they would lie under the shelter of Beqa for the night and not sail for Tujoa until the following morning. Manon, still anxious to delay their arrival for as long as possible, then renewed her invitation for them to visit her island.

  Olinda poked across at Gregory, silently consulting him before making a reply. He did not want to give Lacost a free hand for too long at Tujoa, but the Boa Viagem would make the voyage more quickly than the Pigalle, and the Mamanucas lay almost on the direct course for the Nakapoas; so,

  knowing that Olinda would like to arrange about Valentim's grave, he said he thought it would be a good idea.

  By midday on Sunday they anchored off Manon's island, and in the afternoon all went ashore to accompany Olinda, clad and veiled in deep black, on a formal visit to her late husband's grave. Meanwhile, old Joe Joe had performed miracles with his staff to provide his mistress and her guests with an excellent dinner in the big bure.

  That night they slept aboard. Next morning James gave Joe Joe instructions about the reburial of de Carvalho in a stone lined grave, and passed on to him a sum that Olinda had given him for the work and upkeep of the grave. After lunch they sailed again and dropped anchor off Revika shortly before midday on Wednesday, May 4th.

  James had taken it for granted that the others would be his guests while on Tujoa but, when preparations were being made to go ashore, Olinda drew him aside and said

  `Darling, as we agree to marry when my formal period of mourning is over, I do feel that, for both our sakes, I ought to protect my reputation in the
eyes of your people. Manon is a gay and pleasant creature but… well, hardly the sort of woman who would be regarded in many quarters as a satisfactory chaperon. Of course, I shall love to come ashore and see your home and the island, but I think it would be best if I continued to sleep aboard the yacht.'

  James agreed at once. `Of course you are right, my love, and your decision is a wise one. If you were living up on the hill I'd be sorely tempted to pay you a midnight visit; and, although my servants must sleep at times, somehow they seem to become aware of everything that is going on.'

  It was this brief conversation that led James a few minutes later to get hold of Gregory and say to him, `Dear friend. You have made no secret of it that Manon is your mistress. How would you wish that situation to be treated while you are here? If I put the two of you in separate bures I take it you will want to join her in hers now and then. I have not the least objection, but the servants will be certain to learn of it, so, although they will be no less respectful, it will be goodbye to her reputation. How much you or she cares about that, I have no notion; but if the thought disturbs you there is an easy way out. During your stay here we could refer to her as “Mrs. Sallust”, then I could put the two of you in a double bure. How does that idea appeal to you?'

  Gregory grinned at him. `I don't think Manon is the sort of woman to care much what the servants say of her, but as far as I am concerned your idea is admirable. I have always hated having to leave the warm bed of a girl in the early hours of the morning and make my way back to a cold one. I'll tell her, and I'm sure she'll raise no objections.'

  Far from objecting, Manon was delighted. To become, even temporarily, Gregory's official wife, seemed to her a splendid omen. Already, in eager anticipation, she could visualise her slim, short, pointed fingers manipulating the Sallust cheque book.

  After lunching on board they all went ashore in the speed boat… When they landed at the harbour Gregory left the others, as he wanted to find out as quickly as possible from Hamie Baker how Lacost was getting on with salvaging the gold from the wreck.

  Outside the Bonne Cuisine he found its fat Indian proprietor seated under an umbrella, just finishing his midday meal. Recalling their previous brief meeting, Gregory enquired for his diver. Continuing to munch a mouthful of bread and guava jelly, the landlord shook his head.

  `He's not here. He's on the far side of the island, working on the wreck with the French Colons.'

  That Hamie should have gone over to the enemy was a disconcerting piece of news, as for Lacost to have the assistance of two professional divers instead of one meant that he would be able to complete operations considerably quicker than Gregory had thought likely. Deciding that it would pay him to secure the good will of mine host of the Bonne Cuisine, he invited him to join him in a cognac.

  The landlord readily accepted and, as they sat over their drinks, Gregory learned that the Pigalle had arrived at Revika early on the morning of the preceding Friday, April 29th, remained there only for a couple of hours to take on supplies of fresh food and collect the two divers, then set off round

  the coast to the site of the wreck. That meant this was the sixth day that Lacost's party had been at work there. Naturally, everyone in Revika was taking a great interest in the proceedings, and natives were frequently going off to the Pigalle to offer for sale fresh vegetables and fruit. The accounts they brought back were to the effect that excellent progress was being made. Lacost had been particularly lucky in having an unbroken spell of calm weather. The great beam that had blocked the entrance to the stern cabins had been lifted clear on the second day. Two more days had passed while the native divers cleared away the mass of rotted debris that had fallen in when the beam had been removed and it was reported that on the previous day they had begun to get up the treasure.

  All this gave Gregory furiously to think. He now feared that he might have given Lacost too great a start. Leaving the Bonne Cuisine, he hurried up the hill to the Royal burs, told James of the situation and urged upon him the necessity for taking immediate action.

  18 ?Triumph and Disaster

  Having listened to Gregory's alarming report, James said that he had heard much the same from Aleamotu'a, and had sent a message to Commandant Elboeuf, asking him to come to the bure that evening, so that they could learn what steps he was taking to prevent illegal salvaging from the wreck.

  By then, Manon, rejoicing in her wifely status, had unpacked for both Gregory and herself, and came jauntily into the main bure, provocatively clad only in a bikini. With her was Olinda, who, at James' suggestion, had brought ashore a vanity case and swimsuit and had changed at the same time. On their appearance, Gregory and James temporarily shelved the problem of how to deal with Lacost and ten minutes later joined the girls at the pool, where the four of them spent a most enjoyable hour.

  Afterwards, when they were sitting with their drinks, Gregory said to James, `These rumours we have heard give a rough picture of how things are going, but we must try to secure really accurate information. Above all, it is important for us to know when Lacost expects to be through with the job and, make off with the loot. The only way I can think of to do that is to get hold of Hamie Baker. He is now living with the others in the Pigalle. For you or me to go out to her would almost certainly result in a showdown, and we daren't risk that in a place where the odds would be so heavily against us. But it is very unlikely that they would do Aleamotu'a any harm if we sent him out with a message; so would you agree to his acting for us?'

  `By all means,' James replied. `He wouldn't have to go

  aboard the Pigalle, only hand a letter up for Hamie, and I'm sure he would be willing to do that.'

  Accordingly, Gregory wrote a note for Hamie, in which he said that, on arriving back in Tujoa, he had found a letter from Hamie's boss, Mr. Trollope, which contained certain instructions that were to be passed on to him; so would he come ashore to receive them. Soon after five o'clock he set off in the jeep with the handsome Aleamotu'a, up through the mountain pass, past the great waterfall and down to the bay on the far side of the island in which the wreck of the Reins Maria Amalia lay.'

  They parked the jeep behind a screen of banana palms and, while Gregory waited there, Aleamotu'a walked on to the beach and had himself paddled out to the Pigalle in one of the boats used by the natives to peddle their wares to the Colons.

  Three quarters of an hour later he returned with Hamie Baker. Gregory greeted the diver with a frown and said abruptly, `Well, Hamie. As the other party got in first, it seems that, instead of waiting for me, you decided to lend them a hand.'

  The half caste gave a sullen nod. `That's so, bass. I got fed up sitting on my arse doing nothing all them weeks, and me an' Phil Macauta had become good buddies. Anyways, your contract wi' Mr. Trollope had run out and I'd heard nothing from either of you, so I didn't see why I shouldn't earn a bit o' extra money.'

  `I gave you some extra money before I left here,' Gregory remarked, `but we'll say no more about that. I've had you brought ashore to let you know that Mr. Trollope's orders are that you are to co operate with me, otherwise you'll be out on your ear when you get back to Fiji. To that I should add that I am ready to make it very well worth your while if you do as I wish.'

  At that Hamie brightened a little and said, `I didn't mean no harm, an' I've no wish to quarrel wi' Mr. Trollope or yerself. What is it you want o' me?'

  `For the moment only information. How have things been going out there?'

  `We've done fine, baas. Got the big beam away much quicker than expected, an' yesterday started gettin' up the stuff. 114y! Yer eyes would pop at some o' the things we brought up. Crosses and cups wi' precious stones as big as 'aricot beans stuck in 'em, an' lumps of gold coins all bent and fused together as though they'd been half melted in a fire. But come evening we got a nasty jolt a real nasty one:

  `In what way?' asked Gregory.

  `Big part of the deck caved in, jus' as we was about to knock off for the night. Couple of n
ative boys trapped down there, poor sods; an' half the hull full of debris. Mr. Lacost had hoped to be through by termorrer night, an' he fairly blew his top. There's lots more of the stuff still down there and buried deep. He's kep' us hard at it all day, clearing a way down.'

  How long do you reckon it will be before you reach it?'

  `It's difficult to say. We Phil an' I working alone, it 'ud take us at least a week. But it's on this sort of job the native boys come in handy. Reckon we'll be down to the stuff again in another twenty four hours.'

  `Very well, then,' Gregory nodded. `Now I'll make the position clear to you. These Frenchmen hold no licence to salvage the treasure. They are, therefore, committing what amounts to an act of piracy. I don't doubt that Lacost has offered you a pretty big sum for your help, but if you take it that will be regarded as accepting part of the swag, and you will be liable to be sent to prison. Unless you want to risk that, as soon as they do get down to the treasure again you will pretend to be stricken with sudden illness, or think up some other means of having yourself put ashore, and come at once to the Ratu's bure and let me know. Then you will be in the clear.'

  Hamie shifted his feet uneasily, looked down at them and muttered, `That's all very well, baas; but Mr. Lacost is treating me very decent. Thirty pound a day he's promised me, an' a whackin' good bonus when the job's finished.'

  Gregory gave a laugh that had no humour in it. `If you are counting on that, you don't know the man you are dealing with. He is a crook and a murderer. When he has no more use for you the odds are that, rather than cash out, he'll cut your air pipe on your last dive and leave you to feed the fishes. I need to have twelve hours' warning before the Pigalle is likely to sail. Bring it to me and you will not only be out of trouble but I'll pay you two hundred pounds.'