The Man From Coral Bay

by Jan Anderson

  Are you always as rude as this?' she managed to ask.

  To anyone behaving as you have, yes. You could have had a nasty case of heat-stroke. Now, I daresay, a couple of days in bed will teach you a lesson.'

  She felt the taxi stop and a door bang, and then, surprisingly, Tom's voice, if anything even angrier than the other man's.

  What the hell are you doing with my sister?'

  Delivering her back to you,' came the cold reply, after picking her up off the floor in the Pettah. I presume you can cope now. She should be just about coming round. And if you want my advice you'll explain to her that she isn't strolling round Hyde Park here!'

  Oh, God, thought Rossi, still unable to focus as Tom helped her into his car, you'd think she'd committed some crime by the way everyone was behaving round her.

  When Tom started by saying, ' I told you to stick to the Fort. What on earth possessed you to go wandering off like that? And to humiliate me by allowing him of all people to bring you back! ' She could only say, near to tears:

  ' Please, Tom, don't you start on at me. I don't know who he is. Presumably not a friend of yours.'

  You can say that again. Your Sir Galahad was a man called Matthew Lincoln.'

  CHAPTER III

  Rossi did not really feel herself again until about

  thirty-six hours later. She had, the doctor told her

  severely, taken her overdose of the sun in a big way

  —much more foolishly than most tourists these days.

  She apologised meekly, thinking she was not likely to repeat such stupidity. To her it seemed much more likely that she had not recovered sufficiently from a long and tiring journey; neither had the leap of fifty degrees helped.

  Feeling a little shaky, but otherwise all right, she slipped on a cotton robe and went out to the terrace. Tom was sitting there, twirling an empty glass in his hands. She came and sat there facing him, sensing his change of mood.

  ' I'm sorry to make a fool of myself like that, Tom. It won't happen again. But now I think it's time that you told me about Mr Lincoln . . . about Julia and . . . oh, everything else that seems to be going wrong for you.'

  When he hesitated she leaned forward and poked him on the knee gently. I'm your sister, remember? I'm on your side, and I only want to help.'

  All right, I suppose it would help to talk about it.' He refilled his own glass and poured her out a cold fruit drink, before settling uneasily back into his chair.

  I suppose it all started when I decided to pack in my job here. I'd found this piece of land up north, or rather a pal of mine had told me about it. Told me the enormous success Lincoln was having and that he reckoned he could wangle this ten acres. The chap who had owned it before had already planted the coconuts and the thing was almost a going concern. And if I could get in there quickly. . . .

  ' Anyway, I took an option before telling Julia about it, thinking it would be a marvellous surprise for her. But no, she was against it right from the start. Said it was too risky, the place too cut off,

  what about the children—oh, every excuse you could think of. I'm afraid we had a few rows over it, but I decided I must go ahead. You see, Ros, the whole tea business is running down here. In about ten years there probably won't be a job for me anyway. I'll be nearly forty then—just think of that! —and heaven knows what I could do back in England at that age. The only alternative as I see it would be to get out now and start afresh while I'm young and the kids are young.'

  Surely Julia saw all that?' Rossi pointed out.

  ' Of course she did. She wanted me to pack up and go back to England now, but she should know this country is in my blood. I don't want to leave it until I'm pushed out. She never even tried to see my point of view,' he added bitterly.

  And when does this man Lincoln fit in?' Rossi probed further.

  ' He owns the nearest piece of land, about forty acres or more. And he exploits just about everything and everyone around there. I thought he would be a very helpful neighbour to have, but no

  .. he's been in my hair ever since I bought the place, trying to put me off, giving me damn bad advice, stealing my labour, trying everything. In short, he wants to get me out. I probably could have accepted all this, if it wasn't for the strip of land that lies between our properties. No more than a couple of acres, but it's pretty well vital to me, because a tributary of the river runs through it .. . hardly more than a stream, but enough for my purposes. He doesn't need it, since his land borders on the main river and lagoon. The land's been lying idle for a couple of years, I gather, but no sooner do I put in a bid for it than he doubles it and buys it for himself.'

  But what's he got against you?' Rossi asked.

  ' I don't know. I wish I did. Some sort of power complex . . . a dislike of any sort of competition. He's a bit like a boy I knew at school. Anything I had he always wanted. Lincoln's the same. You'll find it out soon enough.'

  ' I must say,' Rossi told him, I didn't exactly take to him when he picked me up off the ground. He was quite unnecessarily rude and overbearing.'

  ' That's Lincoln all over. Doesn't like strangers, I'm told. But there's no need for you to have anything to do with him. In fact, I'd be most upset if you did.'

  Two days later Tom and Rossi made the final preparations to travel up to Coral Bay with Nanny and the children. He had wanted to leave earlier, but reluctantly agreed that Rossi needed another day to acclimatise before starting on a journey that would take about six hours.

  The children were very excited as they set out, telling her all about Coral Bay.

  I can catch fish,' said Terry proudly.

  And we can both swim,' Sue added.

  You can't swim properly yet,' Terry poured scorn on his sister's claim, you keep one foot on the ground.'

  I don't!'

  The beginnings of a battle were there, so Rossi quickly started a game of I spy ' as Tom concentrated on driving along a road that was even more hazardous than the one from the airport. This was the city's rush hour, and it seemed to Rossi that pretty well every inhabitant of Colombo was on the streets, either going to work on wobbling bicycles, walking haphazardly along the middle of the road, or just standing around staring.

  Will we be passing through anywhere interesting?' she asked. I'd like to do as much sightseeing as I can.'

  Tom shook his head. ' Only Kandy, I'm afraid. The rest will be typical Ceylon country, paddy fields down here, coconuts a little higher, then rubber further inland and finally tea in the hill country. When I'm a little less pushed, we'll try to take a few trips, certainly before you go back. We'll be stopping in Kandy for about half an hour, though, so you'll be able to see what a provincial town looks like. Of course, many years ago, it was the ancient capital of Ceylon, where all the kings of Kandy had their seats. And there's the famous Temple of the Tooth, which is the biggest Buddhist temple in Ceylon.'

  Tooth?' said Rossi, puzzled. Why tooth?'

  I know,' Terry shouted. ' Can I tell her, Dad?' Go on, then.'

  It's where they keep a very special tooth of Buddha's,' Terry told her proudly. It's a huge great place just to keep a tiny relic. Isn't that funny? But sometimes we come up to see the procession, don't we, Dad? Do you think we'll be able to come this year?'

  Perhaps,' said Tom vaguely, we'll see.'

  Rossi occupied the next few minutes getting the children to tell her all about Ceylon's most famous celebration, the Perahera, that took place once a year, when the gold casket containing the relic was paraded through the streets, on the back of an elephant. Massed elephants followed on and then the Kandyan dancers carrying burning torches.

  As they drove on, the country was slowly changing, the paddy fields giving way to the foothills and in the distance could be seen the first tea-covered

  slopes. To Rossi, Ceylon and tea were synonymous, yet she had not the first idea what growing tea looked like. She asked her brother.

  ' You'll see more than you'll ever want, soon enough,' he
told her, but I suppose it's a bit like a low privet bush. We'll have to arrange to take you up to Barney's place. Then you can see the whole process. He'll love to show you—and to show off a bit. He's got quite a model estate up there. He lives like a king, like most of the planters. There's only one thing missing.'

  What's that?'

  A queen!'

  Oh.' Rossi found herself flushing slightly as her brother glanced towards her.

  You could do worse, you know,' Tom commented. Barney's a good chap. And I reckon he's sown most of his wild oats. He's ready to settle down.'

  I didn't come out here looking for a husband, Tom,' Rossi protested. ' Besides, I've only met Barney twice. I know nothing about him except that he was good fun at a party, and good company on a plane flight. I don't think that's quite enough, do you?'

  Tom grinned. You're taking me too seriously. All I'm saying is that if you're seeking a bit of light relief while you're over here, I'll know you're in good hands.'

  You mean you approve. I'm twenty-two now, Tom. Have you forgotten that? Quite old enough not to ask my brother—however much I respect his judgement—to vet my boy-friends.'

  Touché,' he shrugged. We'll say no more.

  Here's Kandy, kids. Time for a quick lunch while I do my business, and then we'll be on our way.'

  He inched into a parking place on the broad main street, and pointed out an air-conditioned café where Rossi would take Nanny and the children. He told them to be at the car in about half an hour's time.

  Although they were in the hills the heat here was stifling and Rossi was glad to get into the cool, surprised to find that the cafe—and its menu—was typical of any she might have found in England. A small pocket of resistance, perhaps?

  When they came out, Tom was beside the car, but with his head inside the bonnet.

  Rossi peered over his shoulder. Is there something wrong?'

  Too damn right there is,' he answered without looking up. She won't budge. It could be the petrol pump, or it could be something else. I never was much of a mechanic.'

  Is there anything I can do?' Rossi asked anxiously.

  ' You could go along to the garage and ask .. . no, on second thoughts you haven't got used to dealing with them yet. I think you'd better take the kids for a walk and come back in another half hour.' He was off, shouting some sort of instruction to one of the inevitable onlookers, looking nervous and harassed.

  Rossi stared after him for a moment, worried by this new side of Tom. Always before he had been easygoing, carefree, yet solid as a rock. When everyone else went to pieces, Tom was always there, calm, steady, ready to cope with any situation.

  Terry tugged at her arm. ' Could we go and look at the market? I love it, but there's usually not time.'

  She was pulled back to the present. What about this Temple of the Tooth? I thought that was what

  you wanted to show me?'

  Terry looked doubtful. I think it's too far, an

  awfully long way down that road. Sue would be an awful nuisance.'

  I wouldn't,' declared Sue. ' I can do anything you can do.'

  ' I think I'd like to see the market,' Rossi said hastily. I've never seen one in Ceylon, and besides, you two are much more used to the heat than I am. Perhaps Daddy will get the car going and we'll still pass the temple.'

  Even the walk to the market was far enough—a huge, modern place, full of noise and colour. There were tempting stalls of pawpaws and mangoes, mounds of bananas and the smaller, stubbier plantains. Avocados cost next to nothing, so did the mouth-watering melons and peaches.

  From every stall came requests to taste something, buy something, compare it with the next man, but it was all done in a cheerful smiling way. Rossi smilingly shook her head most of the time because she only had a few rupees on her, but she did succumb on the way out at the silent pleas of both children, and bought both bananas and mangoes for them to eat on the rest of the journey.

  They returned to Tom to find him in furious argument with the mechanic, who didn't seem to be having much success either with the car. At Rossi's silent question he said crossly, He wants to tow the car back to the garage and do the job there. That will mean being here for the rest of the day, if I know them.'

  The sun was beating down in an almost shadeless street. Rossi said practically, If I can't be any help, I think I should get Sue out of the sun. Nanny tells me she gets sick if she's out for too long. Can

  you suggest anywhere we could go ? '

  Tom paused to think. There's a hotel along the road. It's about the only place. Really, the kids ought to be on their way, or it makes an impossibly long day. These fellows tell me it's going to be a two-hour job, so that means at least three.'

  There was a moment's silence, while they considered the only possibility, then the watching crowd parted and shadow loomed over them. It was as if someone had actually sent for Matthew Lincoln.

  He nodded briefly to Rossi, then said quietly to Tom, ' I suppose you're having car trouble. Is there any way I can help?'

  Tom glared at him as though his arrival was the last straw. If you can find and fit a new petrol pump in five minutes, then yes, you can. Otherwise we can manage perfectly well on our own.'

  Matthew Lincoln looked down at the two children and the barest shadow of a smile crossed his face. ' I could give Terry and Sue and Nanny a lift—and your sister too, of course.'

  Tom lifted his head from the car and his voice was like ice. I told you we didn't need your help. Isn't that enough answer for you?'

  The big man shrugged. Of course, if that's the way you feel.'

  He was starting to move away when Sue burst into tears.

  Rossi pulled the little girl into her arms. ' What's the matter, Sue? Are you very hot?'

  Yes,' she gulped, I want to go home. I don't want to sit and wait for Daddy now that Uncle Matt's here.'

  Matthew Lincoln paused in his stride and Rossi looked across at her brother.

  No ! ' said Tom.

  It was Terry's turn to speak up, his voice a little shaky, but determined. Please, Dad, can we go? I don't want to stay either, it's terribly hot here.'

  You'll do as you're told,' said Tom sharply, and Sue burst into fresh tears.

  Rossi did not want to go with Matthew Lincoln any more than Tom did, but Sue was looking pale, and she certainly did not fancy trying to pacify her for at least another three hours.

  Come over here, please, Tom,' she said in a low voice, and led the way towards the awning of the cafe.

  It's no good, Rossi,' he said, ' you won't talk me into it either. I'm not having my children contaminated by that fellow.'

  Look, Tom,' she said reasonably, the little I've seen of him, I don't care for him either and I would have given anything for this not to have happened. But it has. And as Sue looks like working herself into a state, I don't think you've got any alternative. To expect the children to sit and wait in this heat for three hours when they can be on their way home doesn't seem right. It doesn't seem fair to drag them into your quarrel. Besides, I'll be with them all the time. There'd be no question of him " contaminating " them.'

  Tom was silent. Then he glanced across at where Sue was still weeping silently and both Nanny and Terry were doing their best to cheer her up, without any success at all.

  ' I suppose,' he said grudgingly, I haven't much choice, have I? But let me tell you this, Ros—it's one more black mark against him. If he hadn't turned up, Sue would have known she had to wait. Oh, she might have been a little fretful, but nothing more. He's a totally disruptive influence.'

  He strode back to the car and, without looking at the other man, jerked his head at the children. All right, you can go, but you're in your aunt's charge, remember. If I find you haven't done exactly as she said, you'll both be in real trouble.'

  Terry nodded mutely, and Sue's team began to die down.

  Perhaps, Mr Lincoln, you would show us where your car is. The sooner we get going the better.'
r />   Just as you say, Miss Finch, you appear to be in charge.' She could have sworn he was laughing at her and felt angrier than ever at being forced into this position.

  Of course, his car had to be larger, roomier and much newer than Tom's. He opened the back door and saw both children in with Nanny, then held the front open for her. She hesitated, having visualised travelling in the back, but she could hardly make an uncomfortable fourth in this kind of heat. She got in without a word.

  Matthew Lincoln had hardly edged into the traffic when Terry leaned over the back of the seat. ' Uncle Matt,' he said eagerly, ' do you think we could go round by the Temple of the Tooth? Dad promised to show it to Aunt Rossi, but now he can't, and she's dying to see it.'

  Rossi said stiffly from her corner: Don't exaggerate, Terry, I can see it another time. It's much more important to be on our way. For Sue's sake, if nothing else.'

  It's no trouble,' the man next to her said lazily, and I think if you look back you'll find that Miss Sue has made a very speedy recovery.'

  I don't want to go,' she said quickly, loyal to Tom.

  Well, I do, and so does Terry.'

  They came to the end of the town, to a pretty, ornamental lake, on the edge of which stood one of Ceylon's most famous temples, with its round, pointed roof that was reflected in the lake below it.

  Rossi didn't want to appear too eager, but she could not stop herself craning round in her seat for a last look as the car passed by.

  Matt Lincoln glanced down at her. It is rather beautiful, isn't it?' he said lightly, if somewhat over-decorative. Don't worry, I'm going to drive round the other side of the lake and you should get a better view of the whole.'

  On the far side of the lake, opposite the temple, he pulled up for a few moments. Rossi made no comment except: Thank you, but I think we'd better get on now.'

  As they turned over the miles much more quickly than in the morning Rossi could not help being aware that there existed a rapport between the children and Uncle Matt '. A non-stop conversation seemed to go on among the three of them about things she knew nothing about. It also became obvious that the children must spend quite a bit of time with their father's enemy '. She could only think that Tom knew nothing of this and that Terry and Sue were astute enough to hide their clandestine friendship from him when he was at home. She did not know what to say or think, except that her fierce loyalty to her brother made her doubly antagonistic towards this stranger who treated her so casually.