The Man From Coral Bay

by Jan Anderson

  Barney took it and turned it over indifferently. ' It's a penknife,' he said, or rather almost a hunting knife. A good one too. I suppose, young Terry, it must belong to your father.'

  He rubbed away at the mud and came to the initials engraved on the handle. Rossi heard the quick intake of his breath before, without a word, he handed her the knife.

  She stared down, not wanting to believe what she saw. But the initials were there in cold metal M.W.L. She felt faintly sick.

  You know what this means, don't you?' said Barney. Come on, we're going back to Tom. If this isn't evidence, I don't know what is.' And he turned and strode back across the plantation.

  Rossi felt cold all over. What had been said yesterday about trust and loyalty? And she had believed it too. With all her heart she had believed it.

  Very slowly she followed Barney and Terry. What on earth would be the effect on the child when he knew what mischief his friend had perpetrated. Because there would be no hiding something monstrous like this from Terry.

  They came in sight of the terrace and Rossi stopped dead. Surely there could not be more shocks today. But there was little doubt about the tall slender figure standing beside Tom. Julia had come home.

  CHAPTER XII

  Rossi's first thought was that the post must be incredibly fast to bring Julia here within the space of two or three days. Her second was that her sister-in-law looked a great deal better than she had done a few weeks ago.

  Julia actually smiled, then came forward and kissed her. Hullo, Rossi, I hear my kids have been leading you a bit of a dance. I'm sorry about that.'

  Rossi shook her head. ` No, they've been fine, really they have. They're safe and well, which is all that matters now.'

  Terry was dancing round excitedly. ` You see, Rossi, Mala did help after all. He brought Mummy back, didn't he? And it was all because I went to see him. So none of you can be cross anymore.'

  Across the top of his head Rossi met Tom's eyes. Tom shrugged slightly as if to say, If he wants to believe that don't destroy his illusions.'

  Terry rushed on: So I'll have to go and tell Uncle Matt now, won't I?'

  This time it was Rossi's hand that fell heavily on his shoulder. ' You can tell him later, Terry, but not now.' She felt the metal of the knife she held almost burning her. ' Nanny,' she said, seeing the old woman hovering there, obviously delighted to see her mistress back, could you take the children inside for a moment.'

  Amid protests, both children were led off and Rossi turned to her brother. I'm sorry, Tom, to cast a bit of a cloud over Julia's homecoming, but there's something I have to get off my chest. I don't

  suppose you've had time to tell her about the trees yet, but while we were over on the plantation just now, we found this. Or rather Terry picked it up.' Silently she held out the knife. At least now we know who was responsible. I was wrong about him. I seem to have backed the wrong horse. But he's not going to get away with it. I'm going straight across and ask him to come over here. You can then confront him before all of us. It's about time he was taught a lesson.' She started to walk quickly towards the next property.

  ' Rossi. . . .' she heard Tom call her name, but she did not look back. If she had she might have faltered in her determination. For too long had she allowed Matt Lincoln to win her over, to trick her into believing in his motives, yes, even to be attracted by him, when all the time he really did have one goal and one goal only—to get Tom out.

  As she walked faster and faster, uncaring of the heat, her anger grew. Much of it, she knew, was directed at herself for being so influenced by Matt Lincoln, for being happy to be influenced. All the way along she had wanted so badly to believe in him. Perhaps she had wanted to draw him and Tom together as much as Terry did, but simply to assuage her own mixed feelings towards him.

  She found him at the house, just getting out of his car. He smiled that rare warm smile, but she steeled her heart. Hello there, Rossi, I'm glad you came over. I wanted to find out about Terry. I also wanted to see you. . .

  Terry is perfectly all right,' she said coldly.

  He also seems to think the hermit has worked a miracle, because his mother is home. But once again I didn't come on a social visit. I wanted you to come across and see my brother. He has some-

  thing to say to you.'

  He heard the note in her voice and his eyes darkened. ' If Tom wants to see me, then surely he can run his own messages.'

  He happens to have a bad leg.'

  Ah, yes, of course. I was forgetting.' The sarcasm was obvious.

  Will you come?'

  ' To face some sort of firing squad? Of course I'll come. It's better to get these things over quickly. Should I bring my bullet-proof vest? Lead on, Miss Finch, I'm right behind you. You make a loyal keeper for your brother.'

  She bent her head as she walked in front of him, determined not to be touched in any way by his continuing sarcasm.

  When she came in sight of the terrace there was no sign of Barney, but Tom and Julia were standing there, very close together, hands clasped. At least, she thought, some good was going to come out of all this.

  Matt and Tom stood face to face. For a moment neither spoke, then Matt said in a surprisingly light voice, Rossi tells me you have something you wish to say to me.'

  When Tom still said nothing, Rossi snatched the knife from where it lay on the table. There,' she said loudly, ' that's what he wants to say to you. It was found beside his damaged trees. I suppose now you'll deny having anything to do with . . . with all that slaughter.'

  He raised his eyebrows, deliberately not looking at her. Hello, Julia, welcome home. I'm sorry you should come back to some kind of mock trial.' He looked from brother to sister. I am on trial, aren't I, accused without any kind of defence. So

  what's the point of my denying anything? Who will believe me?'

  There,' said Rossi, ' I told you so.' But she spoke not in triumph, but in pain. ' Say something, Tom, it's you he has destroyed.'

  Suddenly Tom broke away from his wife. Sit down, Rossi.' And then more loudly, Go on, do as you're told. Sit down. And you too, Lincoln. I do have something to say and I prefer to do it this way.'

  Ah,' said Matt, we come now to the judge's sentence.'

  Tom ignored this, took a deep breath and looked down at Rossi. I'm afraid you're wrong, quite wrong, as Matt well knows, but I've decided the time has come for a few home truths. Julia has come back and more than anything else we . . . I want to make a fresh start. I've been messing people's lives up for too long. I've messed my own up, and what I'm going to say is not exactly going to win me friends. Matt did not destroy those trees. I did.'

  Rossi gave a little cry. Oh, no!'

  Oh, yes. And you can all hear how and why it was done. Perhaps in that way I can purge myself.

  I knew I couldn't win here. I hadn't enough time or money. Julia had told me the same thing months ago, but I wouldn't listen. Just as I wouldn't listen to Matt who made me a perfectly fair offer for my land. Instead of cutting my losses I plunged deeper and deeper in. If he could succeed, so could I. The more I tried the more jealous I became. He even seemed to be the only one who could get through to Julia and my children. I became obsessive about you, Matt, and it got even worse after Julia went. I suppose a doctor would say I was a bit sick. That labour problem and Sue

  falling ill were the final straws.

  ' I discovered one of my sacked men slashing away at my trees with the knife he had stolen from you, Matt. He was trying to do amateurishly what I could do professionally. So I forced him to help me do the whole job. In return I would protect him from being arrested for theft. I honestly don't know what I hoped to gain from such an appalling thing. Revenge, I suppose. It was after this, by the way, that I fell and hurt my leg—some kind of retribution.'

  His head suddenly dropped. If you want to call the police, Matt, I shall quite understand.'

  No,' answered Matt quietly, ' I don't want to call the police. You've suf
fered enough already. We'll get together again when you and Julia have had time to talk and plan your future. All I'm concerned with is that the war is over—our war—even if the last battle left us both with scars.'

  All this time Rossi was sitting rigid in her seat, unbelieving of what she heard, yet knowing it all made sense. Once again she remembered Matt's words about trust and loyalty and knew she personally could never face him again. She honestly did not quite know how she was going to face herself.

  She looked at Matt once and once only, recognised the pain in his eyes, then turned and ran into the house before the tears should come.

  She must have cried herself into an exhausted sleep, because when she woke Julia was sitting on the end of her bed with a large mug of tea.

  Drink this,' she commanded, when Rossi struggled into a sitting position.

  I made a fool of myself,' Rossi said at last.

  I think you, I and Tom have all made fools of

  ourselves. But you saved us, too, by bringing

  o

  everything into the open. I think from now on, once I can persuade Tom he's not really either mad or a criminal, he'll be a different person. He and I have learned our lessons the hard way. Rossi, I'm sorry I treated you like that at the airport. If I had stopped a minute longer with you I would have broken down. To leave Terry and Sue was the hardest thing I ever did, so I made myself try to hate Tom. I was suffering from nerves and exhaustion and I knew we had to get away from each other if we were to save our marriage. I was just as much to blame as Tom, you know. I was difficult and standoffish and couldn't see that he desperately wanted to launch out on his own even if he did fail. Now it's my job to help him get on his feet again. I think we'll be able to do it.'

  ' I'm glad you got my letter so quickly,' Rossi said.

  Letter?' Julia looked puzzled. I didn't get

  any letter. I came because . . . well, I had that strong feeling I was needed desperately out here. I booked the first flight I could.'

  I'm glad you came.' Rossi sighed. ' Now, I want to book the first flight back. I must leave you two and start my life over again.'

  I don't want you to go just yet.'

  I couldn't stay here,' Rossi said quickly.

  Julia was silent for a moment. You're in love with Matt, aren't you? I don't think you even know it, but you are. Tom told me a little while ago that he thought that you and Barney Lawrence might make a go of it, but I could see that wasn't on. So could Barney. He's gone back to High Rocks, and he sent you a message. " Tell her there are no hard feelings." '

  ' Dear Barney,' Rossi murmured. But Matt

  . . . it can't be true. Why, at one moment I was hating him.'

  Well, love and hate aren't far apart, are they? But I can see the tremendous pull between you. You can't chuck all that away, Rossi.'

  I can't chuck it away ! ' Rossi cried. After the

  way I've treated him I wouldn't even want to see him again, not even to apologise. I couldn't bear to see that look of utter contempt in his eyes.'

  Well,' Julia rose from the bed, you know best, I suppose. I leave you to have a shower and come and join us outside. The kids keep asking for you. Thanks, Rossi, for all you've done for them.'

  Rossi got up slowly and showered and dressed. She felt numb. What she said to Julia had been the only answer. Tomorrow, she really must book herself back on the first flight to London. Her paradise was paradise no longer. She looked out of the window. Even the sun looked a little less bright, the sky a little less blue. But the grey, gritty skies of London would be infinitely preferable to staying on here as an outsider. She thought momentarily of Barney—but that would only have been an escape. She could not hurt him any more either.

  Through the rest of that afternoon she moved like an automaton, speaking when she was spoken to, entertaining the children, lending a hand with tea, but all the time wondering if she could ever come alive again.

  Tom seemed much more relaxed. Already he and Julia were making plans to go back to Colombo where he was fairly certain he could get a similar job to the one he had had on tea. He was even fairly philosophical about having to leave Ceylon one day. But it would not be for several years. He also was determined to try to pay back to Matt Lincoln for the damage he had caused. For him a great weight had been taken from his shoulders.

  As usual, darkness fell quickly, but as it did Julia came to find her, saying, Oh, Rossi, do me a favour, please. I think Terry has left his sandals on the beach. I think they're probably somewhere just to the left of the path. That's where we were just before tea.'

  ' All right,' Rossi said mechanically, ' I'll go and find them.'

  She reached for the torch, but soon found she did not need it. The moon was already up and seemed to be lighting a way, just for her.

  She found the shoes easily enough and stood for a moment, trying to hold on to the beauty of the scene. There really could be no other place in the world quite like this. And she was going, never to come back. She felt the tears begin to sting behind her eyelids again.

  So you do still find it all beautiful. In spite of everything?'

  She started, but she did not turn round at the sound of his voice. If he had come to bait her then she must make quite certain not to rise to it.

  I suppose this was cleverly arranged by Julia?' Rossi said in a low voice. Well, I'm here; you've trapped me. Say what you want to say. I hope I can find the courage to listen. Then I can go back and you need never have to face me again.'

  What a strange girl you are—sometimes frightened, sometimes brave, but always speaking exactly what's in your mind. I didn't come to harangue you, but to ask you if you would come somewhere with me tonight.'

  Come somewhere with you?' she exclaimed, still , not looking at him. What are you trying to do-

  exact your revenge on me instead of Tom? From now on, until I go back to London on the first possible plane, I want to keep out of everyone's way, just in case I do more harm.'

  No,' he said quietly. I've told you, the war

  is over, and you're included in that. But I think I have a right to ask one thing of you.'

  Yes,' she said humbly, yes, I suppose you have. Where will I have to go?'

  I'll tell you that later. I want you in comfortable clothes, something like the ones you wore yesterday to get Terry, and I want you to be ready, waiting on the terrace, at eleven o'clock.'

  ' But that's late. I don't think. . .

  ' I don't want you to think. If you do, you won't come. But I assure you you'll be quite safe with me. I've told Julia that you'll be out for a couple of hours. She at least understands perfectly.'

  Then I suppose I must come.' Rossi gave a brief nod, and with head still bent, went back to the house.

  She handed the shoes to Julia saying, I don't know what's in your mind, Julia, but if I thought you had told Matt what you told me . . . about feelings I didn't even know I had—I don't think I could bear to see you again. My affairs are my own. They always will be.'

  Julia pulled her back. Please, Rossi, credit me with some sense. Matchmaking is not my line. I only told you what I saw.'

  And just now?'

  He came to find you and I told him where you were. Please, Rossi, stop blaming yourself. Anyone would have done exactly the same thing. After all, all your loyalty to Tom is unquestioned. That's the most important thing, isn't it?'

  ' Perhaps. I don't know. Just at this moment

  the only ray of happiness I can see is yours and Tom's. That's what I'm holding on to. I'm only sorry you'll have to leave here.'

  ' I am, too.' Julia smiled sadly. ' It's beautiful and peaceful. I can see that now, but for me, before I went away it was becoming a prison, because I knew there was no real future for us. I couldn't think further than that. Oh, when things were very bad, Matt and I used to have long talks about it. I think he was the only person who kept me sane. One day, the people here will get to know him and see him as I did. Then perhaps they'll accept h
im —and more important, he might allow himself to be accepted. He and I were two of a kind, a little lonely, a little raw. I daresay the gossips read more than that into our friendship—in fact I know they did—but I was much too proud to tell them they were wrong.' She put her arm lightly around her sister-in-law's shoulders. Come on, that's enough about me, let's go inside and you can tell me whether we ought to throw the kerosene stove into the sea, or bury it ceremoniously.'

  Rossi spent the rest of the evening on edge, wishing she had been strong-minded enough to refuse Matt Lincoln's request. All he probably wanted to do was to show her up. And yet, deep down, she knew that was against his nature. He was nothing if not honest and, had he wanted to do that, he would have done it in front of the others.

  So she busied herself over small things, escaping from the dinner table as quickly as she could, mainly to leave Tom and Julia to talk things over in private.

  The most sensible thing, she decided, when she got to her room, was to start packing. She could then be ready to leave immediately there was news of a flight vacancy. So, slowly and methodically,

  she gathered the things together that, once she got

  home, she would have to put away for the summer.

  Home. The very word made her feel panicky. Oh, she would be pleased to see her mother, but after that, what? A new job, start all over again, go back to Andrew? But she knew she could not do that just as she could not go running to Barney. The trouble was that these few weeks, instead of being a holiday, even a break from routine, had proved the most unsettling in her life. She closed her eyes. All those loose ends to be left untied.

  Because of her wandering thoughts, she did not notice the time until it was five to eleven. So she dropped everything to scramble into trousers and shirt and grab her bottle of insect repellent before going out to the terrace at the exact moment Matt drew up in the Land Rover. She got in without a word.

  She waited until they had been driving down the road for about a mile before she said quietly, I think I have a right now to know just where we're going.'