by Anne Hampson
He seemed so grave and sincere and Kim’s brow creased in sudden bewilderment.
Could it be that he genuinely loved Vicky? It certainly seemed like it, and yet ... for the life of her Kim could not imagine his loving a girl so frivolous and flighty as Vicky. She was totally without character, too. Kim owned to this despite her friendship for the girl. Scatter-brained was the description quite often
applied to Vicky, and even Vicky herself would agree, merely finding it amusing. How could a man like Julian fall in love with a girl who was his complete opposite? He was cultured, aristocratic and superior. What conversation could take place between them? But it would appear that conversation and aesthetic interests were not to have played an important part in their lives. As for the rest, Kim with her cynicism and inexperience imagined that to a man like this one woman was much the same as another. So why should he particularly want Vicky? He must be in love with her, but— She seemed to be back where she started from and Kim began sipping her drink again, wondering how long she was expected to stay here.
‘What time are you starting out on your journey?’ she asked, speaking her thoughts aloud. ‘It’s a long way into Wales, isn’t it?’
‘About two hundred miles.’
‘And you’re going tonight? Won’t the journey be boring?’
‘I never become bored when I’m driving.’ He placed his glass on the arm of his chair, and leant back against the cushions. ‘Are you going to see my fiancee for me? You’ll have to see her aunt, too, because she has withdrawn her consent to the marriage.’ ‘Can’t your fiancee please herself?’ she asked, and his eyes glinted strangely.
‘Her aunt has threatened to cut her out of her will. Vicky considers money important, I’m afraid.’
Once again Kim was forced to say,
‘Your fiancee would put money first? Don’t you mind that?’ ‘Mind?’
‘I mean, if she really loved you— Oh, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I’m quite sure she must love you.’
‘Are you, Kim?’ Julian reached over and opened the cigarette box lying on the table. He offered her a cigarette and when she refused it he closed the lid, and replaced the box. ‘You haven’t answered my question. Are you going to help me?’
Kim bit her lip. She had been quite deliberately avoiding an answer; she knew she could avoid it no longer. Should she give him the promise? She would be safe until his return, but after that ... Kim had to keep a firm grip on herself; there must be no outward manifestation of the apprehension within her, the unnatural thudding of her heart. And yet it was so difficult to keep her hands steady. Why, oh, why had she acted so impulsively? Coming here tonight was not particularly prudent either. She was in a fix, and she could see no means of getting herself out of it. The promise it would have to be, she decided, and that would give her time to think something up before his return.
‘I’ll go and see these people,’ she said at last, staring rather unhappily at him. ‘When do you want me to go?’
‘As soon as possible - tomorrow.’ His tone lacked expression and eyen interest, and Kim’s eyes flew to his. It was almost as if, having extracted the promise from her, he no longer wanted her to keep it!
‘I’ll do that, then,’ she murmured, and drained her glass. ‘I must go now.’ She smiled at him as she got up from the chair. ‘My coat...?’
‘Certainly.’ He fetched it from the hall cupboard and held it for her to put on. This was a new experience for her, as also was the nearness of a man. She could smell the pleasant odour of newly laundered clothes, and the stronger yet more subtle smell of tweed. She glanced to one side, saw the whiteness of his shirt cuff above a brown and hairy wrist on which was worn a slim gold watch.
‘Good night,’ she was saying a few minutes later as she stood outside his door.
‘Good night,’ he returned, watching her intently as if expecting something. Kim was half-way down the stairs when he said, in an expressionless tone, ‘You are going to keep your promise?’
‘Yes, I’ll go and see your fiancee and her aunt.’
‘In that case,’ came the smooth rejoinder, ‘you’ll need the address.’
Kim’s heart jerked.
‘Of course, how stupid of me.’ Again she trembled. How could
she ever have considered herself clever? The blunders she had made! ‘I must have that, mustn’t I?’ She made her way upstairs, and Julian produced a paper on which he had written the address. They bade each other good night again and Kim thankfully ran downstairs and out to her car.
It was no use, she decided five minutes later, she would have to go to that man and enlist his help. Could anything be more annoying than for the car to play her up at this particular time?
As before the door was opened even as her finger touched the bell.
‘I heard you coming up the stairs,’ Julian said, eyeing her questioningly. ‘Did you leave something behind?’
She shook her head, and felt rather ridiculous as she explained that the car wouldn’t start.
‘The same trouble?’ he queried. Kim nodded and saw the amusement enter his eyes. ‘I told you to have it fixed.’ He stood aside for her to enter. ‘If you give me the number I’ll ring the garage for you.’
‘Thank you,’ she said gratefully, and opened her bag. She extracted a card and gave it to him. ‘I can do it, though,’ she added, but he shook his head firmly.
‘Go and sit down by the fire,’ he said crisply, and Kim went into the other room. Julian pulled the door to behind her. A little while later he returned. ‘A disappointment for you,’ he said, handing her back the card. ‘No one available until the morning—
‘The morning?’ She stared. ‘But they have a breakdown department.’
‘Everybody out, it seems. Must have lots of breakdowns. However, don’t worry, I’ll take you home.’
‘It’s kind of you,’ she began, ‘but I can get a bus—’
‘I wouldn’t hear of it,’ he smiled. ‘Just sit there while I get my coat.’
‘But you’re going out - and it isn’t even in the same direction.’ Kim shook her head. ‘No, I’ll get a bus.’ She had half risen to her feet when he said quietly,
‘Sit down, Kim. I’ve said I’ll take you and that ends the matter.’ Her eyes flashed for a second, but he was gone, and by the time he returned she had decided not to argue further. Much easier to be taken home by car than waiting in the cold for a bus. And as Julian did not appear to mind she saw no reason why she shouldn’t let him have his own way.
They had been travelling for only a couple of minutes when Kim said apologetically,
‘You’ve passed the turning - perhaps I didn’t give you sufficient warning, but you can take the next one, though you’ll have to do a little detour after that.’ Julian’s attention remained on the road
ahead and Kim said again,
‘This next road on your left....’ Already they were past it and Kim leant forward on her seat, ready to indicate where he should now turn. But again he went past and she gave a tiny sigh of exasperation. ‘You’ll have to wait till you get to the lights now.’ She leant back, for the traffic lights were quite a long way off. ‘The right lane,’ she began, wondering why he didn’t speak. ‘Turn - oh, you’ve missed it again. We’re going miles out of our way!’ What was the matter with him?
Suddenly, with a flash of insight, she knew! But she shook her head, unable to accept the dawning truth. This sort of thing couldn’t happen to her — to other girls perhaps, girls who foolishly accepted lifts from strange men - but never to her....
‘The next turning,’ she choked, pointing. ‘You c-can t-take that.’ Wasted words, words uttered in terrified desperation, yet at the same time without hope. Kim recalled everything Vicky had said about him; this was strengthened by her own impressions. What was he going to do to her? ‘Where are you taking me?’ she whispered. ‘This isn’t the way to my home.’ ‘This is the way to my home,’ he supplied at last, increasing his spe
ed as the traffic was left behind. ‘I should relax, because we’ve a long way to go.’ He leant back himself, and his hold on the wheel became a mere touch as the great car purred smoothly towards the motorway.
‘The way to your home ...?’ Kim’s eyes flickered, then widened. ‘My car,’ she quivered. ‘You did something to my
car!’
‘Me ... ?’ Fleetingly he smiled. ‘But you admitted it was the old trouble. Er - starter trouble, I seem to remember your saying.’
‘You’ve planned this,’ she accused wrathfully, ignoring his comments about the car. ‘You brought me to your flat on purpose, admit it!’
‘Planned it, did I? Then that makes two of us, doesn’t it, Kim? You yourself are quite adept at making plans that affect other people’s lives ... people you don’t even know, who have never done you any harm whatsoever.’
‘So you know....’ Yes, she should have seen it before now, for the signs had been there. But she had underrated his intelligence
— done the very thing which she’d warned herself not to do, for she knew the danger which could result.
‘I’d have been an absolute fool not to have known you were up to something,’ he remarked, flashing his lights to indicate his intention of overtaking the car in front. When he had done so he spoke again. ‘Everything about your little scheme was weak, right from the moment you inquired about the flat to your panic when I suggested going down to watch the men repair your car.’
Weak ... everything was weak, he said - and she had been so proud of herself, had congratulated herself on her flawless little plan. For a while Kim felt utterly deflated and she could not speak. But as they reached the motorway and entered on to it, her heart began to thump again.
‘I don’t know what sort of revenge you’re planning, but—’
‘Don’t know?’ A soft laugh escaped him. ‘My dear Kim, you’re not as innocent as that!’
‘Then - then you really mean to—’ Keep calm, she told herself. The important thing was to remain calm. ‘Vicky,’ she began, hope entering into her. ‘You’re obviously eager to marry her, but she won’t marry you if - if you do - if you....’
‘Yes, Kim, if I what?’ Kim remained silent and he said carelessly, ‘As it happens Vicky is the last woman I now want to marry—’
‘The last? But you were engaged to her! Besides, you asked me to put things right between you.’
‘I believe we’ve established the reason for my bringing you to the flat,’ he answered quietly. ‘Vicky was just an excuse, a means of getting you there. I gave up all idea of marrying her the moment she turned up with her aunt and I knew what she was about. I brought you to my flat tonight for the sole purpose of abducting you,’ he ended calmly, and slid smoothly into the fast lane. His speed rose to seventy; there was very little traffic on the road, for although it was clear enough now the snow had been drifting about for days. The moon was still high and with a little shock Kim realized it was only an hour since she had been singing in her car, telling herself it was a lovely evening for a run
— a long run!
‘You can’t get away with a thing like this,’ she said at last. ‘I shall go to the police, you do realize that?’
‘Police ...?’ He appeared to be musing on this. ‘I wonder just how many women do go to the police? I should imagine it were better to keep quiet — because of self-respect and pride, and all the neighbours knowing.’
‘You’re hateful!’ she said between her teeth. And then, ‘But I shall go to the police - I wouldn’t let you get away, with this for anything. It’s my duty to go to the police!’ The car behind was exceeding the speed limit and Julian moved into the centre lane, allowing it to pass.
‘You won’t go to the police, I can assure you of that,’ he returned, in the same calm tones.
What did he mean? Was he going to murder her? A trembling hand fluttered to her cheek. He noticed the gesture and said in some amusement,
‘I expect Vicky told you I have bouts of violence?’
‘Yes, she d-did.’ Vicky it was who mentioned murder. ‘You threatened her; she was terrified.’
‘And are you terrified?’
‘Certainly not,’ she retorted, determined to be calm. If only she could remain calm she could think rationally. And it was only rational thought that would help her devise a means of escape.
‘I’d never be afraid of you; I wouldn’t give you that satisfaction!’
‘Good.’ One brown, hand left the wheel as Julian stifled a yawn. ‘I can think of nothing more boring than trying to make love to a frightened woman.’
‘Then you must have been bored many times! I’m sorry for you!’
‘I shouldn’t waste your pity on me; you’ll be needing it for yourself before this night’s out.’
The threat there was plain. This man meant mischief of the most diabolical kind. But Kim was determined to keep calm. Panic would be disastrous; she must be capable of clear thinking. She leant back in her seat, but instantly sat up again; it was impossible to think clearly, impossible to think of anything except the fact of being completely in this man’s power. Did women ever escape from a perilous position such as this? They must do - and she would, for there must be a way. Would anything touch him? Would he listen to pleading? The idea was hateful and she rejected it, though she felt she might be driven to it in the end, as a last resort if all else failed. For the present, though, she could try to make him understand just why she’d agreed to come to the aid of her friend.
‘Vicky,’ she began. ‘If I could explain it to you ...?’
‘By all means,’ he encouraged. ‘I must own I’m very much in the dark as to why you should have taken it upon yourself to interfere in my life. If you can supply me with a satisfactory explanation I’ll turn around and take you home at once.’
‘Will you?’ she exclaimed eagerly, her fear forgotten. ‘You really mean that!’
‘I really mean it,’ he responded quietly, and added, with a stress on his words, ‘If you supply me with a satisfactory explanation, mark you.’
Kim tried to explain as best she could, knowing what was at stake, but even to her own ears the story sounded hollow. There was no doubt at all that she should have kept out of the affair.
At last she stopped, and Julian seemed to be waiting for more.
‘I do realize I shouldn’t have done it,’ she conceded in a faintly humble tone. And then, without any hope at all, ‘You’re not going to take me home?’
‘Do you think you’ve given me a satisfactory excuse for your conduct?’
She shook her head miserably.
‘I know how you feel, and I’m .... sorry.’
‘Sorry for me, or because you’ve landed yourself in this plight?’ ‘For both,’ she murmured, staring unseeingly at the road ahead. ‘Well, I told you not to waste pity on me.’ Julian glanced in the mirror and then slid smoothly into the fast lane again. ‘No, Kim, I’m not taking you home. On the contrary, I fully intend that you shall rue the day you ever chose to make my acquaintance.’
She continued to stare at the road, vaguely wondering how many miles they still had to go ... and how long she had before the real danger came upon her.
‘I’ll be missed,’ she reminded him, still in the same hopeless accents. ‘I share a flat with—’
‘Carole? She knows you won’t be home.’
‘She—’ Kim turned her head. ‘How do you know about Carole?’ ‘I phoned earlier, hoping to get in touch with you. Your friend answered and I asked if it was you. She said no, it was Carole, your flat companion. It was rather lucky I got to know about her, because I’d formed the impression that you lived alone. A lady friend of mine’s ringing her to say you’re staying with her and her husband for a couple of nights, They’re moving your car for me too; putting it in a spare garage they have.’
‘You think of everything,’ she said.
‘I try to.’ A pause and then, ‘Tomorrow you’ll write to Carole yourself.’<
br />
‘Tomorrow?’ she trembled. ‘But I’ll be home tomorrow.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, girl. If I’d wanted you for one night only I’d have kept you at the flat.’
‘But - but—’ Kim’s voice became cracked and she could hardly speak. ‘How long are we — am I ...?’ He couldn’t keep her indefinitely — or could he? Kim felt he would do exactly as he pleased, not merely on this occasion, but always.
‘Staying with me? Till I become bored with you, I expect.’
‘Are we staying at that - that awful monastery?’ she quivered, wondering if it were better to open the door at once and throw herself out. She rarely cried, but she felt she must surely weep before long. The whole situation seemed unreal. This couldn’t be happening, she kept on telling herself.
‘So you know about that, too? Yes, that’s where we’re staying.’ ‘It’s out in — in the wilds - so Vicky said.’
‘In the mountains ... miles from anywhere.’
‘Are there ... servants?’
‘The place has been uninhabited since the monks left -that’s about five years ago. I’ve never lived there myself, not yet.’ ‘It seems an odd thing to buy, a monastery.’ She must talk, keep on talking, just to take her mind off the real danger. ‘What are you intending doing with it?’
‘There’s a great deal of land - thousands of acres of rough pasture which I’m using for sheep. The monastery is to be a hotel. There’ll be winter sports, and there’s fishing and shooting — and walking and climbing, of course. It should make a prosperous business.’ Fleetingly he took his attention off the road to glance at her and she sensed the laughter in his eyes. ‘For the present it will be our - er — little love nest.’ Swiftly Kim turned her head and he added, ‘It’s a pity I can’t see you, Kim, you blush adorably, I remember.’ There was an odd element of banter in his voice and in other circumstances he could be teasing her, she thought.
They drove in silence for a while and then Kim said, in tones of desperate pleading,
‘Take me back. I know I’ve done wrong, and I shouldn’t have interfered at all. But I don’t deserve a punishment like this.’