With a sneaking hope she tried the engine again. There wasn't even a shudder.
"My daddy can make it go." Mark plucked dreamily at a strand of fluff on the rug. These constant references to his dead father were of a three-year-old who confidently believes the loved one is always there but just out of sight. They never failed to bring a lump to Julie's throat.
"Well, shall we start?" she asked with shaky brightness. "I think if we follow the marks that the car made we should soon be there."
Vague and uncomplaining, the children tumbled from the seat, but once outside they stared around with eyes wide and apprehensive. Weird ungainly trees and open stretches of scrub covered in a grey mist ... it wasn't a particularly reassuring sight, Julie was the first to admit, but only in her thoughts. Tiny muscles trembled around her mouth from the strain of showing what she hoped was a calm untroubled expression.
"Mark, take my hand, and Janet, this side ... now here we go!"
Small hands gripped hers too tightly and they started off. It was going to prove difficult walking three abreast, for clumps of spiky grass sprouted everywhere. Just the same it was unthinkable to let the children go on ahead or follow behind. She found herself clutching back at their hands as they moved, an ungainly trio, through the forest.
In some places the tyre-marks were set unbelievably clear in the damp brown earth. In others they faded alarmingly in stretches of spongy green moss.
Julie dared not take her eyes from them for a minute. She had a vague idea of receding trees and oncoming trees, fat squat ones, prickly bushy ones ,.. trees ... trees ... would they never end?
Mark's hand began to drag,
"I'ne tired, and my leg hurts, and it's hot!" Some time ago their breath had stopped being smoky columns from their mouths. The thick clothes they wore to guard against the dawn chill were now encasing the heat that descended in a damp humid cloud.
"We'll have a rest and take off those woollies," Julie suggested.
When they were in a heap on the ground, she looked down to see a thread of blood forming diagonally below Mark's knee. The blades of grass were razor-sharp, she knew; her own legs had been in smarting contact more than once.
"I think I have a clean hankie ..." she searched cheerfully. "Sit on this log, Mark. We'll soon have that leg feeling better."
Janet examined the trail of tyre-marks with a curious finger. Julie tied the knot neatly.
"There, how's that?"
Mark nodded, proudly surveying his bandaged leg. He swung it leisurely for a while and then looked up expectantly.
"Can I have a drink now?"
"Well, I haven't got anything with me, pet, but I'm sure we're nearly there."
"I hope so. I hope we're nearly there," he sighed heavily.
"Bound to be." She took his hand in hers and put the other to collect Janet.
If Wasn't grasped by another small hand as she had expected.
"Janet... ?" She turned. The clearing was empty. There was no sign of the flouncing blonde pony-tail. "Janet!" she called again, louder, struggling to keep the alarm out of her voice.
The only sound was the scuffing of Mark's shoes against the log, and then blissfully in the distance came Janet's gay treble.
"Here I am! I'm following the tracks like you said!" Julie let out a quivering sigh and called somewhat shakily,
"Stay where you are, darling, or we'll never catch you up!" With Mark hanging on she moved off in the direction of the voice.
"Jan ... et!" she called, making a game of it now. "Where are you?"
"Jan ... et!" Mark followed suit happily. "Where are you?"
"Here I am! Here I am!" came back the delighted voice. At last the three met up and Julie took Janet by the shoulders.
"I don't want you to wander away, pet, because we want to get on quickly, don't we? But never mind, perhaps we won't have to stop again."
She looked down expectantly, but the earth that didn't sprout coarse grass was smooth and unbroken. A small pulse began to work at the base of her throat.
"I ... thought you said you were following the tracks?"
"I was, but I lost them," Janet replied, absently stripping the leaves from a nearby bush. "When are we going to have a drink?"
Julie raised her head. She ought to have noticed. The trees were grouped much closer together here. A car would never have got through. She had been so intent on recovering Janet that all thoughts of the car tracks had flown. Well, there was nothing for it but to retrace their steps. Now ... she though carefully ... which wav had she and Mark come through? Past the grey gnarled trunk on the left? Or was it over there by the tangle of blossom? No, she would have remembered its vivid colours. Over there, then, where the trunks were slender and the sunshine dappled the earth?
Doubt gnawed at the edge of her mind. Was it that way?
How many times had she turned since speaking to Janet? The children, sensing her uncertainty, looked up with eyes tinged with fear. It wasn't good to dither in front of them, she decided, and turned her back on the tangle of blossom. It had to be the grey gnarled trunk.
Yes, it must be this way! With every step her confidence increased. The trees grew sparser, open ground was plentiful. Her heart almost sang. Soon now they would come upon the road, this was obviously the edge of the forest skirting it. There was no need of the car tracks now to guide them to safety. If they kept going in this direction it might only be a matter of minutes.
The sun beat down with equatorial intensity too grudging to let the merest breeze trickle through. Julie had never known such heat at this altitude; she could only assume that they were traversing some sort of valley that trapped the sun's rays and held them.
It must be more than an hour since they had lost sight of the car tracks ... her watch had stopped long ago. Still no sign of the road. The ground was humped and uneven and splodged with corn-yellow grass. The only trees now were the ugly baobabs with their warped prickly trunks. Blunt branches strained to the sky as though they would be rid of the handful of leaves that clung.
For the third time in the last few minutes Mark whimpered. His hand was dragging Julie's further and further back. Every now and again he stumbled over the rough ground. Janet made no comment, but wide brown eyes swivelled in concern from Mark to Julie and then at their surroundings.
After a few more steps Julie made a decision. They would have to get back amongst the trees or all go down with sunstroke. They were lost. It would be madness to jolly herself along any longer. She blinked back the tears furiously. There was no road. She doubted whether there had ever been one.... Worse still, she was beginning to doubt if they would ever see one again.
That was ridiculous. She squared her shoulders. Back amongst the trees at least she would be able to think clearly. Out here in this blinding heat.... She swept Mark up into her arms.
"Take a hold of my dress, Janet, and we'll see if we can find some shade. What we all need is a nice long rest."
"Will we have a drink and something to eat then?"
"We will as soon as we can, yes. Let's try over there where the trees start."
She never thought she would be glad to see the myriad of trunks again, but their blissful coolness was like balm to flaming cheeks. A reasonably green patch on a small rise of ground looked an ideal spot to deposit Janet and Mark. It was hemmed in on three sides by small trees and thick bushes.
"Now listen, Janet, I want you to sit here next to Mark and not move. Not for one second, do you understand?"
"Are you going to fetch Clay?"
"Well, I'm not sure about that."
"Where are you going, then?" A smudge on her cheek and over-bright eyes Janet took Mark's hand. As she looked up the lower lip quivered dangerously.
Almost on the verge of tears herself, Julie didn't know where she found the strength to say cheerily,
"I'm not going anywhere, pet. You'll be able to see me the whole of the time and I'll be able to see you. I thought I might explore this area. I expect I'll find t
he car tracks," she said with false optimism, "and maybe I'll hear a stream and then we can all have a drink."
"And we can catch some fish," Janet replied with gravity.
"And me a drink, please, Doolie," Mark said, clutching his sister's hand.
"And you a drink, sweetheart." She pushed a lock of hair back from the damp forehead. "Now remember, per- fecdy still."
They wouldn't move, Julie was confident. Just the same, she had no intention of letting them out of her sight. Every few steps she turned back to see two pair of eyes following her every movement.
It was much greener in this part of the forest. The vegetation was quite lush. Wax-like blossoms draped almost to the ground and colourful berries, some as large as plums, hung just an arm-stretch away. Just like plums ... Julie stared harder. They did look tempting ... round and fat and mouth-wateringly succulent. She licked her dry lips, realising that her mouth hadn't been capable of watering for some time. Almost automatically her hand lifted, but she dropped it quickly.
The berries might look tempting, but they could be poisonous.
How many times had they had it drilled into them at school? Never eat strange berries! That was in England and this was Africa, ten times more lethal. Well, she had " talked herself out of that! Dragging her eyes away from the golden baubles, she walked on a little, listening for the sound of running water. There was only the prattle of the children's voices.
She looked back. They had relaxed a little and seemed to be enjoying the grassy bank. If only that was what it was ... a grassy bank alongside some peaceful river, with Mark and Janet romping and Clay and ... She plucked jerkily at a head of blossom, forcing herself to examine its waxlike beauty. Surely the petals would crack in her fingers? Surprisingly they were as supple and smooth as satin.
Once again she strained her ears for the sound of water, and realised with a slight chill that there was no sound at all. Instantly she turned and breathed again. The children were still on the bank. They seemed to be enjoying some kind of situation. Mark had his hand to his mouth and Janet, turning a little, had her arm outstretched, reaching for ... Oh no, not the berries!
Julie ran forward, her legs almost doubling under her.
"Janet, no!"
The words were little more than a croak in a parched throat. She must have stumbled across the clearing in a matter of seconds, but orange stains around small mouths told her she was that many seconds too late.
It was necessary at that moment to school herself into believing her feet were firmly riveted to the floor. She wanted to fly around waving her arms, shouting for help, but what good would that do? Who would come? There was no one to hear. No one to hear ... and no one to help.
Julie bit back a sob and threw a half-eaten berry away. If Janet and Mark were poisoned what could she do? Shouldn't they be given milk or something like that? Milk! ... the sob rose again in her throat, bubbling close to hysteria ... there wasn't even the luxury of water. No wonder the children had clutched at the berries. Young as they were, they knew the juice would be balm to parched throats.
But instead of warning the children against them she had been too busy mooning over the blossom.
There was a slight sigh. To her horror she saw Mark, who had been staring up, puzzled, ever since she had lunged across the clearing, droop forward in a doze. Within seconds she could hear his heavy breathing. Janet wasn't far behind. Without any of the fight she usually put up to keep eyelids firmly hinged back till the last possible moment, she lolled over close to her brother and lay still.
Help. I must get help--
Julie started to run. She stopped, looking back at the two tiny inert figures. How could she leave them here alone in the forest? And how could she get help if she didn't go?
In an agony of indecision she allowed the tears to rise like a spring in her eyes. Everything seemed to be against getting out of here. From the moment she had started out in the car last night things had gone wrong. She had overshot the village, lost the road, even the car tracks had disappeared. Instead of being half way to the coast they were here, lost. Lost in an African forest.
Unable to take another step, she sank down on the damp earth and stared white-faced through a gap in the trees. How long she sat there she couldn't be sure. It might have been minutes or hours ... she thought she saw a movement. It must be a trick of the eyelids or a shimmering leaf. There was the crackle of twigs....
Somebody ... something was moving out there.
A vivid picture rose in her mind. The dark shape outside the car last night ... those brooding, luminous eyes. The memory brought a trembling to her limbs. She waited to see its hairy shape materialise, steeled herself for its spring....
"I keep telling you this isn't Kensington Gardens!" She stared stupidly at the thick suede shoes, drill slacks, and check shirt. The tanned face had a greyish pallor, sweat coursed down the temples....
"Oh, Clay!" Julie would have leapt to her feet, but his arms were there helping her up. What must she look like with her scratched legs, stained dress and lank hair? And what did it matter? He held her for a long palpitating moment, seemingly at a loss for words.
"Clay!" she broke frantically loose. "I've been so worried ... the children ... they've eaten some berries!"
She stumbled to show him the tree, and grim-faced, he handled a cluster. She saw the lines smooth away from his brow.
"They have a fancy name, but the locals call them peach berries. They're harmless."
"But look at them!" She pointed worriedly to the inert figures. "They're out to the world!"
Clay bent over the tiny figures and grinned wearily, "They're just dead beat. Probably gorged themselves, now they're having to sleep it off."
"Is that what it is?" She almost fell into his arms with relief. "I've been going nearly out of my mind with worry!"
He held her in a fierce rough embrace. "You're not the only one!" and then after a long moment, "You little idiot, I followed your trail ... you must have driven like a wild thing. How you missed hitting a tree I'll never know I"
She smiled up at him tremulously, "I suppose you could call it beginner's luck! How did you know where we were?"
"There's a pile of clothes in the next clearing." So that was it! They had come round almost in a circle. Just a few more yards and they would have been back on the tracks. Ashamed of her fears now, she asked again, "How did you know we'd gone last night?"
"I didn't. Not until this morning when you didn't show. I went to your room and found the beds hadn't been slept in. When I spoke to Temkin he told me there had been some trouble the day before ... at least I picked up from his lingo that Stephanie had lost her temper with Janet It wasn't difficult to put two and two together."
There was a long heavy silence. Julie couldn't speak. Was he thinking about the kiss? At last she managed to mumble, "Shouldn't we get the children on the move?" As if sensing her thoughts he stared down at her, reluctant to leave it there. "They'll sleep for some time. I'll come back and pick them up. What about you? Can you walk?"
Before she could answer in the affirmative he swept her into his arms. She didn't complain as a rough cheek brushed lingeringly against hers.
The late afternoon sun shone warm on Julie's bed as she opened her eyes. She lay for a moment, her mind a blank, and then the events of the morning came rushing in. She closed her eyes tightly and then, relaxing, opened them again. This was Hifta. The tangle of forest was miles away. She lay soaking up the tranquillity of the afternoon. A warm breeze drifted in through the open window, bringing with it the buzz of insects, the twitter of birds.
Could this really be the same day that had started off with her looking through an endless cocoon of green ? The same day that she had feared for Janet and Mark's safety ... and her own? She could hear the children's voices now coming up from the square, their occasional high- pitched laughter. No after-effects there, by the sound of it.
Curious to know the cause of their delight, Julie mad
e her way to the window.
She saw Clay sprawling on a stretch of grass below with a wriggling Mark under one arm and Janet tugging with all her tiny strength at the other. Seeing Julie at the window he looked up good-humouredly.
"I thought you'd never wake. Come on down, I can't handle this alone."
She sent him a sympathetic smile.
"I'll be down as soon as I'm dressed."
It was a relief to see that Clay had removed her case from the abandoned car. It lay on the floor now, and she wondered if in her haste to leave Bongola she had remembered to pack another dress. Luckily she turned up a cornflower-blue cotton. It was old and overwashed, but the gathered waist and small cap sleeves gave her a country- field air that seemed to fit in with the surroundings.
The hotel sported a sprawling garden dotted with the same tropical trees and shrubs that Julie was beginning to recognise as part of Africa. It was here that the children's romped themselves to a standstill and eventually settled down to examine the workings of a sleepy lizard. Clay ran a finger through tousled hair and grinned in relief.
"Give me an oil-field any day!"
He led her to one of the tables in the courtyard and brought drinks. Legs stretched, he drew lazily on a cigarette, and eventually Julie asked,
"What's happening about the car, Clay? Was it very badly damaged?"
He raised an oblique eyebrow.
"Considering the punishment you gave it I reckon it came off rather well. Should be back here in a couple of hours."
"I'm ... sorry I wrecked it."
"I'm sorry you felt the need to take off in it."
Instead of meeting his gaze she looked quickly towards the garden.'
"I suppose I ought to see about getting Janet and Mark off to bed ..."
"No, leave them." There was no lightness in his tone.
She swallowed before asking,
"Are you ... going back to Bongola?"
"Yes, T am."
She couldn't bring herself to look at him, but knew he was watching her steadily.
"I wish," waveringly, "I'd kept to the road last night... we could have made it to the coast, I'm sure of it."
Rose of the Desert Page 18