by Hilary Wilde
bled to her about being disturbed for nothing . . . or Mr. Dixie had seen her come out of the bedroom, and when it was reported that the valuablenecklace was missing, had put two ^nd two together. It did look bad, no denying it, Lauren thought miserably, as she paced up and down the room. But once again, it all came back to the terrible truthRoland Harvey did not trust her. He had been able to doubt her word. He thought she was a thief. In the end, she went to bedto toss and turn, to weep a little, to try to tell herself that RolandHarvey was a just man and tomorrow he would give her a hearing. At last she slept. She awoke early and felt and looked a complete wreck, she decided, looking in the mirror at the pale girl with swollen red eyes, rumpled hair, drooping mouth. It was not yet seven o'clock, but she felt she must get out of the hotelwalk along the sands alone, perhaps. She showered and dressed, choosing a simple blue frock, twisting her lank hair into a pony-tail, not bothering what she looked like, wondering how she was going to faceMiss Hunter's accusation and Roland Harvey's cold disillusioned eyes without bursting into tears. The door handle turned and she swung round, instantly on the defensive, for there was only one person in the hotel who would walk into her roomwithout knocking. -Like an animal at bay, Lauren faced Miss Hunter across the room. Miss Hunter looked amused, her eyes triumphant, as she stood there, elegant in grey silk. She closed the door behind her and came into the room. "Miss Roubin," her voice was very formal, "Mr. Harvey wishes me to handle this unpleasant matter with the minimum of fuss. The jewels, have been returned and Mrs. Lindstrom has been persuaded to make no charges against you. Mr.Harvey wishes you to leave immediately. Kindly 153 pack at once. I'm afraid I cannot let you have Claudia to help you, as Mr. Harvey's express orders are that you are to speak to no one in the hotelno member of the staff nor any guest in the hotel." Lauren managed to break the spell and move. "But Mr. Harvey can't ... he said he would discuss . . ." Her voice faltered and stopped because of Miss Hunter's amused scorn. Then she found fresh courage. This was not the way a man like Roland Harvey would behave. "I should have the right to" "Defend yourself?" Miss Hunter smiled. "You condemned yourself last night. You admitted you recognized the jewels, confessed to a carefullyarranged story. Naturally Mr. Harvey is very vexed because you dragged Mrs. Lindstrom's child into it." "I did not drag her," Lauren said indignantly."She was hysterical, very frightened." "I daresay she was frightened. It would have been quite simple for you to tell her an alarming story or even to push her over to make her show some signs of an upset. It was a mistake to take Mrs. Lindstrom's jewels, Miss Roubin. She happens to be a very special friend of Mr. Harvey's." Miss Hunter's mouth twisted in an ugly fashion. Lauren closed her eyes. Need Miss Hunter remind her of that? Then her just, natural anger returned. No one had the right to accept her guilt as a fact without giving her a chance. "I insist on seeing Mr. Harvey," she said. Miss Hunter shook her head. "Mr. Harvey doesn't want to see you. You should count yourself lucky that he's being so generous about this. He is giving you a chance to slip away quietly before anyone hears about it. You're to take the plane that leaves at nine o'clock. He will naturally have to write and explain to Miss Cartwright what has happened." 154 ' .'
Lauren suddenly felt exhausted, as if she had been battered about. It was like banging your head on a brick wall. "Whowho will dance?" she wanted to know. Miss Hunter smiled. "Natalie declares that she is strong enough. Naturally she is delighted to have you go, so that she can have her husband back again."Lauren turned to stare blindly out of the open window. What should she do? What could she do? She could make a scene and refuse to go tell Mr. Harvey that she had seen Natalie with the jewels. But would he believe her? If he did, it would mean terrible trouble for Nickprobably ruin their future, might even finish their marriage. Was it worth it? She did not mind what people said or thought. The cruellest cut of all was that Roland Harvey believed her guilty. "All right. I'll go on the plane," she said. "That's the first sensible thing you've said for a long time," Miss Hunter said briskly. "You must go down the back way and the car will be waiting. Naturally you will remember to take only your own clothes."Lauren turned round angrily. "Naturally!" Miss Hunter's eyes were flashing. "I only wondered, as you seem to find it difficult to differentiate between your property and other people's. Jewels . . . husbands ... so why shouldn't you be in the same predicament where clothes are concerned?" "Miss Hunter" Lauren began indignantly, and then stopped. She was horribly near tears, and whatever happened, this awful woman must not see her crying.Miss Hunter turned to the door. "Remember I you are to speak to no one. Particularly not Deb| orah, Mr. Harvey said." She closed the door be,I hind her, and for a long moment Lauren stood | there, her hands to her smarting eyes, fighting E, 155 back the tears. Then she tried to make her anger overcome the pain. Mr. Harvey was treating her very badly. Everyone was innocent until proven guiltyand she had not been proved guilty. She had a right . . . She felt horribly aloneas if everyone was her enemy. To whom could she turn? Roland Harvey had obviously washed his hands of her. He believed her guilty of theft. Nick? Yet if Natalie had planted the necklace here, mustn't Nick have been involved? It seemed hard to believe, but. . . She swept her hair out of her eyes and went to the wardrobe, angrily flinging her own clothes on to the bed, not looking at the lovely gowns and silk suits that would now be Natalie's. Natalie had won. Well, if it made her any happier, or made Nick happier, it would be one good thing saved from this chaos of her love. Chaos of my love . . . She repeated the words over and over again, trying to keep from thinking, from realizing the truth. That Roland believed her guilty . . . She caught a glimpse of her bedside clock and realized she had very little time left if she was to keep to the routine Roland Harvey had ordered. She had been banished from Paradise . . . the chaos of my love . . . Half crying, half laughing, she told herself she might even end up as a songwriter. She hurried to the wash basin and dipped her burning face into cold water, again and again, trying to calm down. She must leave with dignity. She swallowed unhappily. Was she doing right by meekly agreeing to this monstrous solution if solution it could be called? Obviously all Roland Harvey cared about was the reputation of the hotel. Perhaps this was Mrs. Lindstrom's condition, perhaps she had threatened otherwise to make a charge against her. 156
At last she had packed her two suitcases with her own clothes. She had no coat, but that could not be helped. The thick white coat she had worn on the flight out had been part of the Natalie Natal wardrobe. She shivered suddenly, imagining Miss Cartwright's anger. And what would her family say? Her father would be furious he would want to see Roland Harvey, want to fight it. What was she to do? She saw no one as she left her room and hurried down the discreet back stairs and through the side door. There was a car waiting for her. The chauffeur glanced up, slid out of his seat, and took her cases. In a few moments, the car was starting to go down the winding circular drive. Lauren gave one last look at the hotel. Racing across the lawn towards her, waving and shouting frantically, came Nick. "Please drive fast," Lauren said to the driver, leaning forward in her seat. ; She looked away from Nick, her teeth biting : painfully into her lower lip. Roland Harvey had ; said she was to speak to no one. She would obeys -him for the last time. 1 The last time ... She slumped back in her seat, | realizing what that meant. | As the car swooped along the winding drive,I Lauren saw that Nick was racing across the I smooth green lawn, planning to get to the gateI and cut them off. I "Hurry! Hurry!" she urged the chauffeur. She I knew suddenly that she wanted to talk to no one.| No one at all. | But she was left with no choice, for Nick reach-Is ed the gates and swung them shut, leaning against them, his arms outstretched. He was panting and obviously trying to get his breath back as the chauffeur slammed on the brakes and came to a halt, sitting still with his dark face impassive, as 157 if well used to the strange behaviour of white people."Lauren," Nick said, coming to the car, leaning on the door, glaring at her, "what's the big idea, walking out on me like this?"She saw his face mistily. "Nick, I'm not ... it isn't that ..." "Then what is it?
" "Nick, please! I can't talk about it. I've got to catch that plane. Mr. Harvey said so. Please, Nick . . ." Her voice was trembling. Nick ierked the door of the car open and told her curtly to move over. "Let's get this straight. Mr. Harvey said you were to catch the plane?" "Yes, Nick, I've got to go." Lauren sounded desperate.Nick looked grim. "Oh, no, you don't, my girl, not without a proper explanation." He turned to the chauffeur. "Turn around and take us back to the Hotel," he ordered. The chauffeur stared at him and, still with no change of expression on his dark face, obeyed, slowly, reversing the car."Nick, Mr. Harvey said" Lauren caught the sleeve of his thin jacket. "I don't give a damn what Mr. Harvey said,Nick told her. "You're my partner, and you can't do this. He can say it to my face and then we 11 all leave'together. He has no right . . . Nick was breathing heavily, his face angry. He made an effort to calm down and his voice was quieter as he asked Lauren to explain. "You'd better brief me quickly before we see the great man. What led up to this?"Lauren folded her hands together tightly, her eyes on Nick's face, as she tried to sort out her jumbled memories and put them concisely into shape. "Last night I was upset. Nick, and Mr. Harvey found me on the veranda and we talked. Mrs. Lindstrom came and said she must see him 158
urgently, and he put her in his office and insisted on seeing me to my room." She spoke rapidly, for the car was approaching the hotel. "Wewell, when we opened the door Miss Hunter was waiting for me and . . . and Mr. Dixie, and they accused me of stealing Mrs. Lindstrom's topaz necklace. They said they found it in my room and Mr. Harvey had seen me leaving Mrs. Lindstrom's bedroom. I told you about taking Deborah to the doctor? Well, Miss Hunter knew all about that, she said it was a story I had invented, but, Nick, Deborah really was frightened about something ..." The car stopped outside the hotel. Nick opened the car door and helped Lauren out. He looked even more angry than he had before, but his voice was controlled and he smiled at her. "Go straight to your room and lock the door. Don't open it until I come for you." "Nick, where are you going?" She clung to his' arm, staring at him fearfully. "To see Mr. Harvey, of course." "He's furious with me." Lauren's voice was unsteady. "I'm furious with him!" Nick bit the words off angrily. "When did you see him? Where?" "Last night, I told you." Nick frowned. "I mean this morning. Or did he tell you last night that you were to clear out?" Lauren looked at him. This was a new Nick stern, strong, his anger well under control. "Last night he said we would continue thisthe discussion, ratherthis morning." "And this morning?" Lauren twisted her fingers together. People were beginning 1;o stroll by them, glancing curiously in their direction. "Nick, I didn't, see him this morning. He sent Miss Hunter. She gave me his message." "Go on." 159
Quickly Lauren repeated the whole conversation, and he did not interrupt her once. When she had finished, he merely said: "Go to your room, honey child, and stop worrying. I'll have coffee and sandwiches sent up, for I bet you missed out on your breakfast. Do something to your face and wait for me. One last thing . . ." He held her arm tightly for a moment and looked stern, "Promise you won't walk out on me?" She looked up into his lean, kind face and knew that she trusted him completely. None of it made sense, but she was quite sure that Nick was her friend. "I promise, Nick." "Good girl!" He walked with her to the lift, and when she reached her own room, she locked the door, hastily washing her face and making up. The coffee came with crisp rolls and butter, and after the silent waiter had left the tray with her, Lauren locked the door again. She was sure she could not eat anything, but she was surprised to find that she enjoyed the meal and felt better afterwards. She sat on the balcony, looking at the lagoonand the waving palms, and felt a strange serenity. Nick had said everything would be all right. Soon Roland Harvey would know the truththat she was not a thief. Like a knife stabbing her, in the heart, the pain shot through her. He believed she was a thief. The loud knock on the door made her jump. "It's only meNick," he called. She hurried to open it. He still looked sternand yet, at the same time, looked very pleased about something. He gave her a,, quick searching look and nodded as if satisfied. "Good girl. You look more yourself now. Come on." "Is Mr. Harvey very angry?" Lauren asked nervously. 160
"Yes," Nick said slowly, taking her arm. "Heis, angry, but not with you." "Not with me?" she echoed. Then who could he be angry with? Had he discovered that Natalie had put the necklace in herroom? If Natalie had, that wasor had Nick told him? Yet Nick was so cheerful. The thoughts milled round in her mind and nothing made sense, but Nick gave her no chance to ask questions as he hurried her to Mr. Harvey's office. The room seemed to be empty until Roland Harvey moved out of the shadows and stood in the sunshine that came through the open windows. His dark red hair gleamed. He looked very impressive in his well-cut suit, tall, broad-shouldered, stern. "Please sit down, Miss Roubin," he said formally, and turned to Nick. "Would you tell MissHunter I'm ready to see her?" Alone in the room with Roland Harvey, Lauren looked up worriedly at the tall good-looking manwho came to stand by her, looking down at her so gravely. "You are feeling better today?" heasked. ; She swallowed. "Better?" ^ He nodded. "You were very emotionally disturbed last night.. That's why I postponed the inquiry." Her hand flew to her throat. "You believe I'm a thief," she alccused him in an unsteady voice, just as the door opened and Miss .Hunter stalked in, followed by Nick. For a moment it was as if Miss Hunter faltered when she saw Lauren, but in a moment she had gained her composure and came right into the room, her tight thin mouth the only sign of her temporary disturbance. "You wanted to see me, Mr. Harvey?" Her voice was cool and confident. "I'm very busy just now and"
Roland Harvey sat down behind the desk. His voice curt, he said: "Yes, I do, Miss Hunter. Please sit down, both of you." In silence they obeyed. Miss Hunter sat very upright, her hands folded on her lap. She avoided looking in Lauren's direction. Roland Harvey began quietly: "I understand you were informed of the disappearance of Mrs. Lindstrom's necklace, Miss Hunter, and you . . ." "Discussed the matter with Mr. Dixie," Miss Hunter carried on smoothly. "He informed me that he had seen Miss Roubin leaving Mrs. Lindstrom's bedroom earlier that day. I knew that Mrs. Lindstrom was visiting her friends on the yacht Nimrod." For a moment her eyes flickered towards Mr. Harvey, but he was not looking at her, he was drawing something on his blotter, his face grave. "It also happened," Miss Hunter went on dispassionately, "that I had just been having a few words with the doctor. He had complained to me about the number of people who call him in for imaginary ailments. He was particularly annoyed with Miss Roubin, who had, he said, pestered him that afternoon, insisting that the child, Deborah, was ill, and asking for a sedative for the child so that she could go to bed." Miss Hunter smiled, her eyes suddenly bright. "It struck methat this could be a contrived story. I discussed it with Mr. Dixie and we decided we would search Miss Roubin's room. I wanted to avoid a scandal and I thought the sooner we found and returned the necklace the better. We found the necklace, hidden in her suitcase." No one spoke for a moment. Lauren looked down at the hankie she was twisting in her hands.She was conscious that her cheeks were hot. Did she look guilty? How convincing Miss Huntermade it sound. Lauren glanced quickly at Roland Harvey. He was leaning on the desk, his eyes 162 gravely interested, as he waited for Miss Hunter to continue. Miss Hunter drew a deep breath, straightening herself still more, and leaned forward. "Frankly, Mr. Harvey, we're wasting valuable time. I see no call to conduct an inquiry. The girl convictedherself when she admitted to fabricating that story." "It was no fabrication," Lauren said quickly, "Deborah was really" Roland Harvey interrupted, frowning a little. "Shall we say that you thought Deborah was ill? Now, Miss Roubin, how can you account for the fact that the necklace was found in your suitcase?" She put out her hands unconsciously. "I can't. I had no idea that Mrs. Lindstrom's necklace had been stolen until I went to my room and saw it there. You were with me, Mr. Harvey," she said. "And that's the first time you saw the necklace yesterday?" Lauren stared at him unhappily. Should she lie? His blue-grey eyes met hers steadily and she said: "No. I had seen the necklace before
." He leaned forward and his voice was quiet. "Where?" he demanded, Lauren stared down at her twisted, tormented hankie. "I'dI'd rather not say." How could she tell the truth without implicating Natalie?" "You see!" Miss Hunter's voice was triumphant. "Every time she opens her mouth, she convicts herself." "One moment, please. Miss Hunter," Roland Harvey said sternly. "Mr. Natal," he turned to the silent Nick, "do I understand that you stopped Miss Roubin this morning when she was on her way to the airstrip? She was planning to return to England and you knew nothing about it?" 163
Miss Hunter's face was excited. "She was running away?" she said eagerly. Her two hands came together with a sharp clap. "What more do you want, Mr. Harvey? Only a guilty person would run away." "Mr. Harvey, I was not running away. You know why I was going, and so does Miss Hunter." Lauren clenched her hands tightly, trying to steady her voice. "This morning Miss Hunter came to my room and told me that you said I was to leave the island at once. I was to catch the nine o'clock plane, Miss Hunter said, there would be a car waiting for me at the door. She said that you had said I was to speak to no one in the hotel... guests or staff. She said it was your orders." Roland Harvey frowned as he looked at her. "You believed that story? Surely you're not going to tell me that you believed I would condemn any person unheard? I thought you knew me better than that." Bewildered, Lauren looked at his grave face. "Then ... then Miss Hunter was lying?" Miss Hunter was on her feet. She aimed an accusing finger at Lauren. "You're the one who is lying, I've never heard such nonsense in my life. As if Mr. Harvey would behave like that! He is a just man! The whole story is a fantastic lie. I did not give her any such message. I haven't seen her before today until now." Her voice had grown shrill. Now she turned to Roland Harvey, holding out her hands, her voice quiet and controlled again. "Mr. Harvey, I worked for your uncle for many years and he trusted me implicitly. I thought I had earned your trust, too. You must believe me, and not thisthis" She al-most choked over the word she did not say. "How can I work for youor you employ meif you have no trust in me? This girl is a liar, and not a very good one at that." 164 1; Lauren said, her voice desperate: "I did not I-steal that necklace." I She looked at Roland Harvey's grave face, saw S- the sadness in his eyes, the sternness of his|. mouth, and knew that-he did not believe her,, 165