by Anne Hampson
‘Of course not. If Wendy did call then Beth didn’t hear her.’
‘Ill question Beth all the same,’ Teri decided, which she did, on the evening they were going to the dance.
‘Yes, missy, I stay in all the while, until you and the baas come back.’ She looked Teri straight in the eyes and added, ‘Jaru go out, you see, so I have to stay with the child.’
‘You have to stay whether Jaru is out or not. Are you telling me the truth, Beth? You stay here all the time?’
‘I never leave this house, not for one minute.’
‘Well, will you please listen for Wendy? She says she called you on one occasion and you didn’t go to her.’
Despite his previous unconcern Jon also questioned Beth, with the same result.
‘Do you believe her?’ asked Teri anxiously when the woman had gone into the kitchen to prepare Wendy’s supper.
‘Yes, I believe her. She just didn’t hear Wendy, as I said.’
Teri was still a trifle anxious and even when she was ready she again suggested she should stay in.
‘Then I’ll stay in with you.’ Jon was by his dressing- table, combing his hair. Teri had gone in to him and she stood just inside the door, watching him. Neither she nor Jon had mentioned it, but Teri knew that her brother was looking forward to the dance solely because he would see Linda. The dance had been arranged previous to Rosalind’s appearance and although Jon and Linda had tacitly agreed not to meet until Jon had made his decision Teri had guessed that he was loath to miss this opportunity of seeing her, and dancing with her, even though in all probability no mention would be made of the problem which was tearing at both their hearts.
‘No, I won’t have that,’ Teri said firmly. ‘You go, Jon, I don’t mind in the least staying in.’
‘But it isn’t fair,’ he protested, turning from the mirror. ‘I’m sure you’re worrying unnecessarily,’ he seemed forced to add. ‘Beth wouldn’t lie.’
Teri hesitated, then shrugged her shoulders. Jon was right, she was worrying unnecessarily.
‘All right,’ she smiled, and saw his immediate expression of relief. ‘We’ll both go. As you say, Beth wouldn’t lie.’
CHAPTER NINE
BOTH Brand and his cousin expressed surprise on seeing Jon and Teri but, strangely, no awkwardness resulted from the meeting and after the four of them had chatted for a few minutes Brand asked Teri to dance. His manner was pleasantly reassuring and a little of Teri’s dejection lifted when he made the flattering comment that she was the most beautiful young lady present at the dance.
‘Thank you.’ She tried to inject a hint of amusement into her voice, but he realized she was shy and changed the subject, saying that neither he nor Linda had expected Jon to put in an appearance that evening. ‘I expect he wanted to see Linda,’ Teri returned and, after a pause, ‘Susan and her family have gone, then?’
‘They left this morning.’
‘They don’t know anything?’ she asked hesitantly after a pause, and Brand shook his head.
‘There was no point in telling them. They’ve no idea that Linda’s fallen for Jon and, should he decide to return to his wife, the fact that they are ignorant will save Linda any unnecessary embarrassment.’
She nodded, dwelling on what he had said regarding her brother’s decision.
‘It’s so difficult for him,’ she murmured, speaking her thoughts aloud.
‘He isn’t any nearer?’ Brand looked down into her upturned face and despite the faint frown on his brow she could not help thrilling to his expression as his eyes met hers. Adorable colour tinted her cheeks and for one humorous moment Brand’s lopsided smile came into evidence.
‘He must be torn inside out.’ Teri spoke swiftly, in the haste of confusion. ‘It’s Wendy, you see,’ she added rather breathlessly.
Brand said thoughtfully, his hint of humour fading,
‘Were it not for Wendy his decision would be simple?’ Half question, half statement, and Teri nodded, saying that if it weren’t for his daughter Jon would have no problem at all.
‘He can’t ever forgive his wife,’ she added. ‘At least, that’s how he feels at present.’
Silence ensued, and it seemed to Teri that the arm encircling her slackened its hold.
‘What a vital step marriage is.’ Brand spoke at length, his tones harsh-edged and deliberate. ‘I suppose that’s one of the reasons why I’ve never given it much thought. One has to be so very sure.’ His hazel eyes fixed hers in a long and probing scrutiny. A quiver ran along her nerves as her spirits began to sink. ‘Let’s go and find some privacy!’ Sudden decision in Brand’s voice, and a startling abruptness. ‘It’s time we had that talk I mentioned.’ Without waiting to see if she agreed he impelled her towards the open french window leading off the dance floor and out into the garden. His nearness sent vibrations tingling through her whole body as they walked together, his arm still about her. She found herself entering into a state of tenseness and excitement, for there was surely no mistaking Brand’s intention.
‘Child, you’re trembling.’ He turned his head and added anxiously, ‘You can’t be cold?’
‘No, I’m not cold.’ Did he not sense the reason for her state? But then he himself remained so calm, so devoid of emotion. He was making for the lawn, bor-dered on two sides by tall flowering gums, darkly etched against the purple sky. Overhead the constellations flared across the great dome of the heavens - the Milky Way, powdery and trailing, like some flowing transparent veil, and the more vivid Southern Cross, spread-eagled and flamboyant. From across the wide and silent veld a tang of lush grasses, watered by the recent rains, drifted on the gently-moving air. They crossed the lawn, still in wordless silence, making for the shadowed grove where high poplars grew, and eucalyptus trees and scrub-oaks. Teri felt shy and breathless, and profoundly aware of the movement of Brand’s fingers on her waist - familiar and possessive, just as if he considered he had every right to caress her body if he so wished.
‘Where are we going?’ The darkness was enfolding her in its mystery. Her question went unanswered; Brand’s arms went round her as he stopped, and she melted into them, unresistingly, lifting her face in the darkness. His mouth explored, tender, caressing, yet wholly masterful and demanding, before her lips were found and possessed in a long and ardent kiss.
‘I suppose it isn’t the time to be thinking of our own happiness,’ he said when at last he drew his lips from hers. ‘Not with Jon and Linda, being in such a plight. But you, Teri — you must have been worrying about your future? Well, I’m not having that, because there’s no need - not if your feelings for me are what I think they are.’ He stopped, and once again she felt his mouth on hers. ‘You know what I have to say, don’t you, darling?’
Teri’s heart soared, yet in the midst of her own joy she pictured her brother and Linda, in there, dancing, holding each other ... and not daring to voice what was in their hearts.
‘Yes, I think I know what you’re going to say,’ she returned shyly, glad of the shadows which hid her rising colour.
‘My own love—’ He swept her close, into the hard strength of his arms, and she sensed his ardour even before his passionate kiss aroused her own desires. ‘You who ran away from me all the time. Did you know how tantalizing that was?’ he demanded, holding her from him and giving her a little shake. ‘Well?’
‘I never meant to be tantalizing,’ she answered unsteadily. ‘I didn’t want anything to do with men, that was all.’
‘And now? But I haven’t asked you to marry me, have I? Dear, sweet Teri, will you—?’
‘Brand! Teri!’ The frantic voice belonged to Linda, She was racing across the lawn, looking all about her. ‘Where are you?’ she sobbed. ‘Oh, where can they be!’
‘Here—’ Swiftly Brand left Teri’s side, meeting his cousin as she stepped off the lawn. ‘For heaven’s sake, what’s wrong?’
‘Jon?’ cried Teri, going pale. ‘Something’s happened to him?’
&nb
sp; ‘Wendy,’ gasped Linda, bursting into tears. ‘She’s gone!’
‘Wendy?’ The last vestige of colour left Teri’s face.; ‘But where—?’
‘Oh, Brand, is it - is it a - a ritual murder?’ Linda shuddered and put her hands to her face; she was almost in a state of collapse, but Teri could not move to comfort her because her legs refused to function.
‘Don’t be silly,’ snapped Brand, perception instantly dawning. ‘Pull yourself together and explain!’
‘Beth came to find Jon - she left the house only for a minute, she said, and on her return Wendy was gone.’
‘Where’s Jon now?’ So calm his voice; Teri looked swiftly at him, seeing a heavy frown, and a harshness about his mouth, but no sign of anxiety.
‘He’s gone home, to organize a search. He told me to find you two, and then to phone the police.’ Tears streamed down her face and Teri’s own eyes had filled up, but, glancing again at Brand, she found herself thinking of an altogether different kidnapping from that on which Linda’s mind still obviously dwelt.
‘Rosalind!’ Brand was already striding towards the lighted building from which he and Teri had so recently emerged. ‘She was staying at the hotel here?’
‘Was. . .?’ Teri nodded. ‘You think—?’
‘I’m sure. She’s making a bid to get Wendy out of the country.’
Telling the two girls to wait on the verandah he went inside, returning in about five minutes with the information that he had phoned Rosalind’s hotel.
‘She booked out an hour and a half ago,’ Brand told them. ‘The receptionist heard her tell the taxi driver to take her to Karunda Farm.’
Teri’s brow furrowed in a frown. Although she, like Brand, had known instinctively that Rosalind was at the bottom of Wendy’s disappearance she had wondered how Rosalind could have discovered that Jon and Teri would not be at home this evening.
‘How did she know we’d be out?’ she inquired of Brand, and he went on to say that he had also made inquiries at the club.
‘A strange woman came in this afternoon saying she had heard there was to be a dance here this evening. She asked if you and Jon were members and naturally was told yes. She then asked if you would be attending the dance and was informed that you both had bought tickets. She might not have been absolutely sure that you’d use those tickets, but she had nothing to lose in going to Karunda to find out.’
‘Beth was trembling - with fright,’ intervened Linda thoughtfully. ‘She seemed guilty, and afraid of punishment. You know, I have a feeling she was away much longer than the minute, as she so firmly asserted.’
Teri was about to relate her own impressions, and her reluctance to come out this evening, but Brand was saying,
‘Jon can question her when we get back to Karunda. Linda, start the car up and turn it round ready for when I come out. I’ve got them putting a call through to the airport for me — Here is Andrew. You’re through?’ he asked as the man came towards him from the direction of the small lounge along at the far end of the verandah.
‘Yes, sir, you can take the call in the lounge; it’s empty.’
‘Thank you.’
There was no flight until twelve-thirty the following day, Brand told Teri and Linda as he slid behind the wheel a few minutes later. ‘I’ve warned the authorities that a woman might be trying to take a child out of the country without her father’s consent - so that’s that as far as Rosalind’s concerned. She’s wasted her time.’ His voice was harsh and grating ... so very different from the tenderness ft contained so short a time ago.
‘What I can’t understand,’ said Teri, bringing up something that had puzzled her from the moment she suspected Rosalind of having taken Wendy away, ‘is how she managed to persuade Wendy to go with her. Wendy wouldn’t have anything to do with her when she came to Karunda that day.’
‘Well, she did persuade her, obviously.’ Brand was driving away from the club, leaving the lights behind as they proceeded beyond the outskirts of Oaksville and took the dark road towards the open country. Already Jon had rounded up the boys and as the great white car crunched to a halt he was giving them orders to fan out so that as wide an area as possible could be covered. He stood on the stoep, shouting the instructions, and in the light from the lamps Teri saw how grey and drawn his face was. He looked twenty years older than when she last saw him only an hour or so ago.
‘Thank God you’ve come,’ he began. ‘That makes three more. Linda, did you ring the police, as I told you to—?’
‘Calm down, Jon.’ Brand’s cool and confident voice cut him short. ‘Did it not occur to you that your wife might be at the back of this?’ He spoke soothingly now, as to a small child, almost.
‘Rosalind?’ Jon was dazed; he thrust a shaking hand through his hair. ‘You think she — she—?’ He could not go on and, moving swiftly, Teri was at his side, her comforting hand covering his as it lay resting on the rail.
‘It’s clear that Rosalind’s taken Wendy,’ Brand was saying, and to her relief Teri saw a little of the strain leave her brother’s face. Brand immediately went on to explain exactly what he had done, and that there was no flight until after lunchtime the following day. Jon sagged on hearing this, but still stared, as if unable to shake off his dazed condition.
‘So you see,’ put in Teri, ‘Rosalind can’t possibly take Wendy out of the country because, as Brand’s just said, he phoned the airport and warned the officials that the child must not leave without your permission. We’ll go to the airport tomorrow - I’ll go with you, Jon or perhaps you’d rather have Brand. Yes,’ she went on gently, ‘that will be better, I think. He can drive because I’m sure you won’t be fit to do so.’ Automatically she cast an appealing glance at Brand, who smiled reassuringly at her before saying to Jon,
‘We’ll go in my car,’ and, turning, he dismissed the boys, who had been standing there, motionless and silent, wondering what this conversation was all about. ‘You’d better go inside, Jon,’ he then advised. ‘You’ve had a nasty shock.’ Brand glanced at Teri. ‘He needs a drink - a strong one.’
She nodded in agreement and preceded the two men into the house, followed by Linda, silent and withdrawn.
Naturally the conversation centred on Rosalind and her action in taking Wendy off without her father’s consent, Jon expressing the same puzzlement as Teri as to how his wife had persuaded the child to go with her.
‘Wendy sleeps extremely heavily, and I’m wondering if she didn’t waken properly.’ Teri cast a glance at her brother; she wondered why the idea had not pre-viously occurred to her. ‘I think that could be the explanation, don’t you? Do you remember how, if you took her out and stayed at your friends longer than usual, Wendy would go to sleep and you could carry her to the car without her wakening?’
‘Yes.’ He nodded reminiscently. ‘I could also lift her out when we got home, and carry her upstairs and still she slept.’
‘That seems a feasible explanation,’ interposed Brand, then added, ‘I wonder what will happen when she does eventually wake?’
‘I imagine Rosalind will have trouble,’ was Jon’s swift and grim reply. ‘Wendy has a rare temper -although you haven’t ever seen it.’ His eyes, still showing evidence of that early haunted look despite the confidence he had derived from Brand’s imperturbable manner and firm assertion that all would be well, strayed to Linda and a tender glance passed between him and the girl he now loved. ‘Have another drink,’ he urged in gentle tones. ‘You too had a scare.’
Linda forced a smile.
‘So did Teri. I’ve never seen anyone lose colour so swiftly. Only Brand appeared quite cool and in command of his feelings.’
‘And the situation,’ added Jon with a grateful glance in his direction. ‘Once again we’re indebted to you, Brand.’
At that a strange smile hovered on Brand’s lips - not that familiar quirk, but something soft and tender and even more attractive. It brought a charming hint of colour to Teri’s cheeks as she rece
ived the message and her swift glance passed to Jon and then to Linda, neither of whom had noticed anything for they seemed to be wrapped up in one another. It’s all in the family, Brand was saying, while aloud, he passed over Jon’s words by suggesting he send for Beth. This Jon did at once, telling Jaru to fetch her. Weeping loudly she admitted - after severe questioning - that she had been away from the homestead for about an hour. It was Brand who did the questioning, for Jon was being far too mild with the woman, and even after her admission he seemed not to have the strength to chastise her, his nerves still not fully recovered from the jolt they had received. But Brand made up for this and even Teri felt sorry for Beth by the time he had finished with her and given her permission to leave.
Linda came over with Brand the following morning. She had not slept, but neither had Teri; Jon also looked haggard and only Brand seemed cool, and Teri knew that in the main it would be he who would handle the situation when they reached the airport. He was so efficient, so reliable, and for a moment Teri allowed herself the pleasure of dwelling on having him for a husband. He would be there always to smooth her path, to treat with amused contempt the problems which from time to time must assuredly come their way. He would be her prop, her secure anchor, her haven in all storms. And suddenly with a switch of thought she saw Kemp, and sent up a little prayer for what she had escaped ... and for what she had found.
‘You don’t mind if I stay here?’ Linda spoke as she got out of the car. ‘I can’t be by myself.’
‘Nor can I, so I’m glad you’ve come. If you hadn’t then I should have come over to you.’
Jon was already taking Linda’s place in the car; it slid off the dusty yard and the girls watched it until it was out of sight, obscured by the belt of trees along the river bank.
‘I wonder if this will make any difference to Jon’s decision?’ Linda spoke as if she had to, as if she could not remain silent, awaiting the slow passage of time until the men returned.
‘Come on inside,’ invited Teri, for she was unable to comment on what Linda had said. As far as she could see the position between her brother and his wife re-mained unaltered by this escapade of Rosalind’s. She was doomed to failure regarding it; on the other hand the fact that she had endeavoured to get possession of her child must go in her favour should Jon decide to divorce her. Jon would think of this, and so might allow it to influence him in favour of taking Rosalind back. How right Brand was when he said that marriage was a vital step, and that one had to be so very sure. Divorce might be easy these days, but the complications remained where children were involved. ‘I’ll make some coffee.’ She managed a smile for Linda as, slipping her arm around her shoulders, she led her up the steps of the back stoep and into the lounge. ‘I don’t expect you’ve had any breakfast?’