Windward Crest

by Anne Hampson

  Jake appeared relieved, for which Dominie was heartily thankful. It would add immeasurably to her humiliation were Jake ever to guess how the felt about his friend.

  ‘I shouldn’t take that woman’s words to heart,’ he advised. ‘Rohan’s above using one woman in order to provoke another to jealousy. No, the idea’s preposterous!’ he added emphatically. ‘If you knew him a little better you’d scoff at the notion.’

  ‘Then why did he suddenly take an interest in me?’ she asked, recalling with an inward squirm the conversation she had heard between Rohan and his girlfriend. ‘I’m sure Rohan really considers me an uninteresting sort of person.’

  Jake frowned again.

  ‘Why on earth should you say that? No one could consider you uninteresting.’

  Dominie hesitated, half inclined to tell Jake of what she had overheard, but she refrained, remembering in time that Rohan was a very great friend of his. Instead she said, forcing a laugh,

  ‘You’re prejudiced, Jake. You don’t ever seem able to find a fault with me.’

  ‘True,’ he agreed, looking straight at her. He seemed to give a sigh, and he appeared quite old all at once. ‘As far as I can see, my dear, you haven’t any faults.’

  ‘Everyone has faults. I’m sure I have dozens!’

  Jake laughed and shook his head, but made no comment, changing the subject as he asked her to reconsider her decision about the party.

  ‘I shan’t enjoy it half as much if you’re not there,’ he told her seriously. ‘I was looking forward to your company.’

  She bit her lip. It had been stupid to go back on her word, especially as she wanted to attend the party. And now Jake was also unhappy—or at least, disappointed.

  ‘I can’t go now—not after telling Rohan I’ve changed my mind.’

  ‘You’d like to go?’ he inquired eagerly.

  Dominie nodded her head.

  ‘I would, yes.’

  ‘Then I’ll phone Rohan—’

  ‘He’ll think I’m stupid!’

  ‘Didn’t he say himself that it’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind? Well, you’ve changed it again.’

  The gardens of Windward Crest were softly illuminated by lights in the trees and the pool, like that of Jake’s, was lit from underneath with coloured electric lamps that turned slowly, so that the blues and crimsons and various other colours mingled with the most delightful effect. Fringing the sides of the pool were exotic trees and shrubs like the lovely flamboyant, or Royal poinciana tree with its spectacular show of blooms covering the widespread limbs and, individually, resembling orchids; or the pink-blossomed frangipani with its delicious perfume. There were flowers with names like Flame of the Woods, Snow of the Mountains, Golden Candle and Shoot of Paradise. Colour and perfume and fairy-lights all combined to give the impression of a breathtakingly beautiful stage setting. It was too romantic by far, decided Dominie, who, clad in a pretty blue and white beach robe, very, very short, soon found herself beside her host, looking up into eyes that seemed, incredibly, to be laughing at her. He had sought her out almost at once, and here they were, at one end of the pool, away from the other guests. Her throat seemed to contract; she said hastily, and a trifle breathlessly,

  ‘This is marvellous! I’ve never seen anything quite like it, not even on the pictures!’

  ‘Nervous?’ he queried, ignoring her comments. There was mockery in his voice. With a sort of stunning enlightenment Dominie knew that he was flirting with her. But what of Sylvia? Had he given up the chase ... having sighted another quarry?

  ‘I don’t know what you mean,’ she faltered. ‘Why should I be nervous?’

  ‘Perhaps I should have said, unsure of yourself—’

  ‘Nonsense! I’m never unsure of myself, Mr. de Arden!’

  He laughed, an attractive, low-pitched laugh which sent her pulses racing.

  ‘Rohan,’ he said briefly and, taking her arm, led her to a more secluded place, away from the pool, and the people swimming there. ‘Say it,’ he commanded imperiously, ‘Well? Why the hesitation?’

  She said, automatically wrapping her coat around her in a sort of protective action,

  ‘You’re a most puzzling man, Mr. de Arden—’

  ‘Only at first—not when you get to know me. Rohan, I said!’

  ‘We’re practically strangers.’

  ‘You’ve known me almost as long as you’ve known Jake. You never had any difficulty with his name.’

  ‘I met him on the ship. Everything’s informal there. You all use Christian names.’

  ‘We do here too.’

  She glanced around; somehow, Rohan had managed to isolate them altogether from the rest. The pool was some distance away, and they were under a huge pouli tree, lavishly covered with pinkish-rose blossoms. Lighting was dim in this corner of the garden; although the moon was almost full it was partly obscured by soft white cloud.

  ‘Don’t you think,’ she began nervously, ‘that we should be getting back to the others?’

  ‘We’ve only just left them. What’s the hurry?’

  ‘Mr. de Arden—’

  ‘You might find it easier,’ he said, moving close, ‘when I’ve kissed you—No, my dear,’ he laughed as she would have escaped, ‘it’s too late for you to run away.’ And the next moment she was in his arms, enclosed in an inescapable embrace, and those sensuous lips claimed her in a long and passionate kiss.

  ‘Oh ... you detestable creature!’ she cried on being released. ‘To—to do that—and without the least encouragement!’ Indignant and angry though she was endeavouring to be, Dominie had to face the embarrassing fact that she failed miserably. Rohan’s face was still close and even in the dim light she saw the amusement that lit those amber eyes.

  ‘So you liked it. Good! Let’s try again, shall we—?’

  ‘No—certainly not! Let me go—’ She struggled on being caught to him again, but it was a futile effort and she gave it up. Triumphantly Rohan’s mouth came down on hers, forcefully yet not in the least roughly, and after resisting his subtle persuasion and finesse for as long as she could Dominie forgot everything as she gave herself up to the sheer bliss of the moment. Vaguely she knew he would later despise her, and that she would despise herself, but she was helpless, held as she was, not only by his physical strength, but also by the personal charm and conquering force of the man.

  ‘And now can you say my name?’ he whispered, close to her ear.

  ‘No—I—Rohan, please let me go!’

  ‘Yes...’ A moment’s silence and then, ‘It sounds exactly as I knew it would. Easy, wasn’t it, Dominie?’ Her name rolled off his tongue like a caress. Madness! He was insincere, a flirt, a profligate. He either ignored women or tempted them. She moved to release herself from his embrace, but his grip on her arms tightened. ‘Why the haste?’ His eyes laughed at her and there was a quiver to his mouth. ‘You know, Dominie, it’s not very flattering to my vanity when you want to rush off like this. Aren’t you enjoying yourself?’

  Colour flooded her cheeks, and her head lifted.

  ‘Your vanity doesn’t appear to be suffering overmuch,’ she flashed. ‘I find you pompous in the extreme!’

  ‘I’m desolated! I imagined you were enjoying it as much as I.’ He was mocking her, deriving a great deal of amusement from the situation. Dominie said, still acutely affected by his touch, and the nearness of him as once again he bent towards her.

  ‘As you’ve had your enjoyment, perhaps we can go back to the pool. After all, it was supposed to be a swimming party ... if you remember?’

  ‘Sarcasm too? Shall I give you that shaking I threatened you with?’ No answer from Dominie. Rohan went on, looking at her in some amusement, ‘Do you really want to go to the pool, I wonder? Wouldn’t you rather stay here, alone with me?’

  Dominie gave him a speaking glance, repeated that she found him pompous, and added for good measure, ‘The pool will offer me much more pleasant amusement.’

  ‘
Liar! Why, if you didn’t care for my kisses, did you reciprocate in so delightful a way?’

  She was all confusion at this, not only because he spoke the truth but also because of those last few words. He sounded so sincere despite the mocking amusement edging his soft rich tones, and she knew a tingling of pleasure that he too had enjoyed those kisses. Dominie hadn’t had much experience of men, always having been so busy, looking after her brother and the house, and working for a pay packet as well, and in responding to Rohan’s lovemaking she had merely been following a natural instinct. He attracted her immensely; she had been happy to be in his arms, and it was gratifying to learn that Rohan also had been happy. She felt suddenly that she was not just ‘another female’ who was to be used for a moment’s idle pleasure and then forgotten. Rohan spoke softly into her ear, repeating his question.

  ‘Did—did I r-reciprocate?’ she stammered, trying to twist out of his hold.

  ‘You little wretch, Dominie. You prevaricating little wretch. You know darned well you did!’ He paused a moment, waiting for her to speak, and continuing only after a long silence, ‘What is it that’s so different about you? What do you have that other women lack?’ Holding her away from him, he gazed, half-frowning, into her eyes. Colour mounted her cheeks, fluctuating in the most captivating way, highlighting the perfect contours of her face. His words thrilled her even while some warning voice told her to beware. But she ignored it, held by Rohan in some exciting way that set her senses on fire and formed a barrier against all emotions except an intense yearning for him to kiss her again. Her lips parted and she tilted her head. With an intake of his breath Rohan stared, continuing to take in the enchanting picture for a long moment before, bending his head, he pressed his lips to hers. ‘Dominie .. you bewitching creature...’

  She gave herself up to his kisses, living for the moment as ecstasy swept through her whole body.

  ‘Rohan,’ she whispered shyly when at last his lips left hers, ‘people will be wondering where we are. And you—you shouldn’t have left your guests for so long.’ She was talking for the sake of talking, trying to take her mind off the tormenting question of whether or not Rohan was serious, or merely playing with her. She had nothing on which to assess his sincerity. He sounded sincere, it was true, but Dominie could not help doubting that a man like Rohan, who could choose any woman he wanted, would be seriously interested in her. Jake had asserted quite firmly that he would never stoop to using one; woman in order to make another jealous, and after all Jake knew Rohan well. What had happened tonight was definitely not designed to make Sylvia jealous, so surely there was some meaning to it.

  ‘You’re right, my dear, we must go.’ Rohan gave a small sigh and let her go. Five minutes later they were in the pool, mingling with the other swimmers, and later still they were with Jake, eating barbecued chicken and drinking rum punches under the moon.

  ‘Where did you and Rohan disappear to for so long?’ Jake wanted to know when at last he and Dominie were in his car, covering the short distance to Sunset Lodge. ‘You can’t say the attention he gave you tonight had anything to do with making Sylvia jealous.’

  ‘He was showing me the gardens.’

  ‘In the dark?’

  Dominie blushed in the dimness of the car.

  ‘We stopped and chatted for a while.’

  ‘You’re liking him better now, apparently?’

  ‘Yes,’ she answered quietly, ‘I’m liking him much better now.’

  CHAPTER FIVE

  An eager smile leapt to Dominie’s face as Rohan came striding towards her after parking his car some short distance away. It was Saturday noon; Dominie had been shopping and Rohan had arranged to meet her at Bluebeard’s Castle where they would have lunch together. Jake had taken the children on a visit to his sister who lived in Florida, and he would have taken Dominie too, but, aware of the way things were progressing between her and Rohan, he had obligingly told her she could have the week off work.

  ‘All the shopping done?’ Rohan reached her as she stood at the entrance to the building, which had once been a fortress but was now a luxury hotel. ‘It would seem so, judging by the bulging bag you’re carrying.’ He took the gay embroidered shopping bag from her and said he had better put it in the car.

  ‘I’ve spent up, Rohan, there are such wonderful things to buy!’ She was deliriously happy; her eyes glowed and her cheeks were flushed. Her fair curls, although set attractively at the hairdressers only a couple of hours ago, were a trifle awry, the result of the caressing Caribbean trades, which blew almost all the time, bringing a welcome cooling influence to this tropical climate. ‘Shall I walk back to the car with you?’

  ‘Of course.’ His low voice held an almost tender note and Dominie thrilled to it, as she did to the expression in his eyes. It seemed like a miracle that he should care for her, yet she was sure he did. True, he had never yet mentioned love, but then only ten days had elapsed since that night when, at the swimming party, he had kissed her. He had come over to Sunset Lodge almost every day since then, and twice he had taken her out to dine, the first time being to the Hotel 1829, where she had been pleasantly surprised to find century-old beams and colonial furniture. A charming bar had been made from the old kitchen; there was an attractive Spanish staircase and there were exotic flowers everywhere. Dominie had tasted her first lobster cooked West Indian style, from the charcoal grill. The second occasion on which he took her out was to the Carib Beach Hotel. From the silver sands of its beach they had stood looking out over the marvellous view of Lindbergh Bay, to Mosquito Point beyond. They had dined, and danced to the native orchestra till the early hours; they had strolled hand in hand through the tropical gardens, then driven home under a starlit sky, leaving the Caribbean as they crossed the island to the Atlantic side. Rohan had driven her to Sunset Lodge where, before seeing her safely inside, he had held her close, and they had remained on the terrace for a long while, enfolded in the warmth and peace of the soft tropical night.

  ‘You’re so lovely ... and so different,’ he had murmured, and Dominie found it almost impossible to believe that he had once called her a little mouse. She sometimes fell to thinking of Sylvia, but the girl seemed unimportant now—just someone with, whom Rohan would have amused himself had not Dominie come on the scene.

  With the shopping bag put in the car Rohan took her arm and they walked back to the Castle where they ate a delicious buffet lunch and listened to the gay and sparkling calypso singers.

  ‘I must bring you here in the evening,’ Rohan promised, ‘and you can dance in the Pirate’s Parlour.’

  Dominie laughed.

  ‘A pirate really did live here, Jake tells me?’

  ‘That’s right. You’re in buccaneering territory now. Bluebeard lived in the Tower, from where he could spot the gold-laden galleons which were sailing from the New World to Europe. He was a lusty, handsome man with a thick beard that shone blue against his weathered cheeks when he faced a bright light. It was said he could polish off a gallon of rum at one go, without any noticeable effect.’

  ‘What happened to him? Was he hanged?’

  ‘He just disappeared, after stabbing his wife with a cutlass.’

  ‘What times they were—exciting times!’

  ‘And dangerous. Everyone was after everyone else’s gold,’ Rohan looked up as a woman approached their table. ‘I seem to know that face,’ he murmured, almost to himself.

  ‘May I sit down for a moment?’ asked the woman, and without waiting for permission she took possession of a spare chair. ‘You don’t remember me, Mr. de Arden?’

  ‘I’m sorry ... Why, yes, I do remember you. You were at Jake’s place once when I was there.’

  She smiled, glanced at Dominie and paused a moment before speaking.

  ‘I shouldn’t have intruded,’ she apologized, but made no effort to rise. ‘Yes, I met you at the Harrises’ about seven years ago.’ Another pause. ‘How are they?’ she inquired slowly.

  Af
ter introducing Dominie to Mrs. Edgley Rohan told the woman that Mrs. Harris had died a few months previously.

  ‘Died? But she was so young—thirty-four, I think.’

  ‘About that age, yes. Are you on holiday, Mrs. Edgley?’

  ‘Yes; I flew in a week ago. I’m here for another fortnight.’ She paused again and Dominie looked at her, noting the rather attractive features and very dark eyes and hair. She was about forty-five years of age, Dominie estimated, although she had the figure of a young girl. ‘How is Jake?—I mean, is he dreadfully upset by his wife’s death?’

  Rohan made no immediate reply, and when he did his accents seemed a little cold.

  ‘I wouldn’t know, Mrs. Edgley.’

  Dominie glanced swiftly at him, wondering why he hadn’t mentioned the fact that Jake and his wife had been separated for five and a half years before her death. She felt it was not dislike of the woman that had caused his reticence, and realized almost immediately that Rohan was not the man to discuss his friend’s private life with a comparative stranger.

  ‘He’s still at Sunset Lodge?’

  ‘He’s still there, but he’s away from home at present.’

  ‘Oh...’ Mrs. Edgley’s disappointment was clearly portrayed in her expression. ‘When will he be back?’

  ‘In about three or four days’ time.’

  The woman’s face cleared.

  ‘I think I shall call on him,’ she said, and rose from the chair. ‘I hope you didn’t mind my speaking to you, Mr. de Arden?’

  ‘Not at all,’ he returned graciously. ‘I hope you’ll enjoy your holiday.’

  ‘Thank you.’ she murmured, and walked away, over to a table in the corner, where she was lunching alone. Dominie bit her lip.

  ‘We could have asked her to join us,’ she said.

  ‘I suppose we could.’ Rohan followed the direction of Dominie’s gaze. ‘It’s too late; we’ve almost finished and, by the look of things, so has she. The waiter’s just brought her the cheese board.’

  ‘She seemed rather nice,’ commented Dominie, and a twinkle entered her companion’s eyes.