‘I’m really sorry,’ she said, certain that her apology wouldn’t be accepted, yet equally certain it was required. ‘I honestly did take care. I wasn’t out for long, and I stayed in the shade almost all the time. Honestly.’
And was astonished when he replied. ‘I’m sure you did, but the shade is deceptive. You can be burned just from reflected light up here in the north — even in the shade.’
Her eyes must have shown her disbelief, because he met her gaze and laughed. ‘True! You probably got the worst of your burn after you lay down in the hammock, when you thought you were safe. I’ve done it myself.’
That, Holly decided, was probably a lie. She couldn’t imagine Wade Bannister ever doing anything so stupid as getting an unexpected sunburn. Certainly not in recent years, at any rate. His skin had that rich, lustrous bronze tone that bespoke long exposure to the sun.
‘Well I still feel rather foolish,’ she replied. ‘Typical tourist, although I realise that’s no excuse.’
‘With your complexion, I’d have thought you’d have learned about sunburn years ago, even in England,’ he said. ‘You’ve got the most beautiful skin I’ve ever seen; makes me think of strawberries and cream.’
Holly giggled, confused slightly by the unexpected compliment. ‘The expression is supposed to be peaches and cream, although right now I suppose you’re closer with strawberries. Thank you.’
His reply seemed gruff by comparison. ‘Well just see that you take more care after this. I’ll pick up some sunscreen this afternoon, and I want your promise that you’ll use it. Religiously! Skin cancer is no joke, and Australia’s got the worst record in the world, especially in the tropics.’
‘I promise,’ she said. And meant it. Then she shivered, for the first time aware of the coolness created by the air-conditioning.
‘Stomach playing up, or is it just the chills?’ he asked, eyes narrowing in concern. Was he truly concerned. Holly wondered, or just returning to being his usual officious self?
‘It’s nothing, I’m sure,’ she replied, but when she stood up she was strangely light-headed, the room seemed to shimmer like heat waves around her. She swayed, would have fallen, but his hands closed round her waist, pulling her close as he swept her into his arms with the descent of oblivion.
And he was still there when she returned to consciousness, her eyes slowly opening to settle first on the lean, tall figure sprawled comfortably in the arm chair near the foot of her bed, a book open in his lap.
‘Feeling better?’ he asked, a grin playing about his wide, mobile mouth. ‘The first thing you’ll want is a drink, I bet. Don’t get up ... I’ll bring it.’
He was gone before Holly could say a word, returning a moment later with a tall, frosted glass of lemonade which he handed down to her with a flourish.
Holly sat up; the action was necessary if she was to drink from the glass, and she was pleased to find her dizziness gone. She could still feel the tingling of her skin, but her head was now clear and she felt almost normal.
Wade raised one eyebrow. ‘It’ll be a light supper for you tonight, 1 reckon,’ he said. ‘Scrambled eggs? Omelette?’
‘Oh, look ... I’ll fix something,’ she protested, but she might just as well have saved her breath.
‘Best I do it. The way you’re going today, you’d only end up burning the house down,’ he replied, but had the grace, at least, to blunt the barb of the remark with a smile. ‘I’ve got a few things to do right now, but you stay and rest if you’d like. Come on out whenever you’re ready.’
And he was gone with a nod that might have been brusque had he not been smiling. It was, she noted, the kind of indulgent smile reserved for wayward children, or was that her conscience judging?
Holly finished the drink and leaned back against her pillow, unable not to wonder if Wade Bannister’s attitude mightn’t be mellowing slightly. Or was it just because she was at a strong disadvantage? Somehow she knew he wasn’t the type to knowingly take unfair advantage, at least not according to his own rules.
The trouble was, she didn’t know his rules. Even thinking the worst of her, he’d made a very close attempt at seduction, which somehow didn’t fit in with what she’d imagined his thinking to be. How could he possibly desire a woman he detested?
But then, how could he be so considerate to a silly, sunburned, stupid tourist? And he had been — was being — very considerate. She couldn’t deny that. Or, she mused, was he setting her up for something? That, too, was vaguely possible and not totally out of character. Wade Bannister could be a very devious person, when he chose.
He wasn’t in evidence when Holly finally emerged, a light silken wrap gathered closely about her body in a shroud that seemed only to contain the sunburn heat she was producing. And five minutes later she was convinced he’d left the house entirely, though she’d no idea where.
She was equally convinced she could no longer bear the’ touch of the silk against her flushed skin, so she returned to her room to change to a pair of shorts and a light halter top. When she emerged a second time, he was standing beside the lounge bar, a tall glass in his hand.
‘I’d suggest something soft for you,’ he said, ‘at least until tomorrow, when we can judge how serious an injury you’ve really done yourself.’
Holly paused uncertainly, on the verge of telling him she rarely drank anything stronger than beer or wine anyway. But he probably wouldn’t believe her, and now that he’d had his say, she perversely wanted something else, even though she could at least recognise her own contrariness.
‘I don’t suppose I could have a beer?’ she asked, keeping the question non-committal, non-aggressive. And watched as one dark eyebrow raised in a silent query of her minor defiance.
‘We’ll compromise. You can have a shandy,’ he finally said, and immediately began pouring beer into a half-glass of lemonade, foaming up the brew into a frothy head.
Holly dismissed her natural inclination to argue; surely she’d done enough of that already today, without deliberately going out of her way to be difficult. Instead, she sipped gratefully at the foaming drink, then smiled her acceptance.
‘What are you drinking?’ she asked after a moment, not really caring, but finding the silence seemed to hum round in her head, creating a noise of its own. Silence made her too aware of the tall man who leaned casually against the bar, made it too possible for him to be aware of her skimpy costume as he eyed the marks of the sun on her legs and midriff.
Wade glanced down at his glass, almost as if he had to think about a reply. ‘Soda water,’ he finally said. ‘I’m probably the only person in the entire Northwest who can’t stop a thirst with beer. I like it, no mistake, but not when I’m really thirsty.’
And the silence swarmed back around them, so loud it made Holly want to put down her glass and flee to the sanctuary of her room. How could she stand to stay here with him if he wouldn’t even talk to her?
‘What are you thinking about that makes you frown so much?’
The question was totally unexpected, especially as she hadn’t thought he was in the mood for conversation.
Neither did she realise she’d been frowning, and Holly quickly re-arranged her face.
‘I was just wondering about Jessica,’ she replied, lying and sure he knew it. ‘I don’t think she told me the truth about these tests she’s having; I think it’s much more serious than she’s letting on.’
‘It is, although it could be a lot worse,’ Wade admitted. And then, after a moment, ‘And I suppose you’re not overjoyed at being stuck here with me, either?’
Now what did that mean? Holly tried to keep her voice absolutely calm. ‘I ... would prefer Jessica, but so long as you …’
‘Keep my hands to myself?’ And his grin was unfathomable. ‘Let’s just say, dear Holly, that you’re as safe with me as ever you want to be.’
Which meant she wasn’t safe at all, but Holly knew he must never know that. ‘Then I’m totally safe,’ she sai
d with a brightness she didn’t feel.
Wade stared deliberately at her sunburn, his expression making it quite clear what he was looking at. ‘For a few days you are; that’s for sure,’ he said with a sudden grin. ‘You would be safe from anybody until that sunburn wears off.’
‘How serious is Jessica’s condition, really?’ Holly replied in a deliberate change of subject. Discussing her safety or lack of it with the only man who could threaten it wasn’t her idea of a reasonable discussion. Besides, she knew that Jessica hadn’t been totally successful in fooling Wade about her situation. Obviously he cared a great deal for her aunt, and wasn’t likely to be fobbed off by false assertions,
‘She could very easily require heart surgery. And there’s a chance she could as easily die, with or without it,’ he replied soberly, his face showing that he got no pleasure from the bluntness, yet saw no sense in hiding the truth.
‘Oh my G ...! I wish you’d told me earlier. I should be with her!’ Holly cried, and her voice raised in anger at the bland, negative shake of his head.
‘No. She’s too damned proud and independent for that,’ he said, and Holly recognised that as the truth. ‘She got you here knowing the situation herself, but there is no way on earth she wants either of us to know it, so I think we must respect that, at least for the moment,’ he said.
‘And these tests?’ Holly didn’t, couldn’t argue with his logic.
‘They could be the prelude to open-heart surgery, but not yet, I think. At any rate, she’s in the best hands possible and she’ll have the best of care. We’ll just have to see.’
‘You’ve made sure of that, haven’t you?’ she asked, not expecting an answer because she already knew. Wade was one step ahead of Jessica all the way. He was the type who always would be.
Whatever his reply might have been, it was forestalled by the ringing of the telephone, an insistent jangling in the relative quiet of the house. The one-sided conversation that followed meant less than nothing to Holly. It was a jumble of technical shorthand and jargon she couldn’t begin to understand.
‘Well, that solves part of your problem, anyway,’ he said immediately after ringing off. ‘I’ll be leaving in the morning for a few days, maybe longer. Do you think you can manage to hang on here by yourself?’
‘Until Jessica comes back? Certainly,’ she replied. ‘Unless of course there’s a cyclone. I’d like you to brief me on that eventuality before you go. Jessica did, of course, but I’d like to be more sure.’ She felt a great surge of relief in knowing she wouldn’t have to continue walking on egg-shells indefinitely. Knowing the instinctive attraction she seemed to have for Wade, she could only imagine difficulties if they were too long together alone. And yet, well, she’d have to ignore that. Her feelings for him were too new, too startling.
‘There isn’t much to know except pure common sense,’ he was saying. ‘The house is pretty well okay, just make sure there’s nothing lying around loose outside and make sure you stay inside, where it’s relatively safe. But really, 1 wouldn’t worry a whole lot about it. The long-range forecast doesn’t show anything to cause much of a problem.’
They were having dinner, a light, gentle dinner of poached eggs on toast, Wade’s suggestion and Wade’s cooking, when the telephone interrupted a second time. And this time it was only too easy for Holly to follow the conversation; he made sure of that!
‘Of course everything’s all right here, Jess,’ he said almost immediately. ‘Holly? Well I’ll let you speak to her in a minute and you can judge for yourself.’
But he didn’t turn the telephone over to Holly immediately. Not even soon. Instead, he talked on and on to Jessica, while Holly fumed with indignation at being able to hear only half the conversation. It was pleasing that Wade was obviously wording his own comments to give her as much information as possible, but it wasn’t enough; she wanted to talk to Jessica herself.
‘You’ll be back tomorrow?’ she cried once he’d finally passed the phone on with a grin. ‘Will you really? Does that mean everything’s all right?’
‘Not that simple, I’m afraid,’ was the disturbing reply. ‘I’ll have to come back in a week or so, and take things very easy in the interim, but then I hope, things will be just fine.’
‘But ... it hardly seems worth flying all the way back for such a short time,’ Holly said, shooting Wade a furious glance as she spoke. ‘Couldn’t you just, well, stay there? I’m really worried about you flying.’
Wade shrugged his shoulders, clearly indicating the uselessness, in his view, of argument with her aunt. ‘No, that wouldn’t be suitable at all,’ Jessica was saying. ‘I’ll be far more comfortable at home, and really, what’s the sense of you coming all the way from England if we can’t spend as much time as possible together? No, I’ll be back on the first flight tomorrow.’
Wade hardly kept still until Holly had finished her talk and hung up the telephone. ‘Damn that woman!’ he growled. ‘She’s lying about something; 1 know it. What is it with the women in your family, anyway? They couldn’t lie straight in bed.’
Holly’s involuntary gasp of protest was snowed under by his voice, harsh now with emotion and his obvious, genuine love and concern for Jessica.
‘When she gets over this, she’s going to hear from me,’ he growled. ‘I’m getting sick and tired of you women thinking I’m so stupid I’ll believe the flimsiest of lies. If she wasn’t so sick, I’d wait until she got home tomorrow and take her over my knee, that’s what!’
‘Well you don’t have to scream at me about it. It isn’t my fault,’ Holly replied.
‘Nobody’s screaming at you. I’m just giving you fair warning, so if you see me going after Jess one day with a great big stick you’ll know why.’
‘I’ll do better than that; I’ll probably help you catch her,’ Holly replied with a grin. Now that she knew he wasn’t serious, but was only blowing off steam, she suddenly felt much more relaxed. She rather liked this Wade Bannister; the outburst made him almost human, less remote.
‘Just so long as we get the chance, that’s all I ask,’ he replied with a grin of his own, then reached up to thrust back a lock of brown hair that had fallen across his forehead. ‘Anyway, young Holly, I suggest you trot off to bed now. I’ve got a few calls to make. I’d like to rearrange things so I can also be there when Jess arrives, just to see how she looks — and then I think I’ll nod off too. It’s been a long day for both of us.’
‘All right. I’ll just tidy up here first,’ Holly said, and began to gather up the dinner dishes. And somehow she wasn’t surprised when Wade stepped in to help her, so that the dishes were cleaned up and put away in only a few minutes.
‘Right. Now off to bed with you,’ he said, bending to place a light, almost brotherly kiss on her forehead.
The memory of that kiss, strangely, remained until after Holly had wakened next morning to find her sunburn much improved and her mind clear and alert.
Wade, also, seemed to have rested well. He was sitting at the kitchen table when she entered the room, a cup of coffee in front of him and the makings of a gargantuan breakfast spread out on the kitchen counter.
‘If you’re as hungry as I am, it still may not be enough,’ he grinned. ‘But pour yourself some coffee first; I’ll start cooking in a minute.’
Each of them, Holly thought, ate enough breakfast to keep two full-grown men working for a day, but it was a strangely silent if totally convivial meal. And as on the evening before, Wade helped her to tidy up, then disappeared into his own quarters to shower and change for his working day.
He was waiting when she had finished getting ready for the trip to the airport, dressed casually but tidily in khaki and wearing strongly made work boots with thick soles.
‘I won’t be coming back here with you,’ he said, ‘so we’ll have to take both vehicles to the airport and then you can drive Jess back. I should be back myself, oh, within a couple of days, anyway.’
Both vehicles. That
explained how he’d arrived the day before without her knowing he’d even come to Port Hedland. And sure enough, when they walked through to the garage, an elderly, somewhat battered Land Rover squatted beside the sleek station sedan.
Festooned with equipment, it looked like something out of a desert war movie, but no worse than many of the vehicles Holly had seen during her tour of the town. Rugged, go-anywhere machines obviously must have a place in this climate and terrain, she realised. And rugged, go-anywhere men, as well.
Holly found herself idly wondering, as she followed the big truck on the long drive to the airport, what it would be like to travel into the vastness of the wilderness which seemed to surround Port Hedland. Rough, certainly, and yet surely there must be compensations apart from the obvious mineral wealth.
It was such an old land, and yet the touch of man’s hand upon it was, certainly by European standards, so very new. She had noticed in the tourist literature she’d collected that Dutch sea captain Dirk Hartog was thought to be the first European to land in Australia, in Shark Bay, about halfway down the coast towards Perth. That was 1616, modern times by the terms of her own country’s development.
And yet, much of what he had seen must have been virtually identical to the landscape over which she’d flown only days before. A vast, seemingly empty wilderness with hardly a sign that the twentieth century had arrived.
And what did Wade Bannister see, whenever he ‘went bush’? Did he see only the modern, the development potential, or was there an adventurer’s soul that also saw the past, the vastness? She thought that one day, perhaps, she might ask him.
Jessica, when she stepped down from the aircraft and scuttled for the shade of the airport, looked better than when she’d left, Holly thought. Her colour, certainly, was much improved, and she walked just a bit straighter, smiled just a bit wider.
‘You’re an old fraud,’ Wade grinned as he stepped forward to greet her. ‘You didn’t go south for any tests; you were just wallowing in the fleshpots.’
Cyclone Season Page 8