To Tame a Vixen

by Anne Hampson

  She drew a deep breath, audibly.

  ‘Are you going to forgive me or not?’

  ‘I believe I shall,’ he answered imperturbably. ‘Although I can’t say you deserve forgiveness, asking for it in that way.’

  ‘You’ve just said you don’t like me humble! Make up your mind!’

  ‘I ought to shake the daylights out of you,’ he said in a very soft tone. ‘There’s a great gap, remember, between humility and pugnacity. Strike a happy medium and I shall like you a lot better.’

  Beth stared. He spoke as if it mattered to her whether he liked her or not. Well, it didn’t matter ... Or did it? If it didn’t matter then why was she here?

  Chad was staring at her fixedly, disconcertingly, and she lowered her eyes, feeling that although she had escaped the dressing-down she had expected, she had received something worse. Chad in this mood baffled her; she would far rather have him openly sparring with her than have him look at her in this way, with perception in his eyes, and adopting this quiet, superior manner that made her feel smaller than a worm.

  To her relief Valerie came in with the coffee tray, went through the room to the stoep and put the tray down on the table, saying over her shoulder,

  ‘It’s ready when you are.’ She stayed out there and Beth heard the rattle of cups and saucers. Chad rose and gave Beth that crooked smile as he said,

  ‘Come on, girl, snap out of it. We’re neighbours, so let’s be civilised and stop shooting poison arrows at one another.’

  She stood up, her eyes on his face. She could not help saying,

  ‘You sound as if you really want to be friendly.’

  ‘I’ve never wanted to be otherwise. You’re the one

  who started this antagonism—’

  ‘I’m not!’ she broke in, flashing him an indignant glance. ‘You started it by using violence on me—acting the big he-man,’ she added using Jo’s description of him. ‘If you weren’t such a bully then I wouldn’t always be on the defensive, would I?’

  ‘Defensive!’ he ejaculated, lifting his brows. ‘And when have you been on the defensive, might I ask? Attack is the most important word you know, and even though you invariably meet with defeat it doesn’t teach you a lesson—No, don’t interrupt,’ he said imperiously. ‘You’re belligerent, Beth, and you know it!’

  She gave a sigh, but said nothing. She and Chad would never agree, never in a million years.

  Yet a few minutes later when they were on the shady stoep drinking their coffee the conversation took on pleasant lines as they talked about Valerie’s birthday party. Valerie was clearly puzzled as to why Beth should want to speak to Chad privately and Beth rather thought she would later venture to question him about it. For the present, however, they all three chatted for half an hour or so and when eventually Beth was leaving Chad smiled at her in the most friendly way and told her to come over any morning—or every morning if she wished—while Valerie was here.

  ‘She needs company, Beth, and she likes you; she said so after you’d been here the other evening. Also, if you happen to be going into town you might give her a ring and ask if she’d like to go with you. She doesn’t drive and I haven’t the time to be running into Warrensville unless I want something myself.’

  ‘I’ll do that,’ promised Beth, feeling much better than when she arrived. ‘I think we’ll be going into Warrensville tomorrow afternoon, but I’ll make sure. If we are then I’ll phone Valerie before lunch.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Chad’s familiar quirk of a smile transformed his features. ‘Valerie will appreciate the outing, I’m sure.’

  Jo and Carole were only too willing to take Valerie with them the following afternoon when they went into Warrensville. They were buying in for the weekend but also for their visitors that evening. Doug had dropped in the previous Monday morning to say that he would be bringing a friend, Alex, who was also a bachelor. He lived and worked with his father, who had a bookshop in Warrensville. His mother was dead, and father and son lived in one of the smart bungalows which nestled on the hillside just a couple of miles to the east of the town.

  ‘We pass them on the way in,’ Jo said, and later pointed them out. Beth had already noticed them and thought they looked idyllic, perched on the sunny hillside, their gardens aglow with all the colours of the rainbow, their fences white, matching the paintwork on doors and windows.

  ‘I wonder which one’s Alex’s,’ said Carole, twisting her head as the car sped past the bungalows.

  ‘Alex who?’ said Valerie, interested.

  ‘Sherwood. Do you know him?’

  Valerie shook her head.

  ‘I expect Chad knows him, though.’

  After they had done their shopping the four girls went along to the bookshop and had a look in the windows.

  ‘They seem to sell everything,’ observed Jo. ‘Shall we go in?’

  Carole shook her head.

  ‘No, not today, Jo. To tell the truth I’m dying with thirst. Can we have a cup of tea somewhere?’

  They went to the Club cafe and sat outside, beneath the shade of a massive mahogany tree and had afternoon tea consisting of home-made buns with butter and jam, vanilla cakes and a large pot of tea. The air was stifling even in the shelter of the garden where the zephyr of a breeze provided some small relief in the overpowering atmosphere. Perspiration oozed from Beth’s forehead and her whole body felt sticky. Her blouse was limp, her jeans dusty; she felt grubby and untidy and wondered how Valerie managed to appear so cool, so unaffected by the heat. Jo and Carole looked hot, but they too appeared to be far less affected than Beth. Her head ached for one thing, and a strange feeling of lethargy had come over her in the last few minutes or so. She would have given anything to be able to lie down, with a cold-air fan directed on her naked body.

  ‘Beth, are you all right?’ Carole’s voice was sharp and faintly anxious. ‘You don’t look at all good.’

  ‘I’m all right,’ she said, managing to brighten up. ‘It’s just the heat; it’s overpowering at times.’

  ‘Shall we go?’ Jo was scanning her cousin’s face and a frown was dawning at the same time. ‘I agree with Carole that you don’t look too good.’

  ‘I’m okay, really,’ she protested, thinking of their visitors and that she must not be ill and take to her bed. ‘But we’ll go if you’re all finished.’

  On her arrival at Jacana Lodge Beth felt a little better. She took a cold shower and felt better still. Later, when Doug and his friend arrived for a sundowner, she was her normal bright self.

  ‘Thank goodness that tired feeling’s gone,’ she said to Jo as they were in the kitchen, filling the tray with aperitif biscuits, nuts and potato crisps and sticks. ‘I’ve never felt like that before.’

  The two young men were very good company, and by the time they were leaving the five young people had come well on the way to becoming good friends. Doug suggested he give a small party, but seemed immediately to be regretting his impulsiveness. He gave a wry grimace as he said,

  ‘What the heck can a bachelor cook up for a meal?’

  ‘What do you have when you’re on your own?’ Carole wanted to know, adding that whatever it was it would suit them too.

  He laughed and answered,

  ‘Beans on toast mostly. I must admit I’m an expert at serving up that particular dish!’

  The others laughed. Carole, her lovely grey-green eyes intently fixed on his face, suggested she go over to his place and help him with the meal.

  ‘Would you, Carole?’ He seemed delighted with the idea. ‘I’ve always wanted to do a spot of entertaining, but the cooking scared me stiff. I’d visions of burning everything and then having to apologise for giving my guests something out of a tin.’

  Again there was laughter. It was arranged, though, that when he did decide to give a party Carole would spend the whole day with him and help prepare the meal.

  ‘Carole’s an excellent cook,’ put in Beth. ‘She does a lot here—especially baking.’


  Doug’s expression revealed his enthusiasm.

  ‘I’ll let you know when it suits me,’ he promised.

  ‘Mind it doesn’t clash with Valerie’s birthday party,’ warned Beth. ‘You know about that, I expect?’

  ‘Yes, I’m invited, so is Alex and his father.’

  The following morning Beth awoke tired, her sleep having been broken several times when she had awakened to find herself in a cold sweat. She got up, had a shower and shivered with the cold. What on earth was wrong with her? she wondered. Her head ached again, and perspiration escaped to form little beads upon her forehead. Her legs and arms ached, making movement painful. For a moment she was undecided about going back to bed, but she was reluctant to have one or both of her cousins running up and down stairs, looking after her, for she knew full well that they would never dream of leaving her to the care of Sara and the houseboy.

  She felt no better at breakfast but forced herself to eat a piece of paw-paw and a poached egg on toast. She had no intention of letting her cousins see that she was off colour, and so she went for a walk immediately after breakfast hoping that the fresh air along by the river bed would do her some good. But she gradually began to feel worse and the cool air caused her to shiver violently. She sat down, her legs almost giving way beneath her. What a foolish thing it had been to come out, she admitted, wondering how she was to get back home if her condition did not improve.

  She became weak, every atom of energy draining from her body. She glanced around, scared now because she could be here for some considerable time. No one would think of looking for her until lunch time, which was one o’clock. It was now only a quarter to ten.

  Better try to make it, she decided, lifting her leaden body from the river bank only with the greatest effort. She felt like sinking down again immediately and waiting for someone to come searching for her. But she took a few unsteady steps, reaching a tree which she leant against, thankful for its support. She looked across to Chad’s homestead and wondered if anyone would hear if she called. The house was some distance away, but it was worth a try. But her mouth was parched and the call she made was weak and unavailing. She tried again and again, then took a few more steps, to reach another tree. It was painfully slow progress, but with each lagging step she was bringing herself nearer to the homestead. It was still a long way off, though, and she had come to the end of the trees—at least, those trees that could be reached, because their distance apart was not too great. She sank down again, convinced that she would not have the strength to rise again and that she must remain here until help came.

  Her headache was getting worse; her skull seemed to have hammers inside it; her temples throbbed and her eyes were weighted down by pain.

  She sat there, shivering one moment, perspiring the next, and becoming weaker and weaker all the time. It was an eternity when at last she saw movement—Chad riding along the river, cantering close to the track but not quite on it. Her senses seemed to be leaving her by this time, but with a tremendous effort of will she lifted a hand, waving it feebly and praying that he would glance her way and see it. She actually sobbed with relief when she heard his call.

  ‘Beth! What are you doing there—?’ He stopped speaking but dug his heels into the horse’s flanks. She stared blankly at him as he drew near, saw his eyes narrow as he looked at her face, heard him give an exclamation, and then she passed out, blackness sweeping over her, carrying her into the realm of blessed oblivion.

  She awoke to stare wide-eyed at a white ceiling. Her head moved and she winced with the pain. Where was she? Nothing was familiar.

  ‘What...?’ Even to speak required too much effort.

  ‘You’re in Chad’s house.’ The soft voice held deep concern. Beth turned her head to look into the pale, anxious face of Carole. ‘How are you, Beth? I knew you weren’t well yesterday. I ought to have kept an eye on you...’ Her voice trailed to silence as the door opened and Chad came into the bedroom.

  ‘She’s come round, then?’

  ‘Just a moment ago. Will the doctor be long?’

  ‘He should be here any moment now.’ A pause as a cool hand was placed on Beth’s forehead. ‘She ought to be in hospital, but I don’t think the doctor will have her moved.’

  Beth managed to speak despite the parched state of her mouth and lips.

  ‘What’s the matter with me?’ She felt she was dying, but suspected she had a fever. Chad’s next words confirmed her suspicions.

  ‘You’ve a fever, Beth. You ought never to have come out this morning.’

  ‘No ... I soon realised that,’ she agreed. She felt the prick of tears behind her eyes. ‘Thank you, Chad. I was glad to see you.’

  ‘I’m glad I happened to be there.’ He turned as Sophia, one of the housegirls, knocked gently on the door and then came in.

  ‘The doctor is here,’ she said, and Chad instantly went from the room. A moment or two later a tall wiry man came in, followed by Chad. He took Beth’s temperature, then brought a hypodermic syringe from his bag and proceeded to fill it. The needle was plunged into her flesh, but she did not feel it since both her body and mind were numbed. But she had discovered that beneath the blanket which had been tucked around her she was naked, and through the mist of semi-consciousness she realised that Chad had probably stripped her and put her to bed before sending for her cousin. But nothing mattered; she was past embarrassment at the idea of what he had done.

  ‘It’s bad but not serious,’ she heard the doctor say. ‘I don’t want her moved, even though I agree with you, Chad, that she ought to be in hospital. I’ll be in twice a day and I’ll arrange for a nurse to be here all the time. You don’t mind, Chad?’

  ‘Not at all.’

  Where was Carole? Beth thought she had gone, but suddenly she was there. It was the doctor who had gone.

  ‘Fever,’ murmured Carole. She turned to look at Chad as he returned after showing the doctor out. ‘Shall we all be in danger of catching it?’ she asked.

  ‘No, Carole, don’t worry.’

  ‘I ought to have seen that she was ill, Chad. Yesterday in Warrensville she looked awful.’

  ‘You can’t blame yourself,’ said Beth. ‘I ought to have gone to bed when I got home.’

  ‘We had visitors,’ explained Carole, ‘and I now realise that that was the reason why she didn’t go to bed.’

  Chad did not ask who the visitors were. He was more interested in Beth; he stood looking down at her, lips pursed.

  Beth said, wondering why she had not thought of it before,

  ‘Where’s Jo?’

  ‘She decided to go to town again this morning, as she’d forgotten something yesterday. She doesn’t know what’s happened, of course.’

  ‘I think,’ said Chad, ‘that you’d better leave her, Carole. She’ll be better on her own, resting.’

  Vaguely Beth heard her cousin say goodbye, then Chad went from the room as well, having drawn the curtains so that the room was in semidarkness.

  Beth slept, and when she awoke the nurse was there, doing something at a table which had been brought into the room. Chad came in and lifted Beth while the nurse took away the soaking blanket and replaced it with a dry one. Then sleep again, with the fever raging for three days and nights before there was any sign of an improvement. Her brain, fatigued to the point where it was almost non-functional, scarcely grasped the fact that her cousins were taking it in turns to be with her, or that Chad came and went, sometimes accompanied by the doctor, sometimes on his own. Valerie was another visitor who came regularly to her bedside.

  The improvement came at last; the nurse was happy, looking down at Beth with a smile.

  ‘You’ve been very ill, but now you are much better.’

  ‘Yes, I do feel better.’ But weak! How very weak! It would be too much of an effort to sit up in bed, Beth thought with a frown.

  Chad came into the room to help with the changing of the blanket, and this time Beth was conscious of his action
in lifting her, of his hands casually sliding beneath her naked body as he took her up, without the least effort, as if she were no heavier than a doll. She should have been embarrassed, but it seemed a little late, seeing that he had been doing this for three days. His eyes were on her face as he laid her down on the bed again. The nurse wrapped the blanket about her a little less closely now and it was a relief that was more than welcome.

  Beth looked up into Chad’s face and asked him if he had had the fever.

  ‘Yes, a couple of times,’ he answered.

  ‘It comes again, then?’

  ‘It can do, but you’ll never have it as badly as this again.’

  ‘Thank God!’ she rejoined fervently.

  Chad’s lips curved in a smile.

  ‘You’ll soon forget how bad it was,’ he assured her.

  ‘Thank you, Chad, for having me here.’

  ‘I had no option,’ he pointed out.

  ‘You could have made me go to hospital.’

  ‘A criminal act, my child. Your condition would only have been worsened.’

  ‘Well, it was good of you—and—and it wasn’t as if we’d been good friends, or anything like that.’

  Chad ignored that as, bringing a chair over from the window, he sat down by the bed.

  ‘You’ll be a while yet before you feel yourself,’ he said, automatically putting a cool hand on to her brow. ‘Yes, a great improvement.’ He brought his hand away and she missed it, not only the beautiful coolness but the contact. It was not merely a hand on her brow; it was something far more profound, something which she could not have explained even had she tried. She looked at him and remembered how many times lately they had thrown poison arrows at one another, as he termed it. She felt there would be no more battles, since she could scarcely do battle with him now that she was so deeply indebted to him.

  He stayed with her for a while, but noticing the first sign of fatigue he got up, removed the chair and went out. The nurse came in and, later, Beth had a visit from Carole and Jo.