by Anne Mather
‘I know what you told me, Caroline. You mean to say you’re seriously intending to marry this man—this Gareth Morgan?’
‘That’s right.’
‘I suppose that’s why he brought you back half naked last night!’ snapped Jeremy angrily.
Caroline sighed. ‘Jeremy, I know you’re hurt and angry, but I did warn you. What are you doing out here anyway?’
Jeremy heaved a sigh. ‘I came to tell you that my father died ten days ago.’
‘Oh, Jeremy!’ Caroline stood up, staring at him. ‘Oh, Jeremy, I’m terribly sorry. Was it very sudden?’
‘A coronary.’ Jeremy thrust his hands into his trousers pockets. ‘You don’t seem to realise what this means.’
Caroline frowned. ‘Why, you’ll be Sir Jeremy Brent now.’
‘You think that’s all?’
Caroline shrugged. ‘I haven’t thought about it.’
‘Then perhaps you should. I’m going to have to give up teaching to go and take charge of my father’s estate. I shall be the country squire. Doesn’t the idea of being Lady Brent appeal to you?’
Caroline twisted her hands together. ‘Oh, Jeremy, did you really think it would?’
He had the grace to look shamefaced. ‘No—no, I suppose not. I—I hoped, of course.’
Caroline shook her head. ‘Well, I’m awfully sorry about your father—’
‘I’m sure you are.’ Jeremy was stiff. Then he turned to her, his expression mirroring his frustration. ‘Caroline, you can’t really mean to tell me that you’re going to stay here—in this godforsaken spot with—with that man?’
‘If this is where he is, then this is where I shall be,’ she replied simply.
‘But—but you can’t!’
‘I’m afraid I can.’
When Charles and Elizabeth returned, the atmosphere was charged and even they could sense it. ‘Well,’ said Charles jovially, unaware of the tensions involved, ‘wasn’t it a lovely surprise for you finding Jeremy here when you got back last night, Caroline?’
Caroline bit her lip. ‘Look, Charles, I think I ought to tell you—Jeremy and I are not engaged. We were. But not any longer. Nor is that situation likely to alter, do I make myself clear?’
Elizabeth looked astounded. ‘And have you heard Jeremy’s news?’
‘About his father dying—yes,’ Caroline nodded.
Elizabeth shook her head in a perplexed fashion and looked at her husband. ‘I see,’ she said.
‘I’d like to make arrangements to return to England right away,’ said Jeremy stiffly. ‘Can I return to Ashenghi today?’
Charles exchanged glances with Caroline. ‘I—er—I don’t see why not.’ He made a helpless gesture. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to stay on for a couple of days—’
His words hinted at some kind of reconciliation, but after looking at Caroline’s set face Jeremy shook his head. ‘No, thanks,’ he asserted quietly. ‘I’ll leave this afternoon.’
The rest of the morning was quite an anti-climax. Caroline wandered about aimlessly, trying not to wonder what Gareth was doing, sharing a game with the children without really being involved.
Jeremy left soon after two. He bade Caroline goodbye rather pompously, she thought, and she guessed with a deep sense of sympathy that he was hiding his real feelings in this way. She watched the car until it was out of sight and then she went into the bungalow.
Elizabeth was stretched out on the couch when she entered and waved a languid hand. ‘Has he gone?’
Caroline nodded. ‘Elizabeth, have you seen Gareth about the settlement today?’
Elizabeth frowned. ‘Not since he left here this morning.’
‘This morning?’ Caroline stared at her. ‘He was here this morning?’
‘Yes. Soon after nine. Long before you were up.’
Caroline’s heart pounded. ‘What happened?’
‘He wanted to see you. Jeremy told him you were still sleeping and he went away again.’
‘Jeremy told him?’
‘That’s right. He was in the lounge when Gareth called. I wasn’t even dressed.’
‘And what else was said?’
‘How should I know?’ Elizabeth stared at her. ‘Does it matter?’
‘It might.’ Caroline turned back to her. ‘Elizabeth, last night Gareth asked me to marry him.’
‘What!’ Elizabeth was astounded. She swung her legs to the floor and sat up. ‘And—did you accept?’
Caroline nodded. ‘Yes. Oh, yes, I accepted.’
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. ‘Why, you little—’ She broke off, her face widening into a smile. ‘I do believe that’s why you agreed to come out here.’
Caroline flushed scarlet. ‘I—I did want to see him again,’ she admitted.
‘Well, by gosh, doesn’t that beat all!’ Elizabeth was clearly too bemused to be angry. ‘Wait until I see Gareth! I’ll have something to say to him. We all thought he was interested in Sandra.’
‘Yes. So did she,’ said Caroline uneasily. ‘Oh, Elizabeth, I’m worried!’
‘Worried? Why?’
‘Well, don’t you see? Gareth said he would come back here this morning, and he did. But he saw Jeremy—Jeremy who still didn’t know I wasn’t going to marry him—’
‘You mean you think Jeremy might have convinced Gareth that you were going to marry him after all?’
‘It’s possible. Oh, I don’t know, Elizabeth. I just wish Gareth would come.’
But he didn’t come, and the afternoon drew into early evening without any sign of him. Charles, who had visited the mine in the afternoon, returned home to find Caroline pacing the lounge dejectedly. It was Elizabeth who finally said:
‘I suggest you take Caroline up to Nyshasa, Charles. Do you know where Gareth lives?’
‘Of course I know,’ Charles nodded.
‘Then go ahead. Or this girl is going to have a fever sky-high!’
Caroline looked at Elizabeth. ‘Wouldn’t you mind?’
Elizabeth grimaced. ‘Not so long as you send Charles straight back. I don’t want him spending hours in the car waiting for you.’
Caroline managed a faint smile, but her nerves were as taut as violin strings. She was almost convinced that Jeremy had said something, but what if he hadn’t? What if it was Gareth who had had second thoughts?
The drive to Nyshasa had never seemed so long or so arduous. The rains of the night before had left the roads thick with mud and slippery, and the station wagon’s wheels skidded dangerously on corners. But at last the bridge over the falls was accomplished and Charles turned in the direction of the construction site. But long before they reached it, he turned off the road, through a belt of trees to where several bungalows faced a central courtyard.
‘This is it!’ he declared, pointing to one of the buildings where a light glowed. ‘And that’s Gareth’s bungalow there. Do you want me to wait until you’ve spoken to him?’
Caroline scrambled out, shaking her head. ‘No—no, Charles, you go. If—if you’re not here he can’t send me away, can he?’
Charles moved his shoulders. ‘If you say not.’
‘Thanks for bringing me.’
‘You’re welcome,’ Charles nodded, and swung the vehicle round in a wide semi-circle before driving back through the belt of trees to the road.
After he had gone, Caroline stood still for a moment, summoning all her courage to go and knock at Gareth’s door. What if he was not alone? What if Sandra was there? What would she do?
She half wished she had asked Charles to wait, but it was too late now. She was committed, and she might as well go and get it over with.
A sudden roar erupted in the forest behind her and with a stifled scream she fled across the courtyard to Gareth’s door, hammering on it with unnecessary force. But the unexpected sound had frightened her and she had visions of some predator stalking out of the jungle to carry her off.
There were footsteps beyond the door, and presently she heard the
sound of the inner mesh door being opened, and then the outer door was pressed back, almost knocking her off her feet. Caroline stepped back, pale and slender in the moonlight, and stared at the man who was now profiled by the light from inside.
‘Hello, Gareth,’ she managed. ‘Surprise, surprise!’
Gareth stared at her as if he couldn’t believe his eyes. Then the roar came again, and she took a tentative step forward, glancing uneasily over her shoulder. ‘Can I come in?’
Gareth hesitated only a moment and then he stepped silently aside for her to pass him into the hall. The outer door was closed and the mesh door swung into place, securing them in a lamplit world of warmth and comfort.
Caroline walked ahead of him into the living-room. It was a much more attractive room than the room at the Laceys’ bungalow. The furniture was vinyl, there were coloured rugs on the floor, and the bookshelves flanking the empty fireplace were filled with books and magazines. The whole had a comfortable, lived-in air, and a delicious smell of coffee permeated from the kitchen.
Nerves controlling her movements, she swung round. ‘What a nice room,’ she said unevenly. ‘Am I interrupting anything? Are you working?’ She indicated some drawings laid out on the table in the dining area at the end.
‘I was just checking something,’ replied Gareth briefly. ‘You haven’t driven here alone, have you?’
‘No. Charles brought me.’
‘Then where is he?’ Gareth frowned.
‘He’s gone back.’ Caroline tried to speak casually, but failed abysmally, her voice breaking annoyingly. ‘I—I thought you were coming to see me today.’
Gareth thrust his hands into the pockets of his closefitting denim trousers. ‘I did come, this morning,’ he replied. ‘But you weren’t available.’
‘I was asleep!’
‘As I said, you weren’t available.’
‘Couldn’t you have waited?’
‘For what?’ Gareth looked down at his stockinged feet. ‘I spoke to—to Jeremy Brent.’
‘And what did he tell you?’
‘It’s what he didn’t tell me that’s more to the point!’ said Gareth shortly. ‘I thought you were going to tell him you couldn’t marry him?’
‘I was—I did! This morning!’ Caroline stared at him in consternation. ‘Gareth, no one would let me speak to him last night.’
Gareth frowned. ‘Did he tell you about his father dying and leaving him these estates—his title?’
‘Oh, Gareth!’ Caroline felt the hot tears brimming her eyes. ‘You surely don’t imagine that means anything to me!’ She turned away, struggling to find a handkerchief. ‘Oh, what an opinion you have of me!’
And then he moved, his arms closing round her from behind, dragging her roughly back against him, making her overwhelmingly aware of his urgent need of her. ‘Oh, Caroline,’ he groaned huskily, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry. But I’ve been alone too long to accept paradise when it’s offered to me. I feel there has to be a catch—that something will happen to take it away from me. Brent’s news seemed to me like that something. God, I wanted to tell him that you weren’t marrying him—that I’d kill you before I’d let you go. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t force you to stay with me. It had to be your decision or not at all.’ His hands caressed her passionately. ‘All afternoon, I wondered what you were doing—I had visions of you going back to England with him and never seeing me again!’
‘Oh, Gareth!’ She twisted round in his arms so that she could see him. ‘And I thought you’d had second thoughts—that you wanted Sandra after all.’
‘Sandra?’ His mouth sought hers hungrily. ‘I don’t want Sandra—I just want you!’
For a long while there was silence in the lamplit room and then Gareth drew himself reluctantly away from her. ‘Do you want some coffee?’ he asked, and she nodded, following him into the kitchen, unable to leave him alone.
‘Will we live here?’ she asked. ‘When we’re married?’
‘Do you think you can bear to?’ Gareth switched on the percolator and pulled her to him again.
‘I really don’t mind where we live,’ she murmured honestly. ‘So long as we’re together.’
Gareth buried his face in her hair. ‘Hmm, you smell good,’ he murmured, unbuttoning the neckline of her dress to seek the creamy skin of her throat with his lips. ‘However am I going to let you go?’
Caroline drew back to look at him, anxiety evident in her expression. ‘To let me go?’ she echoed. ‘I don’t understand—’
A rather satisfied smile touched the corners of his mouth. ‘Oh, Caroline,’ he breathed, against her ear, ‘Laurie will marry us just as soon as I can make the necessary arrangements, but it won’t be tonight, will it?’
Caroline quivered. ‘Don’t send me back to La Vache tonight,’ she begged. ‘The roads are slippery. I should hate to think of you driving back here alone.’
Gareth studied her intently. ‘What would you have me do?’
Caroline moved her shoulders in an eloquent gesture. ‘Don’t you have two bedrooms?’
‘Three, actually—’
‘There you are, then,’ Caroline smiled. ‘I’ll stay here. If you’ll have me.’
‘You trust me to that extent?’ Gareth watched her carefully. ‘Aren’t you afraid I might take advantage of you and then refuse to marry you?’
Caroline smiled then, a slow, assured smile. ‘No. I’m not afraid. You see,’ she added simply, ‘the man I love wouldn’t do a thing like that. He’s an honourable man—that’s why I love him.’
Gareth’s eyes darkened passionately. ‘All right, all right,’ he muttered thickly, ‘you can stay here. God knows I don’t want to send you away. But I’m only human, Caroline, and it had better not be too many nights before we share a bed as well as a house!’
Caroline drew a trembling breath. ‘I wonder what Nicolas will say when he finds out we’re married.’
Gareth’s palms rested against her neck, and there was an impatient look in his eyes now. ‘Oh, yes,’ he said. ‘That’s quite a thought.’ His eyes narrowed. ‘You did that deliberately, didn’t you? Associating with him! Just to infuriate me!’
Caroline’s lips twitched. ‘I didn’t—associate—with him. I was only alone with him once and then you came and broke it up. But I admit, I did—try to make you jealous.’
‘You succeeded—admirably.’ Gareth’s hands tightened perceptibly. ‘There were times when I—’ He shook his head. ‘Well, never mind. That won’t happen again.’ He touched his mouth to the corner of hers. ‘I love you.’ He pushed her firmly away from him. ‘Now go away and let me pour this coffee before it begins to taste bitter.’
Caroline lingered by the door, watching him. ‘I know someone who’ll be pleased,’ she murmured.
Gareth looked up. ‘Oh, yes?’
‘Yes. Helen.’
‘Helen Barclay?’ Gareth considered what she had said. ‘Yes, I think perhaps you could be right. She was curiously abrupt with me when I was at the Mission yesterday.’
Caroline chuckled. ‘Was she indeed?’
Gareth left the percolator to approach her perceptively. ‘What do you know about it?’ he demanded, reaching for her.
Caroline stepped back in mock-alarm. ‘Only that I told Helen about—about us—a couple of days ago.’
Gareth caught her wrists, twisting them behind his back so that she was brought close against him. ‘Did you really?’ he murmured, looking down at her helpless predicament with a great deal of enjoyment. ‘And what did she say?’
Caroline’s eyes were on a level with the open neck of his shirt, and leaning forward she put her lips to the hair-roughened skin of his chest. ‘Can’t you guess?’ she asked, against his flesh, and he released her wrists to put his arms round her.
‘I gather she approved of you as an adequate wife for me,’ he replied, his mouth warm and passionate against her shoulder.
Caroline nodded. ‘That’s right, she did.’
�
�Then that’s all right, isn’t it,’ Gareth remarked, with a certain gentle mockery, ‘because I approve of you, too…’
ISBN-13: 9781460347690
DARK MOONLESS NIGHT
© 1974 Anne Mather
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