At Calgary Neil announced that he and David would have a look around on their own while Petra and Janey shopped.
Somewhat relieved that she wasn’t to suffer the ordeal of having him stand over her, censuring everything she tried on, Petra followed Janey down the crowded sidewalks to the main shopping centre.
Janey halted beside a large departmental store which looked alike, yet dissimilar to the ones Petra knew at home. While she was still trying to assess the difference, Janey informed her, ‘We usually shop here when we aren’t in Toronto. Shall we go in or do you want a further look around?’
Petra shook her head while they stepped into an elevator that whirled them silently up to their requested floor. Here, among a breathtaking display of fashions, she chose carefully, trying to be thrifty as David was going to need a lot of school things. Janey, on the other hand, spent much more extravagantly, putting everything down on account. This, she assured Petra blithely, Neil would settle.
‘Especially when he knows I’m collecting for my trousseau,’ she laughed gaily.
Petra glanced at her doubtfully, hoping she wasn’t being too optimistic. No engagement had yet been announced. ‘Does this mean it’s all settled?’ she asked tentatively.
‘Not exactly,’ Janey still smiled, ‘but it’s always been understood that one day Oliver and I will marry. It’s simply a matter of getting round to settling a date. Last night he said we’d have to get thinking of it seriously, one of these days.’
Which didn’t sound like a man head over heels in love, although it did sound as if he really felt, in some way, committed. Perhaps, as Neil suggested, he just needed a little push. Janey certainly didn’t seem suspicious that Oliver’s reticence was because of Petra, although her eyes were occasionally wary when she glanced at her. ‘Perhaps Oliver will ask you the next time he comes over,’ Petra said lightly.
Janey, to her surprise, immediately agreed. ‘He’s coming tomorrow and will probably stay over, so if there’s not too many people around, he might.’
Was that just a casual remark or was it a pointed hint? Petra wondered wryly, as she helped Janey choose several more things before making a final decision about her own. She might be wise to make herself scarce tomorrow evening; at least it could do no harm. Quickly she purchased three sober dresses, one for evening wear, the other two for about the kitchen, with an eye to her position. Unable to resist it at the last moment, she added a long flowery one which wasn’t practical for anything but looking decorative in, and after paying for it she stuffed it quickly out of sight before she could change her mind.
By the time they met Neil and David for a late lunch both girls were exhausted, or almost.
‘Neil has promised to take me to the Calgary Stampede,’ David smiled at Petra happily. ‘It’s a proper rodeo and all the ranch-hands will be going. One day I might even take part myself.’
‘How nice,’ Petra murmured weakly, scarcely able to connect the robust, eager boy in front of her with the pale, thin-shouldered one of a few weeks ago.
Neil ushered them all into the restaurant after a quick drink. David had something long and cool, a huge glass of it which he couldn’t finish, so carried it with him to their table. Neil seated himself beside Petra, leaving the opposite seats for the other two. Petra couldn’t make up her mind whether it was better to have Neil sitting by her or facing her. This way, at least, he couldn’t read her mind!
David chose a salad and the girls followed, while Neil had a steak. The size of the steak, when it arrived, must have been about sixteen ounces, but Canadians, Petra had discovered, ate more than most Europeans, and the portions of meat served in restaurants were very generous compared with British standards. Even on the ranch Petra found she couldn’t often manage a sweet after the soup and meat course.
The restaurant Neil had brought them to was very pleasant, with cubicle-like tables. It was only as the meal progressed that she realised it was a little cramped and that most of the time she was too close to him. Her pulse jumped whenever she moved a restless limb and came up against him, and she was continually aware of his gaze on her pale profile each time she turned her head. Yet she couldn’t say his attention was entirely unflattering. For the most part he left Janey to entertain David and concentrated on Petra himself.
‘Did you have a good morning?’ He refilled her glass with a cool, sparkling wine.
‘Yes, I suppose so.’ She could have told him she was truly pleased with her purchases, but she still felt an odd shame at having to accept his money. Everything seemed rapidly to be becoming more difficult than she had ever imagined.
Wearily she picked up her glass, then found her left hand trapped under his. When she glanced at him blankly, he merely stared back at her and, leaning nearer, asked carefully if she had everything she wanted. His attitude was so like that of an intimate companion that after her pulse steadied she felt a wave of antagonism.
‘Please,’ she protested, trying to speak lightly under the cover of David’s busy chatter, ‘what is this?’
For an instant his fingers tightened painfully. ‘I thought we were out to convince Oliver you really fancied me?’
‘Fancied you!’
‘That’s what I said.’ His fingers found her hurrying pulse and lingered.
‘Oh, I see,’ she answered, relief paling her cheeks. ‘But Oliver isn’t here.’
‘Janey will tell him. She never misses out on a thing.’
‘If Janey thinks he’s the least bit interested in me she’ll no doubt tell him I made eyes at every man I passed. You could be surplus.’
‘To immediate requirements? You could have a point there,’ he drawled, ‘but we could always make sure. Oliver has always shown considerable respect for my property.’
‘I see,’ she said again, this time more resignedly, feeling a sudden coolness creeping in at his careless words.
‘You’d better begin smiling if I promise to let go of your hand,’ he warned, his mouth quirking at the corners, as if to show her exactly how it was done. ‘If I have to think of everything myself you’d never know how far I might feel forced to go.’
In spite of an inner reluctance, she found herself obeying wryly. ‘As we’re in a respectable restaurant I think the most you can do is threaten!’
‘But you might not be wise to believe I’m only teasing!’
‘Deliberately provoking could be nearer the mark!’
‘Perhaps with noble justification,’ his voice came dry with a hint of self-mockery. ‘If I don’t do something to lighten the situation between us it could get out of hand.’
‘You couldn’t deal with it if it did?’ She had no clear idea what he was talking about, but something smouldering at the back of his dark eyes disturbed her unduly.
‘You’re not ready yet—old enough, if you like, to face up to the consequences of all your highly improbable actions over the past weeks. It behooves a man in my position to keep a cool hand on the controls.’
‘Old enough for what?’ Her mind fixed on that one point with apprehensive swiftness.
‘Honey,’ his eyes remained on her clouded, uncertain face, ‘I’m years ahead, well past thirty. By comparison you’re still an infant.’
It seemed imperative, suddenly, that she should refute this. ‘I’ve grown up!’ she said crossly.
‘Then you’ve got to grow some more, and quickly. I will give you, however, another few weeks.’
‘How generous!’ Where did Oliver come in all this? If only she could gauge the exact content of what he said! Yet she couldn’t bring herself to ask him to explain, some part of her shying away from a final showdown. Instead, she attacked him nervously, her agitation clearly demonstrated by her quickening breath. ‘I sensed you would be devious, the first time I saw you. Just like my Cameron in the painting!’ Even after speaking them, she didn’t realise her significant choice of words.
‘What are you two on about?’ Janey interrupted curiously, as David turned his attentio
n elsewhere.
‘Our ancestor,’ Neil enlightened his stepsister with an unusual quirk of triumph. ‘Petronella was making some interesting remarks.’
‘Why do you call her Petronella?’ Janey exclaimed, looking from one to the other. ‘She always insists that the rest of us call her Petra.’
Neil returned her expectant glance suavely. ‘I like her full name, especially when I’m the only one allowed to use it.’
‘Why—’ At loss for words, Petra’s indignant eyes widened on his, not perceiving that the gaze she turned on him gave Janey food for thought.
The girl giggled, ‘I hope Petra knows what sort of man you are!’
‘She’s getting the general idea.’
Janey grinned mischievously at a confused Petra. ‘Almost every woman in the territory is out to get him. Can you wonder he’s spoilt? Don’t let him charm you.’
‘Your advice,’ Neil replied soberly, ‘could be too late.’
Petra tried to break in, only to be forestalled by an enthusiastic Janey. ‘I know just how you feel, Petra! I’m exactly the same way about Oliver, so I don’t mind Neil being so outspoken. It sort of clears the air.’
Suddenly remembering where it was, Petra jerked her trembling hand from under Neil’s lean fingers. It was all part of the act, she understood, but Neil’s light banter hurt horribly. She felt irrationally glad when David joined in the conversation, but she had also a sick impression that she was alone in a rudderless boat in stormy seas, and could only go where the tide swept her.
CHAPTER TEN
Petra knew Oliver was coming to dinner and staying overnight. Oliver didn’t play all the time, apparently, the main reason for this visit being to enable him to buy some pedigree Herefords which Neil sold annually from his herds. This, Janey had confided, usually put Oliver in a responsible frame of mind and Petra suspected she had set her heart on inveigling a definite proposal. She didn’t say so outright as she always pretended to take Oliver completely for granted, but today Petra had sensed her hidden anxiety and secret determination.
Privately Petra vowed she would do everything she could to help things along. It wasn’t as if Oliver didn’t intend marrying Janey. One could really see it a mile off! If she hadn’t been convinced he really did love Janey she would have left it severely alone, in spite of Neil’s threats. It simply seemed to her that two very nice young people could be extremely happy, given a little encouragement. All they were doing at the moment was wasting time.
She prepared the evening meal, leaving it cooking in charge of Mrs. Edwards while she ran upstairs. Janey had been closeted in her room half the afternoon and after a quick shower Petra dragged on her dressing gown and went to seek her out A quick tap on Janey’s door admitted her.
‘Oh, it’s you!’ Already dressed in soft silk, Janey glanced at Petra impatiently before returning to contemplate her unruly hair in the mirror. ‘Just look at this! Away from the city I can never do a thing with it, and the condition of my hair means the difference between being plain or pretty! It’s not naturally gorgeous all the time like yours. It needs professional attention.’
‘Here, let me help.’ Forgetting her excuse for invading Janey’s bedroom, as she wasn’t apparently going to need it, Petra reached for a brush from the selection of expensive ones on the toilet-table. Within minutes she had transformed Janey’s hair by brushing the lacquer-soaked, pretentious style into something much more simple. ‘You don’t suit it all screwed up on top of your head,’ she smiled. ‘Take a good look if you don’t believe me.’
Janey did, her eyes rounding with astonishment as she stared in her long mirror. ‘Gee!’ she exclaimed impulsively, ‘you’re a wizard. Where did you learn?’
‘I didn’t,’ Petra laughed. ‘I never bother with my own, although,’ she added teasingly, ‘I can see I have potential. One day I might train as a hairdresser.’
Janey was still admiring her new self and she took Petra’s lighthearted comment seriously. ‘I’m sure our hairdresser in Toronto would take you on. You are good—I look quite different. Oliver’s sure to be knocked out! I think I’ll go and show Mother first, though. She has the same problem as I have in the country.’
Picking up a pair of discarded jeans from the floor, Petra laid them neatly over a chair before turning to study Janey again.
Janey continued, as she searched untidily for a handkerchief, ‘I hope Neil’s in a good mood tonight. He’s been very unpredictable since we went to Calgary the other day. Like a bear with a sore head! Haven’t you been treating him properly?’
‘I—treating him properly? How do you mean?’ Petra, trying to decide how she could advise Janey to use less make-up on her perfectly good skin, spoke abstractedly. ‘Well, you know, honey. Blowing hot and cold.’
‘Not really.’ Petra swallowed, recalling uneasily how, on the trip to Calgary, her better relationship with Neil had seemed suddenly to deteriorate after lunch into a series of terse arguments. He had insisted, when he’d got down to itemising what she had purchased, that she hadn’t bought enough. He had also insisted, when she had pointed out she had left money for David’s school clothes, that he would buy everything David needed himself. None of which had notably lightened the atmosphere!
‘Come to think of it, Petra, you’ve been rather pale yourself since then.’ Janey scrutinised Petra’s face, her eyes suddenly crafty keen. ‘How long have you been here, honey?’
‘Several weeks ...’
‘You’re not—not in any trouble?’
‘Trouble?’
‘Well,’ Janey’s laughter tinkled spitefully, ‘there’s only one sort of trouble a girl gets into with a man.’
‘Janey!’ Shocked, Petra couldn’t bring herself to put it into words. ‘You can’t possibly mean ...’
‘Oh, stay calm, Petra! It happens all the time, all over the world, and Neil’s no saint. With a girl like you ...’
‘Yes,’ Petra prompted, her voice frozen as Janey hesitated, ‘a girl like me?’
‘I just meant, Petra, you have such an innocent look about you. Oliver says you’re a challenge to any man.’
‘Thank you,’ Petra replied tonelessly, ‘but I can assure you your brother and I haven’t indulged in—in that kind of thing.’
‘Then there’s no harm done.’ Janey’s giggle seemed a trifle forced this time. ‘And you know Neil’s just my stepbrother and normally I see very little of him. For pity’s sake don’t repeat what I’ve said. He might not like it.’
Petra sighed. While she knew such matters as Janey referred to weren’t sacrosanct any more, she had never got used to discussing them casually. During the year she had worked she had learnt that sex was a fairly commonplace topic of conversation, but she still wasn’t sure it should be bandied about as it was.
Janey, as if her nerve had for once deserted her, ran off without waiting to exchange another word, leaving Petra to close the door before going back to her own room.
Scarcely knowing what she was doing, Petra began to dress. More and more she was beginning to realise just how impossible was her situation. It might be all right just now, with Janey and her mother here, but what would happen after they had gone? It was obvious that Mrs. Cameron was already speculating, and sharing her suspicions with her daughter. How many others would, before long, be the recipients of her doubtful confidences? Janey might, of course, have been making it up. She wasn’t exactly an endearing kind of person. She didn’t believe in sheathing her claws when she felt like getting at someone. Unhappily Petra trailed over to where her painting of the Scottish Cameron, once more restored to his previous position on her wall, regarded her with his usual enigmatic expression. ‘If only I didn’t love him so much,’ she whispered aloud, thinking of Neil.
All through dinner Petra was quiet. She had put on her new long dress, the dark-hued one, and tied her long pale hair back with a confining ribbon. She had left off every scrap of make-up apart from a few strokes of lipstick, but if she had hoped to
look uninterestingly plain she was mistaken. The rather severe hairstyle suited her, throwing her excellent bone structure into relief and making her appear quite extraordinarily beautiful. Oliver kept glancing at her, as if puzzled, and the situation was only saved by Petra’s lack of vitality. While Janey chattered, with increasing excitement, Petra sat pale and strained, toying with her food, barely able to glance at anybody. Consequently Oliver’s wandering attention was drawn back to Janey, and he shrugged, as if deciding, once and for all, that her bright gaiety was preferable to the young cousin’s moodiness.
After dinner, as usual, David went to bed, and after bringing in the coffee Petra intended retiring too, but to her dismay Oliver asked her to play.
‘Either the piano or your guitar,’ he requested. ‘Perhaps Janey might like to hear you sing. It could be most romantic.’
Petra, pleading tiredness, refused, annoyed that he had mentioned it as neither of the other two women knew anything about these last two accomplishments and she had no wish to increase their guarded antagonism further by stealing any of the limelight when Oliver was around.
‘I’m going to take Neil’s coffee out to the porch,’ she said quickly. ‘I promised him.’
She couldn’t recall that she had, but regardless of whether they believed her or not she made her escape and found Neil sitting where she had hoped he would be.
A Man Called Cameron Page 18
