Paradise Island

by Hilary Wilde

  there would be Miss Hunter, with her cold critical eyes. It was as if Miss Hunter was always watching herwhich was absurd. She had just bathed her face in cold water andwas trying to hide the traces of tears when the bedroom door suddenly opened and Miss Hunter walked into the room. Dismayed, Lauren. looked in the mirror andsaw Miss Hunter's reflection. She turned round, still holding the lipstick in her hand. Miss Hunter looked regally beautiful in a deceptively simple lime green shantung suit, a diamond cluster brooch on one lapel. Her eyes were unfriendly. "I think. Miss Roubin, that you owe me an apology" she said. "I do .. ." Lauren felt flustered. "I'm sorry if I have.,.." Miss Hunter came closer. "You have put me in a very awkward position with Mr. Harvey. He considers that it was my duty to tell him the truth. I supposed you preferred to wait until you had wormed yourself into his confidence." Her voice was ugly as she went on. "Slythat's the only word to describe you. So sweet and innocentlooking, underneath so sly and cunning. Sucking up to Roland Harvey, using that impossible child as a weapon. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that it was all a put-up job and that you arranged with Natalie Natal for her to be ill so that you could come here in her place and get your hands on the wealthy and famous Roland Harvey." Her voice had been steadily rising as she spoke. Lauren took a step back with the shock of the unexpected attack. "That's not true," she whispered. "Truthwhat do you know or care about truth?" Miss Hunter almost screamed. "Lies, lies all the time. But I tell you one thing, my girl, it won't get you anywhere. Roland Harvey is no 116 fool. He can see through predatory little guttersnipes like you." For a moment her face was twisted into a hideous mask of hatred. Her whole appearance of dignity had vanished. And as Lauren stared at her, aghast, she saw Miss Hunter swallow convulsively and rush from the room,slamming the door behind her. Lauren almost stumbled to a chair and collapsed into it. She felt unclean, as it someone had thrown a bucket of slimy, evil-smelling mud overher. She buried her face in her hands, remembering the terrible things Miss Hunter had said to her. Worming her way into his confidence . . . Sucking up to him . . . Using that impossible child as a weapon . . . Did Miss Hunter really believe those terrible accusations? It was the last straw. Lauren longed to fling all her clothes into a suitcase and catch the first plane back to dear safe England. She longed for her family and their love. Why, did Miss Hunter hate her so much? She suddenly saw the time. She was already late for practice. Nick would be furious. Hastily she grabbed her shoes and almost ran from the room.Nick was not furious but impatient. He was arguing with the band about the correct tempo of the dance he had planned. It was pure ballet and Lauren knew the dance well, but that afternoon her feet seemed to be all thumbs. "But, Lauren," Nick said patiently for the hundredth time, "you know very well that as I put my hands round your waist, you change you weight on to the other foot. You know that as I lift you . . ." "I do know," Lauren said unhappily. "I just can't seem to dance this afternoon." He looked at her flushed, distressed face and 117 said they would try it through once more. "Don'tworry, honey child," he said kindly. "You'll be all right tonight." The next time it went perfectly, and Nick beamed approval."My knee seems to be funnny," Lauren said. ! Nick laughed outright. "Look,' honey child, that knee hasn't troubled you for years, so why should it worry you today of all, days?" There seemed to be no answer to that, so Lauren merely smiled. They-had time for a welcome cold drink before Lauren went to the hairdresser. "What's biting you, Lauren?" Nick asked, his eyes narrowed as he looked at her unhappy face. She told him. Everything. Her cheeks suddenly hot, she said: "I know that was just a brotherly kiss. Nick, and it meant nothing, but . . ." His lean humorous face was grave. "Was it?" he asked quietly. She stared at him in dismay. "But of course it was, Nick. You love Natalie ..." He gave a twisted smile and stubbed out his cigarette with a quick impatient movement. "Of course I do. I love her dearly, as you say. I take it that Mr. Harvey thinks you're in love with me?" Lauren nodded. "But that isn't all," she said. She told him about the ugly scene with Miss Hunter. "It was as if she hadgone mad, or something, The way she looked at me, Nick.- Why does she hate me so?" He leaned across the table and took her hands in his. His voice-was grave. "Look, Lauren, please don't let an old faggot like the Hunter get you down. She only hates you because she's jealousjealous because she thinks I'm in love with you." He smiled reassuringly into her horrified eyes, "But you know that I'm not, don't you, honey child? You know I love Natalie. Right? Right! Miss Hunter behaved like that because that's the real Hunter, with the blinds up. The sophisticated dignified woman we see around the hotel isn't the real womanthat's just a carefully controlled pose, but let her lose her temper and she acts like a fishwife, I've seen her." He frowned. "Look, try to forget it, kid. We know she can't help being like that. She's just frustrated, that's all." "But why should she be frustrated and jealousof me when she's so beautiful?" Lauren asked. "You think she's beautiful?" Nick said thoughtfully. "I don't. She might be if there was more warmth in her face, more heart in her smile. She's like an icicle, with jagged dangerous spikes." His face softened as he looked at the girl facing him, with her troubled, bewildered eyes. "She's not one tenth as beautiful as you are, Lauren." "Me?" Lauren cried, startled. "Beautiful?" Nick nodded. "You most certainly are. Since we came out here, you seem to have matured, blossomed." He smiled. "It isn't due to my charm, unfortunately." "But, Nick, you must be teasing me. I've never been beautiful," Lauren said wonderingly. She had never wanted to be beautifulbut quite suddenly she longed to be beautiful ... in Roland Harvey's eyes. "I think you are," Nick said, rising, touching her lightly on the shoulder. "And so do a great many other people. Now you'd better get going or we shall have Henri on our trail." Sitting patiently in the hairdressing salon while Henri gave her hair a black rinse, Lauren thoughtof Nick's words. They seemed to wrap round her 119 heart warmly, easing a little of the hurt caused; by Miss Hunter's violent attack. ' Was it true? Was she really beautiful, she wondered, as she gazed at the reflection of herself in the mirror, while the hairdresser stood back, rub-' bing his hands, looking pleased with himself. "' Lauren stared at a strangera woman with jet. black hair that was brushed back smoothly and knotted low on her neck. A woman with large thoughtful eyes and a tender mouth. Was that how Roland Harvey saw her? She hurried back to her room and the waiting bath, telling herself to stop dreaming, it was very doubtful if Roland Harvey saw her at all! As the drums rolled that night and Nick led her out on the ballroom floor, Lauren's heart raced as she saw Roland Harvey sitting alone, at a table near the dance floor. She wanted Roland Harvey to "find her beauti-' ful . . . she wanted him to see her as a wonderful dancer . . . she wanted his love. Dreamsfoolish hopeless dreams. She pirouetted on her points with her arms outstretched, and Nick's hands lightly held her waist as the dance began. The white tutu spread out round her hips; her long slim legs were in white tights. She was all white, her black hair the only different note. Nick wore black tights and a shirt.Everything went smoothly until she saw Roland Harvey stand up. Spinning round and round, feeling the light touch of Nick's hand on hers, she stopped in an arabesque and saw that Roland Haryey was talking to Mrs. Lindstrom. Nick's hands were at her waist as she spun round to face him and the last part of the dance, the tricky part, began ... It all happened so swiftly. She was reminding herself to change her weight, as Nick swept her high in the air above his head, and then she felt her toes touch the ground and . , . 120

  She fell headlong to the ground. For a momentshe must have blacked out, for she heard and knew nothing until she felt herself lifted in strong arms and carried out of the ballroom. Opening her eyes, she found her face very near Roland Harvey's. His face was stem, his mouth a thin line as he carried her and laid her on a couch. -Lauren could see Nick close behind, his face worried. Lauren closed her eyes for a second. She heard Roland Harvey speaking, his voice vibrating with anger. "You had no right to expect her to do that. . . she's not experienced enough. She could have been badly hurt." The hotel doctor was close at hand. Later she w.as to learn that he had hurried
to her side, his hands deft and experienced, before he would al-low her to be moved. Now he spoke reassuringly: "Nothing to worry about. Shock, perhaps, and bruises. I suggest she goes straight to bed and I'll give her a sedative," he said curtly. Lauren struggled to sit up. "I'm quite all right." Her eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Nick, I am so sorry. It was careless of me. I don't knowwhat happened. Did my knee collapse?" "It's all right, honey child," Nick said gently,, patting her shoulder."I can get up," Lauren insisted. "I feel . . e fine." Roland Harvey laid a restraining hand on her shoulder. "You heard what the doctor said, Lauren, Straight to bed." It was not until much later that, remembering the little scene, she realized that it was the first time he had called her by her name.Mow Nick moved swiftly and deftly scooped Lauren up in his arms. "I'll take her to her room," he saido 121

  Lauren caught a glimpse of Roland Harvey's angry face, but it was easier to submit than makea scene, so she closed her eyes as they passed groups of people who stared at them curiously. As Nick laid her on her bed, the tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Nick," she said again. "It's the unforgivable crime, to fall like that." He bent over her. "Don't worry, honey child," he said gently. "It can happen to the best of dancers." Suddenly his face came closer, and before she could move her head, Nick's mouth was on hers, hard, bruising, ardent . . . He straightened and backed away as the doctorand Roland Harvey approached the bed. One look at Roland's grim face told Lauren everything. He had seen Nick kiss her . . . and this time it had, quite definitely, not been a brotherly kiss! 122

  CHAPTER NINE

  I WHEN she awoke in the morning, Lauren moved 1 her body gingerly, but beyond a little stiffness, ; she did not feel^ too bad. She got up, slipped -on ;, her blue silk dressing-gown and went to gaze in ; the mirror. Not much beauty about her today, ; she thought unhappily. It was strange how soon she looked what her mother called "peaky". Per; haps it was the shock of the fall, or the whole day . with its various surprises, but she looked very pale. | , Girdling the gown tightly round her, she went f to stand, on the baloney, gazing at the beauty of the cloudless sky and the green palms silhouetted against the blue water. Why had Nick kissed her ; like that? He had kissed her before, casually that time on the sands when he had thanked her But yesterday he had told her she was beautiful" ; and then, that same day, had kissed her like that 1 It made her feel uneasy. No one would ever callNick a wolf, but it could prove very embarrassing if he started to behave like that... ' It was all nonsense, she told herself firmly, as she dressed in a canary-yellow sun-suit. She was ;just leaving her room when the small page came'hurrying along with a note, Immediately she recognized the handwriting. Roland Harvey's! She read it and her heart seemed to sink. He wanted to see her. Immediately. ' It must be because of that stupid kiss of Nick's. ; Why had he to be so silly Hastily she changed into a coral pink shantung frock and hastily brushed her hair, and then went down to Mr. Harvey's office. Outside the door she paused, sure she could hear her heart racing, telling herself that she had don^e nothing wrong, that he could not eat her. When she went inside, he came to meet her, immaculate in a white tropical suit, his face graveand his eyes concerned. To Lauren's surprise, he took her gently by the hand and led her to the armchair. "Sit down, Lauren," he said quietly. "I want to talk to you." She stared at him in surprise. She had comedown expecting to have to face his anger, yet here he was, being the kind friendly man she had' grown to know and love.He seated himself behind the wide desk and leaned forward. "How do you feel?" he asked. "Not too stiff?" She shook her headand inconsistently wished he would not be so kind, for it made her feel all tangled up inside and as if she would cry at anymoment. "I feel fine, thank you," she answered. "Why did you fall?" he asked, still gently. She moved her hands vaguely. "I don't know. I... I... All day I had been clumsy, doing silly things. At practice, I couldn't seem to get it right.""He should have chosen an easier dance for the evening. He must have seen you were not yourself," Roland Harvey said sternly."He was sure I'd be all right," Lauren explained quickly. "He thought I was trying too hard and should relax. I'd been very upset and . . ." She paused, her eyes wide with dismay."Lauren," Roland Harvey said very quietly, "isn't the situation rather running away with you? I mean, don't you find that you're really tooyoung and inexperienced to cope with this emotional problem? This difficult situation?" He

  paused, still looking at her anxiously. "The husband of your best friend ... ." She felt her cheeks burning. "But, Mr. Harvey,". she said earnestly, "you're mistaken. Nick isn't in love with me." i She hoped she did not sound as desperate as she felt. Nick's kiss had frightened her. Not because it aroused her, for it hadn't, but because of what it might mean. "I don't blame you in the least," Roland Harvey continued, ignoring her little outburst."You're very young and he is an attractive man. He has a charm, I'm told, that many women findirresistible. I blame him." His voice hardened. Lauren was on her feet. "Please, Mr. Harvey, you must believe me. There's nothing like that, I promise you. Nick. loves his wife very much, andandyou're quite wrong, Nick isn'the isn't the man I love." There, she had got it out at last. She stared at him defiantly, only hoping he could not read the truth in her eyes. "He isn't?" Now Roland Harvey was on hisfeet, coming to stand in front of her. "Are you quite sure?" His eyes accused her. "Quite sure," she told him, twisting her hands together as she looked up at him. "That kiss was was just a kiss. Aa brotherly sort of kiss. He was trying to comfort me because I was crying ..." Suddenly Roland Harvey's hands were on her shoulders, his fingers digging into her flesh. Then he bent forward and his mouth lightly brushed hers. "That's a brotherly kiss. Is that what you mean?" he asked. Before she could answer, he pulled her forward and his arms tightened round her. His mouth came down hard on hers, bruising her lips, pushing her head back. The room seemed to spin round, and Lauren closed her eyes, feeling herself respond to the kiss, feeling her mouth returning it, o, 125

  He released her abruptly and they stood and jj stared at one another. "You see what I mean?" glj Roland Harvey said harshly. "That's whatbrotherly kiss can lead to . , . something very :|gjdifferent." "H Her hand was pressed against her bruised ,||mouth, her eyes wide and stricken. She was sure || he must have felt her response; now he must gknow her secret. Know that she loved him. |j| She was shaking. When he told her curtly to JJ sit down, she obeyed gratefully. She kept her | eyes down, afraid to face him, afraid to know ,|| that he knew the truth. . | From behind his desk, he spoke gravely, al- || most sadly. $ "You do see what I mean, Lauren? You must j not allow these so-called brotherly kisses. There's jno such thing as platonic friendship between men J and women. It just doesn't and cannot exist, so | don't try that argument." | "But honestly, Mr. Harvey" She faced him | bravely and went on: "There isn't anything^be- -itween us. Nick has only kissed me once. He just j isn't that kind of man, and I know he is desper- j ately worried about his wife. She's getting over J the operation, but isn't well. I think she misses | Nick and ..." -' I He lit a cigarette and took his time about do- 'Iing it, his face intent. Lauren watched him, hold- J ing her breath, afraid to say more lest she say I the wrong thing. |"Maybe he would be happier if his wife was J here," Roland Harvey said slowly, flicking the dead | match into the solid brass ash tray. His eyes | never moved as he watched Lauren's face. |She leant forward eagerly, her eyes bright, j"You meanyou mean that she could come here? , But she isn't well enough to dance." i He nodded. "Naturally I'm aware of that. I ; meant as a guest of the hotel." 126

  "Oh, Mr. Harvey, how absolutely wonderful!"Lauren's face was radiant. "Would you really do that? It would be awfully good of you. Nickwill be thrilled." ' "I sincerely hope so," Roland Harvey saiddryly. Lauren was on her feet. "You really mean it?" "I'm not accustomed to saying things I don't mean." She blushed. "I know. I didn't mean . . . I'm so thrilled. Can I go and tell Nick?" Roland Harvey rose and led the way to the door. "By all means," he said smoothly. "Give him the good news. Tell him that all the necessary arrangements will be made if he simply givesMiss Hunter his home address." Lauren found
Nick at last in the sunken garden, looking at the tropical fish swimming round under the gold and red water-lilies. How dejected and unhappy he looked, she thought as she hurried to his side, his hands in his pockets, shoulders hunched. Wait until he heard the good news! "Lauren!" He looked up and came towards her, his face lighting up. "It's good to see you walking. You sure you're all right?" She gave him her hands and smiled radiantly at him. "Nick, I'm fine, and I've got some wonderful news for you. Mr. Harvey says Na-talie can come here to stayto convalesce. Isn'tit marvellous of him?" Nick dropped her hands. "Natalie? Here?" Lauren was puzzled. She had expected him to be as excited as she was. More so, in fact. After all, Natalie was his wife, and he was worriedabout her, arid it was very generous of Mr. Harvey."Why on earth should Mr. Harvey . . ." Nickbegan. 127