South of Capricorn

by Anne Hampson

  ‘She’s going to be a champion! I’m entering her in the gymkhana!’

  Gail frowned. I’m entering her...

  ‘Will that be all right with Kane?’ she felt bound to ask.

  ‘I shouldn’t think he’ll mind.’

  ‘I want to ride in the gymkhana! I want to beat everybody else!’

  ‘And you will!’ declared Dave. How happy he looked, thought Gail, wondering if he had resigned himself to the fact that he and she herself could never be more than the casual acquaintances which they were at the present time. But she discovered differently later in the evening when, looking inordinately attractive in a lightweight jacket and fine worsted trousers, he invited her to dance.

  ‘You look adorable!’ he exclaimed as he drew her into his arms. ‘Gail, I’m beginning to fall in love with you!’

  ‘No, Dave, it mustn’t happen!’

  ‘Why not?’ He held her from him and looked ques- tioningly at her. ‘We’ll think of something when the time of your freedom comes along, you’ll see.’

  ‘If we did get together in that way, then you couldn’t stay here.’

  ‘That’s for sure. But I can settle anywhere where you want to settle.’

  ‘I don’t believe that, Dave,’ she returned with a wise little smile. ‘This is the life you’ve been accustomed to and it’s the life you love.’

  He made no reply and for the rest of the dance they were silent. When at length he took her back to the table where she had a drink half finished, he shook his head a little dejectedly and said,

  ‘Why did you come, Gail, upsetting my life like this?’ But she had no time to answer, for at that moment Kane arrived at the table and silently invited her to dance. Slipping into his outstretched arms, she found herself being whirled away, floating as if on air as Kane’s long legs found a way between the dancers to the edge of the floor where there was not only more room but where they could enjoy the breeze drifting in from the open windows.

  ‘You seem rather fond of Dave.’ Quiet the tone and yet there was a strange undercurrent about it. ‘And he of you.’

  ‘That’s true,’ she replied, seeing no harm in this small admission.

  ‘And yet he knows you’re married to me?’ Suspicion in the voice? She rather thought so, but she merely gave the careless reply, ‘We like each other as friends. Isn’t that per-missible?’

  ‘Of course. But remember, Gail, you’re not to run any risks.’ A pause as he afforded her time to speak, but as he saw that she was not accepting the opportunity he went on, ‘I don’t expect, though, that Dave will go beyond what is correct behaviour; he’s always afforded me the respect which is due to me.’ He was speaking in tones little above a whisper and she realized it was to himself rather than to her.

  ‘You’re sure of Dave, but not of me?’ She could not resist this challenge and she saw him give a small start as it struck him just what he had said.

  ‘My apologies,’ he returned, surprising her. ‘I should know by now that you’re to be trusted.’

  ‘Thank you.’ She was shy all at once, and felt very small in his arms. And she felt safe, too, just as if she really were his wife. ‘I must thank you for this wonderful party, too. You’ve been so generous—’

  ‘Forget it,’ he broke in curtly, ‘You know very well that it was a necessity.’

  ‘But you had no need to go to such great expense, surely?’

  ‘We always do this sort of thing in a big way, as you’ll see when we attend Craig Bowden’s party next month.’

  ‘We’re going to a party?’

  ‘He’s giving it for his son’s birthday. Yes, of course we shall be going.’ They were dancing in perfect harmony and Gail thought she had never before enjoyed a dance so much. For one thing, many girls were turning their heads to stare at them with eyes that would invariably come to rest with envy on Gail’s flushed face. And she had actually overheard one pretty girl saying, to another of about Gail’s own age,

  ‘The lucky thing! And just to think, Kane was married all the time! I’d never let him go off and leave me if I were married to him. She must have been out of her mind!’

  ‘Are you warm?’ Kane asked the question and all unthinking she replied,

  ‘I’m more than warm, I’m hot! I could do with a breath of fresh air.’

  ‘So could I,’ he returned promptly, and before she knew she was being steered with the deftest of manoeuvres towards the french window. Once through it Kane released her and she fell into step beside him as he made for one of the tables set in romantic seclusion under the spreading foliage of a clump of ghost gums.

  ‘You would like something to eat?’ he queried, but she shook her head.

  ‘I’m not hungry at the moment – but, if you are...?’

  ‘No, I don’t want anything just now.’ He leant back in his chair, hitched up the leg of his trousers and, crossing one leg over the other, stared at her from this most relaxed position on the opposite side of the table. ‘You’re enjoying yourself?’

  She answered spontaneously, her eyes bright and very revealing.

  ‘This is a night I shall always remember!’

  A smiled curved the firm hard mouth.

  ‘It’s come up to your expectations, apparently.’

  ‘It’s exceeded them. Oh, Kane, that food! How do the lubras do it? They’re expert enough to make a trade of it.’

  ‘They’re clever, undoubtedly, although it’s Daisybell mainly.’ He paused a moment and then, ‘You haven’t been plied with questions, that’s quite plain.’

  ‘Because I would soon have mentioned it to you?’ she asked with a wry quiver of her lips. ‘I certainly would have done!’

  ‘But I did assure you that no one would be asking questions - at least the kind of questions which might cause you embarrassment.’

  ‘I was asked how I’m liking it here now. And once I was asked if I would be able to settle.’

  His lips curved again.

  ‘And your answer?’ he queried, his eyes subjecting her to a close scrutiny.

  ‘I said yes, I was determined to settle. It was a little embarrassing now and then, though. For example, when Mr. Dryden asked the date of our marriage. He seemed to think that you hadn’t been in England at the time that I said - when I answered him, that was.’

  Kane frowned suddenly. Was he alert all at once? Impossible to read the mask which had come over his handsome countenance, and she gave up the attempt, admitting that it was futile anyway,

  ‘What date did you give him?’

  Gail told him and he seemed to frown more heavily.

  ‘Was I wrong?’ she questioned, troubled. ‘I calculated and decided that the best date to give was nine months before Leta was born because, when you give a birthday party for her, people might just begin to calculate.’ This appeared to amuse him, because his frown faded and his grey eyes took on a rather humorous light.

  ‘I shouldn’t think the men would, but the women might. Women seem to be made that way.’

  Gail looked at him, uncertain as to whether or not she had heard a hint of contempt in his voice as he uttered that last sentence.

  ‘Did I do right?’ she wanted to know. ‘I was so confused, not having expected a question like that.’

  ‘You did very well, from what I can see.’ He fell into a thoughtful silence before he said, quite coolly and in his customary slow Australian drawl, ‘It’s only to be expected that people are amazed - or were, when first I told them that my wife and child had arrived here. But they’ll get over it all in no time. Just another nine days’ wonder. We have them sometimes out here in the bush.’

  Gail said nothing, but she did try to picture the manner in which this cool collected man had put the news over to them all. He had certainly made a success of it, for apart from the few curious ones who had put the odd question to her, there had been interest only in her appearance and several times Kane had been congratulated on his ‘wife’s’ beauty. No one, however, had
ventured to voice the words which, to Gail, were the obvious ones to voice, words that conveyed surprise that he could have married her and then left her in England while he himself returned to his own country, and to his estate here in the Outback.

  Leta was also accepted without much comment. She had been allowed to attend the party and stay for an hour and a half providing only that she behaved.

  ‘One small sign of a tantrum and you’ll be carried back to the house and be put to bed,’ her father had threatened. And he had added that, although she must not answer any questions that might be put to her, she must not tell anyone to mind his or her own business. Leta had been on her best behaviour, spending some of her time with Kane and some with Dave. And in the end it was Dave who had taken her back to the home-stead, carrying her on his shoulder, while Gail, a most odd expression in her eyes, had stood and watched Kane, totally unconcerned, chattering with some of his friends, cattle graziers from stations so far away that they were staying the night at Vernay Downs.

  CHAPTER NINE

  NEITHER Mrs. Farrell nor her daughter had put in an appearance at the party and it was only natural that their absence should be noticed, and commented upon. Kane replied non-committally to the questions asked, and as she noted the way in which his words were received Gail understood a little better how he had come to be able to escape questioning where she herself was concerned. Kane’s friends and acquaintances knew that he would not tolerate any curiosity where his private affairs were concerned. Gossip there might be, but among themselves, and with no attempt to draw out the man concerned. Her admiration for Kane increased with this knowledge of his total withdrawal, and authoritative manner of conducting his affairs.

  He himself remarked on the absence of the two women when next he danced with Gail.

  ‘They were invited,’ he told her indifferently. ‘It was up to them whether or not they accepted the invitation.’

  ‘I can’t really blame them for not coming. They dislike me intensely — which is only natural, of course.’

  He glanced down at her, his clear-cut features dark and austere in the dim lighting of the wide verandah on which they were dancing. Kane had come out because once again he was feeling the heat, as was Gail herself. The night was rather too warm, in fact, and even out here there was very little breeze,

  ‘You’ve survived their malice much better than I expected,’ was Kane’s statement as he swung her right to the end of the verandah, where the steps were situated.

  ‘It hasn’t been easy - as of course, you warned me it wouldn’t be.’

  ‘Nevertheless, you’ve done very well indeed. I have an idea that they won’t be with us for much longer.’

  ‘You have?’ In her surprise she leaned away from him, staring up into his eyes. ‘Has something happened to bring about this optimism?’

  ‘Nothing concrete,’ he admitted, but went on to say that he had seen Rachel going through the large bookcase in the hall, and taking out those books which were hers.

  ‘Does that really mean anything, Kane?’

  ‘She’s also removed some small ornaments from one or two rooms - ornaments which she brought with her.’

  ‘I see...’ Gail felt a sudden sinking of her heart. ‘So I might be going from here sooner than we expected?’

  No answer, strangely. Kane changed the subject altogether, asking if she had noticed that Dave was dancing most of the time with Georgina, who had arrived only that very evening and in consequence she and her parents had put in an appearance only about an hour and a half ago.

  ‘No, I hadn’t noticed,’ she had to admit. The truth was that she was revelling in being with Kane who, for effect, was as attentive as any loving husband could be. He had brought her the food and the wine; he had danced with her for more than half the time, and he had taken her out on two occasions for a breath of fresh air. And now they were out again, but this time he was intending to take a stroll, for he asked her if she required a wrap. ‘No,’ she answered, ‘I’m still very warm.’

  He took her hand, much to her surprise, for there was no one to see them now, and they went down the steps and walked out into the night.

  ‘This is better.’ He referred to the cooler atmosphere, she surmised .... or could it possibly be that he had wanted to get away from the crowd, and come out into the peace and quietness of the garden? Memory brought incidents crowding into her mind, incidents that had occurred during the past fortnight, ever since that evening when he had had her in his room and talked to her about the forthcoming party. He had been so different, so kind and so tolerant. There had not been any dissension between them as there had been before; no arguments over Leta, no icy rebukes from Kane, no indignant comments from Gail herself. In fact, a pleasant sort of relationship had developed, a harmony that resulted in Gail’s almost forgetting that Kane had ever been so callous as to let her cousin down. For now she was becoming overwhelmed with doubts, and one of those doubts was that there could be some feasible explanation for his conduct at that particular time; this was strengthened every time his gravely-spoken words entered her mind, words about ‘parts unknown’.

  He retained her hand in his and she wondered whether he himself was aware of this, for he had become pensive, preoccupied, as he walked across the lawn towards the clump of trees under which seats were partially screened from the view of anyone coming out on to the verandah of the shed. Gail, her heart beating far too quickly, because of the fact that he had her hand in his, and because the night held magic - the music and dancing and the gay but muted lights - walked beside him, profoundly aware of him as a man, conscious as never before of his superlative attractions. Her eyes wandered, out into the infinity of the bush, this stronghold of rugged pastoralists whose domains were measured in square miles, not acres. She mused on conversations she had heard among these graziers; she had learned that all of them owned vast estates which, like that of Kane, were self-contained communities with their own airfields, villages, shops and schools. Doctors, nurses, hospitals which could deal with all but the serious cases ... everything was there, in this wild and weathered country, this ‘centre’, as it was termed by the Australians whose home it was.

  ‘Are you all right?’ Soft the tone and faintly anxious as Kane glanced down at her. She nodded, finding difficulty in voicing anything while she was wrapped in the magic of the night like this. Kane smiled, one of his rare and most attractive smiles; her lashes fluttered as shyness overcame her and Kane laughed then and his hand tightened around hers. In her heart something leapt and she turned her head from his disconcerting gaze, returning her attention to the bush again. There was something ruthless about it of which she was potentially aware at this particular time, yet it excited her and she felt a strange constriction in her throat.

  They reached the trees and Kane stopped, for some reason hesitating before he invited her to sit down. Several seats were occupied and as Gail noted this she suddenly wanted to get away, into the solitude out there, into the moonlit wilds. The longing for isolation from everyone around her - everyone except Kane, that was - became an urgent necessity as she stood there, faintly aloof, her beautiful face and figure revealed in the silver glow of the moonlight that spread over the bush.

  ‘What is it...?’ The question was almost a caress, and so affected was she that she feared the wild throbbing of her heart would suffocate her. And if it didn’t, then surely this constriction in her throat would choke her. ‘Gail,’ he murmured, ‘you’re very beautiful.’

  She blushed adorably but, still shy and unsure of herself, could offer no more than a simple ‘thank you’ in return.

  ‘Would you care to walk?’ he asked, just as if he knew how she was feeling.

  ‘I’d love to walk.’

  ‘Come, then,’ and he tugged gently until she fell into step beside him. The garden was soon left behind as they turned towards the hazy blue hills above which were deep pools of shade created by the long dark shadows sent forth from the impressive back
cloth of the MacDonnell Mountains.

  ‘How wonderful it all is!’ The words were whispered as Gail looked up at the man beside her, her eyes bright in the light of the full moon. ‘Look, Kane, at the beautiful Southern Cross!’

  He smiled faintly, but refrained from reminding her that the sight was not entirely new to him. She knew what she had said, though, and a self-deprecating laugh left her lips.

  Once the lights were left behind Kane slowed down his pace, and they walked very slowly — like lovers, she thought, not daring to move her fingers lest he would release her hand. She made a determined effort to be calm, but it was not easy when her heart was beating over-rate like this. A sort of exquisite fear had taken possession of her; she knew a recklessness one moment, but the next moment there was the picture of Sandra, the sweet-natured girl who had died because of this man, because he had allowed her to fall in love with him when he knew full well that he intended leaving her when, his holiday in England having come to an end, he would return to his home here, in the Outback.

  ‘Parts unknown...’ A warning creeping into her mind, intruding into all these other reflections, a warning strong as the man who had spoken it ...

  ‘Kane,’ she exclaimed, the words tumbling from her lips before she could stop them, ‘tell me something about your visit to England—’ But she stopped, having got that far, and put a nervous finger to her mouth.

  Kane turned his head, and looked down at her, his eyes flickering with an odd expression, an expression she had seen once before - when he appeared to be caught in a web of indecision. She had gained the impression then that he was debating whether or not to disclose something, and she had the same impression now. But to her utter disappointment he shook his head.

  ‘You wouldn’t be interested, Gail.’ Although his tone was gentle enough there was a familiar firmness about it which warned Gail not to ask any more questions on that particular subject.