Bird of Prey (12 page)

Caroline was on the point of strenuously defending herself when she realized that she couldn’t do so without drawing Randall’s wrath upon Robin.

She swallowed hard and remained silent, although inwardly she was seething with resentment. Really, Randall Craig was the most insufferable man, she was thinking. After all, what business was it of his? They had missed the bus and must take the consequences.

But before she could prevent him Robin had piped up with a typical spoiled child’s tenacity. “You’ll take us, won’t you, Randall?” he asked eagerly.

Caroline bit her lip. To be driven into Keswick by Randall Craig was about the last thing she wanted, especially as the expedition would, no doubt, in time percolate back to Mrs. Creed’s suspicious ear.

For a moment she thought he was going to refuse, then he said slowly, “Well, in spite of the fact that I think you should take the consequences of your own dilatoriness, I’ll drive you in. I have business there this morning, as it happens, so you may as well come along if you wish to.”

“Oh, thanks, Randall.” Robin’s tears dried up with miraculous swiftness as he climbed into the back seat, before Caroline could open her mouth to reject this far from courteous invitation.

“Come on, hop in. What are you waiting for?” Randall said curtly as she hesitated. “Don’t tell me that for reasons best known

to yourself you’ve decided not to take the trip into Keswick?”

His eyes bored into hers and she was uncomfortably aware that he had guessed the reason for her reluctance to follow Robin’s example.

“Oh yes, do get in,” Robin begged, “otherwise I won’t get my anorak. ”

Stiff with resentment, Caroline got in beside Randall.

He leaned across her and slammed the door shut. “I’ve half a mind to withdraw my invitation,” he snapped, “considering you’ve accepted it so ungraciously.”

In the car Caroline sat in icy silence staring straight ahead, but Robin made up for any incivility on her part by chatting merrily until Randall snapped at him to desist.

When they reached Keswick Caroline decided to maintain her air of icy politeness. “Thank you for driving us in,” she said stiffly.

“You can save your thanks,” he retorted bluntly. “You may be sure I didn’t go out of my way. I took you and Robin along because I happened to have business here today.”

Insufferable boor, she thought as she turned away with Robin by the hand.

“By the way, when the coat is purchased,” Randall leaned from the window to call after them, “go to the Moors Cafe and we’ll have something to eat before we return home. I’ll pick you up there when I’ve seen the property agent.”

They turned into St John Street, and here Caroline found exactly the right thing for Robin at a sports outfitters. Complete with zip and hood and lined with a warm synthetic fabric, it was just what a little boy would need to keep him warm in the rigours of a Cumberland winter.

Robin was chattering happily and skipping along by her side as they made their way to the Moors Cafe and ensconced themselves at a table near a great glowing fire.

“Milk and biscuits for the child,” Caroline ordered, “and let me see—”

“Would you like to try our chocolate gateau?” the waitress suggested.

“Very well,” Caroline yielded to the temptation. “Could I have, chocolate cake for once?” Robin asked as the waitress departed. “And a raspberry drink: it’s my favourite.”

“You know your mother said you were, to take milk,” Caroline reminded him.

“But today’s special—it’s a celebration,” Robin pleaded. “Just for once, Caroline. To celebrate my new jacket. I shan’t ask again, I promise.”

“Very well,” she gave in. “Just this once.”

So it was that when Randall joined them he found them tucking into chocolate cake, while before Robin was a giant tumbler of a bright red raspberry concoction.

“You’ll make yourself sick,” he told the child as Robin reached for a third portion of cake.

“No, I shan’t,” Robin replied quickly. “I feel all right, and this is a special celebration.”

“You needn’t be cross with Robin,” Caroline told him. “I gave him permission to have something different. After all, it’s only for once.”

“Well, it’s your responsibility. I only hope he doesn’t get sick over the upholstery on the way back,” Randall said grimly as he paid the bill and they trooped out of the cafe.

But his dark forebodings were only too early fulfilled. They had gone only a few miles when, from the back seat, came the tearful plaint, “Caroline, I feel awful.”

One glance at Robin’s pale face was sufficient to make her say quickly, “Stop the car. I’m afraid Robin’s going to be sick.”

Tight-lipped, Randall drew up, and just in time she bundled Robin out.

Afterwards, with childlike resilience, he recovered almost immediately. The colour came back into his cheeks. “I’m all right now,” he remarked cheerfully. “Thank goodness it didn’t happen tomorrow— then I shouldn’t have been able to go out on the lake,” he added as he clambered into the car again.

“What’s this? Did I hear the child saying you’re going out on the lake, Caroline?” Randall demanded as he started the car.

“Yes, we thought it might make a nice change.” “Oh, you did, did you? Well, you can put it out of your mind. It would be extremely dangerous for you and the child to go rowing on the lake without a competent boatman with you.”

“But it’s smooth as glass,” Caroline protested.

“It’s not always smooth as glass. I’ve told you already that it’s extremely dangerous. I absolutely forbid such an expedition. ” Caroline bit her lip. He was deliberately thwarting her, she felt certain, but she had no intention of relinquishing her plans so easily. Now that he had categorically forbidden it, the idea seemed more desirable than ever. “But I can swim,” she protested.

“So can I,” Robin put in happily. “Like a fish!”

“And where did you learn your swimming, Caroline? At the holiday camp, no doubt?”

This was true, and Caroline forbore to reply.

“No doubt your boy-friend Dick showed you how to swim a length or two of the swimming-pool. Well, there’s a great difference between that and a Cumberland lake. Surely you have enough gumption to see that for yourself. The lake’s completely out of the question, so you can dismiss the whole idea from your mind.”

She heard Robin give a little gasp of disappointment, but he was so intimidated by Randall’s grim implacable tones that he made no attempt to stage the scene Caroline fully expected. She stared ahead, her mouth set in a stubborn line. Randall was deliberately making himself as unpleasant as possible, she assured herself. What was even more galling was his bland assumption that, now that he had vetoed their outing, she would submit without question to his edict. Well, this grim, stern employer of hers was going to find that she wasn’t so easily intimidated. She would simply proceed with her plans, she resolved. She would let Randall Craig see that she was not to be so easily thwarted.

CHAPTER FIVE

ON the following morning, the day on which Grace was to return it was raining heavily. Caroline glanced dismally through her window. The hills were mist-enshrouded and the rain spattered on the surface of the lake. It was certainly no day for boating, but a stubborn streak made her refuse to relinquish the idea. On the previous evening, when she had tucked Robin in his small bed, she had as good as promised, and in spite of Randall’s veto the expedition on the lake was still on as far as she was concerned.

When she went into his room Robin was at one of the windows hopping up and down on his bare feet. “It’s simply pouring cats and dogs,” he said to her with satisfaction. “Just the day for my anorak, isn’t it? The man in the shop said it was for mountaineering in all weathers, including blizzards. It’ll be just the thing today on the lake, won’t it?”

“I don’t think it’s an awfully good day for boating,” Caroline told him, feeling reluctant to set out in the rain: even the pleasure of getting her own way was not sufficient to overcome her reluctance to plod through the wet dripping bracken and heather.

By dint of skilful evasions she managed to put Robin off

from hour to hour until lunch-time, but after that the rain eased off and she was reluctantly forced to agree to a short walk. Gleefully Robin ran off and proudly donned his new jacket. But as they set out Caroline was increasingly reluctant to disobey Randall’s commands concerning the expedition on the lake. It was impossible to tell what reprisals he would take should he find his wishes flouted. Perhaps it might even result in her being dismissed ignominiously from Longmere. Somehow that thought was intolerable. She tried to steer Robin clear of the lake, but it was in vain.

“Mummy’s coming back this evening,” he wheedled, “and you promised to take me before I had to go home again. Look, Caroline, the lake’s quite smooth.”

They had reached a high part of the ground where they could look down on the lake nestling between the hills. It was true. Once more the water was mirror-smooth; the gaily painted boat still invitingly tied to the small jetty.

There was not the smallest danger, she assured herself. It was ridiculous to think that this benign scene could hold hidden terrors. A sudden shaft of sunlight sparkling on the water tempted her to yield; perhaps if she kept close to the shore and if they stayed out only a very little while—

“Maybe you’re afraid the monster will catch us if we go out on the lake,” Robin suggested, as he saw her hesitate.

“I’ve told you there’s no monster there.”

“There must be, otherwise you wouldn’t be afraid,” he told her with childish wisdom.

So Robin had been quick to sense her covert fear! He could not know that she was concerned about what the results would be when Randall discovered that his instructions had been disobeyed.

As Robin ran ahead joyfully along the path towards the lake, she assured herself that everything would be all right. Robin had said, after all, that he could swim like a fish. But then one never knew how far to trust the child’s statements. He was still young enough not to be able to distinguish very closely between facts and fancy.

“We’ll stay out only for a little while, because it looks as if it’s going to rain again any minute,” she told Robin, who had run helter-skelter down the slope towards the spot where the painted rowing-boat was moored, and had already clambered nimbly aboard.

“Now sit perfectly still and don’t jump about,” she instructed him as she took up the oars and settled herself to pull along the side of the lake.

For a short time Robin sat quietly savouring this new adventure, but soon inactivity began to pall and to Caroline’s dismay he suddenly leapt to his feet and pointed dramatically at the water. “Look, Caroline, there’s the monster!” he screeched.

In spite of the artificiality of his manner, Caroline started and involuntarily jerked her head towards the spot in the middle of the lake at which he was pointing. As she rested on the oars, a slight choppiness in the water caused the boat to move almost imperceptibly further from the shore.

“Do sit down at once, Robin,” Caroline said anxiously. “You’ll capsize us if you’re not careful.” Highly pleased with himself, Robin sat down again while Caroline pulled on the oars and brought the boat closer to the shore. Even here she knew the water was extremely deep, but somehow she felt safer hugging the pebbly shingle.

But it was impossible for the child to remain still for long and in spite of Caroline’s remonstrations, he began to jig up and down on the seat, leaning over the side and gazing down into the water. “There he is, Caroline,” he suddenly screamed, “just under the boat! He has a long scaly neck and enormous eyes and a great mouth full of sharp teeth.”

It was only too clear that Robin was enjoying himself thoroughly, but she realized it was useless to try to control the child when he was in this excitable mood.

He leaned further over the side of the boat pointing and shouting in affected terror. “Oh, faster, faster, Caroline! He’s coming to eat us up.”

In wild, self-induced excitement he nearly tumbled over the side, and Caroline, resting the oars on the rowlocks, made a grab for him. Her fingers clutched at the material of his anorak, but he was wearing it open and as she pulled desperately it slid from his shoulders and in one horrifying moment Robin had disappeared over the side with a splash.

She gazed down at the small gaily coloured garment in her hand, stupefied with shock. There was no sign of Robin in the water. He had disappeared as completely as though the mythical monster had indeed swallowed him up. Then suddenly panic galvanized her into action: frantically she dragged off her coat and shoes, drew a deep breath and let herself slide into the water.

In her state of bewilderment and panic it didn’t occur to her to glance towards that side of the boat which was nearer the shore. Had she done so she would have seen Robin’s grinning face appear as he clutched the side and prepared to clamber aboard again.

The water was icy and Caroline gasped as it seemed to penetrate her very bones. There was indeed, as her employer had dryly pointed out, a great difference between this lake and the pool in which she had learned to swim at the holiday camp. The water which had appeared so deceptively calm when they had surveyed it from the hill she now found, to her dismay, to be quite rough and choppy. She swam about in confused circles frantically calling his name, realizing with ever-growing horror that her search was probably in vain. Robin perhaps lay somewhere at the bottom of the lake, caught by weeds and beyond help. If only she had listened to Randall! Never would she forgive herself for her wilful disregard of his instructions!