Dangerous Waters (20 page)

“
No.
”

“
I
’
m disappointed in the man—thought he had more about him. You know something, Terry? Roger is going to propose to you the minute you give him a chance.
”

“
I hope not.
”

“
Really?
”
Annette got up on one elbow and gazed curiously at her sister.
“
It seems to me that you two are rather well matched. He
’
s a bit of a lightweight and you
’
re a little too much the other way. You could have enough money and lots of fun with Roger.
”

For something to do, Terry began to brush her hair.
“
I just want you to get married, and to go home—nothing more. I
’
m so glad you
’
re happier with Vic now.
”

“
I
’
m not really. If I think much about it I still have horrible qualms. He insists that they
’
re natural, that he even has a few himself. Imagine that. Vic with qualms.
”

“
His are caused through loving you so much.
”

Annette scoffed.
“
What do you know about it? I think he
’
s uneasy because he can
’
t feel certain about me. Once we
’
re married I won
’
t be nearly as important to him.
”

“
You
’
re being horrid. I do hope you don
’
t speak to him like that.
”

“
Not quite so frankly.
”
She had gone moody.
“
I wish I
’
d never met Vic—then I
’
d never have come to Penghu, and started to feel that there
’
s a lot more to living than parading about in smart clothes, and having good times in the evenings. These women who are so keen on making a home in the jungle for their husbands
...
they give me the creeps. Yet I
’
m on the way to becoming one of them myself!
”

“
You think about that side of things too much. After all, you
’
ve had months in which to accept the fact that you
’
re here for a long time, and you
’
ve already been here long enough to start feeling at home. I believe you fight against it.
”

“
You
’
re right, little wise one,
”
sighed Annette.
“
And I
’
ll go on fighting till I
’
m trapped. But how am I going to feel afterwards? What in the world shall I do in that utility flat?
”

“
You
’
d better do your utmost to disguise it as a pretty
an
d comfortable home.
”

Another sigh.
“
Well, I suppose I shall get through while you
’
re here. You promised to stay on till we get back from our honeymoon, haven
’
t you?
”

“
I didn
’
t promise.
”

Annette sat right up.
“
But you must, Terry! You can
’
t trot home after only a week or so in the place, and Mrs. Winchester will be delighted to keep you here for as long as you like.
”
She was struck by a brilliant idea.
“
When Vic and I get back you might even move into our little cubbyhole of a spare room!
”

“
You think I
’
d stay with newly-weds?
”
jeered Terry gently.
“
Vic would toss me out, and who
’
d blame him?
”

“
I
’
m not so sure,
”
said Annette seriously.
“
He didn
’
t put it into as many words, but he thinks you
’
re far more dependable than I am. He said tonight that I
’
m sweeter to him now that you
’
re here.
”

“
Make a habit of it,
”
advised Terry with a smile.
“
Isn
’
t it time you went to bed?
”

“
It
’
s time, but too hot.
”
She leaned forward and picked up the compact from the dressing table, examined it as she spoke casually.
“
Did your friend Pete really have ivory nuts in his car?
”

Terry had been steeling herself for a question on these lines, so she was able to answer, as carelessly,
“
Yes. He offered me one, but I didn
’
t want it.
”

“
You didn
’
t want anything at all from him, did you? It was noticeable—to me, anyway. Why did you mind his turning up here?
”

Had it been that obvious? Hadn
’
t she learned anything at all from Pete
’
s poker-face tactics? Terry shrugged.
“
I didn
’
t mind all that much. I was only surprised.
”

“
I was surprised, too. You held out on us, darling.
”
Terry looked across at her quickly. Annette was gazing back through narrowed eyelids, a knowing smile on her
li
ps. For the very first time in her life Terry felt a faint hostility towards her sister.

“
You mean because he
’
s not bad looking? Roger
’
s features are better.
”

“
I mean that he
’
s all man—whi
le
Roger isn
’
t. But then you must know Pete Ste
rn
ham
’
s features awfully well. You stared at them for four days or more.
”
She laughed briefly.
“
I can
’
t help thinking what a waste it was—my dear little sister with such a man! There was a time when I
’
d have given my ears for the chance you had with Pete Sternham.
”

“
Oh, give it up,
”
said Terry on a determined note of boredom.
“
I told you when I first arrived that Pete was simply concerned with getting to Penghu. He may be a lady
’
s man, but I
’
m not his sort of lady even if he were in the market for one. He
’
s pretty well tied up, I believe.
”

Annette
’
s smile became animated.
“
That Swedish person?
”
she demanded.
“
I mentioned it to Vic just now, and he knows them, both brother and sister. It seems that one of the bridges is partly on their land, and they were paid compensation. Vic went over to their plantation to see them three or four months ago, and he said the girl
’
s a wow.
”

“
If she
’
s Pete
’
s choice, she
’
s bound to be
.”

Annette gave a humorous lift of the shoulders.
“
You have respect for his taste but dislike him none the less? Your trouble, Terry, is that you allow yourself to feel at a disadvantage, and show it. I suppose he ordered you about? Did you hate it?
”

“
No. His judgment was bound to be better than mine. Do we have to talk about him?
”

“
You must admit he
’
s an absorbing topic, but,
”
more soberly,
“
I
’
m glad you didn
’
t fall for him, sweetie. He
’
s iron, plated with charm. He wouldn
’
t even see a dear thing like you. I
’
m fairly experienced, but even I would have to work hard if I wanted him. He needs someone who won
’
t be floored by his looks and manner, someone who doesn
’
t easily get rattled. According to Vic, the Swedish babe is just right.
”

“
Good,
”
said Terry.
“
Shall we go to bed now?
”

But Annette was too wide awake to be easily shifted. She went on talking, not much about Pete because she didn
’
t know him, but quite extensively about Roger, whose family was better off than one might think. If Terry liked him she should consider his proposal very seriously before turning him down, stated Annette. On the whole, she ended gloomily, one might do better by marrying for position rather than for love. Look at the mess love could land you in. And it would be lovely to have Terry living near.

Eventually she drifted into the next room and Terry was left alone. She felt a little raw, a little sad but fairly brave. For the present she was determined to think no further ahead than her sister
’
s wedding.

CHAPTER
SIX

IN a way, Roger
’
s presence in the Winchesters
’
house was a blessing. When not cast down by his business responsibilities he was a blithe soul, and in the evenings he liked nothing better than to sit in the veranda listening to the gramophone or strumming his own guitar; he quite fancied himself as a guitarist, and Terry agreed that he knew how to treat a sentimental ballad. His voice was a pleasing light baritone, and sitting a few yards away from him in the half-darkness and watching his fair head against the palms as he strummed and sang, Terry found it easy to imagine him in a film with some pretty little thing as his partner.

The business, he told Terry, was a headache. It was now costing more to run on a lower income, and though it was a branch of one of the older firms in Malaya, it was hardly worth the trouble and expense of keeping it going. He had been put in charge for two reasons—to give him a taste of the responsibility he loathed and to add importance to the branch and so help it regain lost prestige. Somehow, he thought, the place would be closed down by this time next year and he would be transferred to Singapore.

“
Quite a place, Singapore,
”
he told Terry pointedly.
“
You
’
d love it.
”

But she ignored the hint.
“
I
s
hould think you
’
d far rather improve things here,
”
she said.
“
How long have Payns been established in Penghu?
”

“
Thirty-odd years, and before that we had an agent covering the district. But I don
’
t think we
’
re going to last here.
”

“
Then why make plans to have a new house built, to replace that other one next to the store
?
”

“
The old man
’
s orders. No Payn may live in a peeling bungalow adjoining the warehouse. I was willing to stick it out because I hoped not to stay too long, but my father came down about seven weeks ago and condemned the house. By the way,
”
with half a wink,
“
he said it would look appalling to a prospective bride.
”

“
Does he want you to marry?
”

He grimaced and sighed.
“
Don
’
t say it like that.
I’
m the only son in the East—my brother is stockbroking in London—and I suppose my father and mother are just longing to hear the patter of little feet, so that there
’
ll always be a Payn in the business. While you
’
re here,
”
he ended, not looking at her,
“
I
’
d like you to meet my mother. She
’
s doing a tour of the branches with Dad.
”

“
It
’
s nice of you, but I don
’
t think I shall have time, Roger.
”

“
Well,
”
he said, as objectively as he could,
“
I
’
m going to have a whale of a time when I
’
m older, touring as my father does for half the year and spending the rest of the year in London. I
’
m healthy, light-hearted and have good prospects. As a husband, I
’
d be a good risk!
”

With a smile that had become automatic, she answered,
“
You
’
re going to make some girl very proud and happy. And now sing another song.
”

“
Well, it
’
s something that you like my music. Many
a
knot has been tied to the strains of a guitar!
”

He never became really serious, and if he had done so, Terry felt she could have handled him. Even when they went out for a drive he did no more than theatrically kiss her hand, nuzzle her elbow and bark like a dog. He was an idiot, and as such she enjoyed him.

Terry did not attend the ceremony at the new airstrip on the rubber estate. As she pointed out, Roger had not been invited and she might as well stay away too, and have lunch with him at the house. The percipient Annette said she thought Mr. Sternham might be annoyed if Terry absented herself, but she guaranteed to make him realize that Terry had felt it her duty to stay with Roger, who had just ended a wild-goose chase to find her.