South of Capricorn (12 page)

‘Bless them both,’ said Gail as after taking a shower she got into bed. ‘How very simple they make things for me; how uncomplicated it is not to have them interfere.’ She snuggled down and reached to pull the silken cord which would plunge the room into darkness. Less than five minutes later she was asleep.

JUST a fortnight later the letter arrived, delivered by the mail plane which landed on Kane’s own airstrip. She was reading it when Kane came into the room, dusty and hot from a hard day’s riding, and not in the best of moods either, having just been told that three of his best Abo stockmen had gone ‘walkabout’, that is, gone into the bush where they would live native until, tired of the life, they would return and ask for their jobs back. Mistakenly surmising that his stare was an interrogating one, Gail explained that the letter was from her parents.

‘I told them that I’d accepted a post as nanny to Leta,’ she began, when the look in his eyes stopped her from proceeding any further.

‘Will you never learn to be careful?’ he asked with an acid bite to his tone. ‘You should have been warned by what happened the other night. You know full well that my stepmother is not above listening at doors!’ Gail bit her lip.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said in a subdued voice. ‘I just can’t get used to the idea that anyone would be so dishonourable as to listen at a door.’

‘What have your people to say?’ he asked in a less hostile tone. ‘I was told that you received a parcel.’ ‘Mother sent me one or two things. The rest are coming Jater.’ She glanced down at the letter and added with a grimace, ‘Mother’s accepted my decision, as I said she would.’ Soft the words and also Gail had automatically moved closer to Kane. She was aware then of his great height, for she was forced to tilt her head right back in order to look into his face. Sweat- begrimed, it was nevertheless still handsome. ‘Perhaps you’d like to read it for yourself?’ she invited, amazing herself by the offer. She was puzzled that she could treat Kane like this; she wanted only to retain the contempt - and to reveal it now and then, just so that he would be reminded of what he had done to her cousin. Instead, she was as time passed becoming almost eager to be pleasant with him, and to have him be pleasant with her.

‘Not just now,’ he returned. ‘I must go and have a bath.’

‘Of course. Later, then?’

He nodded, looking at her with an odd expression.

‘Very well, seeing that you obviously want me to. Put it on the table in my sitting-room.’ He turned, frowning, as Ertha entered the room. She was dressed for dinner and Gail had to admit that there was a most attractive beauty about the girl. It would not have been surprising had Kane fallen in love with her. Perhaps, decided Gail, Ertha would have stood a much better chance if her mother had not made an enemy of Kane. Mrs. Farrell had not been very clever, but the more she learned about her the more Gail realized that it was the woman herself who wanted to rule at Vernay Downs and that although she would have preferred her daughter to be the mistress rather than another girl, she would still have resented to a large degree anyone who superseded her.

‘Ah, Kane, so you’re back!’ Mrs. Farrell followed Ertha into the room. ‘That child—’

‘You mean, my daughter?’

‘Leta! She’s insulted me for the whole of this day!’

‘Leta’s been at school,’ interrupted Gail with a frown, ‘so how can she have troubled you all day?’ Gail sent a look towards Kane who, from the first, had insisted that Leta attend the school where provision was made for the acceptance of children from the age of four years. ‘She’s in bed now—’

‘Is she? And she’s been at school, you say? That brat’s played truant this afternoon!’

‘Are you sure?’ Kane’s stern voice boded ill for Leta, should what his stepmother have said prove to be true. ‘Gail, didn’t you notice her about?’

She shook her head, feeling guilty.

‘I’ve been upstairs, helping Daisybell with the preparation of the guest-rooms. You said we’d need them when we had my party.’

‘I’ll get to the bottom of this,’ he began, obviously intending to go up to Leta and question her. But Ertha intervened, supporting her mother’s statement.

‘She’s been dodging about, trying to hide one minute and the next going out of her way to torment Mother.’ She spoke quietly, but the malice in her tones was plainly portrayed.

‘Why didn’t one of you inform Gail of this?’

‘We didn’t know where she was,’ replied Ertha, smooth as oil as she looked up at him and added, ‘It was Dave’s afternoon off and we thought that perhaps Gail had gone off somewhere with him.’

Flushing vividly, Gail opened her mouth to protest, and then decided that to defend herself would only result in further embarrassment for her, and also for Kane. That he was furious was revealed in the drifts of crimson which had appeared at the sides of his mouth. What he would have said was never known because Mrs. Farrell came in with the sly and subtle reminder that he had forbidden her to interfere either with what Gail was doing, or what Leta was doing.

‘I did have an idea that Gail was with Daisybell,’ she continued, ‘but after all the arguments we’ve been having lately, Kane, I felt I mustn’t bring Gail away from the task she had chosen - even though that task was quite unnecessary; we have two other lubras who could have assisted Daisybell with the guest rooms.’ Kane shot her a glowering look, and turned away towards the door. But at that moment it opened and Leta stood there, fully dressed.

‘I don’t want to go to bed,’ she said, coming into the room. ‘I’m not tired, so I want to stay up for dinner.’ ‘You chose tomorrow—’

‘I’ve changed my mind. I’m staying up tonight!’ She was in one of her most intractable moods, and had it been left to Gail Leta would undoubtedly have got her own way. But Kane, already in a temper, was clearly intending to stand no nonsense. It was the first time he had adopted an attitude of such firmness with her, and Gail guessed that she was in for a surprise.

‘Come here,’ he ordered sharply, and Leta gave a small start. ‘I said - come here!’

Leta obeyed, but dragged her feet across the thick- pile carpet. Gail glanced at Mrs. Farrell, and then at Ertha. Both their faces revealed the intense dislike they felt for the child. In all fairness Gail could not blame them, since Leta had harassed them unbearably at times.

‘Daddy—’ began Leta, but she was not allowed to say any more.

‘Where were you this afternoon?’

‘At school, of course,’ came the immediate and innocent reply. Kane’s eyes narrowed, but Leta looked up at him with that expression of defiant unconcern which had always been so familiar to Gail and, indeed, to all who had known the child. Undoubtedly she had a strong, forceful character - just like her father, thought Gail, looking from one to the other and trying to find some physical likeness, as she had done several times before. She found none ... not one line or feature that could be said was peculiar to both father and daughter.

‘I said this afternoon, not this morning.’

‘I was at school all day. Ask Miss MacKay.’ So bland her manner, and Gail could scarcely believe she was telling a lie.

‘Very well, we shall do just that.’ Keenly he watched his daughter’s face. Gail saw no change in her expression, but Kane obviously did, which said much for his powers of observation. ‘Come with me; we’ll go over to her bungalow.’ That he had no intention of doing so was without doubt. It was a long way to the bungalows, and Kane was already tired and dirty from his work outdoors, work that had to be done though the heat had shimmered over the plains like a haze to white-hot vapour.

‘Well...’ began Leta, screwing up her face as if the prospect of seeing her teacher was highly distasteful to her. ‘I did come home early, Daddy, because I had a headache.’ The last words came brightly and it was plain that the excuse had come to her unexpectedly.

Kane said nothing; he was obviously saving any reprimand for later, when his stepmother was not present.

‘Very well, Leta. And now you can go to bed.’

‘You’re allowing her to get away with it!’ gasped Mrs. Farrell. ‘And what about her rudeness to me?’

‘I wasn’t rude! I only said you looked like an ape, and that was the truth, so how can it be rude?’

‘Leta!’ Gail could not allow that to pass. Horrified, she took a step towards Leta, intending to give her a shake. But Kane’s finger was lifted and Gail stopped in her tracks.

‘Normal child development,’ he said. ‘If Rachel can’t understand this then it’s entirely her own fault. I am not willing to put a rein on what is natural.’ So cool. . . but Gail was staring perceptively at him. Mrs. Farrell also knew what he was doing, as her next words revealed.

‘You’ll get tired before I do, Kane. Don’t forget - I know you well enough to be able to predict a speedy end to your daughter’s disgraceful conduct. For you’re the very last one to tolerate such disregard for politeness -and authority.’

Undoubtedly this was true, and as he was not willing to deny it Kane changed the subject and with a return to his customary calm and languid drawl he told Leta to go to bed.

‘I’m not tired; I’ve said it once.’ She sat down on a chair and swung her legs. ‘Why doesn’t Mrs. Farrell keep her back straight? My teacher at play-school said that all people should keep their backs straight because you get a hump if you don’t. That’s why you look like an ape—’

‘Leta, that’s enough!’ It was Gail who spoke and she was deliberately avoiding Kane’s eyes. ‘You’ve gone too far! Now, apologize to Mrs. Farrell and then off you go to bed! I’ve had quite sufficient of you for one evening!’

Silence. Although sensing his anger Gail still refused to look at Kane. And she was not allowing Leta to have any more of her own way. If Kane should decide to allow her to stay up for dinner then she, Gail, would oppose him.

‘You mean, say I’m sorry?’

‘That’s exactly what I mean.’

‘I never say I’m sorry, because I’m not sorry!’

Still Kane remained impassive, an interested onlooker, nothing more. Surprised, but too occupied with Leta to waste time finding a reason for his conduct, Gail told Leta once again to apologize. There was a battle, Leta giving cheek, as Gail knew she would. But she was quite determined to make her go to bed, and as once again it looked as if Leta would win Gail turned in desperation to Kane. He nodded instantly in answer to her unspoken plea and, lifting Leta bodily, he carried her, kicking and screaming, from the room.

Gail was ready for bed when she heard the gentle knock on the door connecting her room with that of Kane. Snatching a pretty - but not very practical — neglige she flung it on and opened the door.

‘May I come in?’ Amusement lit the grey eyes as the colour mounted Gail’s cheeks. She was fidgeting nervously with the tie at the waist of the neglige; it was a wide ribbon and in her haste to fasten it she had managed to get it knotted.

‘Yes, of course.’ He was in anyway, she thought, already behind him as he stopped in the centre of the room. ‘Is it something important?’

He was fully dressed, attractive in a tropical suit and light green shirt. She had seen Ertha, at dinner, sending him glance after glance, and Gail could not but be a little sorry for her, as she must be dreadfully put out by the appearance of his wife.

‘I just wanted to put your mind at rest regarding what happened before dinner. You seemed anxious that I’d be annoyed at your interference?’

‘I was anxious,’ she admitted freely, her hands still occupied with the knot. ‘But on the other hand, I was determined not to allow Leta to go to any further lengths than she already had.’ Gail was angry at his coolness, at the way he turned a blind eye to all of his daughter’s disgraceful behaviour. And her anger, as always, lent her courage. ‘While on the one hand I understand your reasons for neglecting to chastise Leta, I feel that there should be limits beyond which she ought not to be allowed to go - this for her own good as much as for the comfort of others in the house. She flaunts every single rule of courtesy and respect - and you ignore it! She knows that there’s some reason for it, since she’s so highly intelligent.’ He made to interrupt, but she continued swiftly, ‘Sandra did at least try, but you’re just making the child worse!’ Anger had always enhanced her eyes, so her mother had said, and now Kane was looking down at her with an odd expression on his face. He was absorbed, it would appear, and she did wonder if he had taken in all she had been saying. She was soon to know, for, having brought his attention from her eyes, he looked her up and down and said,

‘I believe I’ve already warned you about your lack of respect when talking to me.’

‘And I reminded you that you are not my husband.’ She spoke sharply but quietly, this time remembering his warning about people listening at doors. ‘You can’t dictate to me, Kane, and the sooner you accept that the better.’ She was pale now, and her hands had dropped to her sides. For some strange unfathomable reason this strained unfriendly atmosphere troubled her. It almost hurt, in fact, in some way that both disturbed and angered her. Why was harmony so important? She was doing a job - no more than that. And when it was completed she would leave Vernay Downs behind her for ever, and Leta too. Kane Farrell’s face would fade from her memory; the day would come when all this was vague and indistinct - an image in the distant past that would reappear only at intervals, when something happened to remind her of it

Kane said, deliberately and very softly,

‘I hate to remind you, Gail, that I was not married to Leta’s mother—’

‘What has that to do with it!’

‘Allow me to finish!’ he snapped. ‘What I was going to say was that I have no need to keep her here with me.’

‘I see...’ She spoke after a long silence. ‘So you’re holding over my head the fact that you could, at any time you like, send Leta away?’

‘I could order you to take her away.’