No Other Haven Read Online Free PDF Page B

troubles,” Mrs. MacLellan told her. “Plagues of ants, mosquitoes and cockroaches, woodworm, an occasional snake in the garden, and in hot weather some awful things we call shrimps, which cling to the outsides of the doors in myriads from dusk onwards. Our storms are rather shattering, but not nearly so violent or regular as those they have inland. You’ll like this country, Lindsey,” she ended with conviction. “When the time comes you’ll hate going away.”
    As they drove back to the hotel Stuart smiled at her.
    “Fancy yourself as a South African housewife?”
    “If you’re only staying three months...”
    “I’m not tied. Our place in England runs itself, and we have neither the material nor the labor to expand there. All being favorable, we may start up in Port Acland. By the way”—he was intent on the road ahead—“you’d better put on the pink linen tomorrow morning. We’ve an appointment in town.”
    “Oh.” Her heart began the foolish drumming. “What do we have to do there?”
    “Say ‘I will’ all over again, but it’s only a matter of form this time. It seems one has to be married under the laws of some country or other. There are no laws on the high seas. As it stands,” mockingly, “I could desert you any old time, and you could do nothing about it.”
    “Then ... weren’t we married before?”
    “Of course we were. Wouldn’t the Bishop be shocked if he heard you say that! It isn’t every girl who has a bishop to marry her, you know. Quite a lot have to be content with a curate.”
    “Oh,” she said again. In an agony of uncertainty, she felt for the edge of the seat and clutched it, for courage. “If we wanted to, it would be quite easy to ... annul the marriage now, wouldn’t it?”
    “I suppose so. I haven’t thought about it.” His head turned, his eyes quizzed her. “Why should we annul it? We’re progressing nicely. Quite soon I intend to call you ‘honey’ and hold your hand in the show.”
    She had to laugh with him, albeit shakily. “I understood that came before ... kisses.”
    He flicked a fly from the windshield. “I haven’t kissed you yet,” he said carelessly. “Not kissed .” Somewhere inside Lindsey a bird fluttered wildly. “We shan’t get away to Port Acland till Saturday,” he was saying in the same normal tones. “It’s a seven-hundred-mile run along the coast, so I propose splitting it up over two or three days. No sense in tiring you out and we don’t really need to get there before Monday.” Lindsey didn’t ask why. She was beginning to recognize his inflections and moods. He assumed nonchalance to ward off awkwardness and to prepare the way for a change of topic.
    The civil ceremony was brief and not nearly so nerve-rending as the one aboard ship. They lunched in town and spent the afternoon searching for and selecting a gift for Mrs. Conlowe. Stuart decided on sapphire earrings and French perfume. Intrigued by his choice, Lindsey fingered the earrings questioningly.
    “She’s fond of jewellery,” he explained. “My father always bought her a piece whenever he came back from a long business trip, and I like to keep it up. She relies on me for those sort of attentions.”
    A wide-viewed Colonial who fretted over her health and loved jewellery and perfume. Mentally, Lindsey shook an apprehensive head.
    He had booked the call to Port Acland for seven o’clock. When it came through they were in the hotel lounge, and an efficient young man led them into a private sitting room, where they could speak undisturbed.
    “You come, too, Lindsey,” Stuart had said.
    So she sat on the arm of a chair close to where he stood, and smiled up at him while the final connection was made.
    “Is that you, darling? How are you? Yes ... yes, of course. I’ll explain all that when I see you ... I’m glad you’re thrilled ... thought you might be. Yes, she’s here with me. Just a minute, though, I’ve something to tell you first. I’ve taken