CHAPTER VII

"A TELEPHONE call for you, Robyn, from Suva." Mrs. Daley's grey head was thrust around the door of the unit where Robyn had transferred her few personal possessions left undamaged by the fire. Suva! Perhaps it was David ! She flew to the telephone, then remembered just in time about Maria and schooled the excitement from her tones.

"Robyn !" In spite of everything her heart gave the familiar lurch at the sound of his voice. "How are you feeling now? No after-effects, shock, nothing like that?"

"No, I'm still disgustingly healthy, but it was nice of you to ring." Once again an inborn courtesy prompted her to say, "How's Maria ?"

"Not too bad. Once she's over the shock of it all she'll pick up. You haven't forgotten that date we had to look around for some stock for the new shop, in Suva?"

Forgotten! When she had been looking forward to the outing so eagerly — but of course that was before Maria's arrival. It would have been fun, the wistful thoughts ran through her mind, choosing souvenirs and clothing together. Now she was determined to deal with the buying of the stock herself. If she made a wrong selection at least that would be preferable to being forced to spend the day in the company of David and Maria.

"Call me back," he was saying, "you can get me any time at the Outrigger and I'll come over and pick you up. We'll make it a fairly small order for a start, then see how we make out. Which day —"

"I'll let you know," Robyn said faintly.

"Make it soon ! I'll be down before the end of the month. I'm arranging for a Magiti — know what that is, Rob?"

"Isn't it an island dinner, dancing —"

"You've got it ! Actually it's to mark the official opening

of the Islander. It won't matter if guests have been staying for a week or two before that. I can count on Maria to have everything under control."

No doubt, Robyn agreed waspishly. Apart from her obsession in regard to fire dangers, nothing could ever throw Maria!

"I'm fixing the date as the thirtieth ..." A pause ... there was no alteration in his friendly tones, but then was there ever anything to which she could pin him down? "Any chance, would you say, of getting your brother to come along?"

"I'll try." She endeavoured to infuse some certainty into her tones, but deep down she realised he knew that she had no idea of Johnny's whereabouts. He could have returned from a short cruise around the islands in the Noeline. If only he would let her know. Lamely she heard herself say, "He promised me he'd be back at the Islander as soon as the place got going again."

"Okay, then. I'll leave that part of the proceedings to you —you're sure you're feeling all right, Robyn?" That was the disadvantage of the telephone, it magnified nuances, betrayed feelings you had scarcely acknowledged yourself, like loving him so much .. .

"Yes, yes, of course I am. See you later, then." Having cut the conversation short, she immediately regretted it. Oh, what was the matter with her that she could never hide anything, even being in love with him, in spite of Maria, in spite of everything. Listlessly she turned away, staring unseeingly out at the swishing banana palms that brushed the patio.

A light tap on the door interrupted her musings. "Was that David on the phone?" Mrs. Daley came to stand at her side. She nodded. "He was just asking how everything was around here."

The older woman sent her a shrewd glance. "Well, I don't think you look all that wonderful. Peaky, that's how you look. You've had a shock, Robyn, and it takes some getting over." (More of a shock than you'll ever know, Mrs. Daley). Robyn

wrenched her mind back to the friendly tones. "Why not take a run into Suva? You've still time to catch the bus. You'll need to replace the clothing and stuff you lost last night."

Robyn dragged her heavy thoughts from David — and Maria. "David wants some stock for the craft shop. I'll have to go in one day soon to choose it." No need to explain that she had to force herself to the task for which she had no enthusiasm, not now. "But what about the coral boat if I'm not here?"

"Don't give it a thought! Selani's Lesi will be only too pleased to have the chance to take the tourists out to the reef. He's a reliable type of Fijian, one of the best!"

"Perhaps I will." Listlessly she reflected that the trip to Suva would be something to do, an activity to take her mind from her own dreary thoughts and the mental pictures of Maria and David, happy together as he escorted his "friend" around the tourist attractions of the city. Actually, she had urgent need to make a visit to Suva in order to replace the clothing she had lost in the fire. Then too she must purchase a new supply of painting materials, oils, sketchpads, pencils. She should be making an immediate start on the newly-commissioned mural. She would, she promised herself, once she got the better of this sense of heartache that left her with no interest in anything, not even the art work that was such a wonderful career opportunity. Trouble was, she didn't want a career. She yearned for all the fulfilment of a once-in-a-lifetime love affair, marriage ... she wanted David. Oh, what was the use? She wrenched her thoughts aside and brought her mind back to Mrs. Daley's kindly tones.

"That's more like it. Do you good to have a change. If you have time why don't you go up to the house? It's right in the town, on the hill overlooking the harbour. The boys are always wanting to meet you," the weather-roughened face broke into a teasing smile, "especially Kevin, that younger son of mine. He'll be around the place, I expect. If you see him tell him from me that he's got to get down to his studies. He's simply got to get a couple of units at least this year at university or I'll want to know the reason why."

"I'll tell him, if I see him." Inwardly, however, she had no intention of visiting the house on the hill in Suva. In her present mood of despair she was in no humour to meet strangers, no matter how friendly.

Forcing herself to concentrate on the matters in hand, she enquired of the older woman the names of stores likely to stock the souvenir and local craft articles she needed for the new shop at the Islander.

"You could probably pick up things a lot cheaper at the market."

"No, I don't want to go there !" Today she was in no frame of mind to be reminded of the day she and David had spent there together.

Mrs. Daley misinterpreted her objection. "It is awfully crowded, and smelly too — all that fish — but there are lots of small stores where you'll be able to find what you want. I'll make out a list, then you won't have to waste time looking for things in the heat."

"Thank you."

"And don't forget, if there's no one at the house, just open the door and make yourself at home."

An hour later, wearing the orange-coloured shift that was the single frock remaining from her scanty wardrobe, Robyn stepped on to the bus that lumbered to a halt in the dusty road at the entrance to the motel. The vehicle took the road that coiled along deserted sun-splashed beaches, before it curved inland to plunge through a riot of tropical trees, bamboo groves, ferns and wild hibiscus bushes. Presently they cut between great hills covered in dense jungle growth and at last turned into a smooth highway. Ahead shadowy blue hills rose beyond the harbour. Small bays swept by, clustered with fishing craft and cruisers. Was one of those white-sailed keelers the Noeline? And was Johnny still aboard as one of the passengers on the luxury yacht?

Presently they ran into the busy streets of the city, threading their way between the bluest of seas while cars and taxis and trucks laden with local produce for the nearby open market shot around them. The beauty of it all, the heat-hazy day, the great spreading banyan trees throwing their shade over the colourful street, all underlined Robyn's own heartache. Somehow she must pull herself together, think of the tasks ahead, concentrate on souvenir stores, new clothing for herself.

She strolled along the side street where Fijian women, hibiscus blossoms tucked in thick dark hair, mingled with Indian women in their brilliantly coloured silk saris. There was a sprinkling of tourists who had no doubt recently stepped ashore from the great white cruise ship berthed in the harbour nearby.

Pausing at the plate-glass windows of a modern store, she eyed the wealth of treasures on display. China ornaments from leading manufacturers in England, pearl jewellery from the Orient, jade from the East. Then she moved on, passing small Chinese restaurants and native tailors' shops. When she found the stores on her list they proved to be of quite a different variety, dark bazaar-like places crammed with a medley of souvenirs, native handwork and printed cottons. In one she purchased silk saris and lengths of cotton material printed in primitive designs of lizards and sea shells and tropical flowers. In another, she bought fun-shirts for men and boys. A little further along the street was a tiny store stocked with scuffs and sunhats woven from coconut fibre and decorated with shell ornaments. There were necklaces of shells and seedpods, hula skirts made from dyed fibres — even miniature hula skirts for little girls.

For herself from a European store she selected light woven sandals, gaily-printed T-shirts, cotton shorts, vividly patterned shifts and bikinis, undergarments. To the pile of garments lying on the counter she added a peasant frock with cool white muslin embroidered top and a long dark skirt that would swirl around her ankles. Maybe it would serve to give a lift to her sagging confidence, help her through the evenings that lay ahead.

As she had expected in a city famed as a mecca for artists from all parts of the world, she found no difficulty in replacing her paint losses. The art materials together with her personal purchases she took with her and the grateful storekeepers assured her that the stock for the craft shop would be delivered to the Islander within a few days. That should please David —and Maria — she thought bleakly.

Perhaps this would be a good opportunity to try to get in touch with Johnny. At least she could telephone the home of the girl with whom he now spent so much of his time. Not that she wished to ring Noeline's home, but it was the only way she could think of to contact Johnny, and she did want him to be at the official opening of the motel, if only to prove to David that her faith in her brother was justified after all.

She went into the nearest telephone booth and in some trepidation dialled the house. There was no answer, so she tried the Yacht Club. A polite masculine voice assured her that yes, he knew the girl Robyn was enquiring about. At the moment she was away on the family yacht together with a party of friends and relatives and he wasn't aware of the date they were due back. Was there any message?

"It doesn't matter." With a sinking heart she replaced the receiver in its cradle. At least, she'd tried.

She still had the afternoon to fill in before catching the daily bus back to the Coral Coast. She could of course wander up and down the street, inspect more closely the luxuriously appointed stores to which she had given only a cursory glance, explore the small alleyways and places of local interest. But what if she came face to face with those other two in the street? The thought made her change her mind concerning Mrs. Daley's family home. At least it would be somewhere to go, and maybe if she were lucky enough, there would be no one at the house and she could spend the time there alone.

The heat was increasing and her footsteps slowed as she made her way up the steep slope where houses and tall apartment blocks rose amidst vivid greenery, and the air was pervaded with the perfume of the pink and white frangipani that grew wild on the slopes. Tall orchids raised their velvety lilac heads amongst the grass and hibiscus flowers shone with a translucent brilliance in the hot sunshine.

She found the house without difficulty, a sprawling white bungalow with peeling paintwork and a jumble of rooms obviously added to the original building.

The door bell didn't seem to work. Breathless and hot, she knocked and after a moment felt relieved to hear no sound of footsteps on the other side. At least this would be somewhere where she could get a drink. Even water would be welcome at this moment. She opened the door and went inside, moved down a long hall with doors opening off on either side. At the end she glimpsed painted yellow walls, a sink bench. Robyn went into the room and found herself staring down at a tousle-headed young man who was seated at the worn table, a profusion of textbooks spread out around him.

She couldn't help a smile at sight of his amazed face. The next moment he rose with a grin. A tall thin young man wearing strong glasses and bearing not the slightest resemblance to his mother, if Mrs. Daley was as she supposed his mother.

Robyn was the first to recover. "I'm so sorry, bursting in on you like this —"

He made a movement that sent a towering pile of textbooks spinning to the floor and Robyn bent to help him pick them up. "I did knock, but you couldn't have heard me. I'm Robyn," she stacked a pile of books on the table, "and you must be Kevin."

"Right." He was regarding her with unconcealed delight. "Mum told us that the new owner of the old place had turned up out of the blue. She didn't say the important things, though." His appreciative glance swept over the serious grey eyes, the fall of shining hair. "Or believe me, I'd have been out there ages before this ! Mum said you would drop in at the house to see us some time —"

"Well, I've dropped ! You haven't a drink of water to spare for a thirsty traveller, have you?" They laughed together, then he hurried towards a cocktail cabinet and she heard the clink of ice.

"You can stay to lunch? I was just going to rustle up something."

"Well ... if you let me help you with it." It was amazing how easy she found it to talk with this stranger, yet with David ... was it because she loved him that she always seemed so stilted and stupid? Oh, why think of David anyway? He wouldn't be wasting time thinking of her, that was for sure !

Kevin was sweeping up armfuls of books and papers and throwing them on a shabby armchair. "There's cold chicken in the fridge, pickles —" He seemed pathetically anxious to please her. "I'll put coffee on to perk, it won't take any time !"

Something about the young boyish face reminded her of Johnny. Or was it Johnny as she had imagined him to be? The brother she knew was a stranger, someone she felt she didn't know at all.

"But what about all your studying?"

"Forget it ! I can get back to that any time."

She sent him a teasing glance as she passed him on the way to the fridge. "I've got a message for you from your mother about that —"

"Oh, Mum ! She's always yakking on about me going out too much. I keep telling her that I manage better this way, leaving all the swot until the last couple of weeks, then cramming it in night and day until I've got it. Pickles coming up ! And cole-slaw. You like cole-slaw?"

She set the cold chicken on the table. "You didn't mention interruptions in your programme, you know."

"You think I mind!" He sent her an incredulous, laughing look, as though, Robyn thought, the day was something special to him. David had never treated her like that. Once she had imagined he had felt that way about her, but now she knew it had been just an illusion. He was pleasant and smiling to everyone, it was just his way.

Kevin crossed the room, touched the switch of a record-player and the next moment pop music flooded around them.

"Penny for them?" She jerked herself back to awareness. `Oh, I was just thinking of your mother, and how indispensable she is out at the Islander. All that cooking, and the way she manages the native girls."

"She likes people, that's why, and they like her. She told me on the phone the other day that the old place has had a face-lift and there'll soon be a continental chef in charge of, the cooking arrangements."

"She didn't mind?"

"Not a bit. She's quite happy to look after the staff, see that the place is clean and tidy. Any job at the Islander would do her. It would take a bomb to dislodge her, she's so attached to the old place. I guess she's just about part of the scenery by now." He eyed her over the rim of his beaker of coffee. "Say, that fire must have been a shocker. Lucky the place didn't all go up in flames! "

"It was rather, but it didn't matter so much about the old bures. David said they were due to be demolished anyway."

"David? Oh, you mean the architect guy who got the job of drawing up the plans and renovating the old place?"

"That's right." Robyn sipped her coffee, fearful that she might betray her interest in the "architect guy." "Do you know him?"

"No. Heard about him though, who hasn't? He's got a terrific name around Suva. They tell me he's got an international reputation in acoustic design. Mum says the old Islander is going to be changed into one of the show places along the coast. You and your brother must be proud of it."

Nice Mum, not to have told anyone, even her own family, the real circumstances that had necessitated the change. Perhaps even Mrs. Daley was unaware of the true position. Come to think of it, she had never discussed with the older woman any business matters regarding ownership or the matter of loans.

When the meal was over he lighted her cigarette, explained the particular subjects he was studying, then took her to the window and they stood looking out to the busy harbour below.

"Look," he ran a hand through springy waves of fair hair and turned towards her, an appeal in his eyes, "I just hate having to tear myself away, but I promised the crowd I'd meet them down at the wharf. Seems there's an Australian girl arriving here today, someone's sister — or something — and they want to take her out on one of the harbour cruises. Why don't you make the trip with us? It's just a couple of hours on the water with a stop-off at Mosquito Island for a swim."

"Mosquito?"

"Don't worry, it's just a name," he assured her.

"Why not?" She had her newly-purchased bikini with her. Besides, she liked this friendly young man with tousled fair hair and an engaging expression, and the outing would fill in the empty hours that stretched ahead; help to combat the feeling of restlessness that possessed her.

Presently she was leaving the house with Kevin and they took the steep winding path leading down to the main street. As they crossed the road to reach the wharves she could see a motor boat moored close by, a wide craft with decks sheltered from the sun by blue canvas awnings. Flags fluttered from the rigging. A group of young people lined the lower deck and as they neared the cruiser voices and laughter reached them.

Almost immediately Robyn was drawn into the group of students, all much of her own age group. Light hearted and friendly, they welcomed her, treated her as though they had always known and liked her. So why did she feel apart, have to force herself to counter the banter and teasing remarks that fell around her and the tall young man at her side. Fortunately Kevin proved to be gay and talkative so that no one appeared to notice her lack of response. All you need do, she found, was to keep the silly smile glued to her face and the others would do the rest.

The cruiser cast off the ropes and glided over green depths as she nosed her way amongst the varied craft anchored around them. In the babble of voices, the endless talk of 'varsity affairs, no one troubled to enquire who Robyn was or where she came from. Presently the singing crew took up gui-

tars and handsome island boys provided service with a smile as they carried around trays of cool iced drinks and wedges of sweet cake.

Out on the shimmering waters of the harbour, Robyn was aware of a hypnotic feeling that eased for a time the terrible heartache that descended on her without warning. She supposed she answered rationally, laughed and talked with the others as the boat moved on, for somehow the hour went by, then they were turning course and heading towards a tiny, palm-fringed island. A few minutes later the engines cut and the cruiser glided in to the calm waters of a white sandy beach. Passengers with swimsuits and bikinis swinging from their hands began moving down the gangplank.

Robyn went with the others and soon they were taking a sandy path winding amongst the clusters of coconut palms that led towards the changing huts.

The swim in the water so warm it was unbelievable was refreshing and when she returned with the laughing group she felt a slight easing of the tense misery of the endless day.

The cruiser turned and moved in the direction of the wharves and the crew took up guitars. Soon passengers were dancing on the wide decks and Robyn too got to her feet, performing the familiar movements mechanically.

As they neared the clustered craft in the harbour, voices were raised in a chorus of the latest pop song, and passengers moving in time with the lilting guitars formed a long line. Soon others were joining the moving chain that circled the deck and was winding its way up the stairway. Robyn, her hands resting on the waist of a man ahead, went with the others. Singing with the rest, as the stamping line reached the bows of the upper deck, she felt rather than saw that she was being observed, and raised her heavy gaze to David's glance. He was smiling at her, the warm smile that pierced her with a poignancy she could scarcely bear. The next moment a trill of laughter broke the spell and she met Maria's look of amused recognition. Robyn could imagine exactly what she would be saying to David. "Silly kids ! "

Then she was out of sight of the two standing by the rail, moving with the others as the chain wound its way around the deck and down the stairway.

As the cruiser moved in at the wharf the laughing group broke up but continued to sing in chorus as they moved up the gangplank. Feverishly Robyn tugged at Kevin's arm. "Let's go, shall we?"

"Good idea, get out before the mob. You're coming back to the house, aren't you?"

"Yes, yes !" All she wanted was to get away quickly, before David and Maria could catch up with her. Not that they might have any such intention, but she would take no risks. She couldn't bear to be with them, not today when she was sick with misery and humiliation. She would be certain to make a fool of herself one way or another. And what if he guessed how she felt about him? Or if Maria did? That cool glance missed little. No, she must escape quickly before they could find her in the crowd.

"What's the rush?" Kevin hurried along at her side as she threaded her way through the groups gathered at the water's edge.

"Nothing. Just a habit I haven't got rid of yet !" She flung a backward glance over her shoulder and found to her relief that the other two were amongst the crowd still milling around the deck.

"Hi, Kevin! Robyn! Wait for us !" They found themselves surrounded by a group of students as they crossed the road and made their way up the steep tree-lined slope leading to the white house above.

Afterwards Robyn could never recall with any clarity the details of the remainder of the afternoon. She retained a confused impression of a big room filled with students, of voices raised above the continuous blaring of the record-player and of Kevin always close at hand. Miraculously he appeared to find her company pleasant enough, so she supposed that the answers she gave to his light banter must have made sense.

She gathered that there was to be a party at someone's fiat this evening, but feeling in no mood for festivities, she made an excuse of having to catch the bus back to the Coral Coast. As everyone was aware that to miss the vehicle meant having to stay until the following evening, she managed to get her point across without difficulty.

When the time came to leave the house, a crowd of students insisted on accompanying her to the main street. Before the arrival of the bus, however, someone remembered other friends who must be invited to the evening's entertainment and the group moved away, calling farewells and leaving only Kevin.

As the others moved up the darkening street, he turned to her. "Don't think you're getting away this easily ! I'm coming down to the Islander. Can't think why I didn't zip down there before ... if only I'd known. Will you be around at the weekend?"

"Yes — no — I'm not sure." Robyn was scarcely aware of her reply, her attention caught by a red car bearing down in their direction. Of course Suva would have countless cars of a similar make, but if it were David and Maria What if David, guessing she would be at the bus stop, had come to take her back with them to the Coral Coast? At that moment the car, halted at an intersection by a red traffic light, drew to a stop. In a panic she snatched up her bulging zip bags and moved to the edge of the pavement. The bus was lumbering towards her from another direction. If only it arrived first !

The vehicle had barely paused at the passenger stop before she was leaping aboard. Luckily she was the only person waiting there and the next moment they were moving away. On the pavement Kevin still waited, but she wasn't aware of his hand lifted in a gesture of farewell. She was eyeing the car now speeding down the traffic-lined street. If it was David he was too late to catch her, luckily ! The car swung into a side street, but not before she had caught a glimpse of David and Maria. She had escaped a meeting with them tonight, but

there would be no avoiding them both at the official opening night at the Islander. One more ordeal she must force herself to endure.

The vehicle turned from the smooth bitumen of the main Suva road and took the rough metal surface of the highway winding around the coast. Ahead lush rain forests were a black mass against the night sky and in her ears was the ceaseless booming of breakers pounding on the coral reef. She leaned back against the seat, tears pricking her eyelids.

She loved him, loved him. No use denying it even to herself. From the first she had been attracted to him, more than attracted, and in some sneaky way her feelings had grown and grown until now he filled her world, her thoughts whether waking or sleeping. And each turn of the wheels was bringing her back to the Islander where before long she would have to meet him, talk and laugh and smile and somehow make him think she didn't care!