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.' while Joseph lolled indolently behind the wheel, his clay pipe drooping from his mouth.He insisted on escorting her up from the harbour, ostensibly to carry her bags, but Ruth guessed he wanted an excuse to see Celeste.Despite his comments, he was obviously very fond of her.and Ruth wondered how he resolved his conscience when he went to Confession with Father Andreas.His wife had borne him an armful of children, after all.and therefore must deserve better treatment.But his infatuation for his mistress apparently outweighed his loyalty to his spouse, and Ruth had to acknowledge that she was not experienced enough to make judgement in such matters.It seemed simple enough to her.but apparently it wasn't, and she concluded that sex outside the bonds of matrimony must be different from that inside.Celeste was watching for them on the verandah, her face for once without its humorous cast.'Where you been all this time?' she exclaimed, her reproving glance encompassing both of them before coming to rest on the girl.'Your daddy been asking for you for more'n an hour.Go to him now.He's in his room.''Is he ill?' exclaimed Ruth, leaping up the verandah steps, but Celeste waved a reassuring hand.'He just tired, that's all.' she declared, her attention all on Joseph now.'You run along, you hear.Joe and me'll unpack these bags.'Ruth had no alternative but to obey.Besides, she was eager to see her father and tell him what she had learned.Leaving them on the verandah, she walked quickly along the hall and opened the door of her father's bedroom.Professor Jason's eyes were closed, but they opened at the sound of someone entering, and he smiled weakly when he saw who it was.'Ruth, my dear.' he said, with evident relief.'I was getting so worried about you.''There was no need.Daddy.' Ruth came round the bed and bent to kiss his dry cheek.'Here I am, safeand sound.Mission accomplished, as they say.'Professor Jason sighed.'You saw Templar?'Ruth nodded.'Yes.I saw him.I had coffee with him.actually.' She moved her shoulders offhandedly.putting off the inevitable explanations.'He asked how you were, and I told him about the storm.Apparently the roof was blown off the golf clubhouse—you know, along the highway north of Kingstown.But no one was hurt, thank goodness, although he did say some boats were damaged in the harbour.'Professor Jason listened to her in silence, then he said: 'You did get Mr Howard's money.I hope?''Oh.yes.' Ruth moved restlessly about the room.'I got it.''Good.' Her father was relieved.'The sooner that young man has funds, the sooner he'll get off the island.' He closed his eyes again.'And now if you don't mind.I'll rest.You'll excuse me from joining you for supper this evening, won't you.my dear? I really am extremely weary.'Ruth turned, her lips parting in dismay.She had still to tell him about Mr Templar, and the mix-up over the names, but with Professor Jason's eyes closed she felt reluctant to disrupt his peace.Nevertheless.he had to be told, she fretted, trying to frame the words in her head in a way that would neither annoy nor alarm him.and then started when her father spoke again.'Do leave the room.Ruth.' he exclaimed, waving a weary hand.'I assure you.it's nothing to worry about, just a little tiredness.I'll be perfectly all right in the morning.''But Daddy-'Ruth took an involuntary step forward, and her father gave a resigned lift of his fingers.'Tomorrow.Ruth." he said, with finality, and she left the room feeling as if she had deliberately deceived him.CHAPTER SIXRuth slept fitfully, plagued by the knowledge of Dominic's identity.She had nightmares of him lying in a pool of his own blood, and herself and her father watching him die, powerless to do anything to save him.She saw jagged wounds, limbs hanging by a shred of skin, putrefying flesh—and awakened, bathed in her own perspiration, to find that the sky beyond the living room windows was gradually turning pink.It was morning, and with a sigh of relief she got up off the couch [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]