Paradise Island Read online

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  DEBORAH was still missing five hours later. It hadbeen a long, anxious time, and wearily Lauren changed out of the cream satin gown she had worn for the third dance, and pulled on a pink cotton frock. She washed her hair quickly, rubbing it with a towel, twisting the wet strands into a knot on her head, jabbing in a few hairpins. She did not stop to make up her face, but thrust her feet into sandals and'hurried down to the hall. Life in the hotel had continued as if nothing had happened, but of course everyone knew that the child was missing, and it affected everyone in some way. Lauren knew that Roland Harvey was out in the dark night, leading one of the searchparties that were scouring the island. Every now and then the moon came out from behind the bank of thick clouds that had formed and then the whole scene became one of silvery magic. Mrs. Lindstrom was reputed to be in bed, having been given a sedative by the doctor. Lauren also heard that boats with lights were exploring every lagoon and tiny creek on the island in case the child had slipped into the water by accident. Even the atmosphere in the ballroom had been affected. Nick and Lauren had danced with little spirit, and had not been surprised at the small applause they got. Both were impatient to be free to join in the search. As Lauren stepped out of the lift in the large, luxurious entrance hall, Roland Harvey walked in. He looked tired and dusty, his white shorts andshirt stained. 179

  "She must be somewhere," he said desperately in answer to the question in her eyes. "I need a drink. Lefs pool our brains and see if we can't think of something." Over a long cool drink, they talked. Lauren thought hard. "I would never expect her to come to me," she said thoughtfully."She did yesterday," he pointed out, slowly lighting a cigarette. "She might. . ." Lauren began, and paused. "I don't think so, this time. You see, she might have thought her mother meant the police would comesoon and take her away. She would know I could only comfort her, that I had no influence with her mother." Lauren's worried face suddenly brightened and her eyes were like stars. "I've got it!Why, if I were a child . . . when I was a child, I always ran to my father when my mother was cross. I knew he'd be on my side and he'd help me. Don't you see," in her eagerness, she caught hold of his arm, "that to Deborah you are her father. She'd turn to you. She didn't mean to steal anything and she knew you'd make her mother understand." He made no answer, so she went on: "Can't you see that to Deborah you are already her father?" '"Already?" he echoed looking down at her eager young face so completely free from make-up, the wet hair, strained back carelessly. Lauren was on her feet. "Why didn't we think before? She wouldn't go to your office in caseMiss Hunter went there." Lauren stood, thinking hard, tapping her fingers against her mouth."Where could she go where only you could fin(3( her? I've got it!" She beamed on the silent man. "Why, your suite, of course." He caught up with her as she reached the lift. Worriedly, he looked at her excited face. 180

  ."Don't count on it. She's never been to my suite. I doubt if she knows where it is." Lauren tossed her head, laughing up at him. All at once she felt very gay. Deborah was all right! "Of course she does. She's a very brightchild and she knows everything about the hotel. After all, she thinks it will be hers one day." "Lauren," he began, but the lift doors slid open and Lauren was off down the passage, like a streak of lightning. She skidded to a halt outsidehis door, turned to look warningly at the tail good-looking man and laid her finger on her mouth. Very, very gently, she turned the handle of the door and opened it. Together they crept inside. The moon was shining through the wide open window, falling in its silvery beauty on the large,chintz-covered couch, and . . . Deborah, fast asleep, hugging a cushion tightly. The tension left Lauren's body and she relaxed, sliding gratefully into a chair while she watched Roland's face as he bent over the sleeping child. She saw the tenderness in his glance, saw the gentle smile on his usually stern mouth. How he loved Deborah! He straightened and" looked at Lauren. "Clever girl," he said softly. "Whatever made you think of this?" "I was wondering what I would do if I was in trouble. I knew I'd run to you," she said softly.Suddenly she realized what she had said, and was confused. "I meanI mean to her, you are her father, and I'dI'd run to my father if I was in trouble." He studied her face gravely and then nodded. I understand," he said, his voice suddenly flat. He turned away and his manner changed. Gone was the warm friendliness, the intimacy they hadshared in the search for Deborah. Once again hebecame the famous explorer, wealthy owner of 181 this luxury hotel, the fabulous Roland Harvey."Thank you," he said stiffly. "I can handle this now." She was dismissed. Somehow she stood up and left the room, hurrying back to her own bedroom, flinging off her clothes in the dark, tumbling intobed, pressing her face against the cool linen of the pillow. She just could not understand him. She closed her eyes, picturing the scene when he carried Deborah back to her motherwhat a beautiful little group they would make. She could not bear to think of it. She must go to sleep. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to imagine a stile with sheep jumping over it ... Only she couldn't see any sheep, only Roland Har-vey's rugged handsome face, his strange bluegrey eyes, his smile.She overslept next morning and dressed hastily. Claudia brought her breakfast and seemed towant to talk, but Lauren was in no mood for gossip so she did not encourage her. Lauren was filled with the most terrible depression. All she longed to do was to pack her cases and go right away,away from the beautiful island where she had known both great happiness and much sorrow. Awayso that she could force herself to forget him, to accept the'fact that he was going to marry Leila Lindstrom. She had flung on the first dress her hands found, a simple white sheath frock, and had brushed her hair back, tying it in a ponytail. She made a face at her reflection in the mirror. How ridiculously young she looked. How shehated that young innocent look. How she hated her youth! Now if only she could be Mrs. Lindstrom's ageelegant, lovely, sophisticated. The type of woman to appeal to Roland Harvey.In the reception hall, she'was caught up in a buzz of excitement. Mr. Cay, behind his desk, came hurrying to meet her."Such goings on, miss!" he said eagerly. He 182

  was a nice-looking, friendly lad, Lauren thought."Miss Hunter has been packed off for some reason or other. No one seems to know. She went on the nine o'clock planeand what do you think, miss,Mr. Harvey is going to turn the hotel into a limited company and we can all get shares in it!" His eyes were bright, his voice excited. "It seems hedidn't know anything about Miss Hunter getting a slice of our wages, and he's mad about it. Sayshe's going to make it up to us by giving us shares in the hotel. Oh, boy, who knows, one day I might be a millionaire!" He saw someone approaching his desk and nipped back to his place very sharply. Lauren stood very still. Roland hadn't lost much time. It was a wonderful idea. How much more interest and pride in the hotel the staffwould take if they felt it belonged to them. Quitesuddenly Lauren knew the answer to her problems.She would go and ask Natalie if she felt strong enough to take over the dancing; she would sayhow much she wanted to leave the island. Miss Hunter had said Natalie was eager to, but then Miss Hunter had told a great many lies. Suddenly happier, for she knew that she could not just wait for Roland Harvey to announce his engagement to Leila Lindstrom, Lauren turnedto the lift again. She would go straight up and see Natalie. "Miss Roubin .,. paging Miss Roubin!" Petrus was calling.Lauren turned and saw the page boy, immaculate in starched white uniform, holding a note on a silver salver. Lauren recognized the handwriting. Slowly she opened it. "Please come to my office immediately " Carefully she folded it up and put it in her pocket. Lately she was always being asked to go to his office. What was it for this time? Relucfc. antly she went. She would tell him that she wanted to return to England, ask him if he would release her if Natalie was well enough to take her place.Roland Harvey looked up from his desk. "Please sit down. I won't be a moment," he said formally. She obeyed, looking round the large, luxuriously-furnished room sadly, with the feeling that this would be the last time she would ever see it. The desk dominated the roomjust as the mandominated every place he went. She looked at his neat dark red hair as he bent his head over the papers he was
signing.How wonderful it would have been had her dream come true. Imagine being that man's wife . . . leaning on him in trouble, comforting him when he was sad; being his partner in that most exciting of all partnerships, marriage. Of courseshe would suffer when he went off on one of his expeditions, but she would learn to hide her unhappiness, just as her mother had done. The happiness she would have had when he was with her would have been reward enough.Roland Harvey suddenly stood up and came to sit on the couch by her side. She was quite unprepared for the remark he shot at her: "Tell me about this man you love." "The man I love?" she echoed. "Yes, yes," he said impatiently. "The man youwere telling me about. This man you think you'rein love with. I thought it was Nick, but you said it wasn't. Your parents said nothing to me about it. Do they know?"She stared at him. "No," she said.He frowned. "Would they approve if they did know?"This, at least, she could answer truthfully. "Oh, yes, they certainly would," she said warmly, her eyes bright. "They couldn't help it. He's . . . he's ..." 184

  "Wonderful?" Roland supplied the word dryly. "Oh. yes, he is," she could still say truthfully. How thrilled her parents would be if Roland Harvey was their son-in-law."I see." His hands were clasped loosely between his knees and he looked" down at them as he went on. "You must miss him. I expect you'll be getting married soon. Long engagements are a mistake . . . Are you certain you love him?" heasked abruptly, turning to face her. Startled, Lauren looked at him. Was he blind? Surely her love for, him showed in her eyes, sounded in her voice? She looked away from him quickly. "Yes, I am certain," she said. He stood up, began to walk about the room. "I think it would be as well for you to return to England at once," he said curtly, almost flinging the words at her. "Natalie and her husband both seem to think she could cope with simple dances now, so that would release you." His voice wasauthoritative, as if everything had been arranged. Lauren shrank back in the corner of the couch. He was sending her away. Somehow it seemed a thousand times worse than when she had planned to leave herself. He wanted to get rid of her. Why? What had she done? He went and stood by the window, talking overhis shouder, not looking at her. "Then that's settled. Discuss it with Nick and let me know when you want to go. I hope you'll be very happy."Every slowly, feeling as if something had diedinside her, Lauren stood up and walked to the door. She stared at the straight implacable back of the tall man. "Thank you, Mr. Harvey," she said quietly. Her throat felt tight. Somehow she found strength enough to say politely: "I hope you will be very happy, Mr. Harveyyou andMrs. Lindstrom." He swung around. "Now what exactly do you mean by that?" he asked, striding across the 185 room. "You're always linking my name with that woman's." Lauren's hand was on the door knob. "Aren't you going to marry her?" she asked.He towered above her. "Who told you that?" Her mouth was'dry. "Deborah said you were going to be her new daddy."He seemed to relax. "Wishful thinking. She needs a father badly. Well, she's getting one, but I'm afraid he dislikes children. Mrs. Lindstrom is going to marry the Brandon's cousin, Felix Nottar." Lauren stared at him. "You're not going to marry her," she said very slowly, feeling the knowledge seep through her veins. "Of course I'm not," he said curtly. "Never any question of it. Felix is extremely handsome and very wealthy."Such a wave of happiness flooded her that she could hardly speak. Then she realized what this must mean to him. He frowned impatiently. "Nothing to be sorry about." Lauren hesitated. "I thought. . . you see, you were always together, and . . ." "Didn't it strike you that I was fond of Deborah and sorry for her? The only way I could help her was by being friendly with her mother." He frowned. "I was never in love with her." Lauren drew a long deep breath. Impulsively, she clasped her hands, staring at him. "Oh, how I wish I'd known," she said softly and from her heart. And then she realized what she had said, and her hand flew to her mouth in dismay.But Roland Harvey had not noticed. He had gone to stand by his desk, spinning a heavy silver ash tray round and round. "We have discovered," he said stiffly, "that itwas your friend Rene who let Deborah out of her bedroom. She heard her crying. She knew 186

  nothing of the child's disappearance, for she was taken ill that afternoon with mild food poisoning and no one thought to tell her. I have suggested to Deborah's mother that the child would be happier at a good boarding school. Her mother is going to China for her honeymoon, and later they plan to cruise throughout the world, and they don't want a child along." He paused, giving the ash tray a final spin before turning to look atLauren. "I hope that perhaps, in the future, Leila might let me adopt Deborah." "That would be wonderful," Lauren said eagerly. "Deborah loves you so, and she badly needs to be loved." "Don't we all?" Roland Harvey said quietly, so quietly that Lauren wondered if she had heard him alright."I beg your pardon. What did you say?" she asked. His face was grave. "I saiddon't we all want to be loved? How fortunate you are, Lauren, to love a man who loves you." She stared at him and misery filled her. "I wish he did ... but he ddoesn't. . ." she whispered. Suddenly Roland was by her side. "How do you know?" he asked her. His hands were on her shoulders as he forced her to look up at him."Lauren," he said gently, "is it possible that it's truewhat Nick told me? Miss Hunter said . . . but I didn't believe her. Lauren," his voice was suddenly stern, "tell me the name of the man you love." -She looked into his fascinatingly strange eyes and saw her face reflected in them. She saw other things, too. She saw wonder, happiness, tenderness, love. "Can't you guess?" she said softly."The name is Roland Harvey." "Darling . . . darling!" he murmured, and his arms closed round her and his mouth came down hard on hers. 187

  She clung to him. She felt she could not hold him close enough. Was this wonderful thing really happening to her? "I can't believe it," she kept saying. He lifted her up in his arms and carried her tothe couch, sitting down, still holding her close in his arms, gazing at her radiant face as if he had never seen her before. , . "I can't believe it either," he said. "This wonderful thing happening to me!"She smiled at him. "That's just how I feel." They stared at one another, each trying to realize that it was true. "But what can you see in me?" he asked. "A bachelor, selfish, set in my ways, fifteen years old-er than you, bad-tempered, while you are a lovely young girl, with the world at your feet."Lauren laughed softly and laid her cheek against his. . , "You're too modest.' I think you're the most wonderful man in the whole world. Are you sure you love me?""Quite sure," he told her. He whispered the most -b.eautiful words in the English languageagainst her soft mouth: "I love you, my darling." Now she had the right to stroke his dark red hair, to trace the line of his jaw, to lay her cheek against his, to kiss his tender mouth shyly. "I can't believe it," she whispered again. He kissed her, gently, then with a deep intensity that made her fling her arms round his neck and give him her ardent young mouth. At last he let her go and they stared at one another, both a little shaken. "It is true," Roland said unsteadily. -"It is true.')' She smiled at him and thenthought of something. "You were going to send me away:"He smiled. "I had to know the truth, Lauren, the truth about the man .you loved. I wanted to 188 believe Nick when he told me that no man in the world existed for you but me." He laughed again. "I had to know. And .. . and I had to know if he was wrong and you loved someone else. I couldn'tbear it any longer. Wasn't I a fool?" he said softly. "I was a fool, too," she confessed. "I was on my way to ask Natalie if she could take over. I was going to ask you to let me go back to England. I felt I couldn't bear it if I had to watch you marrying someone else." She kissed the corner of his mouth very lightly. "I love you so, darling, darling. This is like a dream come true." "Paradise Island is a place where dreams come true," he said. "All my life I've been searching for something, and I didn't know what it was. And then I met youand I knew." "I knew in London, at that lecture, when youfirst walked on to that platform," she told him delightedly.He smiled. "And I was so jealous of this man you said you loved. I knew you belonged to another man, so I had no right..." "When Deborah told me you were going to be her new daddy, I thought my heart would break," Lauren confessed. They smiled at one another. So much to talk about, so much to discover, and all t
he time in the world in which to do it. "What will you do with the hotel?" she asked. He told her. It was just as Mr. Cay had said. It would be a company, giving the employees the chance to buy shares, to be given shares as a bonus. "I don't think I shall want to go roaming any more," Roland told her. "Now I've got someone to make staying at home worthwhile." "We could give special terms to honeymoon couples," Lauren said eagerly after she had thanked him with a kiss. 189