The Master of Barracuda Isle Read online

  "Does he want to inherit the firm?" she asked, unable to keep silent. Ludovic's mouth twisted bitterly. "I have no idea. I didn't want to join the firm, but when Jarvis's father made such a mess of it, my father was sick and he sent for me. I'm a grazier, I loathe office life and the rat race, but it was my duty. When Jan-vis is twenty-five he can sell it if he wishes to do so, but there's his mother to consider. Most of her income derives from the firm. She is Jarvis's responsibility mine at the moment, of course. But Jarvis must grow Tip, cease to be a playboy, expecting everything to come to him without any effort on his part." "And you think marriageor an engagement would stop Jarvis from working?" Jan was amused. "Aren't you being rather Victorian? Lots of men marry young and become famous and successful." Ludovic did not smile. "Maybe, but they're not Jarvis. He is obviously very infatuated with you, and unless you're out of the way, Jarvis will fail his exams." "Out of the way?" Jan repeated the words. Ludovic was smiling. "Don't look so terrified. I'm not using the expression in the way Westerns do. Honestly, you amaze me. I'm not going to murder you, merely keep you here, out of Jarvis's way. But you're free to go, any time." She tried to smile, but there was an emptiness inside her as she stared at him. "I thought you were going to keep me here as a prisoner?" Ludovic laughed. He poured her a fresh cold drink.. "You love being dramatic, don't you? A willing prisoner, shall we say. If you love Jarvis, you'll want to help him and not destroy him. If you stay here and Jarvis is free to work, content because he knows you're here, that he need not be jealous, wonder with whom you are, you'll be proving your love for him, and this 38 S?j.gjmight considerably affect my opinion of youand that |gof his mother." p He paused, staring at the pale face of the girl, who J'was looking at him as if she was stunned. ? "Well?" he asked. "Do you love Jarvis enough to stay here and give him a chance?" She shook her head; her mind seemed muddled. "Look, first let's get something straight. I've never kept Jarvis from studying. We didn't go out all that much together." Ludovic was smiling, but without amusement this time. "Jarvis told his mother a very different tale. He said he was worried about his work because he couldn't concentrate. That he had to see you, because he was jealous. That he knew he was too possessive, but...." "Jarvis said that?" Jan was startled. She could not believe it. It wasn't like Jarvis. Why, even when Felicity had been around Jarvis had never been possessive or jealous, nor had he haunted Felicity all the time. Felicity had even once complained because he didn't see her enough! "Yes. He also said that he was eager to pass his exams well but that when you were so wholeheartedly in love, it was difficult to concentrate," Ludovic went on. Jan drew a long deep breath. Either Ludovic was inventing all thisand if he was, why? Or Jarvis.... Suddenly she understood. Jarvis was scared lest he fail his exams and was preparing his mother in advance, blaming it on to a love affair that was, in fact, non-existent. "I have proof also that you and Jarvis spend a lot of time together," Ludovic went on slowly.^ "You mean...." Jan's temper rose swiftly. "You mean you actually spied on us?" Ludovic was smiling. "How dramatic! I didn't 'spy', I merely had you followed." 39

  "Why split hairs?" She jumped up, so angry she couldn't speak for a moment. "You had no right!" He stood up, his hands tight and hard on her arms. "I have every right. I'm Jarvis's guardian. I want to help him. My sister-in-law and I have discussed the matter carefully and we both came to the conclusion that you're the only person who can help Jarvisby being kept out of his way." She moved swiftly, dislodging his hands. "By being kept out of his way?" she echoed angrily. "In other words, I am a, prisoner. You kidnapped me. You never told me this. If I'd known...." "You wouldn't have come?" He seemed so huge as he looked down at her, but her anger gave her courage."If you'd made me understand, I might have come of my own free will, but...." "You're here of your own free will," he told her, and sat down. "Do stop being melodramatic. Sit down and pour me another drink. If you want to, you can go home tomorrow." There was what seemed to Jan an endless silence. She stood still, just staring at him. And he stared back, a little smile playing round his mouth. "You mean that?" Her voice was squeaky, she noticed with dismay, but the anger was seeping out of her. "Of course I mean it. You can go home tomorrow. I hope you won't, though. If you do, I shall have to take more drastic measures." Jan sank into the chair, her hands clutching the wicker arms. "So you're still threatening me?" He smiled. "Not you, merely the man you're supposed to love." "What could you do to Jarvis?" She leaned forward, hating him, hating his smug face, his amused voice, his eyes that could be so cold and the next moment surprisingly warm.

  "Lots of things. I could halve his allowance. That he'd hate. His car is actually mine. I might need it." "This is moral blackmail. Jarvis is a man, not a child. You've no right...." "As I said before, I have every right. I'm his guardian." Jan took a deep breath."Jarvis could get a joba job he likes, work he enjoys." She was startled by Ludovic's roar of laughter. She sat still, just staring at him as he laughed and laughed. When he stopped, she waited until he spoke. "Jan, how old are you? Or are you wilfully deceiving yourself? Can you see Jarvis in a job? Can you imagine him clocking in each morning? You know what a clock-watcher he'd be. He's weak as jelly." Ludovic's voice was scornful. "Somehow we've got to teach him not to be. No sane man would employ a long-haired irresponsible kid like Jarvis. We've got to teach him what work is. His mother needs a man to look after her, and Jarvis is a long way from being a man." Jan looked down at her hands. Actually she agreed with every word Ludovic had said. Jarvis was not a man. Jarvis would never be able to accept the discipline of a job. All the same...."Couldn't you have done it a different way?" she asked. Ludovic finished his drink. "How?" "Well, by telling me all this in Sydney? Discussing it with Jarvis. You did see him." Ludovic smiled. "Yes. I took him out to dinner as I guessed youd phone him." He looked amused. "Be your^age, Jan. Can you imagine Jarvis agreeing docilely to losing his darling little Jan? Can you see yourself agreeing to tear yourself away from such a prize?" "Prize?" Ludovic chuckled. 41

  "Oh, please, Jan, you can't be as naive as all that. You must know that Jarvis is one of the most eligible bachelors in Sydney." Her cheeks burning, Jan was on her feet again. "Are you suggesting...." And he was on his feet, his hands on her arms again, as he shook her. "Do stop being dramatic. All I'm asking you to do is to stay here for a few months and give my nephew a chance to study for his exams. Is that so much? A free holiday in this beauty spot... Is that hard to accept? If you really love Jarvis." Jan's hands went up to her head, for her hair was toppling down. It was difficult to be dignified when she knew she must look so funny. "All right," she said suddenly. "I'll stay, but if Jarvis fails his exams, don't blame me. It's because he hates the work. It has nothing to do with me." Ludovic stood back, letting his hands fall to his sides. "I think you're being a little too modest, Jan. Jarvis is an impressionable young man. You're a very attractive girl. I'm not surprised that he fell in love with you." Jan caught her breath. Staring up at Ludovic, she could hardly believe her ears. A compliment like that! she thought. But then Ludovic turned away, adding: "Of course you're not every man's type." At that moment Lucy appeared. She spoke to Ludovic in a language that could have been anything. "Dinner, Jan. Hungry?" Ludovic's voice was impersonal, polite as to a visitor, disinterested but formal. "Yes ... a little." Jan felt embarrassed and confused. For a moment she had thought Ludovic found her attractive. The knowledge that she wasn't his type had hurt rather than surprised her. But then Ludovic wasn't her type, 42 either, she thought as she followed him to the diningroom, so that made them equal. He talked, through an exquisite dinner which both obviously enjoyed, of the island. "I'll show you around tomorrow. I don't want you to get bored here, Jan, and there's so much to see." It was after they had coffee in the drawing-room that Ludovic excused himself. "I have to bring a certain amount of work with me, otherwise I couldn't get my weekends off. I find I get through a great deal more here than in Sydney. By the way...." He paused at the doorway and looked at her. She saw the amusement in his eyes and she tensed, prepa
ring herself for whatever he had to say. "By the way, Jan, don't be concerned for your reputation. You're not alone in the house with me. Barry and his wife have a flat here." "I know. Barry told me." "Indeed? You haven't met his wife?" "No. I ... well, I rather wondered' why." "They like to keep to themselves, and I agree. It's the most harmonious way of living. She runs the house very well indeed and Barry is my right hand." "But doesn't she get lonely here?" Ludovic looked surprised. "Lonely? I've never thought of it." He opened the door and looked at her. "I've never been lonely in my life," he said as he closed the door. 43

  CHAPTER TWO

  THE island was a new, strange and very lovely world, Jan found, as Ludovic, in one of his good moods, friendly, approachable, and not inclined to laugh at her, showed her round. He told her to wear shorts and a shirt, and sneakers. "The coral can damage your feet badly," he explained. When she joined him in the lofty cool hall, he gave her a pointed yellow straw hat. "Better keep that on. Sunshine is deceptive, especially to a Pommie," he said with a grin, but it was a friendly smile, not a mocking one. First they wandered round the beautiful garden and Ludovic showed her the poinsettia, hibiscus, and all the lovely tropical flowers. There was a heady perfume in the^ air and everything was so colourful that Jan laughed. You must be tired of hearing me say 'How absolutely gorgeous'!" The tall man strolling by her side glanced down at her. "Not at all. After all, it is my garden." He smiled as he spoke but, for a moment, she remembered that it was all his and that he was 'the master'. Why did she resent the thought? she wondered. After all, it wasn't his fault he was so rich, so why should she mind? ^ It was only another example of the conflicting emotions he aroused in her. At one moment sne liked him very much, at another she found herself almost hating him. He could be so friendly and pleasant, and then suddenly arrogant and sarcastic. It was rather like walking a tightrope and she found herself tense as she waited for his change of moods. 44

  But on that perfect day with the graceful palm trees leaning away from the wind, their fronds moving gently, the blue cloudless sky and the incredibly beautiful sea, she found Ludovic at his best. He showed her the way through the woods, a mass of trees with narrow flat paths between them and cream, fragrant flowers climbing over the branches. The birds fluttered softly, all making different sounds, for some cooing, some trilling. She even heard a strange harsh note and glanced up through the green leaves to the distant sky. But what colours! The birds were like small parakeets, emerald green, blue -with. streams oi gold, "This is a short cut through to the lagoon," Ludovic explained. "You won't want to send for the carriage every time you go fossicking." "Fossicking?" she echoed. She had been looking at two lovely large red and yellow butterflies lying flatly on white flowers that looked like magnolias. He grinned, his hand under her elbow for a moment as he helped her step over a fallen trunk of a tree. "That's what we call searching the reef. I'm going to introduce you to Rab Mortimer. He's a naturalist and comes over here every day. I've given permission." The words riled Jan for a moment. 'I've given permission' sounded so arrogant and pompous, and then she scolded herself silently. After all, the island was Ludovic's and he had every right to refuse to let every Tom, Dick and Harry come here whenever they liked. If he didn't, the island would be overrun by unwanted tourists, for surely it must be the most beautiful island of them all. "Yes, he collects specimens for his lab. I think you'll like him and find it interesting. Fascinating, in fact. You'll need gloves, though, for you meet some horrible creatures that can sting severely. Ever done any underwater swimming?" They were walking through the trees slowly, the sweet scent with them, the birds chattering all round. Jan looked up eagerly. 45

  "No, but I've always longed to." "Good. On my next visit, I'll bring up the gear and teach you. You'll find it fun." "I'd love that . . . ." Jan began eagerly, and then paused. 'On my next visit', he'd said. Somehow it had a strangely ominous sound, for how long would he be away? How long was she expected to stay there? she wondered, and then scolded herself again for worrying. Until Jarvis had taken his exams, of course. After all, she could go when she liked, for she was not a prisoner, so why should she mind staying here in this lovely spot? Wasn't it a million times nicer than that little Kings Gross flat in Sydney where she had sat, lonely, weeping for her lost love? George! She caught her breath. It was nearly twenty-four hours since she had thought of him, she realised, so did that mean she was forgetting him? She hoped soand surely this was the best place to do it? She stopped abruptly, seeing some strange objects dangling from the branches of the trees. "What are they?" "Flying foxes.... or fruit bats as some call them. Never seen one before?" "Never." Jan went to stand below them, looking up at the bodies hanging, head down and very motionless. "What weird-looking creatures. Do they sleep all day like bats?" She peered up at them. She could not see much but that their faces looked just like those of small foxes. She turned to Ludovic impulsively. "This is the most exciting place I've ever been to!" He laughed. "You haven't seen anything yet!" Later, as they sat on the warm sand under the palm trees, watching the water as it broke over the reef in huge white waves, they talkedof Sydney, of Lewes where she lived. Jan found herself telling him about her mother, who was a widow. "She's absolutely wonderful. Dad died when we were quite young, but Mum brought us up. Now she has this boutique and is doing very well." ll "She must miss you." ||| "She never says so," Jan gave a little shrug. "We to boarding school and she got used to being ||lone. She's always been very keen on us being indeyendent."H "You have a brother?" f "No, a sister." II Even as she said the word, Jan regretted it. So long gas Ludovic knew nothing about Felicity, he would not pworry about Jarvis, believing him safe with Jan out of E"'ae way! But it was too late, for he was looking at ... er. g' "A sister?" I "Yes," Jan kept her voice casual. "Felicity. She's up Jnorth at the moment." fc "I see." | "Oh, look!" Jan said quickly, scrambling to her feet, fepointing. She had been looking for some way to change |the conversation and, miraculously, these had appeared. | Several long'sleek black dolphins were leaping out of | the water, twisting their bodies, looking as if they were thaving a wonderful time. I "Aren't they graceful?" Jan exclaimed as she hurried Idown towards the water's edge. I Together they walked along the sand towards the |coral reef. She had heard so much about the coral that ^protected lagoons and was supposed to be so lovely that (for a moment she was disappointed as the reef looked a ' drab waste-land, but then, as they came closer, she [caught her breath with delight as she saw the fairyland t,of colour. There were patches of vividly purple coral, (also grey pointed fingers, topped with palest pink which | were side by side with pale pink fingers, and again I there were green fingers so that it was a varied splash of ! beauty. ' "It looks so different when you're not near it," Jan I said. ;. Ludovic glanced down at her with a smile. ; "Doesn't that apply to most things? It doesn't do to ^ 47

  judge anything or anyone until you get a close look at them?" His voice was friendly, but there was a significant note in it that made her turn to stare at him. He was smiling at her. "Take you, for example," he went on. "You're totally different from what I imagined you would be. I needed this close view to see the real you." "I am?" She was startled. "Just what did you expect?" "Well, in the first place, I thought of Jarvis's other girl-friendsall glamour girls but painfully dumb. You're quite different." "Painfully unglamorous and talkative?" she said with an impish smile. "Certainly not. You're both glamorous and intelligent. I just can't understand what you see in Jarvis." Jan turned round abruptly. "Why do you always knock poor Jarvis?" she asked, her temper rising. "He's young and immature, but so were youonce." "I sincerely hope not!" Ludovic said firmly, his eyes amused. "Do you really think I was ever like Jarvis?" Jan looked at him thoughtfully, at his crisply-white shorts, the immaculate shirt, the short bleached hair, the face with his squarish chin, shrewd eyes, firm mouth. She had to be honest as the warm sun caressed her back and the soft call of the birds made a pleasantly relaxing melody which mingled with the roar of the waves."No, I don't," she admitted. "But you mu
st have gone through that difficult age." "Yes, I was difficult," he agreed, to her surprise. "But in a different way. I wanted to farm. Father was against it, so I "rebelled. I only came back, as I told you, because my elder .brother let my father down and I was needed. Jarvis, now...." "Yes, Jarvis." Jan faced him, her legs slightly apart, her hands on her hips. "Just exactly wh&t have you against jarvis?" "Well, in ithe first place, he expects life to be easy. He 4? j resents discipline, self-administered or otherwise. He wants a good time but isn't prepared to work for it." . "But that's no different from the average boy of his l^g6?" Jan said earnestly. "Can't you see that? I know 'Jarvis is weak, but he's at a difficult age and he lacks .self-confidence. Perhaps he's scared of you and afraid 'he'll let you down." . Ludovic laughed. "Scared of me? Who'd be scared of me?" ; Jan didn't smile. "I could be." Ludovic's laughter vanished. "What do you mean? You could be?" She clasped her hands together and looked down at them. Should she be frank or would he be angry. Then she looked up and saw he was not angry, nor sarcastic, just waiting for her reply. "Because I never know where I am with you. One moment you're friendly and in a good mood, the next you're being sarcastic and... and domineering." Ludovic looked so surprised that Jan wanted to laugh, but didn't. "Is that how I appear to you? Moody?" "No, not moody," she corrected him carefully, "but a man of many moods. That's quite different." "Well...." For a moment he sounded disgruntled and then he smiled. "Maybe that's my charm. If I've got any, that is." "Oh, you have," Jan said earnestly. She spoke with the naive honesty of youth and did not notice Ludovic's quick suspicious glance that changed to a rather amused look, for he saw she meant it. "You've plenty of charmwhen you want to use it. I should think you've masses of girl-friends." He laughed at that. "Not masses, but enough. Sometimes too many. Being wealthy has its drawbacks, you know, Jan." "I can't imagine any. Just think how wonderful it would be to be rich...." she said, her eyes dreamy. "Think of all the things you could do with it. Helping 49