CHAPTER IX

SHE had no need to concern herself over "next time", however, Robyn told herself as the days passed and David did not return to the Islander. On three occasions she had overheard Maria ordering a taxi to take her to Suva and Robyn couldn't help the tide of jealousy that flooded her. For why would an efficient manageress leave the motel except for something, or rather someone, very important to her? More important even than her work here. But of course you would rather die than enquire as to what business drew the other girl on the long drive to Suva and back. Anyway, it was plain enough for anyone to see!

On the Saturday morning Robyn awoke with a niggling sense that the date was somehow meaningful. Then it came back to her. This was the night on which Noeline's parents were giving a party for their daughter at their hotel in Suva. "Don't be late," Johnny had said, and she had promised to be there without fail, and ask David to accompany her. Well, she had done what Johnny had asked her and David had accepted the invitation. That was almost two weeks ago and no doubt the matter had long since faded from his mind. An unimportant "forgettable" date with a girl in whom he wasn't particularly interested . . . now.

A dark cloud of misery engulfed her spirit so that even the golden sunshine outside meant nothing. She would be thankful when it came time for her to relieve Selani at the gift shop this afternoon. The crowd of customers might prevent her from eternally thinking of David. Seeing she had promised Johnny she would attend the function tonight she would go to Suva, although she failed to understand why her attendance

at the party should be of the slightest importance to either her brother or Noeline, unless — why not face it — tonight's function was planned for the purpose of announcing an approaching marriage? If that were so then Johnny would have no further need to concern himself with making a living from his island property. Married to a wealthy girl he would no doubt spend his time cruising the south seas in a luxury yacht. Why did she feel this cold touch of apprehension? Was it because she had a suspicion that there was no depth of feeling between the other two? How different had it been Pam and Johnny who were joining their lives. There would be something real there, something worthwhile, but Noeline ... The other girl's secretive smile returned to mind. Johnny would be making the mistake of his life. A high price to pay for the salving of hurt pride and a chance to even a score against David Kinnear.

Robyn sighed. One thing was certain. She would have to take herself to the function, for she hadn't seen David since the night of the ceremony of the firewalkers. The hours dragged slowly by until at last it was necessary for her to relieve Selani in the gift shop.

When she arrived there, however, she was surprised to find that guests were clustered around the closed door. Evidently Selani had left the store earlier than usual. With a quick glance around Robyn went inside. At the same moment Maria came hurrying towards her, an unaccustomed flush staining her cheekbones. "Oh, Robyn, I was just coming to get you. Selani's gone."

Robyn stared at her in bewilderment. "Gone where?" Maria shrugged. "Why ask me? Home, I suppose." "But didn't she leave any message?"

"No." Customers were lining the counter and Robyn said no more, but something evasive in the other girl's glance pricked at her mind. Maria knew more of Selani's strange conduct than she had let on, Robyn was sure of it. At last when guests had made their purchases and drifted away, some to the units, others to stroll along the beach, Robyn approached Maria.

The manageress was seated at a desk in the reception room. "Maria, are you quite sure Selani didn't leave a note for me?"

The other girl's gaze was hostile. "Don't you believe me?"

"Oh yes, of course I do. I just thought you mightn't have seen it." As always, Robyn felt herself flurried under the battery of that cool compelling stare. "It's not like her to run off like that. Anything could have happened. Could be she's been taken ill —"

"You can save your sympathy. She's not ill."

A thought flashed into Robyn's mind. She stared down at Maria accusingly. "You didn't tell her to go?"

Black linen-clad shoulders lifted in a disdainful shrug. "It was entirely her own fault. She was insolent. I told her that maybe she could come back here when she's learned how to behave. Maybe."

"Selani insolent? She couldn't be ! You must have misunderstood her. Her English isn't the best and sometimes she doesn't understand what you're saying, she makes mistakes —"

"She understood all right. It's time she got it into her head that if she works for me she'll do as she's told and be quick about it! All that 'tomorrow will do' stuff of the islands is all very well, but when it comes to the staff, I 'won't have it, not for a minute !"

Something that had lain dormant in Robyn suddenly crystallised into firm resolve. She disliked the other girl and sometimes she was horribly jealous of her, but this was too much.

"I won't have it !"

Maria's mouth falling open in astonishment would have been amusing if Robyn had been in the mood to be amused. "I'm going to see her and bring her back right now," Robyn announced firmly. "There's a special way of treating staff in hotels in the islands and it isn't your way. Why don't you ask Mrs. Daley to show you how it's done? She never had any trouble with the native girls."

Before Maria could come back with a sarcastic rejoiner she turned away.

"But the craft shop, there'll be no one at the counter if you go !"

"That's your problem, you're in charge !" Robyn said, and marched through the open porch and out into the sunshine outside.

As she hurried along the path she thought hotly of the injustice of Maria's treatment of Selani. Funny how she had endured so much in silence — Maria's maddening efficiency, the manner in which she contrived to make Robyn feel young and stupid and incompetent, especially when David were around; her habit of directing David's attention firmly in her own direction. Look at that night of the fire in the bures and the fainting attack by the pit of hot stones. On all of that Robyn had kept silent, but when it came to the Fijian girl, so pathetically anxious to please, so ill-matched for Maria's sophisticated dominance, Robyn had found herself hitting back without a second thought.

What matter that she had set herself a two-mile walk to the village during the hottest part of the day? Most of the route lay in the cool shade of thickly growing palm trees and clusters of tall bamboo and forest trees. Anyway, she thought angrily, she would gladly walk a distance twice as far to bring Selani back.

When she emerged from the shelter of the jungle growth, the sun beat down in a brilliant blue sky, striking her with fierce heat, but a short distance ahead of her were spreading trees and the scattered thatched huts of the native village.

She threaded her way between the lines of women, their beautiful tapa-cloth wares they had made from the crushed bark of the mulberry trees laid out on the grass. Soon she was standing at the entrance to one of the thatched bures and dazzled by the glare; it was a moment before she could focus her gaze on the Fijian girl who was bending over a stove at the end, of the hut. The two small boys turned a shy gaze in her direction.

"Miss Carlisle!" A wide friendly grin lightened the island girl's face. "I thought I never see you no more." Salani rose from kneeling on the clean swept earth floor. "You like something to drink? A pineapple?"

"No, no, thank you, Selani. I just came to bring you back."

 

Tears welled up in the great dark eyes. "Can't come back, Miss Carlisle. That other one, she tell me —"

"It doesn't matter what Maria says. You're coming right back to the house with me ! How can I manage without you to help me in the shop? You wouldn't want me to have to work there all day long and never have a single moment for my painting, would you?"

"But she say I can't come back. What if Miss Maria says `No'?"

"Then I'll tell her that she's the one who will have to leave the Islander!" Could this be herself, so definite and determined, careless of consequences? I expect it's because I've finished with David and Maria. At last I'm myself. I don't have to worry about either of them ever again.

The wistful expression of the big-framed Fijian girl changed to a happy smile. "That all right then, if you say so, Miss Carlisle. But I have to wait until my sister comes back to tell her where I'm going."

"Of course." I can wait forever. David won't be coming to the Islander now to take me to Suva. Probably he never really meant it when he said he would.

The younger child was whimpering softly, clinging to Selani's lonk skirts as she turned back to the stove. Afraid the child might venture too near the flames, Robyn picked him up in her arms. Tears still sparkled on the child's smooth brown cheeks and tenderly she wiped them away. "How about a smile? No? A kiss, then?" She pressed her cheek close to the child's face, conscious of a sense of comfort in the touch of the small soft body.

"May I come in?" David stood framed in the opening of the hut. It must be the shadows of the thatch that lent his face that odd expression as his eyes rested on her ... almost ... tenderness.

"It's Mr. Kinnear!" Selani, smiling broadly, was running eagerly forward.

"Hello, Selani. I heard you were over here, and Robyn too." In the dim interior he glanced from one to the other. "It's far too hot for walking, so I brought the car to take you both back. But I can see," he added pleasantly as the older boy set up a soft crying, "that you're a bit tied up at the moment."

Selani was glancing past him towards the opening and a moment later they were joined by a plump smiling Fijian woman. Smiling broadly, she said something in her own language.

"She tell you she pleased to see you," Selani translated. "She says you must have something to eat, drink —"

"Tell her thanks very much," David said smilingly, "but I've got to get these two back to the house. It's bad for business. Someone's got to be on duty at the craft shop, so shall we —"

The mother extended wide arms and Robyn transferred the small boy to the welcoming grasp. Then the three, waving farewells, moved out into the still tropical heat. David saw Robyn and the native girl seated in the car, then he thumbed the starter and soon they were turning into the rough road shaded by tall trees and thickly-growing bamboo.

Robyn swallowed. "Did you see Maria?"

He nodded, swerving to avoid an Indian youth riding a bicycle over the rough metal. "She told me there'd been a spot of bother and you'd taken off to fetch Selani back."

Maria would of course put it like that, giving him the impression of Robyn, foolish and unthinking as ever, rushing wildly away in the heat of midday instead of waiting to get someone to drive her to the village.

"She has no idea of how to treat the native girls, especially Selani," Robyn said hotly.

"Don't be too hard on her, Rob. She's new to the game here and she'll learn

Without warning the bitter anguish swept over her once again. Oh, she might have known he would take Maria's part! She steadied her trembling lips. "She hurt Selani's feelings terribly ! "

"It won't happen again." He flung a glance towards the island girl in the back seat. "You don't mind giving it another go, do you, Selani? You see Maria, she doesn't understand, but she's promised me that things will be different from now on. There won't be any more trouble of this sort."

Oh, she would promise anything for you! For one horrifying moment Robyn imagined she had spoken the words aloud.

When they reached the motel Maria smiled towards Robyn and spoke quietly and matter-of-factly to Selani, but Robyn had caught the secret glance that passed between Maria and David. It had all been arranged between them, just as they worked in together with everything. Apparently the island girl with her childlike capacity for happiness was prepared to forget the unpleasantness of the morning. It was only with Robyn that the incident still rankled. "I'd better get back to the shop," she said abruptly.

She had reached the door of the craft shop when David caught up with her. "On your way, Robyn ! Selani's taking over this afternoon. I've just had a word with her and she's quite agreeable. Later on," he was regarding her with the smile that did things to her, made her immediately forget all her resolutions to put him out of her life, "we're taking off for Suva, remember?"

Her heart began its crazy thud-thud. So he had remembered ! She turned a radiant face towards him. "You mean that party for Noeline and Johnny?"

"I mean," his tone was enigmatic, "the party for Noeline. You still want to go, do you?"

"Oh yes, yes, I do! It was just that I thought you had forgotten —" There, she had done it again, said the stupid words that were such a complete give-away as to her feelings. What was the use of ever trying to be offhand and careless? When she was with him things just didn't work out that way.

"I don't forget things like that, Rob." His tone lightened as he sent her his familiar bantering grin. "So why don't we take off right after dinner?"

"That would be nice." Nice! It would be heaven!

"It's a date, then."

Robyn still couldn't believe what was happening. David escorting her to a function, an invitation that had come from Noeline and Johnny. She couldn't fathom his object in going to this party and, Robyn-like, the words came thoughtlessly to her lips. "You know something, David?" She raised clear enquiring eyes. "I would have thought that this outing would have been just about the last place in the world you would want to take me to, or even to go yourself. I mean," suddenly she was confused, fumbling for words, "with Johnny there —"

For a moment he was silent, the dark eyes regarding her with a cryptic expression. "That's just why I'm taking you."

"But I don't get it —"

"You don't need to. Just come along with me, Rob, and we'll work it all out later."

She decided to take his advice. She was going with him to Suva. Just the two of them — no Maria. Tonight she would put everything from her mind except the joy of the moment. To him the ensuing evening would be merely an outing, but to her ... A chance flung by fate to snatch a fleeting happiness, something to remember later when he had gone out of her life forever.

Today her art work would be put aside in favour of more important matters. She washed her hair, thankful that the warm air would dry the long strands long before it was time for her to leave the motel. Later, meeting her reflection in the mirror, she was aware of a thrill of pleasure. Her hair, clean and shining with a patina of gold where the sun had touched it, fell around her shoulders. The cool white peasant blouse contrasted with the translucent tan of throat and arms. On an impulse she looped around her neck the long necklace of tiny shells that David had given her on their first visit to the native village. How long ago it all seemed now.

A knock and she opened the door to him. A dark man in a white turtleneck sweater, dark reefer jacket, grey slacks — and a look in his eyes that left no doubt whatever as to his approval of her appearance.

"Ready, Rob ?"

"Ready and waiting !" Funny how the moment she caught sight of him nothing registered but the subtle sense of excitement, the brittle transitory happiness. Together they moved along the passage and out into the warm star-pricked darkness of a Pacific night.

In the car a cool breeze from the ocean tossed Robyn's hair across her face. She pushed back the long strands and stole a glance towards David, his profile outlined in the dim glow of the dashboard. He intercepted her look.

"Happy?"

Happy! I'm always happy when I'm with you. "A bit." As always when she was with him, excitement stirred in her. They swept around the wide drive and turned into Queens Road, the main highway that followed the Coral Coast to Suva. Robyn put a hand to a switch, then immediately regretted the action as around them fell the haunting strains of "Isa Lei", the traditional Fijian song of farewell.

"Isa Lei, the purple shadows fall

Sad tomorrow will dawn upon my sorrow, Don't forget me

When you are far away,

Precious moments beside dear Suva Bay."

The refrain pierced her with a poignancy that brought a mist to her eyes.

As the native guitars faded into silence David flung her a teasing grin. "You like that song, don't you?"

"I guess," she said over the pain in her heart, "it's because it's more than just a song." The haunting melody threaded its way through the warm air, drifted on the breeze from ships and outriggers, echoed along the coast. "To me it's the essence of Fiji. It always will be."

"I know what you mean." He guided the vehicle around a sharp bend. "That song weaves its way through everything here, it's part of a way of life. Is it like you expected it to be, living out here in the islands, Rob?"

"Far more beautiful than I ever dreamed ... so colourful and unspoiled, only . . ." She broke off.

"Only?"

She found herself regretting having qualified the statement. For how could she admit to him her disillusionment? All those bright hopes of herself and Johnny working together, making a success of their venture, where were they now? But she mustn't mention Johnny, not if she wanted to keep the thoughtful soft note in his tones. "It's just —"

"Things haven't worked out quite as you thought?" "Not really."

"But you're still pinning your hopes on Brother John?" There, he had brought the subject up himself! "Don't call him that ! " she cried sharply.

"Okay, okay."

"I don't want to talk about him." Immediately she was conscious of sounding childish and pettish and belying her own statement said, "If Johnny and Noeline get engaged tonight, and I've got an awful suspicion that's the reason they want us to be there —"

"Let's worry over that when it happens, shall we?"

Pop music flooded around them as they left the coast and entered the wild darkness of the rain forests. Then they were descending a steep slope and soon Robyn caught the dull boom of breakers out at the reef. But the moment of intimacy had fled and she knew that once again mention of Johnny's name had spoiled everything.

Nervously, quickly, she began to talk of trivialities — the earnings of the gift shop during the period it had been in operation, the influx of guests at the Islander from all parts of the world.

When they came in sight of Suva, lights pricked the jagged hills and coloured steamers snaked their way down in the water and twinkled from the rigging of yachts and catamarans. The hotel was only a short distance along the main street and David found a parking spot amidst a cluster of cars outside the entrance of the high building that was ablaze with lights.

Music poured out into the night as he took her arm and they joined in with the groups moving into the foyer. Inside Noeline was standing at the entrance to a reception room, beside her an alert-looking older man and a short plump woman with elaborately arranged silver hair. Linda ran forward to meet them, calling over her shoulder, "Johnny! It's Robyn and David!" Robyn wondered at the gleam of excitement that flickered in the pebbly-green eyes, then she was acknowledging introductions, moving with David into a crowded area where couples were dancing to the strains of a group of Fijian musicians.

Almost at once she found Johnny at her side. He whirled her amongst the dancers as they moved to the insistent beat. She had to shout to make herself heard over the music. "You're looking very pleased with yourself tonight."

"With reason! It's a special night for me, Rob: That's why I wanted to make sure you'd be here, to hear the big news !"

"What big news? Don't tell me you're —" But a laughing couple whirling between them separated her from Johnny and it was a few moments before he rejoined her. Now she had an opportunity to look squarely into his face she sensed about him an air of suppressed excitement. He was wildly elated. There was no doubt this was his night. "You might give me a hint," she complained.

"And spoil the fun of it all? Nothing doing, Sis ! You can wait patiently for a while like everyone else. It won't be for long."

Still following the foot-tapping rhythm, she looked up at him laughingly. "Can't I even guess?"

"You can, but it won't do you any good. I'm not telling !" "David seems to think —"

Johnny raised a tanned hand in protest. "Don't think. Wait and see." And with that she had to be content.

She forgot Johnny almost at once, for how could she dwell on anyone else, even her brother and his mysterious announcement, when David seemed content to partner her through every dance? She was only half aware of the crowded floor, the strange faces moving around her. Nothing else mattered but David and the soft intimacy of his gaze. Let Johnny keep his secret, whatever it might be. This was her night with the man she loved, a few precious hours filched from fate.

On only one occasion did David dance with anyone else, and that was when he partnered Noeline. As the other two moved towards the dance floor Robyn caught the other girl's excited tones. "I knew you'd come, that you wouldn't let me down!" The music of the Fijian group drowned out their voices as the other two moved away.

If only time didn't go by so swiftly. It seemed incredible that two hours had flown past already. All at once there was a roll of drums from the stage and the crowd gathered at the bar glanced around expectantly. In the sudden hush the dancers paused, looking towards the small family party grouped at the end of the big room. Of course, the special announcement Johnny had hinted at. How could she have forgotten? No wonder Noeline appeared so strung-up, two spots of vivid colour burning on the high cheekbones, her pale eyes alight with excitement. Robyn's glance slid towards Johnny. Even from a distance there was no mistaking his tense air of expectancy.

The older man had risen to his feet. "Folks, I've got a surprise for you, one of the reasons we invited you here tonight! It makes my wife and me very happy to welcome into our family a new son-in-law — Champagne, please —" he gestured to a waiter and corks popped. "I give you Mark Sutherland, who I hope will make as good a husband as he does a business partner ! " The dark thick-set young man standing a short distance away stepped forward and smilingly acknowledged the thunder of congratulations.

Robyn saw Johnny's face crumple as the varying emotions followed one another across his features — disbelief, shock, bewilderment. Her glance slid to Noeline and across the length of the big room the other girl sustained her gaze, a malicious smile of triumph curving the thin lips. So Noeline had won after all!

Robyn was only vaguely aware of the confusion of sounds around her, of David's hand, strong and comforting, on her arm. All her thoughts were for Johnny. His face deathly pale, he had flung around and was blindly pushing his way through the milling throng. "Johnny! Wait !" She tried to follow, but Fijian waiters carrying trays of drinks blocked her way and the surging crowd pushing forward to offer their congratulations to the newly-engaged couple hemmed her in. When at last she reached the door he had left the building. He couldn't have gone far. She glanced wildly around her, then became aware of David at her side.

"Let him go, Rob." His voice was very gentle. "He's got to work this out for himself."

She turned, towards him grey eyes wide with fear. "But did you see how he looked? Like someone in a state of shock! He looked — desperate. In that mood he could do anything!" She scarcely knew what she was saying as the words tumbled wildly from her lips. "He's been counting on this for weeks. Don't you see, that's why he wanted us to come? Noeline must have led him along to believe all the time that the engagement announcement would be for her and him, and then he just couldn't believe it. Oh, David, did you see his face at that moment when he heard the announcement? I don't think he knows what he's doing just now, and if he's taken off in the car —" She stopped short as a vehicle screamed away from the line of cars and shot past them. For a second in the gleam of an overhead light, she caught a glimpse of Johnny's tense white face. Scarcely knowing what she did, Robyn tugged at David's arm. "Follow him, David ! You've got to ! In that mood he could do anything!"

With a swift glance at her distraught face, he turned. "Come on, then, Rob, let's go ! "

Quickly they moved to the red car. Robyn threw herself inside and David slammed the doors, then they were taking off at speed up the main street. There was little traffic on the highway, but on the dark hill ahead a red light was fast disappearing into the distance.

David put his foot down on the accelerator and they flew up the hill.

"Do you think we can catch him?" Robyn's distraught gaze was fixed on the wavering needle of the speedometer. The other car was out of sight now around a bend on the winding road.

His eyes were on the highway. "I doubt it. With the hairpin bends at the top of the hill he's on a collision course. With luck we'll get there in time to pick up the pieces !"

He had put into words her own terrifying conclusions and as they sped up the bush-lined slope her anguished gaze was on the fragment of road illuminated in the twin arcs of the headlamps.

They were almost past the .wreck when they glimpsed the shattered vehicle lying at the side of the road. Obviously travelling at speed, it had failed to negotiate the sharp bend. With a squeal of brakes David pulled up alongside and in a moment he was running towards the car lying on its side amongst the crushed palm trees. Robyn hurried after him. Just at first she didn't see the crumpled figure lying amongst the twisted trunks of coconut palms. Then David, kneeling beside the inert form, switched on his flashlight and she peered down over his shoulder. Johnny's eyes were closed, he lay so peacefully, almost as though he were asleep. Asleep! She caught her breath at the terrible fear that filled her.

"He's breathing all right." David's quiet tones were infinitely reassuring. "As far as I can see, there are no 'broken bones. Just concussion. Stay here with him, will you, Rob, while I go and call an ambulance."

It seemed an age, kneeling beside the still figure On the grass. There were times when she wondered if he were breathing, if David had merely been trying to allay her fears when he had spoken so reassuringly. At last car lights swept the ground as an ambulance braked to a stop nearby. Soon expert hands were lifting the unconscious man into the vehicle. David and Robyn followed in the car as the ambulance turned and sped back in the direction of the city.

Later, from the casualty ward of the hospital, a young doctor confirmed David's opinion as to Johnny's injuries. "He'll be fine in a day or two. Concussion, that's all, he was lucky! Just to be on the safe side, though, we'll keep him for a day or two to make certain there's no delayed concussion. After that you can come and collect him and take him home. Keep him quiet for a few days, that's all. He should come back to consciousness before long. Would you care to wait until then?"

"Oh, please!" Robyn raised a colourless face to David. "But there's no need for you to stay."

"Nevertheless, I'm staying." She thought, it's only because he's sorry for me. He's like that. But she couldn't help the warmth stealing around her heart.

It was only an hour later when Johnny's eyelids fluttered open. He tried to struggle up, then lay back on the pillows. Eyes wide with surprise, he stared at Robyn, seated by the bed. "Where ... how ...?"

What a pity he has to know, she thought, but already she could see that remembrance was flooding back. "Last night I made a fool of myself."

"No, no, you didn't ! It was Noeline who tried to do that."

"It's all coming back now." Dazedly he put a hand to his head. "I rushed outside and burned off in the car and then . .." a look of bewilderment crossed the pale face. "The bend. I crashed, didn't I?"

"That's what happened," Robyn said gently. "The car looks as though it's a write-off, but as long as you're all right, that's all that matters."

"Who . . . found me, picked me up?"

"David and I. We followed you."

"I see. David. Why did it have to be —"

"You weren't capable of having much say in it, mate," David had come to stand by the bed. "Don't think of anything except getting on your feet again. The doctor says you'll be out of here in a day or so. Leave all the thinking until then, hmm? Meanwhile I'm taking Robyn home. She's been worrying herself sick about you and now that you're clear-of the danger zone she can relax and catch up with some sleep."

"Good idea." But she could see that Johnny's thoughts were elsewhere. "David, there's something . . ." She was aware of the struggle going on in his mind. Johnny always hated to admit defeat, to apologise. "I guess," he said gruffly, "things'll be a bit different from now on. At the Islander, I mean."

David shrugged broad shoulders. "It's up to you, mate. If you feel like taking over the running of the place, it's all yours. Go right ahead. Maria only came along to get the project off the ground. She's quite happy to move on somewhere else the moment you decide to take over the reins."

Robyn saw Johnny swallow, clear his throat. Johnny, who was never nervous, or if he were he never allowed it to show. "I wouldn't mind giving it a go." He moistened dry lips. "Last night's little show taught me a lesson, got it into my thick skull that there are some things that are a heck of a lot more important than money, debts, whatever. I mean, a guy can pay too high a price for a way out. Could be," he grinned his rakish, lopsided grin, "that things will work out after all ..." His voice trailed away, his expression lighting up. "Especially," he added slowly, "if a guy had the right girl to help him along !"

As Robyn followed his gaze she saw a slim dark girl standing motionless in the opening, her gaze clinging to Johnny's face.

"If she's still interested," he added meaningfully.

"She is!" Pam, trim and attractive in her air hostess uniform, hurried to the bedside and clasped Johnny's outstretched hand. "I heard about the accident just after I got in on the flight this morning. One of the pilots had passed your car lying on the side of the road on his way to the airport. I came as soon as I could. How are you, Johnny?"

"Fine — now." His tone was threaded with happiness. "More than all right. Want me to prove it to you?"

His ardent glance brought the colour to her cheeks. Laughingly Pam turned away and seemed for the first time to be-come aware of the other two. "David, and Robyn! But of course you were at the party last night too —"

"You know about that?" Johnny's voice held a plea for understanding.

"Couldn't help it. A hostess friend of mine happened to be there too and," Pam's voice softened, "she told me all about it!

"Bet she didn't let you in on the main thing, though." All at once Johnny's voice was strong and decisive. "And that's the part I want you to know, Pam. I could have bought myself a load of trouble if Noeline hadn't had other ideas about the two of us teaming up together. Talk about a narrow escape! It's just coming to me how lucky I've been. A girl who'd do a thing like that to a guy ... but I guess it took something like that to open my eyes! You know something, Pam? With the right girl beside me I can tackle anything !"

To Robyn it appeared as though a terrific pressure had been lifted from his mind. It was wonderful to see the happiness in his face.

"Come along, Rob," David's voice was gentle, "I'll take you home." Swiftly they made their farewells and as they went along the quiet corridor she said ruefully, "I doubt if they even notice we've gone."

He threw her a grin. "That's love."

Love. She turned away, suddenly weary. It was almost over, the little time she'd had with him on the evening that was to be worth remembering, only it hadn't turned out like that. All she could remember now was Noeline's glance of triumph, Johnny's shocked expression. After the events of tonight she couldn't blame David were he to say "I told you so".

"Don't look so sad, Robyn !" He saw her seated in the car and they sped through the dark city with its lighted craft rocking at the harbour's edge. "He'll be as good as new tomorrow."

"Yes."

He threw his arm around her shoulders and she told herself that she was too discouraged to argue over it. But why not admit that in the comfort of his nearness her problems were magicked away and there was only the two of them, and the long drive back to the Coral Coast.

There was silence between them as they took the smooth road out of Suva and turned into the rough metal of the winding coast highway. Then Robyn, speaking her thoughts aloud, whispered, "You were right about Noeline. All the time it was revenge. She never cared a thing about Johnny, not really. She just couldn't forgive him for letting her down. He thought she'd forgotten, but a girl doesn't forget a thing like that, being thrown over just before a wedding. She must have gone to all the trouble of asking us to the party, making sure we'd be there when she made that surprise announcement. The bit about it I can't understand is —" She broke off.

"What can't you make out, Rob?" His voice was very gentle.

"Oh, just," he was in love with Maria so it didn't matter what she asked him, "why you said you'd come with me tonight."

"Can't you guess? I thought something like this might happen. I didn't want you to have to face it on your own."

"Nice of you." Oh, he could be kind, but what was kindness when you craved for love, all his thoughts, now, tomorrow, always. She summoned a wavering smile. "At least you didn't say 'I told you so'."

Lost in her thoughts, she scarcely realised they had left the main coast road and were turning down a rough track leading down to the beach. The sound of the surf was very loud as he ran the car down to the sand, drew to a stop and switched off the headlamps. Now there was only the moon-silvered sea and those incredible stars. Robyn felt her heart begin its heavy throb, throb. It was no use. She loved him so, she always would, even though she meant nothing to him.

Suddenly she was in his arms, very close, very happy.

"I love you, Robyn." He said it very quietly and for a moment she couldn't take it in for the wild sweet excitement that was surging through her. He said, very low, "I can't get you out of my mind. Rob —" She didn't hear any more as his seeking lips found her own and the booming of the surf in her ears was majestic organ music drowning out everything else but ecstasy.

At last he released her gently. He traced the line of the small square jaw with his finger. "You do care?"

Flushed and tremulous, she met his steady gaze. "I always have, right from the beginning. I was so afraid you'd guess." As naturally as breathing, she snuggled into his arms. "You know, David, I always thought that you and Maria —"

"Maria?" There was no doubting the sincerity of his tones. "Believe me, Robyn my sweet, there was never anything like that between us! I was her husband's friend, that's all. She'd be the first to tell you the same."

Robyn was glad his kiss stopped her from having to make an answer. Privately she thought there were things that women knew about each other without having to spell them out. Things like Maria's coolness towards her that had nothing to do with matters at the Islander, the way she looked at David, the warmth in her tones when she spoke to him. Oh no, David my darling, it's not the way you think. With you, maybe, but not with Maria.

"It was just," she murmured against his bronzed cheek, "that you were always with her. That night of the fire in the bures, and when the firewalkers were performing —"

"Oh, now I get you! My darling, it wasn't like you thought. Maria wanted to keep the past out of it and I agreed to play along with that. There was a lot you didn't know about, sweet." His mouth brushed her lips. "You see, Rob, she had this thing about fire. You couldn't blame her when you knew the circumstances. I was there at the time it happened a year ago. Her husband Keith was a hotelier and he was killed by falling timbers when he was trying to rescue her from a blazing building. Ever wonder why Maria always wears long sleeves in her frocks, even in the heat of Fiji?"

"I have, sometimes."

"That's because she collected some shocking burns in the tragedy. The scars are still there, though they'll fade away in time. She spent months in hospital afterwards. The shock of Keith's death, her own narrow escape, it all did something to her. Oh, I know on the surface she was cool and calm and frighteningly efficient, but underneath it all ... friends wrote me from Europe telling me that Maria was heading straight for a breakdown, her nerves were in a bad state still, and could I do something about it? That's when I arranged for her to come out here. I thought a new venture might take her mind off what had happened. The Islander, I figured, was just what she needed, a challenge, and a complete change of climate, surroundings, everything, might get the whole thing out of her system. Then what happens? The bures go up in flames the first night she arrives. I was afraid it would put her right back where she was six months earlier."

"So that was why you didn't want her to see the firewalkers that night?"

"That's why."

The thoughts rose to her lips. "And you went off with her —"

"It wasn't that I wanted to Rob. I never wanted to leave you, not for a moment. That's why I'm doing something about it." His usual lazy tones were warm and urgent. "Marry me, Rob, here in Fiji, just as soon as I can arrange it. You will?"

Her response to his caress was answer enough.

He carried her small brown hand to his lips. "You know what you've let yourself in for? Endless shifting around the islands —"

"I don't care ! "

"No settled home —"

"I only want you."

"My darling ..."

Conscious of the strong pulse of life beating through her, Robyn knew that home to her would always be wherever they were together.