'At once, sir,' the manager said.
It's wonderful what money can do, Jamie thought.
The bath in the Royal Suite was heaven. Jamie lay back in the hot water, soaking the tiredness out of his body, thinking back over the past incredible weeks. Had it been only weeks since he and Banda had built that raft? It seemed like years. Jamie thought about the raft sailing them to the Sperrgebiet, and the sharks, and the demon waves and the reefs tearing the raft to pieces. The sea mis and the crawling over the land mines, and the huge dog on top of him ... The eerie, muffled cries that would ring in his ears forever Kruger ... Brent... Kruger ... Brent...
But most of all, he thought of Banda. His friend.
When they had reached Cape Town, Jamie had urged, 'Stay with me.'
Banda smiled, showing his beautiful white teeth. 'Life's too dull with you, Jamie. I have to go somewhere and find a little excitement.'
'What will you do now?'
'Well, thanks to you and your wonderful plan about how easy it is to float a raft over the reef, I'm going to buy a farm, find a wife and have a lot of children.'
'All right. Let's go to the diamant kooper so I can give you your share of the diamonds.'
'No,' Banda said. 'I don't want it.'
Jamie frowned. 'What are you talking about? Half the diamonds are yours. You're a millionaire.'
'No. Look at my skin, Jamie. If I became a millionaire, my life would not be worth a tickey.'
'You can hide some of the diamonds away. You can—'
'All I need is enough to buy a morgen of farmland and two oxen to trade for a wife. Two or three little diamonds will get me everything I'll ever want. The rest are yours.'
'That's impossible. You can't give me your share.'
'Yes, I can, Jamie. Because you're going to give me Salomon van der Merwe.'
Jamie looked at Banda for a long moment. 'I promise.'
'Then I'll say good-bye, my friend.'
The two men clasped hands.
'We'll meet again,' Banda said. 'Next time think of something really exciting for us to do.'
Banda walked away with three small diamonds carefully tucked in his pocket.
Jamie sent off a bank draft amounting to twenty thousand pounds to his parents, bought the finest carriage and team he could find and headed back to Klipdrift.
The time had come for revenge.
That evening when Jamie McGregor entered Van der Merwe's store, he was gripped by a sensation so unpleasant and so violent that he had to pause to regain control of himself.
Van der Merwe hurried out of the back of the shop, and when he saw who it was, his face lighted up in a big smile. 'Mr. Travis!' he said. 'Welcome.'
'Thank you, mister—er—sorry, I don't remember your name...'
'Van der Merwe. Salomon van der Merwe. Don't apologize. Dutch names are difficult to remember. Dinner is ready. Margaret!' he called as he led Jamie into the back room. Nothing had changed. Margaret was standing at the stove over a frying pan, her back to them.
'Margaret, this is our guest I spoke of—Mr. Travis.'
Margaret turned. 'How do you do?'
There was not a flicker of recognition.
'I'm pleased to meet you.' Jamie nodded.
The customer bell rang and Van der Merwe said, 'Excuse me, I'll be right back. Please make yourself at home, Mr. Travis.' He hurried out.
Margaret carried a steaming bowl of vegetables and meat over to the table, and as she hurried to take the bread from the oven Jamie stood there, silently looking at her. She had blossomed in the year since he had seen her. She had become a woman, with a smoldering sexuality that had been lacking before.
'Your father tells me you're an excellent cook.'
Margaret blushed. 'I—I hope so, sir.'
'It's been a long time since I've tasted home cooking. I'm looking forward to this.' Jamie took a large butter dish from Margaret and placed it on the table for her. Margaret was so surprised she almost dropped the plate in her hands. She had never heard of a man who helped in woman's work. She lifted her startled eyes to his face. A broken nose and a scar spoiled what would otherwise have been a too-handsome face. His eyes were light gray and shone with intelligence and a burning intensity. His white hair told her that he was not a young man, and yet there was something very youthful about him. He was tall and strong and—Margaret turned away, embarrassed by his gaze.
Van der Merwe hurried back into the room, rubbing his hands. 'I've closed the shop,' he said. 'Let's sit down and have a fine dinner.'
Jamie was given the place of honor at the table. 'We'll say grace,' Van der Merwe said.
They closed their eyes. Margaret slyly opened hers again, so that she could continue her scrutiny of the elegant stranger while her father's voice droned on. 'We are all sinners in your eyes, O Lord, and must be punished. Give us the strength to bear our hardships on this earth, so that we may enjoy the fruits of heaven when we are called. Thank you, Lord, for helping those of us who deserve to prosper. Amen.'
Salomon van der Merwe began serving. This time the portions he served Jamie were more than generous. They talked as they ate. 'Is this your first time out this way, Mr. Travis?'
'Yes,' Jamie said. 'First time.'
'You didn't bring Mrs. Travis along, I understand.'
'There is no Mrs. Travis. I haven't found anyone who'd have me.' Jamie smiled.
What fool of a woman would refuse him? Margaret wondered. She lowered her eyes, afraid the stranger might read her wicked thoughts.
'Klipdrift is a town of great opportunity, Mr. Travis. Great opportunity.'
'I'm willing to be shown.' He looked at Margaret, and she blushed.
'If it isn't too personal, Mr. Travis, may I ask how you acquired your fortune?'
Margaret was embarrassed by her father's blunt questions, but the stranger did not seem to mind.
'I inherited it from my father,' Jamie said easily.
'Ah, but I'm sure you've had a lot of business experience.'
'Very little, I'm afraid. I need a lot of guidance.'
Van der Merwe brightened. 'It's fate that we met, Mr. Travis.
I have some very profitable connections. Very profitable, indeed. I can almost guarantee that I can double your money for you in just a few months.' He leaned over and patted Jamie's arm. 'I have a feeling this is a big day for both of us.'
Jamie just smiled.
'I suppose you're staying at the Grand Hotel?'
'That's right.'
'It's criminally expensive. But I suppose to a man of your means ...' He beamed at Jamie.
Jamie said, 'I'm told the countryside around here is interesting. Would it be an imposition to ask you to let your daughter show me around a bit tomorrow?'
Margaret felt her heart stop for a second.
Van der Merwe frowned. 'I don't know. She—'
It was an iron-clad rule of Salomon van der Merwe's never to permit any man to be alone with his daughter. In the case of Mr. Travis, however, he decided there would be no harm in making an exception. With so much at stake, he did not want to appear inhospitable. 'I can spare Margaret from the store for a short time. You will show our guest around, Margaret?'
'If you wish, Father,' she said quietly.
'That's settled then.' Jamie smiled. 'Shall we say ten o'clock in the morning?'
After the tall, elegantly dressed guest left, Margaret cleared away the table and washed the dishes, in a complete daze. He must think I'm an idiot. She went over and over in her mind everything she had contributed to the conversation. Nothing. She had been completely tongue-tied. Why was that? Hadn't she waited on hundreds of
