Now he was alone he could admit that he was troubled by what he’d learned that night. How painful Harriet’s secrets must be for her to conceal them so determinedly. How sad must be her inner life. And he’d imagined that he knew her.
She had come into his arms, physically and, he’d hoped, emotionally, only for that hope to be dashed when she’d hastily retreated. The message was clear. Briefly she’d weakened, but then her husband’s ghost had waked and that was the end. As, perhaps, it would always be.
He opened his window and stood listening to faint noises from next door. Her movements sounded restless, but what was she thinking? And would she ever tell him?
After a while he heard her window close, and then there was nothing to do but go to bed.
Harriet arose next morning with her mind made up. Cool, calm and collected, that was it. But also with a touch of their usual humour, to emphasise that nothing had changed.
In contrast to her glamour of last night, she donned a pair of functional jeans and a plain blouse. Her reflection stared back at her, asking if she really wanted this no-nonsense look when she could have something more enjoyable?
Not any longer. Never mind, it would have to do.
A waiter served breakfast in her room, and as he retreated Darius appeared at the door with a bread roll in one hand and a coffee in the other.
‘Glad to see you up,’ he said cheerfully. ‘I was afraid the evening might have tired you too much.’
‘I’m always up with the lark,’ she assured him. ‘Sit down. I’ll be ready in a moment. I’ve packed up the jewellery ready to go back,’ she said, indicating the box. ‘Perhaps you’d better check it.’
Looking intent, Darius fingered the contents of the box until he came to the diamond pendant, which he lifted out.
‘Not this,’ he said. ‘It’s yours.’
‘But it can’t be. You hired this stuff.’
‘Everything else, yes, but-oh, dear, did I forget to mention that I bought this one?’
‘You certainly did.’
‘Well, it’s done now. Put it away safely.’
His expression was too innocent to be convincing, and she stared at him, open-mouthed with disbelief.
‘Who do you think you’re kidding?’ she demanded.
His face was full of wicked delight. ‘Not you, obviously.’
‘You deceived me.’
‘Yes, and I made a pretty good job of it too,’ he said, defiantly unrepentant.
‘You know I wouldn’t have let you buy me anything as expensive as this.’
‘Ah, well, I’m not used to people telling me what they’ll let me do. It doesn’t suit my autocratic, overbearing nature. I just do what I want and they have to put up with it. So there you are.’ He assumed a grim expression. ‘Put up with it.’
‘You…you…’
He sighed. ‘I know it’s a great burden, but you’ll learn to endure it.’
‘It’s…it’s so beautiful,’ she sighed. ‘But you shouldn’t have done it.’
‘Don’t tell me what I should and shouldn’t do.’
‘Yes, but-’
‘Stop arguing. That’s an order.’
It might be an order but it was delivered with a grin that made her heart turn over.
‘Stop bullying me,’ she demanded.
His grin broadened. ‘I shall bully you if I want to. Now, put it away safely and don’t lose it, otherwise I shall have to bully you even more by buying another.’
She ducked her head quickly so that he shouldn’t see she was on the verge of tears.
Darius drank his coffee and went downstairs to pay the bill, congratulating himself on having tricked her into accepting his gift without risking the emotion that would have made her reject it.
When he returned she was on the phone to Phantom.
‘I’m coming home, darling-see you later today-’
But by now Darius had himself in hand and could cope.
A car took them to the airport, where they boarded the helicopter and were soon soaring to the south and over the ocean, where the brilliant sun made the little waves sparkle.
‘I love this time of year,’ Harriet said, looking down to where Herringdean was just coming into view. ‘The island is at its best.’
‘I don’t suppose you get called out on the lifeboat so often,’ Darius observed.
‘It depends. There aren’t so many storms, but the fine weather tempts more people out in boats, so things still happen.’
Now they were crossing the coastline, covering the island until they reached the far side, and there below was the beach where they had first met.
‘Look who I can see,’ Darius said.
‘Phantom!’ she cried joyfully.
They could just make out the dog racing madly along the beach in pursuit of a ball thrown by a middle-aged woman, bringing it back to her, begging for it to be thrown again, which it always was.
‘That’s my neighbour, Jenny Bates,’ Harriet said. ‘She’s wonderful with him. Hey, what’s he doing now?’
Suddenly Phantom had changed course and raced into the sea. Mrs Bates ran to the water’s edge and called him but he took no notice.
‘Oh, no!’ Harriet wailed.
‘He’ll be all right,’ Darius said. ‘He’s swum often enough.’
‘Yes, when I was with him. But without me he’ll do something idiotic like going too far. Oh, look how far out he is!
‘Land as close to the beach as you can,’ Darius told the pilot quickly.
Down they went, finishing in almost the same place as on that first day, a lifetime ago, leaping out and running down onto the beach where Mrs Bates was wailing, ‘I can’t swim, I’m sorry-he’s never done that before-’
‘No problem,’ Darius said. ‘I’ll go and-’
He’d been about to say that he would go after Phantom, but Harriet was way ahead of him, powering her way through the waves, calling Phantom urgently. He heard her and looked around, woofed in delight and began to paddle back to her. They met in deep water, greeting each other ecstatically with much crying and barking.
Darius remained where he was, knowing he wasn’t needed.
As they emerged from the water Phantom recognised him, yelped joyfully and began to charge up the beach, spraying water everywhere. Quick as a flash, Harriet hurled herself onto the hound, taking him down to the sand.
‘Oh, no, you don’t,’ she said breathlessly. ‘Let the poor man have at least one suit that you don’t ruin.’ She looked up at Darius. ‘You’d better run for it. I can’t hold him much longer. Hurry up! Go quickly. Thank you for a lovely time, but go before he gets away from me.
There was nothing for it but to do as she said, so he returned to the helicopter. As it took off he looked down and discovered that history was repeating itself in that she was totally absorbed in Phantom, without even a glance to spare for himself.
It was only when he reached home he discovered that he still had her luggage. Briefly, he considered returning it in person, but settled for sending it in a taxi. He knew if he took it himself she would greet him politely while longing for him to be gone so that she could be alone with the one she really cared about.
And he couldn’t face that. He could have dealt with her hostility, but her cool politeness would flatten him.
Coward, he thought wryly.
Amos would be ashamed of him.
But Amos could go and jump in the lake.
For a while things seemed peaceful. Harriet slipped back into her old routine, bathing in the mornings,
