The conversation began, as usual, with discussion of the distant war. Tonight they were talking about the situation in North Africa where the British and Australians were tackling the Italian army and Regia Aeronautica.
Changing the subject, Evie turned her attention to Frank. ‘How are you finding life in Malaya?’ Not so long ago, that question had been frequently asked of her.
‘I feel bad that I’m sitting the war out over here while most of the RAF are giving the Luftwaffe a good thumping. It’s tough finding out how many of the chaps I learned to fly with went for a Burton during the Battle of Britain.’ He glanced at Mary. ‘But there are definite compensations to being here in Malaya.’ It was clear that the young officer was besotted.
‘Well, I can’t imagine why you’d want to be back there.’ Susan Hyde-Underwood shivered visibly. ‘Those poor young men sacrificing their lives.’ She shook her head, her eyes grave. ‘But we must be thankful that the Germans have lost more pilots than our boys.’
‘Yes, the lads put up a terrific fight.’ Frank lit a cigarette. ‘Can’t help feeling guilty when all I do is fly around in my Brewster Buffalo looking down on endless empty jungle.’ He frowned. ‘Present company excepted, but I get very cheesed off when I see so many people out here acting as though there’s no war. The bombs are dropping back home and here they sit in the sun, sipping scotch all day and playing bridge.’
‘Not all of us.’ His brother looked affronted.
‘I did say present company excepted. People like you, Reg, and Mr Barrington are doing work that’s absolutely essential to the war effort. But not everyone is.’ He looked at Mary again. ‘Remember that dreadful woman we met at the Penang Club? The drunkard you rescued me from.’
Mary looked uncomfortable.
‘I saw her again the other day. A few of us were having dinner in Raffles in Singapore and she came into the restaurant. Sloshed again. Slurring her words. She managed to knock over one of those enormous flower arrangements. She screamed abuse at the maitre d’ when he tried to steer her out of the dining room. No sign of her husband – I wouldn’t blame him if he’d buggered off and left her. She’s an absolute disgrace.’
‘I don’t think we want to talk about Veronica Leighton, Frank.’ Mary’s tone was quiet but firm.
They were interrupted by the ringing of the telephone inside the house.
Evie sighed. ‘That will be Doug to say he’s been delayed.’ She hoped she didn’t sound as annoyed as she felt.
She started to get up but Benny came out onto the terrace and addressed Reggie. ‘Tuan, you must come to the telephone.’
Reggie went into the house.
His wife, looking pale, said, ’I dread to think what that might be. Reggie’s assistant at Bellavista is a first rate fellow who would never dream of calling unless it was an emergency he absolutely couldn’t handle himself.’
Mary and Evie made reassuring remarks until Reggie returned, his face ashen.
‘There’s been an accident.’
Susan gasped. ‘What? Who?’
‘That was Batu Lembah.’ His expression was grave. ‘It’s Doug. He’s had a fall.’
‘A fall? How? What’s happened? Is he hurt?’ Evie was on her feet.
‘I don’t know the details. Just that he fell into the shaft of a disused tin mine. He’s still down there. Frank, can you come with me? I need to get over there to help organise a rescue party to get him out.’ Looking at Evie, he said, ‘I’m sure he’ll be fine.’
Evie’s heart lurched in her chest and she struggled to breathe. ‘I’m coming with you.’
Mary moved to her and put an arm around her shoulders. ‘Evie, you’d be better staying here. The baby needs you.’
‘I need to be there for Doug when they get him out. He may be badly injured.’
‘I don’t think that’s a good idea, Evie.’ Susan looked at her husband for confirmation.
‘I don’t care whether it’s a good idea or not. I’m going with you, Reggie. Are you going to stand here all night arguing or are we going to go?’ To Susan she said, ‘Can you look after Hugh? Aunty Mimi will make up some formula if he wakes in the night. Otherwise he’s doing well on solids already.’
Mary, sensing that Evie was immoveable, said, ‘I’ll stay with Susan. I want to be here for Jasmine in case you’re not back before she wakes up.’
Evie hugged her friend. ‘Thank you. The guest room is made up and there’s a day bed in the nursery. Aunty Mimi will get you anything you need.’
She rushed upstairs to kiss her sleeping baby, then followed the two men out to the car.
25
All the way to Batu Lembah, Evie tortured herself with fears as to what her husband must be going through. Despite the brevity of the telephone call and the lack of information, she kept quizzing Reggie for details.
‘But how badly hurt is he? Why haven’t they got him out? How long has he been down there?’
Reggie kept repeating that he knew no more than he had already said. ‘The Assistant Manager just said Doug was overseeing jungle clearance in a remote part of the estate with a small gang of coolies and had fallen down a mine shaft. I’ve no idea if anyone saw it happen. The jungle’s littered with disused tin workings and most of them are unmapped. We have to hope it’s not too deep but we can’t tell until we get there and can assess the situation properly.’
It was after nine when they arrived at the estate. Mike Overton, the Assistant Manager, was waiting on the steps of the bungalow to meet them. Evie shivered, remembering the last and only time she had been here at Batu Lembah. She decided it must be a truly cursed place.
The small group gathered inside the bungalow where the house boy made Evie a cup of tea, which she drank gratefully, the
