Pearls of the Past Read online

  She was on the verge of moaning with desire when a car horn blasted, shattering the poignant silence that hung between them. She heard Victor call Britt’s name.

  “Hold that thought, beautiful one.” The words were only a whisper, then the doorway was empty, leaving Corrie to wonder whether the last few moments had ever existed. The telltale proof was her still trembling body, which she lowered to the edge of the bed. Her vanity case fell to the floor, and her head dropped forward into her hands with bewilderment.

  She didn’t like the man. Or his Lord of the Manor attitude! Her mind rejected him, yet her quivering body had responded to the call of his. His incredible sea-green eyes, his Nordic stature and coloring, and all she could feel was disgust that she had been so vulnerable to something as basic and primitive as animal instinct.

  It was sickening, against all she believed and had based her years of reasoning on. A shiver of revulsion swept her. He had warned her earlier at the motel that she was aware of his intentions. But she had believed her spontaneous assumption that he wanted her was incorrect.

  Never being confronted by such blatant body language, she had further dismissed her conclusions as idiotic, romantic folly. The idea of being able to convey such sensual, erotic longing by looking into another person’s eyes... It was rubbish, utter rubbish! So why was she still trembling uncontrollably? She had to be the most naïve thirty-year-old in the whole world.

  “Corrie?”

  Immediately, her head flew up in panic and she was on her feet. Her mouth began to tremble, letting a sigh of relief escape as Victor stepped into the room.

  He took one look at her and demanded, “What did he say to you?”

  “Very little.”

  Her whispered reply, in a voice so unlike her usual cool, precise tones, had Corrie taking a pull on her emotions. She was acting like a silly schoolgirl. No, closer to a terrified Victorian maiden aunt, when there had been no actual verbal threat except for those last whispered words of request that she still wasn’t sure about.

  “I’m sorry, Victor. I’m a little upset and puzzled.” Finally, she was able to make the babble in her head form coherent, sensible words. “You see, I had expected to be on my way to Cairns, but instead I find I’m here. A guest in the home of the man, who only this morning, offered to buy my airline ticket to get me off his island as quickly as possible. Now this?” She lifted her hands to encompass her surroundings. “I’ve been offered no explanation, and now he’s gone. I can’t stay here!”

  A harsh mutter left Vic’s mouth, and Corrie could almost testify he had said crazy bastard! And if Victor was describing Britt Hendricks, she fully agreed.

  “Well, as you say, he’s gone, and I can assure you he won’t be back until late tomorrow. So, why not enjoy his absence? Your room is okay, isn’t it?”

  “It’s lovely, thank you.”

  “And Wing Lee placed a vase of Frangipani in the room to welcome you. A big concession, Corrie.”

  She now noticed the pure white, star blossoms framed against the shiny, dark green, strap-like leaves massed in a crystal vase. She wondered by whose directions they had been placed there. It certainly wasn’t Wing Lee’s idea, if the angry litany of Chinese that had passed them on the stairs was any indication. Still, she might be making hasty judgments.

  Vic stepped forward to take her hand, his grin evident below his moustache. “We want to make you feel at ease. Forget about Britt.”

  As much as she wanted to, how could she?

  “I’m not apologizing for him, Corrie. He’s big and ugly enough to do that himself.” Victor’s grin was wider now and somewhat contributed to easing Corrie’s tension. “Just give the rest of us—our island, our people—the chance to make up for the bad beginning. Russella tells me you think our island is quaint. Some sightseeing tomorrow with me for your guide could be the ticket, don’t you think?”

  The word ticket made her realize she still had to make a booking for her flight tomorrow to Cairns. She would say no to Vic’s offer, not wanting him around when she called the travel agent. Corrie knew he must have read the indecision on her face.

  “Sleep on it, and we’ll see how things are in the morning. Now the sun’s well and truly over the yardarm, and I’m all for a drink. Can I interest you?”

  With a touch of bravado, Corrie answered, “Thank you. Why not?”

  They walked back along the hallway she and Britt had used, passing the top of the stairs to enter a huge living room that ran the entire width of the house. It seemed to be divided into sections created by a cleverly chosen array of different furnishings; lounge and casual dining on one side, bar and personal office on the other side.

  But it was what lay beyond the huge sliding glass doors that drew Corrie on across the parquetry floor, over a jade and cream Chinese silk rug, to step onto the wide balcony. Her hand rose to cover her heart that had begun pounding alarmingly. A view of breathtaking proportions overwhelmed her.

  She had seen this before! Been here before! She had! But how?

  A promotional photo? For some reason she couldn’t accept that as the answer. Whatever the answer was, the wispy ribbon of comprehension eluded her, then her senses were caught up with the sheer majesty of what she was being given the chance of witnessing.

  Kennedy Channel became a shimmering gilded sash dividing Endeavour Island from the darkening shape of Edward Island. That larger island, bathed in a golden haze, changed the massive shape from gray to deep purple, slashed by black velvet where unseen valleys lay. The summit of the island was crowned with a tiara of brilliant ruby and gold as the fiery sun descended into the sea. The entire sky was painted terra-cotta.

  Corrie swung around to Victor. “Red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning. Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Is that true, Victor? Does it hold any truth?”

  “Britt should be here.” The instant response was a surprise to Corrie, but he quickly added, “He’s the master mariner amongst us.”

  “But you’ve been to sea, haven’t you?” Corrie was interested in Victor’s answer, but she was astute enough to realize his last sentence had been a covering gambit for his first surprising words.

  “Yes, I’ve sailed the seven seas with Britt as company. Ask him to tell you about his adventures, Corrie.”

  She turned her head toward the quickly disappearing sun as it left only long scarves of blood-red clouds against the darkening sky. “I don’t think Mr. Hendricks would welcome my questions,” she said, her voice wistful. She faced Victor again. “In fact, I’m sure he would accuse me of prying.” She accepted the frosted glass of fruit juice with an added dash of white wine Victor offered her. “Thank you.” Taking a cooling sip, she enquired, “Would I be prying if I asked where Russella is?”

  Victor’s smile grew wide, and his dark eyes twinkled. “They should be here very soon, and I think they might have a surprise for us.”

  “After what has happened today, I doubt anything else could surprise me.” Corrie turned her attention to the fading vista. “It’s almost dark. How suddenly night falls here. Oh, look! All the lights on the neighboring islands are starting to twinkle, just like glow-worms.” For some inexplicable reason, tightness closed her throat. She had also witnessed this scene before, but sane reasoning told her it could not be.

  A clawing emptiness hurt as she remembered she was planning on leaving tomorrow; and before her host arrived home. She looked down at the glass in her hand as it caught the light from the living room. There would be no second meeting with Britt Hendricks. That opportunity had been lost.

  Chapter 6

  A sweeping arc of headlights illuminated the wide balcony, quickly followed by a scrunch of gravel then slamming of doors, accompanied by Russella’s unmistakable, clear laughter. Both Corrie and Victor stepped from the balcony to face the doorway into the living room, anticipating the young couple’s entrance.

  “Corrie,” Russella squealed, and she hurtled across the living room to throw her arm
s around her cousin.

  Matt slowly lowered the suitcase and backpack to the floor by the door and waited. Corrie noticed a frown of anxiety cloud his young face. She wasn’t sure if Russella was laughing or crying, but that took second place to the rush of alarm she experienced as Matt’s look of anxiety turned to guilt.

  What had they done! Common sense spoke, squashing the panic. What could they have done in so short a time? Have been married? No, that wouldn’t be possible; even on this remote island there were certain formalities to be adhered to. They were still part of Australia.

  “I’m sorry.” Matt strode across the Chinese rug, his words making Corrie’s panic run riot again.

  “What for?” The words leaving her mouth in a rush, she found she was distancing herself from her cousin’s clinging arms. “What for?” This time her voice held a tremble, and fear clutched her stomach. Her eyes flew to Victor in appeal, whose face had suddenly lost its smile.

  “Matthew!” His voice cracked across the room.

  But it was Russella laughing with excitement, lifting her left hand, who answered, “Look, I’m engaged.”

  Matthew’s voice carried over the top of Russella’s. “I’m sorry. We should have discussed this with you first, Corrie, we really should have.”

  “Oh, don’t be silly, Matt,” Russella admonished with a giggle. “Corrie isn’t my boss.”

  “I’m not being silly,” Matthew chastised. “And no, she isn’t your boss, but you’re her responsibility, or have you forgotten the trust your parents put in her to look out for you? That’s how you explained the situation to me. And you wouldn’t let me ring them, would you?”

  “Matthew?” Russella gasped, her mouth trembling.

  “I apologize to you, Corrie. We have been thoughtless.”

  With Rusie on the edge of tears, Corrie put her hand out to Matthew. “It’s all right, Matthew. Rusie is twenty and can make her own decisions. Possibly I’m responsible to a certain degree, but I do understand why she wouldn’t let you ring her parents.”

  “Yes, I know. Your families have no idea you’re here on Endeavour Island.” Matt’s words drew a tentative smile from Corrie.

  “You think my ring’s pretty, don’t you, Vic?” Russella’s words were defiant as she turned her back on Corrie to lift her hand. “Matt said he’ll buy me an enormous diamond to match my wedding ring, but I love this ordinary pearl nearly as much as I love him.” With this she flew to wrap her arms around Matt, and his face split into a dazzling, wide smile.

  Corrie questioned how she could possibly not be in accord with the happiness Russella and Matthew were experiencing. She had no right at all, except her love for her cousin made her want everything to be perfect for her. “Well, show me this lovely ring then.” As Russella offered her hand again, Corrie held her close. “Congratulations, darling, and to you too, Matt. You’re a lucky young man.”

  “I know that, Corrie.” The solemnity of his voice was an unspoken promise of caring for her cousin, and Corrie’s heart swelled with gratitude.

  “Champagne all around I would suggest,” Victor said.

  “Mr. Hendricks has missed all the excitement,” Corrie felt compelled to add.

  “Oh, he knew. He was so wonderful, wasn’t he, Matt? He made a phone call to their Pearl Emporium, and the head jeweler had trays and trays ready for us to choose from.”

  “How thoughtful.” Corrie’s words were charitable enough, but her thoughts certainly weren’t. Mr. Hendricks had exerted his authority again and undermined hers. Not that she wanted authority over Rusie, but he had aided and abetted the young lovers’ escapade with no thought given to her feelings on the matter.

  The possibility of Aunt Viviene and Uncle Russell blaming her was a foregone conclusion. They were sure to condemn her influence, dragging their precious darling to isolated North Queensland. All Corrie could see was unwarranted criticism.

  And what would Da have to say on the matter? She really should have taken a stand against Rusie wanting to accompany her. But more to the point, she should have thrown all those tempting pamphlets into the garbage bin as soon as the thought of this hare-brained scheme raised its ridiculous head.

  She was not looking forward to going home to face the music. But the sooner she did, the easier it would be for Rusie to introduce Matt as her intended husband.

  There was also another reason why she wasn’t looking forward to going home. No matter how adamant her views were on the subject of a certain person, she had fallen in love with this magical island; its spell potent.

  “Rusie, you have given the wrong impression of Britt’s involvement.” Matt’s voice was soft, but still gained Russella’s attention by her answering, even if begrudgingly with a pouting mouth.

  “What did another day matter? I had found the ring I wanted so there seemed no point in waiting.”

  Corrie immediately looked at Matt questioningly.

  “Britt asked us to wait until he was back before we bought the ring,” Matt explained.

  Corrie hadn’t expected that.

  “But I was so excited,” Russella cut in.

  “And I couldn’t say no, could I?” Matt smiled down at the girl in his arms then looked squarely at Corrie. She felt as if he had been privy to all her uncharitable thoughts about Britt Hendricks. “So I’ll have to square that away with Britt when he gets back.”

  “Excuse me for intruding, but how do you expect to explain Matt to your parents, Russella, seeing they have no idea you are here? I did get that right, didn’t I?” It was Victor, wearing a concerned frown, who threw a cold shower of common sense on the celebration.

  “Corrie’s leaving tomorrow, so she can do that for us before we arrive next week, and that will make it easier for us. It will be a lovely surprise for my grandfather’s ninety-fifth birthday, seeing the other surprise has fallen flat. Which isn’t my fault, by the way,”

  The last words were, as Corrie saw it, leveled at her, and she conceded they were probably not too far from the truth.

  “You really are set on leaving tomorrow?” Victor’s quite question was directed at Corrie.

  “Yes. It’s best I do. And now I have another valid reason for doing so.”

  “Oh, you darling!” Rusie threw herself at Corrie.

  Over her cousin’s head, Corrie watched Victor’s eyes flare with annoyance. At her leaving? Or at Rusie for allowing Corrie to smooth the way for the surprising news, letting her cousin and Matt spend the rest of the planned holiday together?

  “Be sure to reassure them I won’t be living in a grass hut on the shoreline under a palm tree, won’t you?” Rusie laughed.

  “Are you sure?” was Victor’s droll input.

  Russella turned in Corrie’s arms. “We’ll be living here, of course.” Her reply was full of self-assurance.

  “I think you and Matt need to have a long chat with Britt when he gets back, Russella. There are a few rules that both Matt and I agreed to as privileged employees of Arafura. There has already been one big concession made. Another thing, Wing Lee won’t have anyone messing in his kitchen.”

  “All right, Vic. I know I’ll have to talk to Britt, and I would have, but it all happened so damned quick and he just wasn’t available to have that type of discussion.”

  Russella rounded on Matt. “But you’re his legally adopted son!”

  Corrie’s breath caught, and her eyes widened in shock. She had gathered the attachment was close, but had given little thought to how close. Britt’s adopted son? Could that be right? Where was the mother? Perhaps she wanted nothing to do with the child, and maybe they had never been married. If that was the case, did you have to legally adopt your own child? She bit into her bottom lip, frowning. She’d never been confronted with this in the law firm where she worked, so she didn’t know. Matt speaking called a halt to her thoughts.

  “Yes. And I’m my own man. He taught me that, with Vic’s help. You get out of life what you put into it. No hand-outs, are there, Vic?
Privileges, yes, but they are earned and valued all the more because of it. Right, Vic?”

  “The master’s own words, buddy.”

  Corrie felt Rusie press into her side a little more with each word Matt uttered. “You’re frightening me, Matt. I don’t think I want to be engaged.”

  Matt’s dark eyes left Victor to find Russella, and Corrie was looking at a replica of Britt. Matt as dark as Britt was fair, many inches shorter, but it was Britt standing before them. Arrogant, self-assured, no-nonsense, making the man that was the heir apparent to the empire.

  “That will have to be your decision, Rusie. I want you for my wife. Love you beyond reckoning, never doubt that for one moment, but there will be no conditions attached to our union.”

  Corrie’s eyes blurred, her insides went weak with emotion, and she found herself gently pushing Russella toward Matt. Now she would be happy to leave tomorrow. Be happy to tell her aunt and uncle that Rusie had found the right man for her. A man who would love and adore her for always, tempered with a firmness her cousin needed.

  She wished she was Rusie, hearing that firm declaration of undying love.

  Not in Matt’s arms, but in...in... Her eyes widened alarmingly. What on earth was she fantasizing about!

  The tropics really did have her under their spell having such ridiculous yearnings. Especially when there had obviously been another woman in his life. One he thought enough of to father a child with!

  Oh Lord, she was doing it again, presuming Matt could be his biological son. He would have been so young, but was Britt Hendricks ever young? He seemed one of those ageless people where age didn’t count. Of course there would be more than one woman. You only had to look at him to know that. He wreaked sensual masculinity that would call to any woman’s femininity.

  Even yours, Corrie Nelson? Yes, even mine. There had already been proof of that. Why deny it? Oh, how she hoped there would be an available seat on the plane. With these recent realizations she had no idea how she would behave when she faced Britt again.