Pearls of the Past Read online

  “I’ll explain to everyone for you. I’ll leave tomorrow as planned,” she said, her words almost garbled, her cheeks burning.

  * * * *

  Corrie had said an early morning goodbye to Rusie before her cousin left to accompany Matt on the ferry making the run to the mainland. It had given her time to visit the historical society, so now she had photos and news items for Da’s album. And thank goodness, she’d also managed to get a booking on the plane.

  She was waiting at the private side entrance for Victor to take her to catch the launch connecting with her flight from Tern Island. Hearing a car approaching, she gathered her jacket from the white cane chair and a cotton shopping bag the Endeavour Island Tourist Center had supplied; a visit Vic insisted she must make. Inside were souvenirs and gifts for the whole family, which could possibly be labeled as blackmail. Two sarong lengths of brilliant, floral material she had promised herself to buy had she been staying were also included. As she had fingered the fine material, she had heard again the happy laughter of yesterday and found she couldn’t resist the temptation to own them.

  The sound of the car’s engine ceased, and she slipped her fingers under the handle of her pull-along case. Dragging it behind her, she pushed the screen door open to step from the foyer.

  It wasn’t Victor. Britt stepped from the car.

  “Oh, blast!” she muttered, taking a quick step back, instantly on edge.

  Was she going to be subjected to another of his dictatorial demands? She’d thought, and hoped, she would be long gone before he arrived home from Cairns.

  “You’re early!” Her accusing words greeted him as he rounded the front of the dark blue Volvo station wagon.

  “Yes, I am.” He bounded up the steps two at a time then stopped, his eyes focused on her suitcase. “Off again, are you?”

  “Off again?” Indignation rose at his incomprehensible words. “What are you inferring? I’m not running away, if that’s what you think.”

  “And why would I think you were running away? And from what? And from whom? You are at liberty to leave when you please. This was your original plan, so why should it change?”

  His words astounded her, disconcerted her to say the least. “I thought...” She paused, trying to adjust to his quiet indifference, and as tension grew, she flung at him, “I’ve bought my own airline ticket, so there’s no need for you to supply one.”

  He frowned slightly. “Sorry, you have me at a disadvantage. Was I going to do that, supply your ticket?”

  Corrie really was flummoxed. “Oh! Yesterday you... Yesterday you threatened to buy my ticket to have me off the island. In fact, you said it would be more than a pleasure. You know you did!” She nearly gave into the childish action of stamping her foot.

  “I said that yesterday?” He shrugged nonchalantly. “Well, yesterday was one of those days. Strange would be one way of describing it.”

  “You’re confusing me.” Corrie frowned up at him. “You don’t happen to have a double, do you?”

  “Afraid not.” He shrugged again, and Corrie wanted to hit him. “There’s only one Britt Hendricks, which is more than enough.”

  How she agreed with that!

  He gave her a wide, nonchalant smile. “Vic will be here shortly. If you’ll excuse me?” He took one step then turned to say, as if remembering his manners, “I hope you have a pleasant flight home.” He pulled the screen door open and walked inside to call, “Wing Lee?” leaving a thoroughly confused and deflated Corrie gaping after him.

  It had to be the strangest exchange of words she had ever had with anyone. She felt like she had been talking to an entirely different man from the one she had been confronted with yesterday. She almost pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

  He had treated her like some stranger when only yesterday he had been overwhelming her with his blatant, male sexual needs. And how could she forget his last words to her before he left yesterday afternoon, “hold that thought, beautiful one”.

  They still rang in her ears. Had tormented her all night.

  How could he forget? He hadn’t even had the nerve to make direct eye contact with her. His beautiful sea-green eyes hadn’t looked deep into hers, the molten gold flecks flaring in them.

  Her chaotic thoughts stopped. Either she was going mad, or he already was!

  A sound of disgust left her lips as she practically threw herself down onto the tiled top step only to spring to her feet as Victor arrived driving the company utility vehicle. Corrie gritted her teeth. She had definitely been downgraded. The works utility, not the Volvo waited for her.

  “Britt’s arrived then?”

  “Yes!” she snapped, making Victor’s black eyebrows rise. “What’s wrong with that man?” She flung her arm toward the door. “Does he have memory lapses? He didn’t even refer to the meeting we’re supposed to have this evening. And to be perfectly honest, I don’t think he was sure who he was speaking to. You should be concerned for your friend, Victor. He seems most unstable.”

  “Was he rude?”

  “Rude? Quite the contrary. Politely vague, or should I say, vaguely polite.”

  “He’s probably had no sleep. His meeting must have gone all night, and I know for a fact it wasn’t pleasant.”

  A rush of concern laced with a healthy dose of self-recrimination tore at her. She should have noticed the fatigue he must be suffering.

  “Tomorrow he flies out at dawn for Darwin, the aftermath of the meeting in Cairns. We’ve got a few minutes, so if you don’t mind, I’ll check on him.”

  Victor’s words had her actually giving a pitiful moan of real distress. “Yes, of course,” she said with deep concern.

  * * * *

  “Well?” Britt said.

  Vic looked up at his friend sitting at the top of the stairs. “She thinks you’re bordering on mental illness.”

  “Maybe I am. You’ve got to stop her from leaving, Vic.”

  “Not me, mate...you. For God’s sake, Britt, I only advised you to back off, not to do a complete about-face. I’ve never seen you like this. You’re acting like the madman she thinks you are. Anyway, I’ve managed to excuse your behavior by saying you had a stressful meeting. That you’ve had no sleep and you fly out at dawn tomorrow for Darwin.”

  “Well, the meeting was no picnic, but it was over within the hour with the culprit confessing to fraud and pilfering. And you’re dead right about no sleep. How could I, knowing she was set on leaving today and me stuck in Cairns? When you told me last night about Matt and Russella already buying the ring, I actually thought that might keep her here a little longer. I didn’t bargain for the sense of family duty my darling has. She’s some lady, Vic.”

  “Maybe the ute could break down, or the connecting launch for her flight could have engine trouble?”

  “No!” Britt was on his feet. “I haven’t been playing fair with her from the moment I laid eyes on her. There’s been enough subterfuge going on behind her back. How the hell can I be worthy of her if I continue like this? It’s time the real Britt Hendricks stepped up. And I hope to God she approves, because if she doesn’t, I’m lost!”

  He lunged past Vic, heading in the direction where Corrie waited. At the door, he took a deep, steadying breath before he stepped onto the porch.

  Corrie was watching the broad-bladed leaves of the pandanus make their strident clatter as the wind moved them. Hearing footsteps, she turned.

  “I believe you are concerned for my sanity?” Christ! That didn’t come out as it was meant.

  “I didn’t understand. Victor said you’ve had little or no sleep.”

  “It’s not an isolated case. My position in the company often requires that of me.” Hell, he sounded pompous! Did he always come across like that?

  Corrie looked past him to the door. “Will Victor be long?” She glanced at her watch. “I’ll miss the launch if he’s not quick.”

  “I’ll drive you. By the way, I didn’t forget our meeting to
night.” He looked pointedly at her suitcase. “Did you?”

  “I asked Russella to apologize for me. She’ll explain why I can’t stay. Please, we must leave right now.” She started down the steps.

  “Considering we are face-to-face, why don’t you apologize now and also take the opportunity of explaining?”

  “Can’t we do that in the car?”

  “I’d rather you do it here.” He could feel himself becoming more uptight by the second, and his words had sounded tersely unreasonable.

  Corrie’s silver eyes looked up at him.

  “In the car will do fine,” he said.

  He was down the steps, flinging open the passenger door and striding back to stow her suitcase all within a few seconds. She didn’t hesitate, and with the slamming of doors, they were hurtling down the rear driveway on their way to the wharf.

  * * * *

  It was only minutes to her destination, so there was no time for explanations. When they arrived it was clear that they had been waiting for her. The other passengers were seated, and all eyes turned to her, Britt walking at her side, carrying her case.

  She turned to Britt as they neared the boarding gangplank. “Thank you—”

  “You can do that on the launch. I’m coming for the ride.”

  He handed her case to an islander he addressed as Simi for it to be stowed away and courteously let her precede him onto the service launch. The engines roared, the bow rose, and they were skimming across the wind-ruffled, turquoise surface of York Channel, separating Tern Island from Endeavour.

  Resentment filled her over the fact that she hadn’t been given time to say her own personal goodbye to her special island. She swiveled around in her seat, but the spray fanning out behind them reduced her view to a wavering shape sparked by the pale arc of a rainbow, a gift of the lowering sun. A hard, hateful lump rose in her throat, and she snapped her eyes tightly closed. She hated being this vulnerable in front of him. She opened her eyes to look directly into a sea-green, unwavering gaze.

  “You’ll be back,” he said, and it almost sounded like a promise.

  “I hope so, if the wedding is here.”

  He turned his head to look to the front. She could see a pulse beating firmly above the white collar of his business shirt, the top button undone and his unknotted tie flapping freely. It was a different one than the one he’d worn yesterday. That one had been silver and maroon. This one had minute stylized white sails on a forest green background.

  “Ah, yes, the wedding,” he said.

  Corrie’s eyes were still on his tie, and she felt a compelling need to say, “You could lose your tie with it flapping around like that.” His fascinating eyes were back on hers, and his hand began to lift toward his tie. “I could do that,” she offered, and couldn’t imagine why she had.

  “That would be nice.” His voice floated down to her, so soft, so gentle as he turned slightly, creating an intimacy between them, and Corrie experienced a satisfying warmth curl around her.

  She slowly eased the tie free from his collar, his caressing eyes fixed on her face only inches from his mouth. The same slowness made Corrie’s hands slide down over the broad, muscled chest. Letting his body heat tantalize her errant fingertips through the white material of his shirt, she slowly drew the forest green tie away before rolling it neatly. She should have kept her eyes lowered as she handed it to him, but she didn’t. Her eyes lifted and held his gaze.

  “You obviously do that quite often. Who else has had that privilege?”

  “Only for my Da.” She smiled warmly, thinking of her grandfather.

  “You call your father Da?” Britt asked, amazement in his voice.

  “No. My grandfather. Why?”

  “My father...Vic and I always called him Da.”

  Corrie picked up on the past tense and asked softly, “Your father is no longer alive?”

  “No, sadly. Will your Da be at the wedding?”

  “Oh yes, if it’s in Sydney, but if they decide on here I’m not sure. It would be so wonderful for him, but he’s almost ninety-five, so the traveling could be too tiring for him.”

  Now, Corrie thought, this is the appropriate time for explanations, and refusing to think more about it, she began.

  She looked into his eyes with unwavering straightforwardness. “That’s why Russella and I came here to Endeavour Island. We were going to make an album to give to him for his birthday.”

  “An album? For his birthday. Why this particular island?”

  “Oh, perhaps I didn’t say?” Of course she hadn’t. He’d never given her the opportunity to do so at the original meeting, and she hoped he might feel some slight remorse about that. So let him ask.

  He was up to the task. Shaking his head, he smiled widely. “No, you didn’t.”

  “He used to live here, and I had hoped there might be someone still alive who would remember him as a very young man. The way he speaks of his island, and the stories he tells, they are all touched with tenderness...and magic. And I thought if I could do this, it would give him so much pleasure.”

  “This was your idea? I mean, entirely yours?”

  “Originally, yes. But it was almost put back into the bottom drawer, except Rusie discovered what I was thinking. With her enthusiasm and pleading to be part of it, we finalized the decision to follow through with the idea. It was a fanciful idea, and as things have turned out, it has now been abandoned.” As Britt’s smile grew even wider, Corrie commented, “I don’t blame you for smiling. You obviously agree the idea was rather foolish.”

  “And you could be wrong.”

  Corrie was slightly taken aback. Considering his original vehement denial of helping her, she questioned his words. “Your reply surprises me.”

  “Well, yes. I suppose you are surprised. But may I ask if that was the only reason you decided to come? What I mean is, sometimes in one’s life you get this feeling of déjà vu, and most times it’s shrugged off, but there are rare times when it refuses to be put aside. And no matter how you think you can rationalize the feeling, it has you acting...” He paused, then gave a chuckle. “Acting like a lunatic.”

  Corrie’s gaze dropped to her hands that were beginning to tremble. Dare she tell him that she understood about déjà vu?

  The sensation she’d experienced when she had first stepped onto the wharf, then at the motel. Even the questioning she had done over her initial idea, labeling it as hare-brained. Then last night, as she stood on the balcony, captured by the sunset. That last occurrence had really shaken her. She had seen that gold and red, breathless panorama before, but she didn’t know how. She somehow had been to this island before. She wondered if her grandfather’s tales had found a young, fertile mind willing to play host to them, making them a reality. No, she couldn’t reveal any of this to Britt.

  If she’d been staying, and this new Britt Hendricks continued, then there was, she supposed, a slim chance she may confide in him.

  “Perhaps Rusie had that feeling. Maybe that’s why she insisted we come. After all, she’s the one who seems to have found her destiny. This is quite a bombshell she has handed us.” The conversation on another track, she now felt in control enough to lift her eyes to his again.

  “And this is why you asked to see the records of Arafura Enterprises? To make an album for your Da. What an obnoxious beast that Britt Hendricks is. Fancy not making them available to you.”

  His charming smile and self-deprecating words made Corrie smile as she whispered, “Even odious creature sometimes.”

  “Never!” He laughed.

  “I have it on good authority, yes!” Corrie quipped, going along with the third person persona.

  “Just suppose there were extenuating circumstances the poor bloke had no control over? You know, like an experience he found totally confusing and had no idea how to deal with.”

  “Is that possible?” Corrie’s words were hesitant as she filtered, analyzed, and tried to draw further conclusions, consid
ering how and what he had said a short time before.

  “I think the poor, misguided fool should be given the benefit of the doubt. And that sometime very soon, although not at this precise moment, that he be allowed to explain in full his ridiculous attitude.” When he spoke again his voice was tender and the words were a murmured plea, “And forgiven.”

  The continuation of his extraordinary eyes holding hers and the soft words asking for forgiveness made her answer tenderly, “It could be possible.” She had no control over the hand that rose to cover her throbbing heart.

  His demeanor changed, and a deep chuckle rose from his wide chest. “I wouldn’t be surprised if, when the explanation is given, it doesn’t produce some good, old-fashioned belly laughs.”

  A thud shuddered through the large launch.

  “It seems we’ve arrived,” he said.

  Chapter 7

  Britt was experiencing a feeling of elation at how easily they had talked. Leaving the opening for the sympathy vote, by asking to be forgiven, was not just lip service. It was something he really needed. Taking the opportunity to convey, in a light-hearted manner, his regret of his previous attitude and dealings with her, had him realizing just how downright disgusting they had been.

  It had been a stroke of genius taking the launch trip with her, and it had been utterly satisfying how their conversation had twisted and turned. And when she had removed his tie, the feeling of her hands, sliding over his chest...that had been mind-blowing!

  Vic would have been proud of the way he had restrained his passionate need for her.

  Now here was another hurdle to be confronted. Within thirty minutes she would be on her way home. Still, there was this wedding of Matt’s, but there was no guarantee it would take place here. Corrie had made that plain, hadn’t she? Desolation shot his elation down in flames.

  He wouldn’t go, couldn’t go, if it was in Sydney. How the hell did he know what sort of life she led there? What friends she had, what they were like, what she would be like back in the glitter and shining lights of that cosmopolitan city.