The Primrose Bride Read Online Free Page B

re home. ”
    As they walked the sandy lane Karen said nothing. Her perceptions, sharpened by the sudden anguish, took in the sea-scents, the rustling of the palm fronds high overhead, the whiteness of the starlit beach, the soft w armth of the air. But something in her hated this lush green island, and a ball of grief grew to a suffocating size in her throat.
    Andrew was saying, in soothing tones, “ Things are quiet here at the moment, thank heaven, but when the Old Man is in residence there ’ s plenty of social life. You ’ ll like Sir Wallace, I think, and Lady Prichard isn ’ t difficult to get along with; she ’ s bound to want to take you under her wing. She and I are good friends. ”
    “ It sounds as if you ’ re good friends with everyone. ”
    “ Well, of course. I have to live with them. ”
    “ And ... and those who aren ’ t in government service? ”
    He shrugged. “ There ’ s a shipping agent, a bank manager, some traders; I see them occasionally. Jake was saying there ’ s a small gang of adventurers who ’ ve come to salvage a fifty- y ear-old wreck off the coast. That ’ s the second lot in the four years I ’ ve been on Nemaka. ”
    She drew in a dry lip. “ They—the doctor and his wife — talked of your being very ambitious. That ’ s a side of you I don ’ t know at all. ”
    The pause before he replied seemed deliberate, and he spoke r easoningly. “ What ’ s wrong with wanting to get to the top? I like Colonial Administration, I like native peoples and their customs, and responsibility brings out the best in any man. ”
    “ Perhaps it brings out the worst too, ” she said in low tones. “ I ’ ve a horrible feeling that ... that we shouldn ’ t have married. ”
    There was a brief, shattering silence as they stood there, facing the sea. Then, his voice tight, Andrew said, “ Don ’ t ever say anything like that again. I know I rushed you into marriage and you ’ ve had some trying da ys, but we ’ re here now, and we ’ re husband and wife. Nothing can alter that. For my part, I don ’ t want it altered—ever. ”
    She struggled within herself, said in choked tones, “ I can ’ t talk about this tonight. I just can ’ t! ”
    “ There ’ s nothing to discuss, ” he replied coolly. “ We grew fond of each other in England; I had to get back here, so we married rather more hastily than you could take. I don ’ t suppose there ’ s a bride in the world who hasn ’ t wondered, the moment she ’ s tied, whether she hasn ’ t made a ghastly mistake. ” He turned, but did not touch her. “ Let ’ s go back. And do try to reali z e that I ’ m your husband, not some horrible, forbidding stranger. The very last thing I want is to have you nervy and upset. ”
    They walked without speaking, reached the house and entered the lamplit living room. He poured a couple of drinks, and as he gave her one of them his grey eyes were speculative, though he smiled charmingly.
    “ Feel better? ”
    She made a movement with her head, but kept silent.
    “ Here ’ s to us, ” he said. “ Our life together. ”
    She sipped and put down her glass. Stiffly, sh e said, “ I think I ’ ll go to bed. ”
    “ Yes, do. Take the drink with you. The water will be hot now, if you want a bath. ”
    “ I ’ ll wait till the morning. ”
    “ All right. Karen . .. ”
    “ Yes? ” almost inaudibly.
    “ I ’ m not some frightful threat hanging over you. I intend to make you very happy. ”
    She nodded, and with a hand that shook she picked up the glass and went from the room. She put the glass on the bedside table, automatically dabbed up the spots of spilled liquid with a tissue and then walked straight into the bathroom. Soap and water, toothbrush; towel hung tidily before she slipped back into the bedroom. She felt cold and completely drained. Her empty suitcases, she noticed, had been taken away and only one of Andrew ’ s had been placed in the room. It was still