what I thought.' Joseph bent to extract a carrier bag from the locker below the steering gear. 'Here. I got you a sandwich and a can of Coke. I guessed you hadn't the sense to think about such things.'
Ruth grinned, only now becoming aware of the emptiness of her stomach as she opened the carrier to reveal a crusty roll stuffed with chicken and salad. 'Hmm. this looks gorgeous. Joseph. Won't you share it with me?'
'I've eaten.' he assured her dryly, tearing the ring off a can of beer. 'You enjoy it. Ain't no point in letting Celeste think you can't look after yourself.'
Ruth acknowledged his perception as she bit into the juicy roll and they exchanged a conspiratorial chuckle as they left the bustling port behind.
It was after five o'clock by the time they reached Indigo. Ruth had dozed during the latter half of the journey, curled up on the cushions in the stern of the boat.' while Joseph lolled indolently behind the wheel, his clay pipe drooping from his mouth. He insisted on escorting her up from the harbour, ostensibly to carry her bags, but Ruth guessed he wanted an excuse to see Celeste. Despite his comments, he was obviously very fond of her. and Ruth wondered how he resolved his conscience when he went to Confession with Father Andreas. His wife had borne him an armful of children, after all. and therefore must deserve better treatment. But his infatuation for his mistress apparently outweighed his loyalty to his spouse, and Ruth had to acknowledge that she was not experienced enough to make judgement in such matters. It seemed simple enough to her. but apparently it wasn't, and she concluded that sex outside the bonds of matrimony must be different from that inside.
Celeste was watching for them on the verandah, her face for once without its humorous cast. 'Where you been all this time?' she exclaimed, her reproving glance encompassing both of them before coming to rest on the girl. 'Your daddy been asking for you for more'n an hour. Go to him now. He's in his room.'
'Is he ill?' exclaimed Ruth, leaping up the verandah steps, but Celeste waved a reassuring hand.
'He just tired, that's all.' she declared, her attention all on Joseph now. 'You run along, you hear. Joe and me'll unpack these bags.'
Ruth had no alternative but to obey. Besides, she was eager to see her father and tell him what she had learned. Leaving them on the verandah, she walked quickly along the hall and opened the door of her father's bedroom.
Professor Jason's eyes were closed, but they opened at the sound of someone entering, and he smiled weakly when he saw who it was. 'Ruth, my dear.' he said, with evident relief. 'I was getting so worried about you.'
'There was no need. Daddy.' Ruth came round the bed and bent to kiss his dry cheek. 'Here I am, safeand sound. Mission accomplished, as they say.'
Professor Jason sighed. 'You saw Templar?'
Ruth nodded. 'Yes. I saw him. I had coffee with him. actually.' She moved her shoulders offhandedly. putting off the inevitable explanations. 'He asked how you were, and I told him about the storm. Apparently the roof was blown off the golf clubhouse—you know, along the highway north of Kingstown. But no one was hurt, thank goodness, although he did say some boats were damaged in the harbour.'
Professor Jason listened to her in silence, then he said: 'You did get Mr Howard's money. I hope?'
'Oh. yes.' Ruth moved restlessly about the room. 'I got it.'
'Good.' Her father was relieved. 'The sooner that young man has funds, the sooner he'll get off the island.' He closed his eyes again. 'And now if you don't mind. I'll rest. You'll excuse me from joining you for supper this evening, won't you. my dear? I really am extremely weary.'
Ruth turned, her lips parting in dismay. She had still to tell him about Mr Templar, and the mix-up over the names, but with Professor Jason's eyes closed she felt reluctant to disrupt his peace. Nevertheless. he had to be told, she fretted, trying to frame the words in
Ruth grinned, only now becoming aware of the emptiness of her stomach as she opened the carrier to reveal a crusty roll stuffed with chicken and salad. 'Hmm. this looks gorgeous. Joseph. Won't you share it with me?'
'I've eaten.' he assured her dryly, tearing the ring off a can of beer. 'You enjoy it. Ain't no point in letting Celeste think you can't look after yourself.'
Ruth acknowledged his perception as she bit into the juicy roll and they exchanged a conspiratorial chuckle as they left the bustling port behind.
It was after five o'clock by the time they reached Indigo. Ruth had dozed during the latter half of the journey, curled up on the cushions in the stern of the boat.' while Joseph lolled indolently behind the wheel, his clay pipe drooping from his mouth. He insisted on escorting her up from the harbour, ostensibly to carry her bags, but Ruth guessed he wanted an excuse to see Celeste. Despite his comments, he was obviously very fond of her. and Ruth wondered how he resolved his conscience when he went to Confession with Father Andreas. His wife had borne him an armful of children, after all. and therefore must deserve better treatment. But his infatuation for his mistress apparently outweighed his loyalty to his spouse, and Ruth had to acknowledge that she was not experienced enough to make judgement in such matters. It seemed simple enough to her. but apparently it wasn't, and she concluded that sex outside the bonds of matrimony must be different from that inside.
Celeste was watching for them on the verandah, her face for once without its humorous cast. 'Where you been all this time?' she exclaimed, her reproving glance encompassing both of them before coming to rest on the girl. 'Your daddy been asking for you for more'n an hour. Go to him now. He's in his room.'
'Is he ill?' exclaimed Ruth, leaping up the verandah steps, but Celeste waved a reassuring hand.
'He just tired, that's all.' she declared, her attention all on Joseph now. 'You run along, you hear. Joe and me'll unpack these bags.'
Ruth had no alternative but to obey. Besides, she was eager to see her father and tell him what she had learned. Leaving them on the verandah, she walked quickly along the hall and opened the door of her father's bedroom.
Professor Jason's eyes were closed, but they opened at the sound of someone entering, and he smiled weakly when he saw who it was. 'Ruth, my dear.' he said, with evident relief. 'I was getting so worried about you.'
'There was no need. Daddy.' Ruth came round the bed and bent to kiss his dry cheek. 'Here I am, safeand sound. Mission accomplished, as they say.'
Professor Jason sighed. 'You saw Templar?'
Ruth nodded. 'Yes. I saw him. I had coffee with him. actually.' She moved her shoulders offhandedly. putting off the inevitable explanations. 'He asked how you were, and I told him about the storm. Apparently the roof was blown off the golf clubhouse—you know, along the highway north of Kingstown. But no one was hurt, thank goodness, although he did say some boats were damaged in the harbour.'
Professor Jason listened to her in silence, then he said: 'You did get Mr Howard's money. I hope?'
'Oh. yes.' Ruth moved restlessly about the room. 'I got it.'
'Good.' Her father was relieved. 'The sooner that young man has funds, the sooner he'll get off the island.' He closed his eyes again. 'And now if you don't mind. I'll rest. You'll excuse me from joining you for supper this evening, won't you. my dear? I really am extremely weary.'
Ruth turned, her lips parting in dismay. She had still to tell him about Mr Templar, and the mix-up over the names, but with Professor Jason's eyes closed she felt reluctant to disrupt his peace. Nevertheless. he had to be told, she fretted, trying to frame the words in
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