‘Sort of.’
‘Swim with me?’
‘Why not?’
He grabbed her hand and ran with her across the sand and into the sea.
‘You follow me, baby. I won’t go far out,’ he said.
She paused to watch him. A show off, she thought, no style and little speed. Letting him get well ahead of her, she cut into a racing dive, overtook him and went past him like a rocket. She swam a hundred yards or so, turned around and waited for him.
As he approached, she saw he was no longer happy.
‘Say, who are you? Some athlete or something?’ There was a sour note in his voice.
She realized her mistake. Men! Always wanting to be the top shots! She should have played helpless.
‘Why didn’t you say you could swim like that? You putting me on?’
The spark had gone. Would she ever learn?
‘My drink is getting warm,’ she said and turning, she swam back, leaving him staring after her.
To hell with men! she thought. Use them when you need them, drop them when you don’t!
In the changing room, she rubbed herself dry, put on her dress, paid for her half-finished drink and decided, after all, to have a lonely lunch in the hotel grill-room. As she left she heard a girl say, ‘What the hell does she want to barge in here for?’
And to hell with you! Helga thought.
She got in the Mini and stared through the dusty windshield. Well, at least she had been called a chick!
She had regained her high spirits by the time she reached the hotel. She was hungry and went straight to the grill-room. The Maître d’hôtel met her at the entrance, his expression serious.
‘Excuse me, Mrs. Rolfe, they are asking for you at the desk.’
She stiffened and stared at him.
‘Who?’
‘I believe your man, Hinkle.’
Impatiently she looked at her watch. The time was 12.35.
‘He must wait,’ she said curtly. ‘I want lunch.’
The Maître d’hôtel hesitated, then conducted her to a corner table. She ordered a crab salad and a half bottle of Chablis.
She was damned if anything was going to prevent her lunching, she told herself. Probably some stupid mix up with the luggage or something.
As she was finishing the crab salad, she saw Hinkle hovering in the doorway. One look at his face made her crumple her serviette and start to her feet.
Watched by the other people lunching, she joined Hinkle and they moved into the lobby.
‘What is it?’ she asked sharply.
‘Mr. Rolfe, madame. I regret to tell you he is very poorly.’
She stared at him, her heart skipping a beat.
‘Poorly? What do you mean?’
‘Dr. Bellamy is with him. Would you come up with me, madame?’
A little chill ran through her, but aware that the staff and several tourists were watching, she walked with Hinkle to the elevator.
With the elevator attendant all ears, she couldn’t ask questions until they began walking down the corridor.
‘Won’t we be leaving, Hinkle?’ She could think of nothing else.
‘I am afraid not, madame. Mr. Rolfe’s relapse appears to be serious.’
Her triumph over Jackson, the exciting prospects of going home with Dick Jones vanished like a fist becoming a hand.
Goddamn Herman! she thought. But as soon as the thought passed through her mind, she felt ashamed. “How would you hate to be stricken with a drooling mouth, a useless arm and paralysed legs, you selfish thoughtless bitch,” she told herself.
She found Dr. Bellamy waiting for her. She had never seen such a worried looking man.
‘Oh, Mrs. Rolfe, I have bad news. Mr. Rolfe is unfit to fly.’
‘What’s happened?’
‘I regret to say that I don’t know. Dr. Levi will be arriving in a few hours.’
‘You don’t know?’ Helga snapped. ‘Has he had another stroke... you must know!’
‘He was under sedation. He seems to have drifted into a coma.’
‘Seems? Surely you must know if he is in a coma or not?’
‘The symptoms are puzzling, Mrs. Rolfe. Nurse Fairely became alerted when his breathing became light and his colour took on a bluish tinge. She sent for me. The heart action is strong, but the beat much slower.’
Helga stiffened.
‘Is he dying?’
‘I would say not, Mrs. Rolfe. It is an extraordinary change. I can’t account for it. I have taken the precaution of giving him oxygen. My assistant is with him and will remain with him. Everything that can be done, will be done.’
‘So there is no question of flying him home?’
‘I am afraid not.’
‘So we must wait for Dr. Levi?’
‘Yes, Mrs. Rolfe.’
‘And you can’t suggest what has gone wrong?’
‘I think it would be better to wait for Dr. Levi. Mr. Rolfe is his patient.’
Doctors! she thought.
‘Well, we must wait then,’ and not attempting to conceal her irritation, Helga left the room. She found Hinkle waiting in the corridor. ‘I want to change, Hinkle, then we must talk. Would you give me fifteen minutes?’
‘Certainly, madame.’
She entered her suite, her mind in a frustrated, bitter fury. Quickly she got out of the dress and put on a pyjama suit, then she lit a cigarette and began to pace up and down the big living room. All she could think of was Dick. She was still pacing when Hinkle tapped on the door.
‘This fool of a doctor doesn’t know what is wrong,’ she said angrily as Hinkle came into the room. ‘We have to wait for Dr. Levi. When did this happen?’
‘A few minutes after you left, madame, Nurse Fairely called me and told me she had called Dr. Bellamy. He in his turn called Dr. Levi. Fortunately it was early enough for me to cancel the packing arrangements.’
She stubbed out her cigarette, exasperated.
‘I’ll go out of my mind if I have to stay much longer in this hotel!’
‘That I can appreciate, madame. Perhaps Dr. Levi will give you some idea how long it will be.’
‘I hope so!’ She began to pace the room again. ‘Well, all right, Hinkle, we must wait.’
‘There is Jones to be thought of, madame,’ Hinkle said, his voice dropping a tone.
As if she was thinking of anything else!
‘Oh, yes.’
‘Obviously we won’t be requiring him now, madame. I suggest I see him and advise him to ask the hotel to re-employ him.’
No, Hinkle, she thought, nice and kind as you are, you don’t make decisions.
‘If Mr. Rolfe can travel in a few days, I still wish to give the boy his chance.’ She kept moving around the room so she need not look at Hinkle who she was sure was registering disapproval. ‘Let us wait until we hear what Dr. Levi has to say. Where is Jones?’
‘I don’t know, madame. I haven’t seen him this morning. He had instructions to be in the lobby at 13.15. He is probably down there now, waiting.’
‘All right, Hinkle. I’ll send for you as soon as I have spoken to Dr. Levi.’
‘Very well, madame,’ and Hinkle withdrew.
Helga went immediately to the telephone and called the Hall porter.
‘Is Dick Jones in the lobby?’
‘Yes, Mrs. Rolfe. He is waiting for instructions.’
‘Tell him to come to my suite, please.’
She replaced the receiver and with an unsteady hand she lit yet another cigarette. What she wanted more than anything in the world, when Dick arrived was to lead him into her bedroom, but she knew this was impossible. She would have to wait. She clenched her fists in frustrated fury. Wait! Wait! Wait! That’s all she seemed to be doing with her life... waiting!
After knocking, Dick entered. He stood just inside the door, holding a shabby panama hat in both hands in front of him. He was wearing a cheap, crumpled grey linen suit, a white shirt and a dark blue string tie. Her eyes ran over him. In spite of his shabbiness he was still beautiful to look at and his big, fawn-like eyes gave her a sinking feeling.