Victoria Holt: Road to Paradise Island

I went back to my room. I turned out the drawer. Could those pills have been caught up in my gloves or scarves? I went through everything thoroughly. I searched for the map. What had happened to it? It was evident that someone had gone through my possessions.

Why should the map have disappeared? I could not accuse Felicity of taking that.

It was all very mysterious. I thought: I will go over to Milton, but not yet. Magda would be there.

What would that matter? She was going to tell him of her celebration dinner. What did a man feel about a woman with whom he had had a very special relationship when she had decided to marry someone else?

I felt simple ... ignorant of the world. There was so much I had to learn, and what I had learned since I left England was how little I knew.

I thought: I will go to him this afternoon, after the intense heat of the day is over.

I went out to the terrace. The sounds of the harbour seemed some way off. I sat down, my thoughts in a maze of speculation.

I saw Magda among the stalls. Her cook was with her—a very tall man in blue trousers and a white shirt against which his skin shone like ebony. They were bargaining, after the custom of shoppers.

I watched them idly for a moment. Then I saw Milton.

Magda had turned to him. She held out her hand. He took it and I saw them laughing together.

Then he left her and was making his way to the hotel.

I ran down to meet him, relief flooding over me.

"I'm so glad you've come," I said.

"What a pleasant welcome! Have you settled things with Raymond?"

I shook my head.

"I have had no opportunity. Felicity is there all the time. They have gone off together. She is in love with him and in a way he is with her. I don't think it is going to be so very difficult."

"Are you all right, Annalice?"

"Why do you ask?"

"You look pale, strained ..."

I said: "I want to talk to you. Something strange happened. Shall we sit on the terrace?"

When we were seated I told him about the milk. He was stunned. I had never seen him at a loss for words before. When he spoke he said: "You are sure... about those pills?"

"I've looked everywhere. I am sure I can't have been wrong. If it had been one missing ... or even two, I might have thought I had miscounted, but four..."

"Four! That could have been fatal!" He had turned very pale and he looked at me with such deep feeling that I felt the ordeal was worth while to see him thus. K "It looks as though someone wanted to put me into a deep sleep."

"Why?"

"Something I had in my room. Someone who knew nothing about the power of the pills ..."

He shook his head. "What could anyone possibly have wanted. They could easily have broken in without going to such lengths."

"The map was taken."

"The map of the island? It was taken last night?"

"No... no. Before that. I had already missed it. It was at the back of a drawer where the pills were."

"The map," he repeated. "That's odd." Then he went on: "You're not staying another night in that hotel."

"But where... ?"

"In my house, of course."

"But what about Felicity and Raymond?"

"They can stay here ... or come if they like. There's room for them. But you are coming."

"Oh, Milton, I'm so glad you know. I was hesitating about coming to you. I felt it sounded so silly. I want to be very careful of what I say."

"Why should you have to be careful?"

"Because I think it may have been Felicity. You see, there is a reason. She thinks I will marry Raymond and she loves him... intensely. She came through that terrible shock. I don't quite know what happened on the balcony that night, but it unbalanced her. There was a time when I thought she might have lost her reason. I would never have thought she could do a thing like this except for that."

"Felicity," he said slowly. "And the map. You don't think she stole that?"

"Oh no. That would not concern her."

He was silent and I went on: "I feel so unsure. I may have imagined all that about the milk. You see, I thought there was some sort of sediment... and I thought afterwards it might have been the pieces of coconut. You know what the milk is like. I had had a very strange evening ... the fire and all that. I was worn out... emotionally as well as physically. I think I may have fallen naturally into a deep sleep."

"And the pills? How do you account for those?"

"They may have dropped out of the bottle when I last opened it. It was opaque and I had taken them out to count. I could have dropped them onto the floor. They could have been swept up."

"Wouldn't you have noticed?"

"I should have thought so, but I am trying to look at this from all possibilities."

"And the lost map?"

"There are all sorts of ways I might have lost that. It was some time ago when I couldn't find it. It doesn't seem to have anything to do with all this."

He said: "I shan't rest until you are up at the plantation. Pack your things and come now."

"I must wait and see Felicity. I'll have to explain. I want to be very careful about this. If it is Felicity she needs very gentle treatment. I know her well. It could be something that snapped inside her brain. I do want to go very quietly on this."

He nodded.

"But you are not going to spend another night in the hotel."

"You are certainly taking charge of me," I said with a faint smile.

"I'm taking care of you. Isn't that what I'm going to do from now on? I see what you mean about Felicity. We'll play it quietly ... but with the utmost care. When they come back you'll tell them you are coming up to the plantation tonight. If they want to stay here let them. You are coming. That is certain."

I said: "I want to. I should be afraid to sleep in that room again."

"Come back with me now."

I shook my head. "I must give them some explanation. I don't want this to seem too strange ... too important. I'll think of something plausible. And I'll get Felicity at least to come with me. I feel I have to watch over her."

"Have you seen her this morning? Did she act strangely?"

"Only to be surprised that I was not up. I am really worried about her. How I wish everything was settled. I am sure Raymond would take her back to England... and they could be married. They'd be very happy together."

"You can't run people's lives for them, you know. They have to find their own way. I'm going now. I have one or two things I have to do. I'm expecting you before sundown. If you don't come, I shall come over to fetch you."

"Oh Milton, I'm so glad you know."

He held my hands firmly and kissed me.

"I'll take care of you always," he said, "for the rest of our lives."

I watched him until he had disappeared. I caught sight of Magda who was still wending her way through the stalls with the tall cook.

"Miss Mallory!"

It was John Everton.

"Oh... hello," I said.

"I'm glad I found you. I've got a message for you. It's from that man on the island."

"Oh?" I was alert immediately.

"The man who brought it couldn't find you."

"I was down here."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, he saw me and remembered me and gave me the message to give to you when I saw you. It was that you should go to Lion Island as soon as you could. Mr. Perrensen has something of the utmost importance to tell you. The messenger had to go back but I said if I could find you I would take you over as soon as you were ready to go. I said I would. I'll take you now if you like. I could get a boat easily."

"That would be troubling you."

"Oh. I have nothing to do. Holidays don't really suit me. I like to be doing something all the time. It will be a nice trip for me."

"If you are sure ..."

"I am indeed. Could we leave now 0 "'