Victoria Holt: Road to Paradise Island

"Yes. I'll go and get my sun hat."

"You'll need it. I'll be waiting here. Don't be longer than you can help. We want to get back before the heat of the day."

I went up to my room and got my hat. I had been waiting for something like this since I had met Magnus Perrensen. I forgot my lethargy. He had something important to tell me. Perhaps I was on the verge of finding what I had come for. Perhaps he had news of Philip. In the excitement of everything that had happened. I had forgotten the quest which had brought me here.

John Everton went ahead of me to the boat. Magda was still at the market. She turned suddenly and saw me. She waved.

Then John Everton helped me into the boat and we were off.

"Not such a bright day as the last time." he said. "The wind isn't in the right direction either, so it will take a little longer to get there."

"Let us hope there's no mist." I said.

"The wind would soon clear that."

I could see the reclining lion getting nearer and nearer. Now it was looming over us and the sandy beach was in sight. He took the boat in and. leaping out. helped me to disembark.

"Here we are. It didn't take so long after all."

We went over the sand to the house. At the top of the steps Magnus Perrensen was waiting.

He took my hands and smiled warmly. "Thank you for coming so promptly."

"I was eager as soon as I heard. You have news for me?"

"Yes. that's so. Come along in. We'll be comfortable."

The strange uncanny feeling was creeping over me. Being with him took me back to the journal. Phrases of .Ann .Alice's seemed to go on and on in my brain.

"We'll have a drink." he said. "They'll bring it to us."

He took me into the room with the french windows overlooking the sea.

"I have wanted to come to Cariba so often since we last met." he said. ".And I wanted to ask you to come here. But there was something I had to make sure of first. I wanted to wait until I could tell you of my discovery."

"I am all eagerness to hear."

"First the drink ... This is a very special concoction made by my

servant. He is very clever with such things. You will like this. It is refreshing."

I tried it. "Thank you," I said. "I do want to hear..."

"Yes, I know. There is an island."

"You have found it! Where is it? How far out was the map?"

"The map was correct," he said.

"But ..."

"Yes, I know you went there with the gentleman of Cariba, and there was nothing there. But you didn't look closely enough. It's understandable. You shall know everything. Nothing shall be kept from you. I do admire you so much. You are so vital. Far more so than most women. You are adventurous. You have set out on a journey round the world to look for your lost brother. You are a romantic too. The journal touched you deeply, didn't it? I believe there were times when you thought you were Ann Alice. And when you first met me ... admit it ... for a moment you thought you were back in the past. You thought I was the young lover who had promised to take you away from that sinister house. You did, didn't you? Confess it."

"Of course I never mistook my own identity."

"Oh, but I believe there were times when you thought you were Ann Alice reborn. That moment when I took your hand and said ... What did I say? At last you have come.' That sent shivers down your spine. I know. I saw it."

"Oh well, perhaps. I am longing to hear about the island. You say the map is correct."

"Do drink up. It is so refreshing."

I took another sip. I was beginning to feel a little uneasy. He was acting so strangely. It seemed as though he was mocking me in a way. He was different from the man he had appeared to be at our last meeting.

"Tell me where the island is," I said.

"At the bottom of the sea."

I gave a startled exclamation. In a flash of revelation I remembered being in the boat with Milton, looking back at the lightish green water, that patch of a different colour in an expanse of blue. Had it meant that at that spot the land was closer to the surface of the sea? Could that be the meaning of the difference in colour?

"There is a simple answer," he was saying. "Eighty or so years ago there was a change in the weather pattern ... just for one year. Most countries experienced excessive and unusual heat. A certain amount of ice at the poles melted and flowed into the oceans. Several lands suffered floods. It was even felt here, nearer the equator, though in a lesser way and some islands became just rocks jutting out of the

sea, others were completely submerged. That is what happened to our island."

"Oh. I see it all now. I have heard about the possibility of that happening. Someone was talking about it..."

"In connection with the island?" he asked quickly.

"Oh no... just generally."

I saw John Everton walk past the window and it struck me as strange that he had not come into the house with me.

"Is he a friend of yours?" I asked.

"He works for me."

"But ... I did not think he knew you. I thought we came here by chance..."

"He brought you ... on my orders."

"You mean the first time?"

"Yes."

"Then why did he pretend that he did not know you?"

"You're going to hear everything in time. You are not drinking."

"I am not really thirsty."

"It is not unpleasant, is it?"

"No, very nice."

"You will find it so refreshing."

"I thought at first that you might have news of my brother."

"Oh, of course, your brother."

"Do you know anything of him?"

"He came here. He was a very inquisitive young man, and observant, too. He was very like his sister. And quite knowledgeable. He knew a great deal about charts and the sea. He guessed the island was submerged."

"So you met him?"

"He noticed the colour of the sea. It is not always like that. It happens only in certain climatic conditions. Sometimes there is no indication at all."

"So Philip discovered it ... "

"It was discovered long ago."

"But when I last saw you ..." I stared at him. He raised his glass and indicated that I should do the same.

I hesitated. Why was he so eager for me to drink? I had learned a lesson on the previous night. I believed I should not drink thoughtlessly for a long time.

There was something very odd about this. The manner in which he looked at me, the way he spoke, not giving clear answers to my questions. I was beginning to feel very uneasy indeed. It occurred to me that he might not be quite sane.

He looked so cold. His eyes were blue—so were Milton's. But how different! I felt an intense longing for Milton's protective presence and something like terror because an expanse of water divided us.

"I believe you have something to tell me about my brother."

"I know where he is."

I rose. "Take me to him."

"All in good time."

"What is this all about? Why are you so mysterious? Why don't you tell me outright?"

"I wish you would relax and drink. Then we could chat happily."

"No," I said, "I won't drink. I don't want to drink. I am not thirsty. All I want is news."

"Well, I'll tell you where your brother is. He is on the island."

"But the island..."

"Yes, it is at the bottom of the sea."

"You mean Philip is..."

"He's there ... or what the fishes have left of him."

I said: "I want to go. I don't know what you are planning to do, but I don't want to stay here a moment longer."

"That is not very polite. What would Ann Alice say to that?"

"You have brought me here for a purpose. I want to know what."

"So you shall ... I wish you had taken the drink. It would have been so much easier for you. I like you. You are very attractive. I don't think Ann Alice was as attractive as you are. She would have lacked your fire. You are a young woman of great spirit. You like everything to go your way. I think it was most commendable of you to come on this quest. That is why I have decided that you shall discover what you came for... before you join your brother."