The Black Tide

just as determined, but the squarish, almost plain face lit by a smile. There were other parts of her that jutted, for she was wearing slacks and a very close-fitting jersey-knit sweater. A fleece-lined suede coat lay across the bed and she had the typescript of my book in her hands. She got up and stood facing me a little awkwardly. ‘I hope you don’t mind.’ She held up the dog-eared typescript. ‘I couldn’t resist.’ She was unsure of herself. ‘Salt was very stuffy about it at first — the address, I mean. But I got it out of him in the end. Such an incredible, marvellous story. I just had to see you.’ She had a sort of glow, her eyes alight with excitement.

‘You believe it then?’

‘Of course.’ She said it without the slightest hesitation. ‘Salty said nobody could possibly have invented it. But then of course,’ she added, ‘we want to believe it, anyway Daddy, Mother, me, Virgins Unlimited … I told you about the syndicate, didn’t I? The rude name they call it. The other syndicates, too.’ She was nervous, talking very fast. ‘You don’t mind, do you?’ She put the typescript carefully down beside her coat. ‘I read a couple of chapters, that’s all, but I’ve learned so much — about you and what you want out of life. I’d like to take it with me. It’s so moving.’

‘You like it?’ I didn’t know what else to say, standing there, gazing at her and remembering that letter I’d received at Ras al Khaimah.

‘Oh, yes. What I’ve read so far. If I could borrow it… there’s a publisher, a friend of ours, lives at Thorpe-le-Soken…’ Her voice trailed away. ‘I’m

sorry. I’m being bossy. Daddy says I’m always trying to run other people’s lives for them. It’s not true, of course, but I’m afraid I sometimes give that impression. Do sit down please.’ She looked quickly round the room and I could almost see her nose wrinkling at the bare bleakness of it. ‘Did you get a letter from me?’ She said it in an offhand way, busying herself with picking up her coat and hanging it on the hook of the door. ‘Perhaps the bed will be more comfortable. That chair’s an arse-breaker, I can tell you.’ She plumped herself down on the far side of the bed. ‘Well, did you?’ She was watching me intently, her eyes bright. ‘Yes, I see you did. But you never replied.’

I hesitated, my blood beginning to throb at the invitation I thought I could see in her eyes. ‘Yes, the dhow brought it to me.’ I sat down on the bed beside her and touched her hand. ‘And I did reply to it. But if you believe my account of what happened you’ll realize the reply is still on board that tanker.’

Her fingers moved against mine. ‘I only know what Salty told me. Daddy and I were at his office late this afternoon. He gave us an outline, but very brief. Daddy was there to decide what action should be taken as a result of your report.’ She gripped my hand. ‘When I insisted Salty give me your address, and Daddy knew I intended seeing you, he said to give you his warmest thanks for risking your neck and achieving — well, achieving the impossible. Those were his words. And Salty thought the same, though of course he didn’t say so. What he said was that he’d only given you what

had been agreed, but that if your information resulted in any of the GODCO claims being set aside, then there would be a proper recompense.’

‘I had my own motives,’ I muttered.

‘Yes, I know that. But it’s just incredible what you did, and all in little more than a week.’

‘Luck,’ I said. ‘I was following Choffel.’

She nodded. ‘Tell me what you said, would you please.’

‘To Saltley?’ I half shook my head, remembering that long cross-examination and not wanting to go over it all again. But then I thought it might help for her to know, so I started to tell her about Baldwick coming to see me at Balkaer. But that wasn’t what she wanted. It was the letter. ‘What did you say — in that letter I never received. Please tell me what you said.’

I shook my head. It was one thing to write it in a letter, another to say the same words to her face. I took my hand away and got up. ‘I don’t really remember,’ I muttered. ‘I was touched. Deeply touched. I said that. Also, that I was lonely — a little afraid, too — and your letter was a great comfort… to know that somebody, somewhere, is concerned about whether you live or die, that makes a great difference.’

She reached out and touched my hand. ‘Thank you. I didn’t know how you’d feel. It was so—’ She hesitated, blushing slightly and half smiling to herself. ‘After I posted it — I felt a bit of a fool, getting carried away like that. But I couldn’t help it. That was the way I felt.’

‘It was nice of you,’ I said. ‘It meant a great deal

to me at that moment.’ And I bent down and kissed her then — on the forehead, a very chaste kiss.