Rage - Smith Wilbur - Страница 75

'No,' she whispered, shaking her head, sensing what was coming, and it took courage for her to read on.

I ask you, for the sake of our land and our love, that when the child has been born and you are recovered from the birth, that you return to your husband's home at Weltevreden, ask his forgiveness for your absence, tell him that you cannot live without him and his children, and do all in your power to ingratiate yourself with him and to earn his confidence once more.

'I cannot do it,' Tara whispered, and then she thought of the children, and especially of Michael, and she felt herself wavering.

'Oh Moses, you don't know what you are asking of me." She covered her eyes with her hand. 'Please don't make me do it. I have only just won my freedom - don't force me to give it up again." But the letter went on remorselessly: Every one of us will be called upon to make sacrifice in the struggle that lies ahead. Some of us may be required to lay down our very lives and I could well be one of those 'No, not you, my darling, please not you!'

However, for the loyal and true comrades there will be rewards, immediate rewards in addition to the ultimate victory of the struggle and the final liberation. If you can bring yourself to do as I ask you, then my friends here will arrange for you and me to be together - not where we have to hide our love, but in a free and foreign land where, for a happy interlude, we can enjoy our love to the utmost. Can you imagine that, my darling?

Being able to spend the days and nights together, to walk in the streets hand in hand, to dine together in public and laugh openly together, to stand up unafraid and say what we think aloud, to kiss and do all the silly adorable things that lovers do, and to hold the child of our love between usIt was too painful, she could not go on. When Molly found her weeping bitterly, she sat on the bed beside her and took her in her arms.

'What is it, Tara dear, tell me, tell old Molly." 'I have to go back to Weltevreden,' she sobbed. 'Oh God, Molly, I thought I was rid of that place for ever, and now I have to go back." Tara's request for a formal meeting to discuss their matrimonial aJ rangements threw Shasa into a state of utmost consternation. H had been well enough satisfied by the informal understanding b tween them, by which he had complete freedom of action and contrr of the children, together with the respectability and protection of th marriage form. He had been happy to pay without comment the bill that Tara forwarded to him, and to see that her generous allowanc was paid into her bank account promptly on the first of each month He had even made good the occasional shortfall when the bani manager telephoned him to report that Tara had overdrawn. On on, occasion there was a cheque made out to a second-hand mota dealer, for almost a thousand pounds. Shasa did not query it. What ever it was, it was a bargain as far as he was concerned.

Now it looked as if all this was coming to an end, and Shas immediately called a meeting of his principal advisors in the board.

room of Centaine House. Centaine herself was in the chair ant Abraham Abrahams had flown down from Johannesburg, bringin with him the senior partner of a firm of renowned but very expensive divorce lawyers.

Centaine took over immediately. 'Let us consider the worst possible case,' she told them crisply. 'Tara will want the children and she'll want a settlement, plus a living allowance for herself and each of the children." She glanced at Abe who nodded his silver head, which set the rest of the legal counsel nodding like mandarin dolls, looking grave and learned, and secretly counting their fees, Shasa thought wryly.

'Damn it, the woman deserted me! I'll go to hell before I give her my children." 'She will claim that you made it impossible for her to remain in the conjugal home,' Abe said, and then when he saw Shasa's thunderous expression, tried to soothe him. 'You must remember, Shasa, that she will probably be taking the best available legal advice herselfi' 'Damned shyster lawyers!" said Shasa bitterly, and his counsel looked pained, but Shasa did not apologize nor qualify. 'I've already warned her I won't give her a divorce. My political career is at a very delicate stage. I cannot afford the scandal. Very soon I'll be contesting a general election." 'You may not be able to refuse,' Abe murmured. 'Not if she has good grounds." 'She hasn't any,' said Shasa virtuously. Tve always been the considerate and generous husband." 'Your generosity is famous,' Abe murmured drily. 'There is many an attractive young lady who could give you a testimonial on that score."

'Really Abe,' Centaine intervened. 'Shasa has always kept out of trouble with women --' 'Centaine, my dear. We are dealing with facts here - not maternal illusions. I am not a private detective and Shasa's private life is none of my concern. However, completely disinterested as I am, I am able to cite you at least six occasions in the last few years when Shasa has given Tara ample grounds --' Shasa was making frantic signals down the table to shut Abe up, but Centaine leaned forward with an interested expression. 'Go ahead, Abe,' she ordered. 'Start citing!" 'In January two years ago the leading lady in the touring production of the musical Oklahoma,' Abe began, and Shasa sank down in his chair and covered his eyes as though in prayer. 'A few weeks later the left-winger, ironically, in the visiting British women's hockey team." So far Abe was avoiding mentioning names, but now he went on. 'Then there was the female TV producer from North American Broadcasting Studios, pert little vixen with a name like a fish - no a dolphin, that's it, Kitty Godolphin.

Do you want me to go on? There are a few more, but as I have said already, I'm not a private investigator. You can be sure that Tara will get herself a good one, and Shasa makes very little effort to cover his tracks." 'That will do, Abe,' Centaine stopped him, and considered her son with disapproval and a certain grudging admiration.

'It's the de Thiry blood,' she thought. 'The family curse. Poor Shasa." But she said sternly, 'It looks as though we do have a problem after all,' and she turned to the divorce lawyer.

'Let us accept that Tara has grounds of infidelity. What is the worst judgement we might expect against us?" 'It's very difficult, Mrs Courtney--' 'I'm not going to hold you to it,' Centaine told him brusquely.

'You don't have to equivocate. Just give me the worst case." 'She could get custody, especially of the two younger children, and a large settlement." 'How much?" Shasa demanded.

'Considering your circumstances, it could be --' the lawyer hesitated delicately '-- a million pounds, plus the trimmings, a house and allowance and a few other lesser items." Shasa sat up very straight in his chair. He whistled softly and then murmured 'That is really taking seriously something that was merely poked in fun,' he said, and nobody laughed.

So Shasa took pains preparing for the reunion with Tara. He studied the written advice which Abe and the other lawyers had drawn up for him, and had his tactics firmly established. He knew what to say and what to avoid. He was to make no admissions an no promises, particularly regarding the children.

For the venue he chose the pool at the foot of the Constanti Berg, hoping that Tara would associate it with the happy hours the had spent there. He had his chef prepare an exquisite picnic hampe which contained all Tara's favourite delicacies, and he chose half dozen bottles of his best wines from the cellar.

He took especial care with his appearance. He had his hair trimme and picked out a new black silk eye-patch from the drawer that hid, kept full of them. He wore the after-shave she had given him am the cream-coloured wild silk suit which she had once remarked ai favourably, with his airforce scarf in the open neck of his blue shirt All the children were packed off to Rhodes Hill, into Centaine' care for the weekend, and he sent the chauffeur in the Rolls to fetc Tara from Molly Broadhurst's home where she was staying. Th chauffeur brought her directly up to the pool and Shasa opened the door for her, and was surprised when she offered him her cheek fol his kiss.