Candle in the Wind Read online

  Sam's voice was edged with bitterness. 'Not willingly, you mean.'

  Mike's tone hardened. 'Not in any way, then. I've never yet forced myself on a woman, Sam, and I certainly didn't intend to start with an innocent girl.'

  'Yet you threatened it,' she said stubbornly.

  'Only to try and make you open your eyes, to face up to the fact that we're lovers, not just two strangers who happened to be cast away on an island together.' He turned on to his side to face her and stressed, 'Lovers, Sam, in every sense of the word now, and that's how it's going to be—always.' He reached out and with his fingers traced along a shaft of moonlight that ran across her back and over her right hip.

  Sam shuddered at his touch and began to cry again.

  His fingers grew still and then Mike said harshly, 'Sam, don't cry, please don't cry. It cuts me up inside when you do.' And then he had turned her over into his arms and was kissing away the tears while Sam put her arms round his neck and clung to him in a torrent of weeping.

  'Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry. I know it's bad the first time, but it gets better, believe me. Trust me, my little love, trust me.' Her sobs eased as he went on kissing her, his lips hot against her eyes, her throat, her mouth, and ceased completely as his lips sought her breast and he whispered, 'Believe me, Sam, it gets better every time.'

  And so he proved, using all his expertise and experience to awaken her body to the delights of sensuality and to light a fire within her that brought her again and again to the quivering heights of passion as the moonlight gradually gave way to the dawn. They slept then, their bodies entwined, but as the sun crept through the doorway, Mike tenderly kissed her awake and made love to her slowly, lazily, luxuriating in her youth and beauty as his eyes and hands explored her body. For a while Sam lay stilly eyes closed, mouth slightly open, and her senses became throbbingly aware, then she opened her eyes and slowly reached out to touch him. He became quite still, but his breathing quickened as she lightly ran her fingers through the hairs on his chest and across the smooth, hard plain of his stomach. And suddenly his desire became urgent, almost frenzied, and gentleness vanished in a blaze of savagery as he took her and Sam's cry of ecstasy echoed through the clearing.

  After that night the days became one long banquet of idyllic lovemaking and time passed them by without their noticing. On that first morning Sam had been shy and had turned her back on him to dress, but Mike had immediately put a stop to that and soon she behaved quite naturally in front of him. Not that she seemed to have her clothes on very often. Mike took great delight in her body; it was as if she was a piece of sculpture to be studied and coveted, to be felt with loving hands and experienced with mind and body. He would watch her appreciatively as she walked back along the beach after they'd had a swim, and then laughat her because she averted her eyes and was too shy to look at him so openly. They lay in the sun and made love and, slept and soon tanned a deep golden brown—all over. They had food and drink in plenty and a hut to protect them from the wind and the occasional fierce squalls of rain. And once they were on their way back from collecting mangoes from further inland when they were caught in an unexpected rainstorm. They sheltered under the spreading branches of a tree until it stopped as swiftly as it had begun and the hot sun made the jungle start to steam. The rain had brought the plants alive and the cloying, sweet scent of the flowers and vegetation filled their nostrils. There was an aphrodisiacal quality about it that hung heavy in the still air. Mike turned Sam towards him and she saw in his eyes that he wanted her. They lay together on the jungle floor and he passionately pulled her on top of him as raindrops fell from the trees like liquid crystal and shattered on the parched earth.

  It was Sam who saw the boat first. She had been gathering wild bananas and was making her way back along the beach to the hut, humming a tune and skipping a little as she went. A movement on the water caught her eye and when she looked up, she stood transfixed. Then she dropped the bananas and began to run fast along the beach, yelling for Mike at the top of her voice. He came at the first sound of her shout and began to run towards her,' afraid that something was wrong, but Sam gestured wildly out to sea and he turned to look, coming to an abrupt halt as soon as he saw the boat.

  Sam rushed up to him and grabbed his arm. 'Quick, the bonfire!' she shouted excitedly, and began to pull him back towards the camp.

  But he remained still while she jerked at his arm impatiently.

  'Come on, Mike. If we don't hurry it will be gone!'

  Then he swung round to face her and caught her arm. He spoke with bewildering urgency. 'Let it go, Sam. Why go back to civilisation when we're happy and content as we are? We have everything we want here. And we have each other, we can live as we like with no one to invade our privacy. There couldn't be a more perfect place for a honeymoon, even if we'd looked for months. Sam, we're happy here, let's keep it that way.'

  She stared at him, her eyes wide with stunned surprise at the unexpectedness of his suggestion.

  'But we can't stay here for ever!'

  'No, not for ever, but there'll be other boats, we can wait for the next one, or the one after that.'

  'We don't know that. There might not be another boat for months, for years!' The very thought of being stranded here for so long scared her. 'Mike, please, we can't take a chance like that. What if one of us gets ill? We have to light the bonfire.'

  'Sam, if we signal that boat then the most wonderful part of our lives will be over, finished in just a few minutes. We'll be thrown back into so-called civilisation with all its stress and worries. Things won't ever be quite the same again. We'll have lost something very precious, something that we could hold on to for a little longer by letting that boat go.'

  Her eyes were troubled as she looked up at him. 'You seem almost afraid to leave here. Is the world outside so terrible? I can't remember. I have no memories except of you and this island.' She looked at him searchingly. 'Is there something you're afraid of, Mike, something you haven't told me about?'

  'No.' He answered too quickly and then tried to cover up by saying more gently, 'No, of course not. I just want to keep what we have now for a little longer, that's all. Isn't it worth trying to keep hold of, Sam? It is to me. Very much,' he added earnestly, his hand tightening on her arm.

  Sam bit her lip and turned to look at the boat. It was closer now but was steering a course that would soon take it past the island. Slowly she said, 'Mike, if you let the boat go, then we'll have lost what we had anyway. It wouldn't be the same, I'd never be sure that you weren't trying to hide away from something you were afraid to face.' She looked at his suddenly set face. 'And I'm sorry, Mike, but I want to go back to civilisation. I want to see what the rest of the world is like. And all honeymoons have to come to an end some time, don't they? We can't make it last for ever.' She raised her eyes to his pleadingly. 'Please, Mike, light the bonfire.'

  He gazed down at her for a second or two longer, a bleak look in his blue eyes. Then he said in a strange, cracked kind of voice, 'Oh, Sam, if you only knew what you were doing,' before he turned abruptly and went to take a red-hot brand from the fire and plunge it into the pile of coconut fibre and driftwood.

  It lit at once and flamed into the sky with a column of smoke rising high above, luckily with little or no breeze to dispel it. Sam turned to gaze at the boat, shading her eyes from the glare of the setting sun. Surely someone must notice. They must, they must! But for what seemed ages nothing happened as she stared agonisingly across the sea, willing someone to see their beacon, and she began to be afraid that they'd delayed too long, that they were too late, as the boat continued, on its course. She stood there with clenched fists, disappointment almost choking her, and she didn't dare look at Mike, standing silently behind her, because she knew that if she did she would let fly at him for having argued for so long and lost them their chance. Perhaps he had done so deliberately.

  But even as she watched in growing despair, the angle of the boat shifted and it star
ted to come about. For a moment she was almost too afraid to believe her own eyes, but then her heart filled with elation as the boat definitely came round in a graceful turn and began to tack towards the island.

  'They've seen us! Oh, Mike, they're coming!' She turned to him excitedly, but Mike was watching the boat with a grim, set look to his face.

  'Go back into the jungle and stay out of sight until I call you.' She started to protest, but he silenced her as he said forcibly, 'We don't know who those men on the boat are, Sam. I want you out of the way until I know they can be trusted. Now, go on, move!'

  There was no arguing with that tone of voice and Sam reluctantly went back to the hut and found her shoes, then stood just inside the screen of trees while she put them on and tried to tidy herself as best she could. The boat came nearer and she saw that it was quite large, an island schooner. It dropped anchor outside the reef and then two men lowered a dinghy over the side and climbed into it, pulling through the gap in the reef and rowing to where Mike stood waiting on the shore. The men got out of the boat and stood talking to Mike for some time while Sam peered anxiously out of the bushes. The man who appeared to be the leader was shaking his head firmly and seemed to be arguing. Surely he wouldn't refuse to take them? Mike frowned, but at length nodded, albeit reluctantly.

  He walked back to the hut and beckoned her over. Quickly she ran to his side.

  'The captain of the ship has agreed to take us off the island and give us a passage to St Vincent,' he said shortly.

  'What was the argument about? Didn't they want to take us?'

  'Oh, he was willing enough when we'd agreed a price, but it seems we're nearer Grenada and I wanted him to take us there, but he'd just come from the island and he absolutely refused to go back.'

  'Does it matter so much—where we go?" Sam asked rather impatiently. 'Surely one place is as good as another.'

  Mike looked at her for a moment and then turned away. 'Grenada would have been better for us,' he answered shortly. He went to pick up his knife from where he had been preparing a coconut that they would never now eat. 'Are you ready?'

  'Yes.' His face looked so stern and withdrawn that she somehow felt guilty. Tentatively she put a hand on his arm. 'Mike, please don't be angry with me.'

  He turned to look at her again and his face softened. Putting up his other hand, he covered hers, then gripped it tightly and pulled her roughly into his arms, kissing her with a fierce, bruising hunger that somehow seemed to have a touch of despair about it. When he at last took his lips from hers, Sam stared at him in astonishment, but he merely said brusquely, "Come on, they're waiting. We'd better go,' and took her arm to lead her to the beach.

  The hut had hidden them from view, but when they came into the open the men from the schooner both -turned to look at her in surprise. The captain, a middle-aged, sharp faced man, let his eyes run over her appraisingly and Sam instinctively moved nearer to Mike. His grip on her arm tightened reassuringly and he glared at the captain, who took one look at his belligerent expression and broad shoulders and hastily turned back to the boat. Mike helped her in and sat beside her while the other two men rowed them out to the schooner. There were two other members of the crew, both native Caribs, and they eyed her with open curiosity when she climbed abroad. They exchanged remarks in their own patois and laughed, but Mike made a biting comment in the same language and the sneering laughter was wiped from their faces. The captain gave the order to weigh anchor and soon they were sailing northwards, away from their island.

  Mike came to stand beside her at the rail, his arm across her shoulders as they watched it slowly diminish into the distance. As Sam watched her eyes filled with tears. They had been so happy there, had led an almost idyllic existence after those first few days of tension before she had given herself to him. There they had reached glorious, dizzying heights of passion, and she had revelled in the new-found sensuality that Mike had taught her, so passionately, so lovingly. Everything there had been new and wonderful, and would never be quite the same again. A tear ran unbidden down her cheek and Mike gently used his thumb to wipe it away.

  Softly he said, "I'm glad you cried. I'm glad it meant that much to you.'

  'Oh, Mike.' She buried her head in his shoulder and he held her close. Together they stood and watched until the island was nothing but a faint blur on the horizon, each full of the most poignant memories.

  Later one of the crew showed them to a tiny cabin amidships where they were able to wash. He offered to lend Mike a razor to shave off the beard he'd grown, but Mike looked at himself in the cracked mirror fastened to the bulkhead and made a joke about it making him look more mature and said perhaps he'd keep it for a while longer. Sam hardly heard him, she went over to the mirror herself and slowly, selfconsciously looked into it. On the island she had seen her reflection in the river, of course, but there it had always been broken and distorted and had given her no clear idea of her appearance. Now she stared at herself in pleased surprise as she examined each feature; her brows were finely arched over clear eyes that were mostly green with tawny brown specks and fringed with long, dark lashes. Her bone structure was good with high cheekbones, a slim, straight nose and a fairly determined chin. For several minutes Sam just stood and gazed at herself; no matter how much she had explored her features with her fingers, she had never imagined that she could look like that. Mike had said that she was lovely, but only now did she even begin to believe him.

  She became aware that he was standing behind her, watching her, and her eyes met his in the mirror. Rather tremulously she smiled at him. 'I—I wish I had a hairbrush. I must look a mess.'

  His face broke into a grin and he shook his head at her. 'Just like a woman! Ten minutes into civilisation and already she's worrying about what she looks like.'

  And then Sam knew it was all right, that he'd forgiven her for not wanting to stay on the island. Happily she went to him and reached up to put her arms round his neck and kiss him.

  'Why don't you shave? That beard tickles and I liked you better without it.'

  'Because I wouldn't care to bet on how old that razor was or what it's been used for. I'd rather stay unshaven than run the risk of skin disease. Are you hungry? I'll go along to the galley and get us some food. Lock the door behind me and don't open it until I get back.'

  'Aren't we going to eat with the crew?'

  'No, best to keep to ourselves.'

  'But why? Surely they wouldn't….’

  'Sam.' Mike caught hold of her chin and gave it a gentle shake. 'No one but these men know that we're even alive. I shan't be happy until we've landed safely at St Vincent. They're far too shifty for my liking.'

  Sam looked at him in astonishment. 'But what possible reason can they have for wanting to harm us?'

  Mike looked at her grimly. 'You just looked in the mirror, didn't you? If that didn't tell you why they might want me out of the way, nothing will.' Her eyes flew wide in sudden comprehension and he nodded. 'Just so. There are quite a few places on the South American coast where a beautiful white girl would fetch quite a high price. So you'll lock the door behind me and you don't open it again until you're sure it's me. Okay?'

  Sam nodded and turned the key as soon as the door closed behind him, then stood waiting with beating heart until she heard a knock and then his voice telling her to open up.

  The meal was some kind of stew washed down with a bottle of cheap wine and afterwards Mike made her lie down on the upper bunk and try to get some sleep.

  'How long before we reach St Vincent?' she asked him as she pulled the rather smelly blanket over herself.

  'The wind is pretty strong, about noon tomorrow, I should think.'

  He lay down on the bottom bunk, but Sam knew that he wasn't asleep. He had turned out the dim light, but the moon shone through the skylight, casting distorted shadows over the interior of the tiny cabin. Sam lay awake for a while wondering what tomorrow would bring, but presently she fell asleep, lulled by the gentl
e rocking of the boat.

  It was a slight squeaking noise above her head that woke her and for a moment she was completely disorientated, not knowing where she was. Then the noise came again and she realised that someone was gently opening the skylight. She made a convulsive movement, but then Mike's hand came over her mouth and he breathed, 'Quiet, keep still,' in her ear. She obeyed him without question and lay with pulses racing, hardly daring to breathe, as the skylight opened further and a man's arm reached in holding a gun. Then suddenly there was a great shout of pain as Mike thrust the skylight shut again, trapping the man's arm and crushing it with the weight of the heavy skylight. The gun fell to the ground with a clatter and only after several minutes did Mike remove his weight from behind it and release the captured limb.

  After that they were left alone for the rest of the night, although Mike still stayed awake, the gun now in his waistband, on the alert for some fresh attempt, and in the morning they stayed in the cabin until they saw land come into sight and they anchored in Kingstown harbour. Mike went to speak to the captain and then the dinghy was put over the side and the two Caribs rowed them to shore, but Sam noticed that the other crew man kept well out of the way while they were on deck and when she looked back she saw that he had his right arm in a makeshift sling. She shuddered, and a feeling of revulsion swept over her; as a first introduction to this new world it had been frightening in the extreme, 'If it hadn't been for Mike… She turned to speak to him, but was surprised to see that he was directing the two Caribs to row them towards where a whole lot of similar boats were just coming in from a fishing trip and some way from the direct line to the shore. Soon they were swallowed up among the other boats, and when they landed on the shore Mike took carp to keep among the people who had disembarked from them until they were well inland from the harbour.

  Sam looked at him with a puzzled frown. 'Shouldn't we go and report to the authorities or something?'