The Coral Tree by Joyce Dingwell Read Free Book Online

returned the girl in as fluent Englis h as her mother ’ s. “Have you someone with a disability, too?”
    “No,” said Cary, “but I have a house with land around it, then are at least ten ponies and”—she flushed warmly—“the one thin g I can do, and I had forgotten it till now, is ride.”
    “So,” said Jan Bokker, and she clapped her hands.
    Else held up her coffee-cup to Cary. “Good luck,” she wished.
    In the end Cary stayed all day, only tearing herself away fo r dinner in case the Misses Whitney became alarmed at her absenc e and alerted the hotel.
    “God bless you,” said Jan Bokker.
    “You did promise I can write for more information,” repeated Cary anxiously.
    “We shall write before you do,” assured Else. “You have given me your future address. We shall write everything of help we can think of, a nd we shall send it as soon as we can.”
    The trudge home was unnoticed. The cold, which by this hour was very bitter, did not seem to penetrate to Cary.
    Just as well she had not left it any later, for the elderly ladies were watching anxiously for her return.
    “My dear, we were worried,” fretted Miss Alice.
    “Miss Porter, where have you been? And you missed your meal, too.” That was Miss Maud.
    “I didn ’ t miss it, I ate it at a lodge.”
    “Really? Was it nice?”
    “I don ’ t know.”
    “Don ’ t know!”
    It was no use, the thing inside Cary could not be kept to herself. Not knowing whether she made sense or not, she told her experiences to the two ladies. She recounted the story of the recovery to health of the girl, Else, how that had started her mother ’ s idea—how today another idea, her idea, had been born. She told them of Clairhill, of Mrs. Marlow ’ s will, and what she intended to do. Then—feeling their bewildered eyes upon her—she fled.
    Yet she must have made sense, after all.
    She only had time to change into the soft jersey dress she reserved for wear at night when there was a tap on the door and there stood Miss Alice and Miss Maud, and they were beaming.
    “My dear, we are going to ask you to accept a donation from us. We were very touched by your story. We, too, want to help.”
    Cary hesitated. “I couldn ’ t, really,” she told them, “I mean, not until I was established. But the thought is lovely, and if you really want to do something you could get in touch with Jan Bokker.”
    “We ’ ll do that as well, of course, but you — ”
    Cary ’ s eyes pricked. She felt as touched by their generosity as they had been by her story.
    “ I shall let you know from Australia,” she said, inspired. “Perhaps you will even come and visit Clairhill.”
    They looked at each other, a little startled at the idea.
    “It ’ s a long way,” demurred Alice.
    “And hot,” said Maud.
    Eventually they went to change for dinner, promising boldly that they would not dismiss the proposal without some serious thought.
    At the end of the corridor Miss Maud Whitney turned. In that clear, rather strident voice she called: “I think you are very brave, very courageous, my dear.”
    Cary remembered the last time she had announced this, and that man who had turned back from his scrutiny of the Horn. She remembered what had happened afterwards; the near-collision, the episode in the lounge. But most of all she remembered his cool regard of her as Miss Maud had kept on her extravagant enthusiasm, she remembered his sardonic speculation, the twist to his sarcastic mouth.
    I ’ m glad our paths will never meet again, she thought.

 
    CHAPTER SIX
    THE LAST DAY went quickly for Cary. She packed her bags and sent them up to the station; she settled her bill; she slipped a reward into Hilde ’ s hand; she said au revoir to the Misses Whitney, reminding them that it was only that and not farewell, since they must still consider a visit to the Commonwealth. And she went out to Jan Luknit.
    In the Australian manner she did not say “goodbye”. She put her hand in