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'My father is dying,' she answered, wasting neither time nor words. 'And you
are wholly responsible.' Sara watched closely to discover the effect of her
statement upon him. His face became impassive as he said quietly,
'I don't think I understand.'
'You said you wanted to injure him, and you have - irreparably. The doctor's
given him less than a fortnight to live.'
The wind stirred his hair and at the same time the sun brought to light the
odd grey strand, changing it to silver so that it contrasted sharply with the
blackness around it. How old was he? She had told Valerie he was about
thirty- two, but he could be a little older - thirty-four, perhaps.
'Are you trying to tell me that the shock of your broken engagement is going
to be fatal?'
'That's why I asked you to meet me,' she said, ignoring his question. 'I want
you to have his death on your conscience for the rest of your life.' Her small
fists were clenched and her voice had a hard metallic ring. 'If you have a
conscience,' she added, 'and, strangely, I believe you have.'
He moved to support his back against one of the columns of the archway.
'I don't believe the shock of the broken engagement is killing your father.
There's more to it than that. I think you'd better explain.'
Sara found herself describing the scene in her father's bedroom, and even
before she had finished an angry exclamation broke from his lips.
'This Roddy's spread it round that he's the one who's broken the
engagement? Why didn't you refute that?'
She glanced up quickly.
'But that's what you wanted,' she reminded him, diverted. 'Your revenge was
based in the conviction that Rod would do the jilting.'
'I'm not concerned any more with my intentions. I'm looking at it from your
point of view. My plan misfired. Why, then, didn't you exploit that?'
'I did tell my father that it was I who'd done the jilting, but he wouldn't
believe me.'
'I see. ... But your father believes you spent the night with me for a - lark?'
That seemed to amuse him, for he stopped a while to gaze mockingly down
at her. 'He actually believes you're promiscuous?'
'Wouldn't you, in his place?' Somehow this wasn't going as she intended. For
one thing, Ralph Lingard was in no way put out by her accusation that he
was to blame for her father's condition.
'Did it not occur to you to tell your father the truth, that you'd been forcibly
taken aboard that boat?'
'That I'd been abducted ... by a Lingard ... ?' Sara had no need to say more.
He frowned and said brusquely,
'How our families do love one another!' He paused. 'So it's this supposed
misdemeanour of yours that's upset him '
'He's more than upset,' she flashed. 'He absolutely refuses to face the scandal
and disgrace. As I've said he won't take any more of these tablets, and that
means he can't live.'
'I'd never have suspected a Malvern of cowardice,' he remarked mockingly,
though his eyes were serious.
'My father's no coward!' Sara drew herself up to her full height, and her fair
head was flung back so that her hair floated away behind her, lifted by the
breeze. 'He happens to be old, and very ill. How dare you say such a thing!'
'All right, all right. What a hothead you are! Let's keep calm about this, and
think what must be done.'
'There's nothing. And that's why I wanted you to know the position, before
you go away. I want you to live with this terrible thing on your
conscience '
'Do be quiet, girl!' he snapped on a note of weariness. 'I've suggested we do
something about it; that means careful thought, not the kind of useless
ranting you're indulging in. I'm quite aware I've said this before, but I'm
saying it again; I don't know what in heaven's name my brother saw in you!
Now be quiet and let me think! There must be some way of making your
father continue with those tablets.' He became silent and Sara watched his
brow furrow in thought. On the boat he had worn rather disreputable denims
and a polo-necked sweater. He looked different today, more formally
dressed in newly-creased slacks and a tweed sports coat. But nothing could
change the inflexible lines of his face or remove that air of lawlessness that
was such an outstanding feature of all the Lingard men. 'Did your father say
definitely that he meant to die?'
'Definitely. Make no mistake, he meant what he said.'
The frown deepened.
'I can't believe your father would do this,' he returned, eyeing her sceptically,
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