Page 169 of The Pearl Sister
‘Are you all right, Mrs Mercer, love? You’ve gone ever such a funny colour, you have.’
‘Yes . . .’ She tried hard to release her hand from the doorknob, but knew she may well fall over if she did. With an almighty effort, she turned it to pull the door open. ‘I’m going out.’
In the street, Kitty turned blindly and began to walk briskly away from the hotel.
It cannot be . . . it justcannotbe . . .
‘Kitty!’
At the sound of his voice behind her, her legs broke into a run. She turned down a narrow lane, not caring where she was going as long ashecouldn’t catch her.
‘For God’s sake! I could outrun you by hopping!’
‘Damn you! Damn you to hell!’ she swore as her chest tightened. She slowed as purple patches began to appear in front of her eyes and a firm hand gripped her arm. On the verge of fainting, she bent over, panting like an asthmatic dog and having no choice but to let him take her weight.
‘Sit down. I’ll go and get you some water.’ He gently eased her down onto a doorstep. ‘Wait there, I’ll be back.’
‘I don’t want you back . . . Go away, goaway. . .’ Kitty moaned as she bent her head between her knees and tried to hold on to consciousness.
‘Here, drink this.’
With her eyes closed, she smelt the whisky before she saw it.
‘NO!’ She swiped at the tin mug, which went sailing through the air, then bounced and rolled across the ground, spilling its contents. ‘How dare you!’
‘How dare Iwhat?’
‘Bring me liquor! I need water!’
‘I have that here too.’
Kitty grabbed the flask he offered her and gulped the water down. Taking some deep breaths while fanning herself with her bonnet, her senses slowly returned to her.
‘What are you doing here?’ she gasped.
‘I’ve been coming here for almost forty years. I rather think it’s me that should askyouthat question.’
‘I hardly think it’s any of your business . . .’
‘You are right as always, but I will warn you that our theatrics along the main street of Alice Springs will soon be everyone else’s business. Could I suggest that we continue this conversation somewhere more private?’
‘You will escort me back to the hotel,’ she said, allowing him to pull her to standing and feeling a number of eyes upon them. ‘And then you will leave.’
‘Hah! You’ve arrived onmypatch.You’rethe one who should leave.’
‘We’ll see about that,’ she retorted.
They said no more until they reached the hotel. He paused on the doorstep and turned to her.
‘I suggest that for the sake of form, we take dinner together tonight. We happen to be sharing a roof under the watchful eye of the town gossip.’ He indicated Mrs Randall, standing behind her reception desk and peering at them through the dust-coated pane of glass in the front door. ‘And later, when she is asleep, which is usually around nine thirty after a few bottles of grog, we will talk.’
‘Agreed,’ Kitty said as he moved to open the door.
‘Everything all right, ducky?’ Mrs Randall asked her as they walked into reception.
‘Yes, thank you. It must have been the heat of the day affecting me.’
‘For sure, dearie, it gets to all of us, don’t it, Mr D?’ Mrs Randall winked at him.
