56275746 harlequin vintage walk in the shadows jayne bauling

8/3/2019 56275746 Harlequin Vintage Walk in the Shadows Jayne Bauling

1/192


2/192

WALK IN THE

SHADOWS

Jayne Bauling

Nicola's missionary streak had got her into hotwater more than once, and never more so than onthe occasion when young Denise Graemepersuaded her to pretend to be having an affair

with a married man, so that Denise's fianc BarakSorensen wouldn't realise that Denise was the realculprit. Needless to say, the whole thing gaveBarak the lowest opinion of Nicola, but at leastshe need never meet him again. Or so shethoughtuntil she went up to a farm in the

Transvaal to work and found that BarakSorensen was the man in charge...

Mills Et BoonPaperbacks that please

UNITED KINGDOM 55p netREP. OF IRELAND 60.5pAUSTRALIA $1.75*NEW ZEALAN D $1.95

All prices are subject tochange without prior notice

Recommended but not obligatory

ISBN 0 263 7301 5 8


3/192

WALK IN THE

SHADOWS

BY

JAYNE BAULING

MILLS & BOON LIMITED

17-19 FOLEY STREET

LONDON W1A 1DR


4/192

All the characters in this book have no existence outsidethe imagination of the Author, and have no relationwhatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names.

They are not even distantly inspired by any individualknown or unknown to the Author, and all the incidentsare pure invention.

The text of this publication or any part thereof maynot be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by anymeans, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,recording, storage in an information retrieval system,

or otherwise, without the written permission of thepublisher.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shallnot, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired outor otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the pub-lisher in any form of binding or cover other than thatin which it is published and without a similar conditionincluding this condition being imposed on the subsequent,

purchaser.

First published 1978Australian copyright 1979Philippine copyright 1979

This edition 1979

(1) Jayne-

Bauling 1978

ISBN 0 263 73015 8.

Set in Linotype Plantin 11 on 121 pt

Made and printed in Great Britain by

Richard Clay (The Chaucer Press), Ltd., Bungay, Suffolk


5/192

CHAPTER ONE

`PLEASE, you've got to help me!'The voice was young and breathless, but the cool

hand grasping her arm didn't tremble. Nicola Prennspun round to confront the person who implored herhelp. The girl was a stranger to her, as were so manyof the people thronging her father's house this evening,

waiting to see the New Year in. She suspected thatmany of them would be strangers to her father too.

What is it? she asked. She had slipped away to theveranda, finding the noise and heat inside overwhelm-ing, hoping for solitude, only to be accosted in thisway with a demand for help.

She studied the girl who stood under the yellow lan-

tern. Very young; certainly not more than eighteen,Nicola thought. The voice that had beseeched her aidhad held tragic appeal, yet the face she looked into wassmooth and expressionless. It was a very beautiful face,

with the short, straight nose and unblinking tawnyeyes : framed by the silky mane of hair, it was the face

of a young lioness, Nicola thought fancifully.She was conscious of her own face seeming over-made-up beside the subtle colouring the girl had usedto enhance her tawny beauty, but the heavy make-uphad been applied with deliberate intent. Nicola's skin

was one which paled drastically in extreme heat; and

today had been very hot, without a breath of wind to5


6/192

6 WALK IN THE SHADOWS

ease the stifling humidity. In the afternoon, thick blackclouds had rolled across the heavens and, hearing thedistant rumble of thunder, she had thought thankfullythat they were in for one of their spectacular high veldstorms, but the clouds had drifted away, diminishedby the heat, and by the time she had started to preparefor her father's party, her hazel eyes had provided the

only bit of colour in her white face. So she had used aheavy hand with the make-up and had put on one ofher skimpiest dresses in an attempt to keep cool, andnow she was being made to feel over-made-up andunder-dressed by a willowy teenager. Nicola frownedslightly, waiting to hear what the girl had to say.

`It's my fianc, you see,' was the explanation. 'He'sfollowed me hereI suppose my parents told himwhere I'd gone. I've just seen him come in. It won't beso bad if he thinks I'm on my own, just looking for abit of, fun, but if he suspects that I came with Todd,

I'll be in real trouble. He knows Todd, and doesn't ap-prove of him at all.'Nicola's eyes narrowed. 'Would that be Todd Bax-

ter?' she enquired.=Yes, do you know him?'`Slightly.'

He was an acquaintance of her father'shanger-onwould be a more appropriate term, Nicola thoughtcynically. Robert Prenn was a generous-hearted man,giving his friends a good time, and Todd Baxter wasalways ready to take advantage of that open-handedgenerosity. She had met him once or twice when hehad called on her father, but she hadn't known he washere tonight She knew that there was a wife some-


7/192

WALK IN THE SHADOWS 7

where in the background, and she felt sorry for thewoman who was left without her husband, even onNew Year's Eve. Nicola didn't care for Todd. It wasn'tso much that he was evidently unfaithful to his wife; it

was the way he mocked her, making people laugh ather expense, that caused Nicola to despise the man

She wondered if this girl knew he was married.

`It's all the better if you know Todd,' the girl con-tinued after a moment's thought. 'I don't know whoyou are, but I noticed earlier that you seemed to be onyour own, so you won't mind helping me, will you?'

`That depends on what you want me to do,' Nicolasaid carefully. It was an odd situation; being required

to help someone who was a total stranger to her.`It's this; just pretend you're with Todd for a few

minutes. Then my fianc will think that if Todd is withyou, I've been on my own for the evening, althoughhe'll know Todd brought me here. That way, he won'thave too much to be angry about ... just my going offto search of some fun,' the girl added with a smile, andher young face was suddenly curiously mature.

Eve, Nicola thought inconsequentially. What wasthis child-woman trying to do? Perhaps this fianc wasolder and had outgrown the need for the gaiety that

would seem all-important to someone of eighteen.Eighteenit was young to be engaged. At that age Iimagined myself in love with someone new everymonth, Nicola thought idly. I'd have been horrified atthe thought of anything as permanent as a fianc. Per-haps this girl found the permanency chafed too?

Why should I help you?' she asked curiously.`Please ! You must,' came the reply, and the desper-


8/192


9/192


Nicola smoothed her auburn hair. In a minute shewould go inside. She hoped she would be able to find

Todd easily.She glanced at her watch. Another hour to go before

they would welcome in the New Year. She wonderedwhat it would hold for her. She couldn't think of any-thing she wanted desperately. She was fairly contented

with her life as it was; she had many friends and sheenjoyed her painting. Nicola knew how lucky she was.Although her mother had died when she was still atoddler, she had had a happy childhood, brought up inNatal by her maternal grandparents while her fatherfound solace in his painting, travelling round South

Africa and its neighbouring countries, constantly seek-ing new scenery to which the artist in him could re-spend.

What a way to spend New Year's Eve ! Nicolathought as she prepared to leave the peaceful veranda :first wilting and bored among a crowd of people who

were mostly strangers; now manoeuvred into playing adevious game for the sake of a young woman who wasprobably eminently capable of looking after herself. Sodifferent from Christmas which they had spent withher mother's family in Natal. Her brother Clive and his

young wife had come down from Rhodesia and therehad been only the family present to share the festivi-ties. But by Boxing Day, Robert Prenn had been tiredof the green South Coast and its gentle scenery, andNicola had returned with him to the house in northern

Johannesburg which was within easy reach of theMagaliesberg, that range which had inspired allRobert's most dramatic paintings.


10/192

- 10 WALK IN THE SHADOWS

Nicola entered the house reluctantly, narrowing heteyes against the haze of smoke which hung over the biglounge. Chatter and laughter, some of it unnaturallyhigh-pitched, assaulted her ears as she looked aboutfor Todd Baxter. She saw her father,' his bushy hairstanding wildly on end, his outstretched arms gestur-ing expressively as he argued vigorously with a fellow-

artist who was his greatest rival and best friend. Heignored her as she passed him and Nicola smiled rue-fully. Robert was well away and if the argument re-mained -unsettled it midnight, he would continue withit, happily forgoing the traditional New Year celebra-tions.

This was a ridiculous situation in which she hadinvolved herself, she realised as she caught sight of

Todd and started to make her way towards him. Sheshould have told the girl to get herself out of thetrouble she had made for herself instead of calling on astranger to do it for her. But it wasn't in Nicola to re-fuse a plea for help, however distasteful she might findthe activities involved in giving it. Her father called ither missionary streak, and it had led her into hot watermore than once in the past. Nicola sighed. She onlyhoped the girl had warned Todd of what was forth-

coming.Feeling rather foolish, she laid a hand on his arm

and smiled up at the man who was an occasional visitorwhen Robert Prenn was at home. Nicola had littleexperience of acting and the action was an effort, so shehoped the wrathful fianc was watching. That wouldmake it worthwhile.

`Ah, Nicola!' Todd Baxter returned her smile, im-


11/192


prisoning the hand she had placed on his arm. 'Denisedidn't tell me it would be you.'

`Is that her name? I don't think she knows who Iam,' Nicola replied, still smiling over-brightly in casethe fianc was looking on.

`She picked the right person anyway,' Todd said ap-preciatively. 'In more ways than one. Your father has

spoken of your inability to leave well alone.'`And of course I had to be in on this, once the situa-

tion was made known to me,' Nicola said with a mix-ture of rue and coldness. She found it impossible tolike the man, but for the sake, of the girl's relationshipwith her fianc ...

Todd released her hand and slipped an arm abouther waist. It cost Nicola a great deal to refrain from re-coiling visibly. It wasn't that Todd Baxter was in any

way physically repulsive : he was moderately present-able, a man of about thirty with light brown eyes and

floppy brown hair; but she couldn't forget some of thecruel things he had said about his wife. If a man left hiswife, Nicola believed he ought to redeem. the action byhaving the courtesy never to run her down in front ofother people. But of course, Todd hadn't permanentlyleft his wife. 'I can't afford to,' he had said once. 'She

holds the purse-strings.'`This is an unexpected bonus,' he was telling her

now. 'I think it's a favourable omen for the New Year.'`Where do we go from here?' Nicola. demanded,

wholly unresponsive to the charm he was attempting

to employ. 'We can't continue smiling inanely at eachother, with your arm draped around my waist. Wemust look ridiculous. Won't this Denise's fianc be


12/192

1 2 WALK IN THE SHADOWS

satisfied with the picture we've already presented?'

`Oh, not yet,' Todd said quickly. 'I want him to befully convinced that I'm with you. If he thinks Deniseand I ... I don't want to get on the wrong side of himany more than I can help.'

'Are you scared of him?' Nicola asked scornfully.`Yes, and so would you be if you met him So you

want to know where we go from here? Straight backto the veranda from which you've just come,' Toddadvised. 'What a girl like you was doing alone in thatromantic setting, I can't think, but allow me to remedythat. The situation warrants it. We make an osten-tatious exittogether.'

`Not too ostentatious,' Nicola cautioned. 'Let's hopethe fianc has his eye on us and comes to the desiredconclusion. I shouldn't like all this to be wasted.'

`It won't be, I promise you,' Todd told her, andNicola felt uneasy. She allowed him to keep his arm

about her as they headed for the veranda. He carried ahalf-full glass in his free hand. If her father saw thisexit, an explanation would be demanded of her, she feltsure, because although Robert never interfered in herlife, she knew that while he tolerated Baxter as a visi-tor to the house, he would never call the man 'friend'.

Looking back as they went out on to the verandah,she caught sight of the girl whom Todd had calledDenise. She was with a tall man, but Nicola couldn'ttell if he was watching them or not.

Once qutside, Todd put his glass down on the

veranda table and attempted to draw Nicola into hisarms, but she evaded him. 'Oh no, Todd. No one iswatching us now, and I haven't done this for your


13/192

WALK IN THE SHADOWS 1 3

benefit, but for the sake of that girl who was obviously

worried about the construction her fianc might put onher being here when you're around. Why did youbring her? She's not much more than a child.'

Todd laughed. 'My dear Nicola, Denise Graememight be eighteen to yourwhat is it, twenty-three?But she's much older than you in many ways. She's all

woman, while you're as naive as they come. But nevermind, I like you very much.'

What am I supposed to do? Swoon into your armsafter your last thrilling remark?' Nicola retorted sar-castically. She didn't relish being told she was naive.

`You've got a sharp tongue,' Todd commented.Again he put his arms about her and this time Nicola

was unable to avoid him, finding the wall behind her.She glared furiously at him and his face was alien inthe yellow lighting She was surprised by his persist-ence tonight. He had never taken much notice of her

before. But then he had never seen her so made-up, orwearing such a scanty dress before. She had alwaysbeen in the jeans she wore for working when he hadpreviously called op her father.

`You could ruin this girl's engagement,' she couldn'tresist admonishing him Nicola Prenn, who wanted to

see everybody's lives -turn out as 'satisfactorily as herown had done.

`I don't think she'd allow me to do so,' Todd said,drawing her closer to him, and Nicola found it impos-sible to break free of his clasp.

`And what about your wife?' she demanded afterstruggling vainly for a while.She felt an urge to slap him when he laughed and


14/192


stated, 'Oh, Hilary keeps me in the style to which I'maccustomed.'

He released her abruptly as a sound came from be-hind him. Mortified, Nicola stared at the willowyDenise Graeme and the tall, powerfully built man be-side her. He possessed a satanic darkness of hair andskin, so that the ice-grey eyes presented an almost

frightening contrast, and it was those eyes rather thananything else about him which drew the attention.A slow smile softened the girl's expressionless

features. 'As you can see, darling, Todd has concernsof his own. I'm sure he's cursing our intrusion,' sheadded on a light gurgle of laughter, drawing closer toher fianc.

`As I can see,' the man echoed her sardonically. Thegrey eyes were contemptuous, flicking over Nicola andreturning to Todd, who looked distinctly uncomfort-able. If she hadn't been so embarrassed herself, Nicola

might have laughed. What a classic situation!`Didn't expect to see you here tonight,' Todd ad-dressed the man awkwardly.

`Evidently,' was the coldly indifferent reply. 'How-ever, you needn't let my presence worry you. Deniseand I will be leaving in a minute. I just wanted to as

sure myself of something.'He had wanted to make sure that Todd was too fully

occupied to have bothered with Denise, Nicola de-duced. She wished the pair of them would go awayand Todd too.

Denise smiled at her. 'You needn't worry about us;we know how to keep our mouths shut.'


15/192


`Thanks,' Todd muttered, and Nicola, blushing,could have screamed. The fianc's interpretation of thesituation was just as she and the girl. had planned itshould be, but she resented it nevertheless, particularly

with those occasional appraising glances that the greyeyes sent her way. Once again she was conscious of thesight she must look, especially beside the cool good

taste of Denise Graeme.`Shall we go, darling?' Denise asked, slipping herarm through the man's. 'They can't want us here. I'mafraid I can't thank our hosts because I don't know

who they are. You know how it is at these parties.'`I do,' the man agreed. 'And I've already thanked

your host on your behalf; he's Robert Prenn.'How high-handed, Nicola thought. In Denise's

place, she would resent that.The artist?'`Yes. '

`And I didn't even meet him,' the girl said regret-' fully.Neither of them appeared to know that Nicola was

Robert Prenn's daughter, and she said nothing, re-maining as mute as Todd, who was standing helplesslybeside her.

`Let's get away from here,' Denise's fianc sug-gested, making it clear that he found the company outhere distasteful. The couple turned, then the manglanced back to address Nicola : 'I might have beentempted to give you a gentle warning, but judging by

what I overheard just now, you haven't any illusionsabout what you're doing.'


16/192


They were gone, a beautiful young girl and an over-whelmingly scornful man, leaving Nicola clenching

her fists.She had never felt so humiliated in her life. How

much had they overheard before she and Todd had be-come aware of the pair's presence? She tried to recol-lect ... Nicola's mouth turned down ruefully. Her last

words to Todd had been the traditional questionwomen had put to men down the ages : 'What aboutyour wife?'

Well! Thank goodness they've gone,' Todd mur-mured now, putting a hand out towards her. 'Darling,weren't we embarrassed!'

Nicola turned on him, her hazel eyes blazing. 'I'vehad enough, Todd. I've done what was asked of me,and Miss Graeme's fianc came to the desired con-clusion. I'm going in now. You'd better accompany mein case they're still about, but after that we're separat-

ing and I'm staying well away from you. You makecruel fun of your wife, but you've the hypocrisy to begrateful to someone who offers to remain discreet aboutyour present activities. Why the muttered thanks tothe girl otherwise?'

`Hilary keeps me very comfortably,' Todd Baxter

drawled. 'She knows why I married her, but I don'twant her to know anything else. She might turn the tapoff out of spite if she did.'

`You married one woman for her money and enjoyspending it on others,' Nicola said coldly.

`Be your age, darling. Men do that, you know.'Nicola drew away from him in disgust. 'I've often,

thought deserted wives were vindictive, but perhaps


17/192


they have just cause for it,' she told him icily. 'I cer-

tainly wouldn't think any the worse of your wife if shedid turn off the tap. In fact, I'd applaud her.'She turned abruptly and went back into the house,

forgetting in her anger that she had suggested that theyenter together. However, it didn't matter, she realisedwhen she had calmed down a little. Denise and her

fianc were nowhere to be seen, so they had obviouslyleft. It was not merely Todd's callous attitude towardshis wife that made Nicola so furiousafter all, the un-known wife might enjoy a life of her own as Todd didbut the fact that she had looked such a fool when the

couple had come out to the veranda.Oh well, it was unlikely that she would ever meetthem again, and she hoped Todd Baxter would keepaway from her father's home in future. Nevertheless,Nicola continued to burn with humiliation. Thememory of the girl's creamy smile and the man's cold

glance continued to torment her.Nicola joined her father and remained close to him

until after they had seen the New Year in, trying to loseherself in the discussion on Matisse.

But as soon as the noisy gathering had hilariouslyexchanged New Year wishes and kisses, Nicola retiredto her own part of the house. She had a tiny flatlet

which her father had had added to the building whenher brother Clive had married while still a student andhad required a place where he and his young wife couldset up home without too much expense. Nicola had

been the occupant for three years now, ever since Clivehad qualified and taken a post in Bulawayo, whileAlison continued her studies through Unisa.


18/192


On reaching her room, Nicola immediately removed

her make-up. The improvement was startling, althoughshe remained pale as a result of the relentless heatwhich continued well into the night. She appraised herreflection as she stood before the full-length mirror.She was of medium height and she had a slim figure.Pretty average all round, she thought wistfully, and

then wondered why that should be so. It was the girlDenise, of course, she realised almost immediately, forNicola had always been honest with herself. Denisehad a flawless beauty coupled with a flowing grace ofmovement, and two men had wanted to spend New

Year's Eve in her company; the fianc and Todd Bax-ter. The fianc was too supercilious by far, and as for

Todd ... But she, Nicola, had no one. That was non-sense, of course; she had plenty of warm friends, bothmen and women, but she had elected to attend herfather's spur-of-the-moment party instead of accept-

ing other invitations, and if she had been surroundedby strangers tonight, it was her own fault. But shecouldn't regret her decisionher father had wantedher there. Robert Prenn set great store on the familyunit and she knew that he had missed Clive and Alisonsince they had moved to Rhodesia.

Nicola continued her assessment of her reflection.She saw- a girl whose experimental movements con-tained an angular grace, cultivated as the result ofchildhood filled with mishaps caused by a tendency tomove with a freedom which had been better suited to

the open beaches than her grandparents' small house.Perhaps that was why most of her painting, like herfather's, was given to nature. With four walls around


19/192


her, Nicola always found a measure of restraint to benecessary. Moving, painting ... everything.

She examined herself critically. Her long silky hairwas a rich shade of auburn and slightly untidy at themoment, surrounding a face which was just a little toopositively drawn for prettiness. Wide hazel eyes staredback at her dispassionately from the glass, fringed with

dark spiky lashes, while the tan she had acquired thissummer, deepened by the brief -holiday in Natal, wasrobbed of its healthiness by ,her present pallor. Hercheekbones were high, below hollow temples, and hernose was straight. It was too bony a face, she decided

with dissatisfaction. She didn't like her mouth either;she found it such an ordinary feature, failing to dis-cover the allure of a slight sensuousness in the gentlecurve of her lips.

Her smile, as she turned away from the mirror andheaded for her bathroom, was self-conscious. Con-

templating herself in this way was an occupationforeign to Nicola. She vas more used to seeking beautyin rocks and expanses of veld than in people's faces,particularly her own. She recognised this divergencefor what it was; Denise Graeme had been so beautiful.She probably made all other women feel - dissatisfied

with themselves. Nicola had never been envious ofanyone in her life, not even the girls whose lives hadheld the one thing lacking in her own : a mother. Be-cause all those mothers, warmly caring and comfort-able though they might be, weren't Ruth Prenn, and if

Nicola sometimes needed a mother, it had to be herown, although she remembered little of her.But she knew she was coming dangerously close to


20/192


envy now, when she thought of Denise Graemeandit was going to be difficult not to think of her, Nicolarealised as she got into bed after a quick shower. Thehumiliation she had experienced this evening wouldmake her kick the sheets for nights to come. She wassensible enough to know it couldn't matter. The likeli-hood of her ever meeting the couple again was very

remote. Nevertheless, the memory of a pair of ice-grey eyes regarding her scornfully continued -to makeher burn with mingled resentment and mortification.She was haunted by a dark, powerfully built man,scorn expressed in every strong feature, and besidehim, the girl who had been the cause of the wholeembarrassing situation. -

She ought to make a New Year resolution never toallow herself to be inveigled into assisting anyoneagain, Nicola thought wryly as she pulled the top sheetover her. But that was an impossibility, the knowledge

came to her as she sleepily recalled the many occasionswhen she had felt herself obliged to help people out ofawkward situationsusually ending up in a furtherawkward situation herself ... like tonight. With herexperience of trouble, she ought to have learnt to leave

well alone ...

She rose early the following morning. It was too un-comfortable, lying in bed in the steamy heat which waseven more persistently energy-sapping than the pre-vious day's sizzling weather. Consequently, she spentmost of the morning in the sparkling blue kidney-

shaped swimming pool which her father had insistedon having built and now claimed was the ugliest thinghe had ever set eyes on. It might detract from the


21/192


rambling beauty of the garden, but it was infinitelywelcome on such a day, Nicola thought. The sky wasveiled by a white haze of heat, and hopes of a stormcoming to relieve the intensity of the day were faint.

She was grateful for the fact that she wouldn't haveto cook a full-scale New Year dinner for her father andherself. They had been invited to dine with friends

who lived out at Honeydew.When the time came for them to leave, she changed

into a thin dress and put on a pair of strappy sandals. Itwas too hot for anything smarter, and even jewellerycluttering her person would only serve to irritate heron such a day. Her hair had dried immediately she hadleft the pool and now she tied it back at the nape of herneck with a thin scarf.

Before leaving, her father invited her into the roomhe had turned into a private den for himself. It led offhis untidy studio, and Nicola was conscious of the

honour he accorded her by asking her to come through.Not even his closest friends were allowed into RobertPrenn's hideaway, and Nicola could count on one handthe occasions she had been requested to join himthere in the three years she had lived in the same house.

Robert provided his daughter with a gin and tonic

and helped himself to a beer, and they settled down inthe comfortable armchairs he had chosen for his room.

Hobert looked across at his daughter as he raisedhis glass. 'The hottest day of the year so far,' he com-mented.

`The only day of the year so far,' Nicola laughed.`I think it will be a good year for us both, my darlingdaughter,' Robert said. 'I feel it.'


22/192


`Then it will be,' she replied. 'You believe you havea divine right to happiness, don't you?'

Ì suppose people who've met with success oftenstart to feel like that,' he said thoughtfully. 'But itdoesn't always work out.'

Ì wonder if I'll ever feel that way.'`Perhaps. But you lack arrogance, Nicola. I worry

about you sometimes. You're not ... eaten by fire.'Òf course not. I haven't your genius.'`That's a strong term.'`Do you think I'm flattering you, Dad? You ought

to know better. But I'll never give.

up my painting, somaybe I am devouredjust a little.'

`You'll never give it up, no. But I can see it takingsecond place in your life.'

`Not in the near future anyway,' Nicola said with asmile. 'I'm content to drift awhile yet. I'm very happy.'

`Touching heaven?'

She shook her head. 'I'll amend that and say thatI'm contented. I don't think I want anything more. Idon't like life to be too exciting.'

Ì do.'Èverything excites you, Dad; a tree, a rock ...

maybe you're the lucky one and not me.'

It was true. Robert Preen had never lost a youthfulcapacity for wonder. He pondered her words in silencefor a while, and Nicola studied him with affectionateeyes.

`Did you enjoy the party?' he asked suddenly, star-ing at Nicola very hard.

She smiled her special diplomatic smile, knowing shehad no hope of fooling him, and said, 'Yes, thank you.'


23/192


`I thought not,' her father said, sounding satisfied. 'Isaw you with that chap Baxterwhat were you playingat?'

Nicola sighed. It was something she desperatelywanted to forget. 'Playing is right ! Or play-acting. Iwas helping out an idiot eighteen-year-old who ap-parently hadn't realised until last night that running

two men at once can lead to trouble.'`Poor Nick, you do get yourself involved,' Robertchuckled. He swallowed some beer. 'But I seem to re-member your trying the same thing at eighteen your-self.'

`So I did. That's youth for you. You leave school

and it goes to your head, but no one I tried two-timingwas my fianc,' she told him.

Nor was there .ever a married man, unless you'venot been as honest as I've always believed you to be,'her father added. 'I don't like the way Baxter talks

about his wife.'`Neither do I, and I was always honest with you,Dad,' said Nicola. She had had no secrets from herfather. He had always been told about the men shewent out with, the ones who were friends, and the fewwho had been in love with her. She had imagined her-

self in love often, but the spark had been repeatedlysnuffed, so that by now she had learnt to recogniseinfatuation.

`I'm glad,' Robert said. He paused. 'I wanted to talkto you. Nicola, I have a commission for you.'

`Dad!' Nicola sounded reproachful. Her father waswelcome to criticise her work and he often did so,wholly unmerciful in his strictures, but there was an


24/192


unspoken agreement between them that she should goher own way, accepting no help from him, making herway up alone.

`No, listen, darling,' he said hastily. 'I want you toaccept this. It means going to the Northern Transvaal

the Soutpansberg and the Piesanghoek area. Youknow how I've always said you ought to see that part

of the country. Look at that picture hereBlaaubergthough that's not really near Piesanghoek. Someyears ago I spent a wonderful few months in that , area.Incredibly beautiful country.'

`Then why don't you take this commission, whateverit is?' Nicola demanded.

He shook his head. 'I feel it's something you shouldtry.'

She asked, 'What is it?'`A portrait', Robert sounded sheepish, as well he

might, Nicola thought.

`Dad!' She was even more reproachful this time.`You know I can't do portraits. I don't like them anymore than you do. My efforts in that line have resultedin paint on canvas, and nothing more. I can't capturecharacterany portrait I attempt turns out to beinsipid. I've never felt an urge to paint anyone. I don't

think I like human beings much. I prefer mountains.'`Then you'll be the poorer for that,' Robert said

firmly. 'Listen, Nicola, I've accepted on your behalf.This man, Sorensen, was at the party last night'he broke off. 'Nicola, why are there always so manystrangers at my parties?'

`You should be. used to it by now. Friends bringother friends,' Nicola said.


25/192


`I suppose so. Anyway, Sorensen said his old unclehad expressed a wish to have me do his portrait.'

`How vain!' Nicola snapped.` Maybe. Anyway, I told Sorensen that I couldn't do

the painting, but he seemed agreeable when I told himyou would do it. He said his uncle might be annoyed atnot getting the artist he particularly wanted, but that

he'd come round in the end.'`Charming! And I suppose you conveniently forgotto mention that your daughter is no more a portraitistthan you are?'

`It didn't seem necessary. If the old chap can't haveRobert Prenn, then he'll probably regard another

Prenn as the next best thing. And even if you do makea mess of it, they'll pay you well. They can afford to,'Robert added drily. 'You will accept, won't you, dar-ling?'

Nicola laughed. 'I suppose so. It won't waste too

' much of my time, even if it is a failure, and if youthink I ought to visit the Soutpansberg region ... dothey have a farm there?'

`Yes, avocados. They do very well. It's the nephew'sfarm. Old Traugott Sorensen had a citrus farm in theNelspruit area but sold it when he retired. He only had

a daughter, and neither she nor her husband wanted it,and the nephew had already inherited this avocadoplace from his fatherTraugott's brother.'

`Did the nephew tell you all this last night?'Robert shook his head. 'Some of it I heard when I

was up in the Soutpansberg. They're much talkedabout up there. I never met them then, of course. Theentire family were on an overseas pilgrimage, visiting


26/192


the places their forebears had come from, during thetime I was there, and there was only a manager on thefarm.'

`Sorensen? That's a Scandinavian name, isn't it?'she said.

`Danish, to be more specific,' Robert said. `TraugottSorensen is half Danish, half German, but he calls

himself a South African. He's the youngest and onlysurviving sonhe had nine brothersof a Lutheranmedical-missionary, Olaf Sorensen, who came out fromDenmark in the last century.'

`You don't get families of that size these days,'Nicola commented. `Traugott must be pretty old if his

parents came out in the last century.'`In his seventies, I think,' her father said, setting his

glass down on the small table beside him. 'There was abig gap between the first eight sons and Einer andTraugottso great a gap, in fact, that those two never

really knew their brothers well at all. They were theonly ones who went into farming and there was alwaysa strong link between them. Barek, the nephew who

was here last night, was Einer's older son and as hisyounger brother wasn't interested in the land, Barakinherited his entire property.'

`And is it Barak or his uncle who will be paying me?'Nicola enquired.

Robert spread his hands. 'I've no idea,' he saidvaguely. 'The nephew put the proposition to me, buthe did say that the portrait had been Traugott's ownidea. You'll find out when you get there, I expect.'

Nicola looked at him helplessly. Robert Prenn never


27/192


did things in a businesslike manner. 'When do theywant me?'

`As soon as possible,' he said. 'I know nothing aboutTraugott Sorensen's state of health, but as he's elderly,they may be justified in wanting the portrait completedas soon as possible. You're to stay on the farm as aguest while you're working. I have their address so you

can write and tell them when they can expect you. Willyou travel up by car?'

`Probably,' Nicola said. 'That's the best way to seethe country. I'll have to think about how soon I canleave. I have a few things that ought to be seen to im-mediately, but I should be ready in a few days' time:IfI'm going to do this portrait, I'd like to get it over withas soon as possible.'

`Don't rush through it,' her father warned. 'Even ifyou're not very confident about it, try to do a good job.Remember your professional integrity.'

Nicola smiled. 'Of course. I'll make an effort, and ifit turns out to be a disaster, I'll still be able to say thatI gave of my best.'

Nicola set out for the Northern Transvaal on the morn-ing following Twelfth Night. She had written to the

Sorensens after deciding the date for her journey sothat they would know when to expect her. She hadbeen in two minds as to whom she should write to :

Traugott Sorensen, her prospective subject, or BarakSorensen who had put the proposition to her father. In

the end she had decided to address the letter to Trau-gott.


28/192


She had succeeded in smothering her anxiousqualms about the portrait Traugott Sorensen desired,having come to regard her commission in the light of achallenge. Perhaps, if he was an interesting enoughcharacter, she might even make a success of it. Shehoped her subject wasn't too disappointed at having torely on the exiguous talent of Nicola Prenn when he

had wanted Robert, the father. He might prove dif-ficult if he resented her. It was strange, his havingasked for Robert Prenn, Nicola thought. People whohad heard of her father were generally knowledgeableenough to know that he never painted portraits, while alarge section of the public knew nothing whatsoever

about him. Traugott Sorensen seemed to fit intoneither group.

Nicola wondered what he would be like. All sheknew was that he was elderly. The little family historyRobert had given had been intriguing. She could

visualise the Sorensens : large fair men with the arro-gant blood of Viking ancestors in their veins.She was enjoying the drive, in spite of the January

heat. There was a glorious freedom in travelling likethis, stopping in a small town when she felt hungryand under no obligation to go on when some view

intrigued her, or a cluster of hills begged her to stopand receive rapture from their beauty.

Acres of parched veld, interspersed with farmland,and the towns she had never seen before; Nylstroom,Naboomspruit, Potgietersrus, the important Pieters-

burg, and the surrounding cattle-breeding area ... -Nicola's hazel eyes remained eager and untired, in spiteof the long hours of driving in the dazzling sun, con-


29/192

WALK IN THE SHADOWS 29fined in the heat of her small vehicle. Anything new

was an adventure, and here there was so much she hadnever imagined existed; odd, unexpected hillocks com-prised almost entirely of huge stones, as if some mightyhand had reached out of the African sky and placedthem there. In the distance rose the Soutpansberg,faraway blue mountains, seemingly out of reach.

Being Nicola, wholly unable to withhold her assist-ance where it seemed even remotely necessary, and alover of cats, she had to stop when she saw the pathetic-ally skinny black kitten at the roadside. It took someeffort to catch her, half-wild as she was, but Nicola

eventually managed to make a grab at the little crea-ture, and was soon breaking up the remainder of thesandwiches she had bought in Naboomspruit and feed-ing the pieces to the kitten.

The land on either side of her was uncultivated here,and there were no buildings of any description in the

vicinity, so her latest rescue must be very far fromwhatever had once been its home, if it had had one.Now that it had been fed, the kitten was content to bepetted and lay purring on her lap beneath the steering-

wheel, while Nicola sat contemplating it. It was a

female and about two months old, she judged.` My latest example of interference, kitten,' she mur-

mured ruefully. 'I'll just hope the Sorensens like cats.Do Vikings like cats?' She shifted the sleepy kittenon to the passenger seat beside her and drove on.

She got lost only once in attempting to find the

Sorensens' farm, and stopped to enlist the aid of theAfrican proprietor of a tiny, dim store, seeminglymiles from anywhere and which was crammed with


30/192


every commodity from bales of material to huge bags

of flour. Nicola was intrigued by the man's haughtyArabic features and she had ample opportunity to ob-serve him because it was some time before they couldmake themselves understood to each other, Nicola's

Afrikaans having been neglected since she had leftschool, something which she now found disconcerting

as her would-be helper apparently didn't know anyEnglish, and the Afrikaans directions which floodedfrom him were issued at such a rate that she couldn'tpossibly hope to follow.

Eventually she thought she had grasped enough tofind the farm, and she thanked him and returned to hercar. She was surprised to find how near the farm she

was, and soon she was through the first gate andtravelling up a steep, bumpy lane.

Passing a copse of trees, Nicola was so startled by thechild who ran out into the lane that she nearly winded

herself, slamming on the brakes.Nicola had had a big enough fright to be angry, andher face was pale as she got out of the car and ap-proached the little girl who was now hovering on thegrass verge, staring unblinkingly at her with un-disguised curiosity in her strange shadowy grey eyes.

`Well, honestly, you might have more care when youcross roads, even if this is on private property,' Nicolasaid, and her voice wobbled slightly. She hadn't yetrecovered from her fright. 'I might have knocked youover.'

The child, who looked about nine, made no effort toapologise. 'I didn't expect anyone to come up herethis evening. What do you want?'


31/192


Nicola, who had had little experience of children,

was disconcerted. This one was so very self-possessed,with her smooth, expressionless face. She was thin, buthealthily so, and her pale brown hair was tangled anduntidy. Where had she seen that face before? Not thoseshadowy eyes, Nicola thought, just the smoothness.Like a plaster Madonna.

`Who are you?' she returned the child's questionwith another.

` Melanie.'`Melanie what?'`Melanie Sorensen. What's your name?'`Nicola Prenn 'What have you come here for? They won't want

you.'Nicola wondered what that meant. 'I've come to

paint a Mr Traugott Sorensen.'`Uncle Traugott, my great-uncle. But he won't let

you paint him. He wants some man to do that, andyou're just a lady, though your name is almost like aman's,' the child said calmly.

Well, they know I'm coming,' Nicola said easily.`Shouldn't you be getting home? The sun will be set-ting in a few minutes and they'll wonder where you

are.'`It doesn't matter. They don't mind.' It sounded

forlorn, somehow, but the little face remained devoidof expression.

'What were you doing in the copse?' Nicola en-

quired brightly. The child's calm manner made herslightly uneasy. How did one talk to children?The shadowy grey eyes grew round and mysterious.


32/192


'I had things to do,' Melanie Sorensen said, droppingher voice to a whisper.

Nicola smiled. That had sounded more naturallychildlike. She gazed through the trees. Imaginativegames would be born and acted out among them, andthey would remain a private part of Melanie's world,something she would not share. 'Is Mr Barak Sorensen

your father?' she asked.` My uncle. I haven't got a father. Or a mother. They

died.' The childishness had vanished again and it wassaid with an adult dignity. Did it conceal pain or hadshe been too young to remember?

'I'm sorry. My mother died toowhen I was veryyoung, but I was lucky enough to still have my father,'Nicola said softly.

`Can you remember her?''Very slightly.''I can remember mine And Daddy. I was five, and

they got killed. I'm nine now.'`And are there just you, and your uncles Traugottand Barak?' Nicola enquired. If there were only thetwo men, that might explain why the little girl was

wandering alone, far from the farmhouse, when night-fall was so close at hand. Two men on their own, one

elderly, might unwittingly neglect a child.'There's Aunt Ellen.''Uncle Barak's wife?'Melanie shook her head. 'Uncle Traugott's. She's

old, but not as old as him Uncle Barak hasn't got a

wife, but I think he's going

-

to marry my auntie. Shesays so. She's only nine years older than me, though.'


33/192


`Twice your age,' Nicola said lightly. Which auntie

was this, then? A relative or someone else? She con-tinued, 'Would you like to ride back to the house withme? Won't Aunt Ellen be worried about you?'

Melanie shook her head. 'I don't think so,' she saidgravely. 'I'll go back soon, though.' She moved nearerto the car and looked in. 'Did you bring your kitten

with you, then?'`No, I found her about ten miles back,' Nicola ex-

plained. 'She was starving, poor thing.'What are you going to do with her?'Nicola looked dubious. 'I don't know. I hope your

family will let me keep her at the house. If they don'twant her, I supose I'll take her back to Johannesburgwith me when I leave. I have two cats there already.'

`And we've got three,' Melanie said. And a dog.They won't want her. I expect they'll fight with her.Uncle Barak won't want her either. He'll be furious.'

It was all said in a steady monotone and Nicolalooked at the child anxiously. Perhaps Uncle Barakwas a monster of a man. Melanie was certainly re-pressed. She hadn't smiled once yet. Nicola hastilyclamped down on fantasies of ill-treatment and neglect.

`Are you sure you won't let me give you a lift?' she

said as she got into the Volkswagen again.`Sure,' Melanie repeated.`Goodbye, then,' said Nicola, starting up the engine.

She wasn't happy about leaving the little girl, but per-haps her guardians, as she presumed the adult Soren-

- sens to be, believed in giving children as much freedomas possible. She caught a last glimpse of Melanie run-


34/192


ning back towards the trees, a slight figure in bluejeans, her pale brown hair streaming out behind heras she ran.

Nicola continued on her way, now driving betweenvast plantations of attractive green avocado trees.Further on she recognised a banana plantation. Some-how she had thought of bananas as being exclusive to

Natal. But of course ! This was the Piesanghoek area,and `piesang' was the Afrikaans for banana. Theyseemed to have several sidelines, she thought as shecaught sight of an African youth herding a small flockof sheep on the lower slopes of the mountains.

And there ahead of her was the farmhouse. Nicola

slowed the car, caught up in the beauty of the scene.To live here ! She wondered if the Sorensens thoughtof themselves as fortunate. The house nestled againstthe mountain, and the long driveway swept betweenterraced lawns, right up to the wide veranda. From

where Nicola was, it appeared as if the veranda ranright round three sides of the square, mellow old build-ing, and the crimson and flame of the setting suncaught the windows of the house, making them glitterfierily, and touched the white walls, turning them pink.

Nicola brought the Volkswagen to a halt in front of

the wide steps leading up to the big veranda, and gotout. As she did so, someone appeared at the doubledoors which opened into the house, and she wentquickly up the stairs, smiling.

Then suddenly Nicola was no longer smiling and herhand had gone to her mouth. Of all people ... ! Unfor-gotten, for it was only a week since she had last seenhim. The appraising grey eyes and powerful physique


35/192


were only too familiar. Hadn't the memory of this man

and the girl, Denise Graeme, who was his fiance,caused her to burn with humiliation over and overagain in the last few days? The occasion of their firstmeeting had been the most embarrassing moment inher life.

At first the man's face held no hint of recognition;

then his eyes grew cold and his mouth became astraight line. It was the hard mouth of one who wouldbe totally relentless towards anyone he disliked, Nicolathought apprehensively as she paused uncertainly half-

way up the stairs.

`What am I supposed to say? That it's a smallworld?' he said with icy humour which wasn't reallyhumour at all. He looked at her with profound dis-taste.

The atmosphere between them was taut, and thetension needed easing. But what, she wondered, could

she say?`How embarrassing,' she said eventually.

CHAPTER TWO

WHY embarrassing?' he enquired without even look-ing at her. His grey eyes were fixed on the panoramaof distant blue hills which comprised the view from

the front of the house.Well, it is, isn't it?' Nicola said helplessly.Tor you.' It was a statement.


36/192


`Yes, of course. For me. I didn't mean you,' shereplied hastily, confusion staining her cheeks a delicate

pink.`Naturally,' he said, unamused. 'You are Nicola

Prenn, I take it?'She nodded. 'And I suppose you're Mr Barak

Sorensen?'`You suppose correctly. If I had realised who you

were the other night ...' He didn't even bother tofinish it.

`You'd have cancelled the arrangement,' she com-pleted it for him, and he didn't deny it. 'And if I hadknown who you would turn out to be, I wouldn't have

come.'Why not? Because you feel I know too much aboutyou? Did Baxter know you were coming to Piesang-hoek?'

`Todd?' Nicola was genuinely surprised.Who else?' Barak Sorensen said impatiently. 'Never

mind, I can't stop your adding to Hilary Baxter's un-happiness. What was the idea? Woman and woman... the primitive challenge? Carrying it to the enemy'scamp?'

Nicola grasped his meaning. For one thoughtless

moment she was tempted to tell him the truth of thematter. Then she remembered how it had all comeabout. Denise Graeme had needed her help. It couldn'tbe undone now. She said, 'Of course, you could pre-vent my adding to Mrs Baxter's unhappiness, MrSorensen. You could send me packing.'

`UnfortunatelyI can't,' he told her curtly. Trau-gott, my uncle, is employing you, not me.'


37/192


`You could tell him. I'm sure he's as upright and

moral as you are, never out of step, so he'd share youropinion.'

It might have been a glint of humour which showedmomentarily in the grey. eyes. 'Who said I was uprightand moral? It depends, of course, on how one definesthose terms, and in your context ... At my age,likely to need a woman, am I not? And I don't yet havea wife.'

Nicola flushed and wondered what his age was. Latethirties, she concluded, seeing the lines about hismouth. 'Not what I'd expect from the grandson of a

missionary,' she mocked, rallying.`Your behaviour isn't what I'd expect from thedaughter of the man I met and liked the other night,' hetaunted, his eyes dangerous.

`Perhaps you don't know the man. It was a veryshort meeting, wasn't it?' said Nicola, simply for the

sake of it.`Perhaps not,' he admitted. .Still they stood on the -steps, Nicola having to look

up at him because he was two steps above her. 'Whatare you going to do now?' she demanded.

He shrugged elegantly. 'Nothing, Miss Prenn.Traugott has come round to the idea that if he can'thave Robert Prenn, then Nicola Prenn is the next bestthing. So you will remain here - until you have com-pleted the portrait, and Traugott and Ellen will hearnothing of our former meeting.'

Nicola genuflected in brief mockery. 'Yes, my lord,'she said demurely, then retreated to the foot of thestairs as she saw the expression on his face.


38/192


Ì'd advise you to walk a little more. softly, Miss-

Prenn,' he said, following her down.` Meaning that I'm in the position of having to rely

on your discretion.'Put it that way if you like,' he said, not interested.`You're not what I expected,' she said frankly, star-

ing at him. 'I thoughtI imagined a fair Viking.'

`Preconceived ideas ... My mother was dark,' heinformed her briefly. 'Let's get your luggage into thehouse.'

Nicola opened the car. 'I haven't brought much.Would you take my painting materials? Please be care-

ful. And could the kitten have some milk right away,please?'`Kitten?'`Yes.' Nicola picked up the sleepy animal. 'I found

it on the road. It was starving and in very poor con-dition.'

`Yes?' Barak Sorensen's face was expressionless ashe regarded first the cat, then Nicola. 'I can see that. Inaddition, it probably has fleas, isn't house-trained andis also an unspayed female. They always are.'

`She is a female,' Nicola admitted meekly. 'And

she's much too young to have been spayed.'Ànd we're expected to welcome her as a member of

the household?'Ònly till I go,' Nicola pleaded. 'If you don't want

her, I'll take her back to Johannesburg with me. Oryou might know someone who wants a cat.'

`The farms around here have more than enough asit is,' he said patiently. 'There are three here.'


39/192


` I suppose you think I ought to have left her tostarve,' Nicola said heatedly.

He smiled suddenly; just a brief lightening of hisdark features. 'Oh, bring her in. You can hand her overto Sarah in the kitchen.'

`Is she the maid?'`Yes. Come on.'

So Nicola went up the stairs again. She said awk-wardly, looking at him over her shoulder, 'Thank you,Mr Sorensen. I realise that you must regard the cat andme as an imposition ...'

`Don't mention it,' he said. 'I put up with a lot formy uncle's sake. He has to be humoured.'

Nicola's eyes flashed, but she kept silent. BarakSorensen was like no one else she had ever met, and shedetested him. She wasn't used to being despised andthe feeling was an uncomfortable one. As for Traugott,it sounded as if he was going to prove a difficult sub-

ject.They went through a short hallway and into a verylarge lounge where they were met by an African

woman who had the same arrogantly proud features ofthe man who had directed Nicola to the farm.

`Sarah, Miss Prenn has brought a kitten. You'd'

better take it into the kitchen and attend to it,' BarakSorensen said after he had introduced them briefly.`And please tell Madam that she's arrived.'

`Yes, sir.' Smiling, Sarah took the kitten from Nicolaand left them.

`We'll wait for Ellen,' said Barak.Nicola looked around the big room. It seemed to be

at the centre of the house, with the rest built around it,


40/192


except on the front where big windows commanded amagnificent view. It was growing darker outside now,so she turned to study the room. It was in magnificenttaste, she admitted reluctantly to herself. What a

wonderful old piano ! The carpet was luxurious andthick, deadening all sound, and the furniture was pre-Boer War, beautifully preserved.

However, it was the pictures adorning the wallswhich impressed her most. Here hung the works ofSouth Africa's best artists, as well as some by Euro- -peans, treasures which Nicola would have given muchto have possessed. Such marvels ... you need a fortuneto own even one. Just looking at them was an adven-

ture. She recognised one of her father's works, a corn-pelling view of Knysna in the evening. The colourswere sombre, even dull, but Robert's brush had cap-tured a potential drama which excited the viewer to apitch of uneasiness.

Forgetting herself, she turned to the man beside her.`Isn't it thrilling' she said breathlessly, in the statewhich only a rare few of her father's most dramaticworks induced.

`Very thrilling,' Barak said drily, and the lamps inNicola's eyes were switched off again. Her smile died

abruptly.`Don't you like it?'`Does one like that sort of painting?'She realised what he meant. 'No, one experiences it,'

she said softly.

He appraised her expressionlessly. 'It's little wonderI hardly recognised you at first. Nothing could be moredifferent from the woman I saw the other night. Very


41/192


Much dressed for the farm now, aren't you?'Nicola knew how vivid the contrast must seem. On

New Year's Eve she had been over-made-up and wear-ing a very brief dress. Today she had donned slacksand a plain shirt as being the most comfortable apparelin which to make a fairly extended car journey. Herlightly tanned face was innocent of make-up and her

straight auburn hair was tied back at the nape of herneck.

She was embarrassed by his scrutiny and didn'tknow what to say. Usually Nicola was rarely embar-rassed, but this man succeeded in making her so nearlyall the time, and she resented it.

What a contrast,' he continued softly, and she won-dered if she was imagining the threat in his voice.

Threat of what? 'What are you, Nicola Prenn? Howmany other personalities have you? All things to allmen. I never liked itit's too easy.'

`Why easy? All things to all men is what somepoliticians are. Why don't you say canny, devious ...tricky even? You wouldn't buy a used car from me,

would you?' she flashed.`It's a pityI saw you the other night,' he said, 'or you

might have succeeded in putting over the present

image.'Nicola turned away from him, feeling inexplicably

hurt. After a moment she said tentatively, 'Mr Soren-sen, you mentioned ... carrying the fight into theenemy's camp. Does that mean the Baxters live near

here?'`Didn't you know that? Their farm is a few milesfrom hereHilary's farm, to be accurate.'


42/192


`Thank you. No, I didn't know.'`I'm surprised,' he said sarcastically. 'If Baxter told

you he was married, I'd have thought he'd have toldyou something of the circumstances.'

Well, he didn't. I don't know him all that well.'`No? I could have sworn otherwise,' he said quietly,

and Nicola flushed.

Before she could utter the hot words which hadsprung to her lips, they were interrupted by the entryof an elderly couple. Here indeed was the typicalScandinavian, Nicola realised as she looked at TraugottSorensen. Thick snow-white hair which would oncehave been flaxen, bright blue eyes, a deep tan and

ruddy cheeks. He was a big man, in excellent conditionfor someone in the mid-seventies. There was no traceof flabbiness and very few lines on the face. It was anoble face, she thought, and she might with luck beable to do it justice .

`This is Miss Prenn,' Barak said briefly. 'Miss Prenn,Mr and Mrs Sorensen.'`How nice to have a visitor,' Mrs Sorensen said when

they had shaken hands. 'I love meeting new people.'`You're not to hinder her from her work, trying to

extract her life history, Ellen,' Traugott Sorensen said

with only the faintest trace of a guttural accent.Ellen was much younger than her husband, possibly

as much as fifteen years, and Nicola liked her at once.There was a natural sophistication about the tall, stillslim figure clad in navy, and the silvery-grey head.Nothing contrived or even acquired in this legance :Ellen Sorensen would have been born this way.

Nicola, said to Traugott, 'I hope I can provide you


43/192


with a satisfactory portrait, Mr Sorensen, but I feel it's

only fair to warn you that like my father, I have neverspecialised in painting people. Dad told me he hadn'tmentioned it to Mr ... your nephew.'

`Probably knew it wasn't necessary,' the old mansaid. 'Barak himself warned me that the Prenns aren'tportraitistshe knows more about art than I dobut

I wanted a Prenn. He's about the only South Africanartist I care for, and if I can't have him then hisdaughter will have to do. We won't pass any judgmentuntil we see what you've turned out, young lady. Butyou're younger than I had anticipated ... I don't wantyou painting me with one eye in the middle of my fore-head.'

Nicola laughed delightedly. 'I promise you I won'tdo that.'

Ellen Sorensen's blue eyes twinkled. 'Both Traugottand I are ultra-conservative when it comes to art. Now,

what about my showing you to your room? You giveme that apparatus you're carrying, Barak; then I wishyou'd look for Melanie. Sarah says she's missing again.'

`Oh, the little girl!' Nicola exclaimed. 'I saw her. Ioffered her a lift up to the house, but she refused. She

was near a little copse of trees ... before you come tothe avocado plantations if you're coming from theroad to the house. Oh, it's hard to explain.'

`I know where you mean,' he said. 'She's been foundthere on previous occasions. All right, Ellen, I'll go andfetch her. Miss Prenn, have you left the keys in your

car? I'll move it into the garage for you before I go forthe child.'He departed, and Ellen turned to Nicola. 'Let's get


44/192


you settled in, shall we? Being farming people, we dinefairly early and Sarah will be setting the table soon.'

They went out of the lounge, leaving TraugottSorensen alone. 'I've given you a room at the end ofone of the side verandas,' Ellen explained. 'That way,you can have privacy if you get tired of us. Melanie hasthe room opposite you, at the other end, but she won't

disturb you. She's a quiet child, too quiet.'Nicola followed Mrs Sorensen into a big comfortable

bedroom which, like the lounge, spoke of good taste,and it was evident that no expense had been sparedover the furnishings. The wide bed was an antique,

with a wooden frame and beautifully gleaming head-board, and the heavy cover was cream, like the carpet.The walls were papered in, sunshine yellow and thedark wood of the furniture made an attractive contrast.

Àll my favourite colours,' Nicola said happily. 'It'sbeautiful, Mrs Sorensen.'

Ì thought you'd like it,' the older woman said, look-ing pleased. She sat down carefully. on a high-backedchair. 'Sarah tells me you brought a cat with you?'

`Yes, I found her at the roadside and I just couldn'tleave her. She was starving. But I'm sorry if it's goingto be a nuisance to you,' Nicola said anxiously. 'I

understand you already have three cats. I'll take herback to Johannesburg when I leave.'

'It might be unwise to uproot her if she settles well,'Ellen said. 'One more cat won't make much difference,and none of us has any objection to the creatures.'

Ì don't think Mr Sorensenyour nephew, I meanwas very pleased,' Nicola said doubtfully.Ellen smiled. 'You mustn't mind Barak. He's been


45/192


under a bit of strain lately, what with the worryMelanie causes us, and Denise's restlessness. Ofcourse, I expect the situation will resolve itself eventu-ally, but I've always thought Barak was trying to makeDenise a substitute for Vanessa. She's just like hersister was at that age. Barak and Vanessa had a some-

what stormy affair more than ten years ago, but she

married his brother Karl in the end, because shewanted to get away from farming and he had this jobin Pietersburg. That's what makes Melanie all the moreprecious to Barakthe fact that she's Vanessa'sdaughter. Oh dear, I suppose you think it's in verybad taste for me to be talking in this way when we'veonly just met, but I knew immediately that you weresomeone I could talk to. And I do miss a woman'scompany. All my friends around here are farmers'

wives and consequently very busy women, so some-times I go for days without seeing them. Occasionally

it gets so bad that I simply have to get out the car andrun into Louis Trichardt.'`But you're happy in the country?' Nicola said a

little absently. She was thinking about Barak Sorensen.How would he have taken it when Vanessa had chosento marry his brother? He would be as proud as Lucifer,

she was sure. And Denise Graeme now, a substitute forthe older sister, and restless, perhaps because she sus-pected the truth, was even trying to test his feelings forher as a woman, an individual, and not the sister ofVanessa. Maybe that was why she had gone to the

party in Johannesburg with Todd Baxter.Denise. Of course, that had been who Melanie'ssmall, smooth face had reminded her of. The pale


46/192


brown hair was different, and the child's eyes greywhere Denise's were tawny, but the expressionlessnessof the faces was identical. Then Denise was whomMelanie had meant by her 'auntie'.

`Oh yes, Traugott and I are very happy here,' EllenSorensen was saying, and Nicola cast aside speculationon the subject of Denise and Barak. 'As long as we have

occasional visits to Pretoria and Johannesburg, I love it.And Barak has assured us that he wants us to stay onwhen and if he marries, so we don't have to worryabout the future. My husband worked a citrus farmin the Eastern Transvaal, but when he decided to re-tire we sold it, as it would have been no use to Ilse

and Peter. use is our daughter, our only child. Theylive in Messina, so this is nice and near, and theyfrequently come up for weekends, so I see quite a lotof my grandchildren. use and Peter actually met inMessina, when she was working at the Beit Bridge

customs post. He's with the mines.'` Messina is a major copper centre, isn't it?'`That's right. The name is a corruption of the native

word musina, which means copper,' Mrs Sorensenexplained.

`Is it? And I always thought it was named after

Sicily's Messina,' Nicola confessed.When Mrs Sorensen had left her, she had a quick

bath in the private bathroom which adjoined her roomand boasted the same colour-scheme, before openingher cases. She spent quite a while deciding what towear, and was astonished at herself. Usually neat com-fort and cleanliness were her only concerns but some-how she felt that tonight she must look her best.


47/192


Eventually she decided on a panelled cream skirt anda jade-green blouse, adding a matching necklace whichenhanced the slenderness of her tanned throat. Sherarely wore jewellery anywhere other than about herneck, not liking to have her fingers and wrists en-cumbered. For the same reason, she would always re-move her watch and work with her forearms bare,

even in winter.She took her time over applying the most discreet

of make-up and even troubled to varnish her nails withclear polish. If only she could erase the impression shehad made on Barak Sorensen the previous week ...But she knew that it was a forlorn hope. That night inher father's house, it hadn't been merely her appear-ance that had contrived to make him dislike her : it hadbeen what he had seen and overheard as well, and shecouldn't explain hey behaviour to him without causingfurther trouble between him and Denise.

Nicola paused in the act of brushing her hair. Thetime she would spend in the Sorensen household wasgoing to hold much in the way of discomfort for her, ifit was to be under the cloud of Barak Sorensen's dis-like - ... or was it disapproval? It could hardly be saidthat their acquaintance had got off to a harmonious

start. And he would be even icier in his attitude to-wards her if he suspected that Ellen had told her somuch about his personal affairs; about Vanessa whohad married his brother Karl after an affair with Barak,and about his present problems concerning Denise

Graeme. Strange really : he looked the sort of manwho would regard fortune as a divine right of his,someone who would always get his own way. Nicola


48/192


wondered what the brother had been like.She picked up her brush again, feeling strangely

depressed. No, it wasn't going to be an easy interlude,but she would make the most of it, here amid thebeautiful mountains north of the Tropic of Capricorn.Her father had warned her not to hurry over the por-trait and she was determined to heed his advice. It

would be an abuse of the professional integrity he hadinstilled in her if she executed a work made badthrough haste. Nevertheless, she hoped it would nottake too long.

Nicola left her hair loose, and its auburn richnessswung silkily about her neck and shoulders as she went

through to the lounge. There she was met by Sarahwho told her that the family was on the veranda at thefront of the house and expected her to join them there.

They were all there, including Melanie, now nolonger in jeans but wearing a short pink dress,

`There you are !' Ellen Sorensen looked pleased. 'Wealways sit out here before dinner in the summer. Youdo look nice, Miss Prenn.'

`You do look nice, Miss Prenn,' Barak mimicked inunderstones so that only Nicola could hear as he drewup a chair for her. 'Which image is it now? Demure

yet sophisticated, perhaps? The type who'll ask for asmall dry sherry?'

`I'm not a type at all, Mr Sorensen,' Nicola retortedin the same low voice. 'I'm all things to all men, re-member. And I always ask for gin and tonic.'

`So be it,' he said, unperturbed, and with just thefaintest trace of amusement in the pale grey eyes.`What are you talking about?' Melanie asked


49/192


blandly. 'She's not Miss Prenn, Aunt Ellenshe'sNicola Prenn. She told me so. We don't have to callyou Miss, do we?'

Nicola laughed as she sank into her chair. 'Nicolawill suit me fine,' she said.

Òh, good,' Ellen said happily. 'I do dislike formalitybetween people living in the same house. I'm Ellen,

and you'll have to call the men by their Christiannames too, as two Mr Sorensens will lead to all kindsof confusion.'

Nicola turned faintly pink. She wasn't going to callBarak Sorensen by his first name, and the dignity ofTraugott Sorensen demanded formality.

Melanie got up from her chair and came to standbeside Nicola. She stared at her for a few moments,then : 'Did they want you after all?'

Nicola accepted a glass from Barak, and turned tothe child. 'Well, they want someone,' she said, 'and as I

paint, I hope I'll suit your uncle.'Ì hope so too,' the old man said. 'Have you reallynever done a portrait, though?'

Òh, I did at art school, and I've experimented sincewhen the mood has been on me,' Nicola explained. 'ButI've never seriously attempted anything like this be-

fore.'Èvidently your father thinks you can do it,' Barak

pointed out. 'Otherwise he wouldn't have arranged foryou to come up here.'

It was true. Robert Prenn might often feel it un-

necessary to make a truth known, but he would neveraccept a commission on behalf of himself or hisdaughter unless he had absolute faith that the client


50/192


would receive a hundred-per-cent effort, even if theresult might not measure up to expectations. ForRobert, as for Nicola, endeavour counted for morethan results.

`I'll do my best to satisfy you, Mr Sorensen,' Nicolapromised Traugott quietly.

`Thank you,' he said simply. 'I have always wanted

a portrait of myself.'It wasn't merely vanity that had given birth to thewish, Nicola realised presently when they wentthrough to the big dining-room. Two walls were hung

with portraits of big men with blue eyes. Nicolacounted swiftly. Nine of them. All the brothers save

Traugott, the youngest. She wondered which of themwas Barak's father. The portraits varied in size, andsome had been sat for by Sorensens still young, whileothers showed men who had reached the ripeness ofmaturity. If she succeeded in her task, Traugott's

portrait would presumably fill the empty tenth space.Ellen saw her appraisal of the portraits and smiled.`Now you realise why Traugott wants his portrait. Imust say, the brothers are a bit overpowering seen atonce, but he feels he ought to have his likeness jointhem up there. We don't see much of the descendants

of the first eight these days, partly, I suppose, becauseonly Einer and Traugott went into farming. Theirbrothers' children are scattered all over South Africa,but in cities. That's Einer over thereBarak's father.'She pointed to the portrait of a lean fair man, opposite

the space Traugott's would soon occupy. 'Barak takesafter his mother in colouring, of course, but his brotherKarl was fair. He also had Grace's grey eyes, though.'


51/192

WALK IN THE SHADOW 5 1

Nicola glanced obliquely at Barak. She was seatedbetween him and Melanie at the round table. Hecaught her look and smiled frostily. 'I suppose you'vehad our entire family history from Ellen by now?'

`Not quite,' Nicola retorted. 'What nationality wasyour mother?' she added daringly.

`English. Like Ellen, she was a descendant of one of

the 1820 British settlers,' he informed her withoutbothering to look at her again.They were served their meal by Sarah, who quietly

assured Nicola that the black kitten was very happy inthe kitchen. The food was excellently prepared. Theystarted with an attractive raw fish dish. 'Do you do the

cooking?' Nicola asked Ellen Sorensen.`Sarah and I share it,' Ellen told her. 'It's a fallacy

that two women can't share a kitchen. We're quitehappy working together. Sarah is much more practicaland unsentimental than me, though. The other day I

broke my favourite egg-timer and I wept. Sarahthought I was mad because I never used it anyway.But one gets so attached to things, and it was a wed-ding present from a young cousin of mine, thirty-sixyears ago.'

Melanie brought them back to their earlier subject

by saying solemnly, 'I've also got Granny Grace's greyeyes, haven't I, Uncle Barak?'

`You have indeed, darling,' he assured her, and itwas the first time Nicola had seen the arrogant facesoften..She glanced at the child who sat on her left.The grey eyes, inherited from Grace Sorensen, weredarker than Barak's, but it wouldn't be the eyes thatBarak saw. No, it was the Graeme face, smoothly


52/192


lovely, which he saw and softened towards. Vanessa'sface, mirrored in her daughter; mirrored too in Van-essa's young sister Denise. Denise, whom he sought tomake a substitute for the woman he must have loved.

He was quiet during the major part of the meal, aswas the child who ate little and stared at Nicola a greatdeal. It was disconcerting, and she knew so little about

children. This little girl was surely stranger than most.Ellen Sorensen did most of the talking, pleased to havea fresh face at the table. Consequently it was fromEllen, with some assistance from her husband, thatNicola learned some of the facts appertaining to BarakSorensen's farm.

Traugott started asking her about her painting andshe told him a little about her art-school training andthe work she did now.

`I have never understood,' Ellen said with twinklingblue eyes, 'why you artists get so scathingly uptight

about the "don't know much about art but I know whatI like" brigade. It seems a sensible remark to me.'Nicola laughed. 'Eminently sensible when you think

about it,' she agreed. 'After all, they at least have a tastefor certain pictures and models. That's better than be-ing wholly indifferent to the subject.'

Traugott said, 'Don't back her up too fervently,Miss Prenn, or she'll be fancying herself as an artcritic.'

Ellen looked at Nicola laughingly. 'As you can see,we've reached that stage when we can cheerfully be

rude to each other.'`I think that's nice,' said Nicola. 'It has a sort ofhonesty.'


53/192


Barak's quick glance was shrewdly appraising.`Then you admire honesty in a marriage?' he said dis-believingly.

Nicola flushed, realising what he referred to. TheBaxters' marriage lacked that quality and he imaginedthat she was playing a part in Todd's abuse of hismarriage vows. She nodded, however. Ì do.'

`Yes?' His mouth curved derisively.Nicola, aware of the curious looks that Ellen and

Traugott were giving them, was relieved when Melaniecreated a diversion by announcing that it was her bath-tim e.

The adults took coffee in the elegant lounge andNicola feasted her eyes on the glorious art displayedthere.

Where are you going to paint my husband? Inhere?' Ellen enquired.

Nicola's discreetly sensuous mouth drooped. 'Oh,

did you want it to be indoors?' she said disappointedly.Ì had thought ... outside would be better.'`So that you can give more attention to the details of

my surroundings than you'll give to me?' TraugottSorensen teased, his blue eyes very piercing in the softelectric light.

`No, oh no,' Nicola protested, embarrassed. Ì onlythought ... you see, you strike one as a person who be-longs to the land. That's how I think of you, anyway.'

The big white-haired man looked pleased. `Thenit'll be outside. You can have a look round the farm

tomorrow and decide where you think I should be.'Àll right,' Nicola agreed, spreading her small stronghands. 'We'll have to set a time for painting, so that the


54/192


light is consistent each day. How do you want it? Full-length, like the one of your brother Einer? I've broughta canvas that size; I brought a selection because Ididn't know what you wanted.'

Ì'll leave it to you,' said Traugott. 'I've an idea youknow better than I do what's required.'

Nicola laughed. 'I doubt that very much, Mr Soren-

sen. I suppose you should really have been painted onyour citrus farmyour true environment.'

Ì never thought of it in those days,' Traugott con-fessed with a smile.

Melanie came in then, looking fresh and well

scrubbed in shortie pyjamas and a matching dressing-gown. She gravely said goodnight,to Ellen and Trau-gott, without kissing them or even smiling. Nicolawondered if she ever smiled.

`Goodnight, Nicola,' she said solemnly, pausing infront of her chair.

`Goodnight, Melanie.'`Now, Uncle Barak, you can come and tuck me in,'

said Melanie, turning to the lean, dark man who hadbeen watching her with inscrutably veiled eyes.

He stood up, and Nicola was conscious of how sur-

prisingly easily he moved for someone so tall.`Come on then,' and for a brief moment he laid hishand on the child's shining light brown hair. Melanie

would be the Achilles heel of this strong man, Nicolarealised. Melanie, who was like her mother ...

Ìt's nice when you don't go to Auntie Denise in theevenings and can come and tuck me in,' Melanie wastelling him as they left the lounge together.


55/192


`She's so quiet and serious,' Traugott commented,his blue eyes following the pair.

`I wish she'd learn to laugh,' Ellen agreed with. asigh. 'Nicola, if you've finished your coffee, perhapsyou'd like to come and see how your kitten is getting onin the kitchen.'

`Thank you,' said Nicola, standing up.

Ellen took her through to the long kitchen whichretained an old-fashioned charm in spite of havingbeen modernised, and Nicola soon saw the basketwhich contained the sleeping black kitten.

Ellen smiled down at the kneeling girl and the cat.`I think she'll be all right in here. If cats have to share

a home, they generally accept that and there's notrouble unless one of them comes too close to another.And Sylvester is a friendly creature, more like a dogreally,' she said, picking up a purring Siamese from oneof the kitchen chairs. 'Our other two are true farm

cats, wholly nocturnal. They come home in the morn-ing and sleep most of the day. But Sylvester likes com-pany.'

` Melanie told me you have a dog as well.'`Yes, a black labrador. He's probably out on the

front veranda. He usually is at this time of night.

Officially his name is Don Quixote. Melanie wanted tocall him Donkey when we acquired him because shethought he looked like one, so we compromised withDon Quixote. Needless to say, the poor animal still getscalled Donkey.'

Nicola laughed. 'That's rather sweet.' She stood up,stifling a yawn.

Ellen smiled. 'I expect you're starting to react to


56/192


your long journey and the change of air. Would youlike to go to bed now?'

`Please,' Nicola said ruefully. 'It's just hit me. Ihadn't felt at all tired until now.' Now she was weary,but she thought it was due to the discovery of whoBarak Sorensen was, and the subsequent strain en-gendered by his dislike of her, than to the trip and

change of atmosphere.`Is there anything you'd like before you go to bed?'Ellen asked kindly. 'Something to drink, or a bookfrom the library?'

` May I have something to read? I like to take a bookto bed with me, although I don't think I'll spend long

over one tonight.'`Come along to the library then,' said Ellen as they

returned to the lounge. She opened a door leading offthe big room. 'Through here. I'll leave you to browseand find something you like.'

Nicola thanked her and she left. She had to admitthat she was impressed. Their own library. Every wallwas packed with books, and there were a pair of mobilestepladders for reaching those near to the ceiling. Sucha variety, too, of both fiction and non-fiction, in severaldifferent languages. Although most were in English,

there was a good supply of German books, as well assome of South Africa's finest Afrikaans literature. Andthese were Danish, she supposed, coming upon a shortrow with titles which she failed to understand. Shewondered if Olaf Sorensen's sons had learnt hislanguage.

Closing and replacing the book she had been lookingat, Nicola returned to the English section.


57/192


`May I assist you?'Oh, so courteous ... and cold, cold as that northern

country from which his grandfather had set out, tobring God's message to a younger, newer country, stillin its infancy. Nicola turned round very slowly to con-front Barak Sorensen.

`No, it's all right, thank you,' she said politely, tilt-

ing her chin a little. She was not a small girl, but in thepresence of his imposing height she felt dwarfed ...and insignificant. He exuded an aura of power. Nicoladidn't like the feeling.

`How long do you imagine you'll take over Trau-gott's portrait, Miss Prenn?' he asked abruptly.

She shrugged gracefully. 'Never having undertakensuch an assignment before, I can't say with any cer-tainty, Mr Sorensen. I know how badly you must wantmy departurebelieve me, I'm looking forward to it asmuch as you are, but I have no intention of executing

a shoddy work as the result of haste.'He smiled lazily, the grey eyes half-closed. 'Youdon't wait to be attacked, do you? You attack first.

Why ... you find it the best form of defence, possibly?'What need have I of defence?' she parried.What need? You tell me ... Nicola.'

She fingered her jade necklace with nervous fingers.Why should she be nervous? She, Nicola Prenn, a freeadult of twenty-three, with her host of friends inJohannesburg, and her famous father, and the memoryof her first taste of success in the art world. Why shouldshe be nervous? She was an adult woman, yet here she

was, feeling the way she had done, years ago in Natal,when Sister Francesca would ask her to stand up and

8/3/2019 56275746 Harlequin Vintage Walk

56275746 harlequin vintage walk in the shadows jayne bauling

Documents