Part 10 (1/2)

'Come on, Philip, let's go and see the boat,' said Margaret.

'I don't suppose there is a problem with crocodiles,' said Bette, remembering her earlier encounter.

'No, it's fine,' said Roland. He spoke to the boatman, and another bare-chested man, wearing a checked cotton baju, sauntered over to them. Roland had them both unload the car and pile their belongings into the boat. Then he explained, 'We're leaving the car here. It'll be safe with the villagers.'

The man in the baju nodded. 'Yes, tuan.'

They all enjoyed chugging through the thick brown water, the wind in their faces, hats protecting them from the sun. Pa.s.sing a village at the water's edge they waved to the children, who waved back. As they got near to where the jungle grew close to the river's edge, the water became clearer. The boatman angled the boat towards the bank and rounding a bend they came to a cleared area under shady trees. There was an attap hut with a verandah and a thatched lean-to over a large table. Next to the landing bamboo poles jutted above the surface of the water and made a fence that staked out the swimming area.

'This is just beautiful,' said Bette to Margaret.

The boatman, helped by Roland and Gilbert, hauled out the picnic baskets and cotton bags containing their clothes and put them in the shade of the table, while Roland opened up the little hut.

'Basic change room, a water jar to rinse off, and thunder box.'

'I'm going in for a swim! Coming Philip?' Bette pulled off her sundress, which she'd worn over her swimming costume.

'I'll be there in a minute, too. I'm going to change in the hut,' said Margaret.

Holding Philip's hand, Bette walked to the water's edge and peered into the cool clear water. 'Looks safe enough. It certainly looks refres.h.i.+ng.'

Gilbert came up behind them, and swung Philip onto his shoulders. 'Come on, young man, let's jump in!'

'Be careful,' called Margaret as she followed them to the river.

Gilbert waded in and with Philip clinging to his back, arms tight around his neck, he swam out into the river, followed closely by Bette.

'This is glorious! Come on in, Marg!' shouted Bette.

Roland soon joined them, and they all splashed and played and Philip, now feeling brave, tried to swim, but needed a lot of help. Everyone applauded his efforts.

On the bank the boatman had started a small fire and began cooking savoury meat on skewers, turning the sizzling meat and dribbling peanut and coconut sauce over them.

While Margaret and Roland dried Philip, Bette and Gilbert spread towels and sarongs on the gra.s.s and dried off in the sun.

'They seem to be getting on well,' Margaret said quietly to Roland. 'Do you think they like each other? I mean, are they attracted to each other?'

'Early days, dear girl.'

'Wouldn't it be nice if Bette met someone and stayed out here. It would be lovely to have some of my family around,' said Margaret.

'Well, there's been no shortage of interested chaps,' said Roland. 'But Gilbert still has a couple more years of his contract to run before the company will let him get married.'

'I think that's such a dreadful restriction,' said Margaret. 'I can't believe that companies dictate when their employees can get married.'

'Not really. It's sensible. Men have to prove that they have what it takes to work on a plantation before a company goes to the expense of paying a wife's fare out here. The single men can be flexible and live in pretty basic accommodation. That changes when they get married, so companies have to make sure the chaps are the right sort. It's paying one's dues, as Father says.'

Margaret watched Gilbert and Bette lying side by side and talking. 'Perhaps I'd better make Bette aware of his situation before she falls too heavily for him,' murmured Margaret.

'I don't think she's very serious about anyone ... she just loves being here, though I have to admit she's the perfect kind of a girl to fit in out here. Like you.' He gave her a quick kiss and picked up Philip. 'Come on, soldier, let's go eat. I'm starving.'

They sat on the gra.s.s in the shade eating the satay sticks with their fingers.

The next two days were ones they all remembered for the rest of their lives. Roland was right. The lodge that Eugene had built years before was only basic, but the setting was perfect.

Local villagers cooked them curries, rice and fish. They had pineapples, bananas and papaya for breakfast. With simple food and simple surroundings, the lazy days pa.s.sed gently. Swimming, afternoons spent sleeping in a hammock, playing board games and talking into the night by kerosene lamplight, sharing a bottle of whisky, and sometimes just sitting in companionable silence. Philip slept curled between his mother and father under the cloud of mosquito net. Bette tried to stay awake as long as she could, listening to the night sounds of the forest.

Both women enjoyed Gilbert's company. They found him amusing and easy going. Because he was Roland's friend, he seemed to treat Bette as though she was the younger sister of his best friend's wife, and as a result Bette relaxed and didn't worry about what sort of impression she was making or how she looked. Margaret also eschewed make-up and didn't fuss about what she wore. The two sisters dressed in sarongs over shorts and swimsuits and found they were reminiscing and laughing more than they ever had. Everyone felt comfortable in each other's company.

On their third morning, Roland announced that he'd better to do some work. 'Sorry, but I did come up here to see how the new palm oil plantation is going. Who wants to come along?'

Everyone was lazing along the verandah so there wasn't an immediate flurry of interest.

'Gilbert and I were just about to hike down to where one of the villagers told us there's a little waterfall,' said Bette.

'Who's managing the place for you?' asked Gilbert.

'Smedley-Smith. Frightfully good chap. I'm very pleased with him. It's his first contract, but he's made some remarkable advances for us,' said Roland.

'He mightn't take too kindly to my arriving with you unannounced. Really none of my business,' said Gilbert.

'All right, Gil. You stay with Bette and find the waterfall. I'll take Margaret and Philip with me.' He turned to Margaret. 'You haven't been up to the place for awhile. I think you'll be impressed with what he's done.'

Margaret smiled to her husband as they took the boat back to the small kampong where they had left the Oldsmobile. 'Nice manoeuvre, dear. Leaving them alone in a romantic spot. I wonder how Bette feels about that.' 'Nice manoeuvre, dear. Leaving them alone in a romantic spot. I wonder how Bette feels about that.'

'Gilbert is a gentleman, she'll be safe as houses.'

'Hmm. We'll see. Well it's up to Bette.'

'Gil's a good chap, but do you really think that your parents would like Bette to end up in Malaya, too?'

As Margaret got into the car, she remembered her mother had joked that she hoped Bette wouldn't fall for some planter fellow too, so she let the subject drop and concentrated on trying to stay comfortable on the bone jarring road. Philip bounced, enjoying the ride.

Roland drove past the deep dark rows of the oil palms arching towards each other, making long dark tunnels. Mounds of large red p.r.i.c.kly nuts were heaped at regular intervals along the ground. Roland stopped, got out and picked up several of the nuts to check them and got back into the car. Then he turned off the dirt track and drove slowly up and down through some of the avenues of trees.

'Hmm. It's well cleared and maintained. Smedley-Smith is doing a good job. We'll drive by the bungalow. He's probably there having lunch and might welcome some company. Gets lonely up here by oneself.'

'It's rather basic housing,' commented Margaret as she saw the small bungalow. A not very successful attempt had been made to establish a garden.

As they walked towards the house, a lanky young man wearing a khaki s.h.i.+rt over a sarong came out to meet them.

'Ha, Mr Elliott, you've arrived. What a pleasant surprise. Excuse my dress, I was having a rest before the afternoon inspection. Please, come in and make yourself comfortable while I change. Tea? Or a soft drink?'

'Ask your boy to get us some ginger beer, and we'll sit on the verandah,' said Roland.

Margaret knew how fortunate they were to be living at Utopia, and not in a tiny house like this, equipped only with simple rattan furniture, and no tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs, in absolutely the middle of nowhere. She heard gla.s.ses rattling, and while Roland was showing Philip a small gecko that was clinging to one of the chick blinds, Margaret went inside. and not in a tiny house like this, equipped only with simple rattan furniture, and no tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs, in absolutely the middle of nowhere. She heard gla.s.ses rattling, and while Roland was showing Philip a small gecko that was clinging to one of the chick blinds, Margaret went inside.

A pretty, young Malay girl came towards her with a tray of gla.s.ses and a large bottle of ginger beer and pieces of fresh lime. To Margaret's surprise the girl handed her the tray and scurried out of the room as Smedley-Smith reappeared in a planter's cotton suit, b.u.t.toned to the neck, and leather shoes.