The Green Lady Page 6

discord every now and then.

  Over his low, uncertain melody, he heard another step, and a shuffling noise. This encouraged him further, and in order to draw these optimistic sounds into an appearance, he opened up into full song, yowling out his heart in an almost excrutiating manner.

  Just as he was claiming to be ‘crazy for feeling so lonely’ in a grating falsetto, however, a dark shape moved suddenly in front of the candle— he was plunged into blackness— the guitar was snatched from his hands, and with three unmusical smacks it was dashed to pieces on his head.

  All the while this was going on, Elizabeth was preparing for her assault on Max. Stepping into his bedroom, she switched on the light immediately, so that she might be sure he was there this time. Indeed he was, and appeared attractively tousled as he squinted from his pillow.

  ‘Elizabeth?’ he said with a yawn. ‘What do you want?’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ she replied softly, approaching the bed. ‘I’m not mad, I was only pretending!’

  ‘So I see,’ he returned, sitting up. ‘But your version of sane is still fairly close to my idea of cracked. What are you doing here?’

  She sidled onto the mattress next to him. ‘Oh, Max! Can’t you guess? Can’t you sense, feel—’

  ‘I’m not in the mood to sense or feel anything!’ he interrupted her crossly. ‘You’d better tell me in plain words what you’re up to —and whatever the reason is, it had better be ingenious.’

  ‘Max, you’re so stern! Why should I try for some clever excuse, when my coming to you speaks for itself?’

  She reached out to him, but he got up angrily.

  ‘It does speak for itself, and that’s why I wanted to be proved wrong —but it seems I’m not mistaken. You’re here to make love to me.’

  She smiled beguilingly. ‘Of course, my darling! The kiss I gave you earlier must have told you what I want, what I need!’

  ‘Your kiss told me you’d been drinking, and little else!’ he retorted.

  ‘Max, don’t be afraid! Don’t try to fight your desire!’

  ‘My desire is to kick you back into that crypt again! Did you honestly come here expecting sex?’

  She was somewhat confused by his attitude. ‘Max, what’s the matter with you? We’ve always had an understanding— why should we hide it now?’

  He eyed her scornfully. ‘I’ve always understood you,’ he said. ‘I’ve always known you’re a conceited, selfish hothead, and it’s amused me to flirt with you, and watch you preen yourself while you triumphed over Hamish. But you’ve never understood me, Elizabeth, if you think I’m going to join in your spiteful little game, betray and hurt my best friend, and gratify your vanity! I’m not one of your throwaway lovers, and I won’t be used as a weapon against your husband!’

  She reached out to touch him eagerly. ‘My lovely Max, you’re mistaken! I’m done with Hamish! You are the man I want!’

  ‘I don’t care what you want! Get up, put your moves away, and go to that poor man you’ve been tormenting!’

  ‘Why would I go to him, when you are here? Max, let me kiss you just once more, let me just feel you in my arms!’

  She moved to embrace him, but he held out his hand abruptly to arrest her.

  ‘Max!’ she gasped. ‘Don’t deny us both! Hamish need never know, and besides, I’m finished with him forever! I already consider myself single!’

  Max received this with distaste. ‘Since the day you two met, neither of you have so much as said a word, or drawn a breath to say it, without reference to each other. I’ve watched you both seduce people, many times, and this same self-deception surfaces on every occasion! You’re not here because you’re finished with Hamish, Elizabeth. You’re here because you’re besotted with him —and he went to Genna because he’s besotted with you! But I’ll not be your latest pawn, do you understand? The chessboard’s empty.’

  Now she was piqued. ‘This is too serious, too harsh, Max! I know my own mind well enough! I came here because you’re attractive, because you have a way with women, and because I know we’ll both enjoy it!’

  ‘You don’t know anything! How can you expect me to enjoy making my friend miserable? How dare you assume I’d participate in destroying your marriage? I may have a reputation for womanising, but I’m not a cipher— I have sense enough to consider other people’s feelings!’

  ‘Hamish’s feelings!’ she snorted. ‘He doesn’t have feelings! He’s heartless!’

  ‘Oh, no— he isn’t heartless, Elizabeth. Your latest ploy has finally pinned exactly where his heart is.’ Max regarded her cruelly.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘You really convinced him with your masquerade downstairs. He can’t forgive himself for hurting you. I’ve never seen him so upset.’

  ‘So he should be! And what do I care? I’m through with him!’

  ‘Yes, so you say. You’re finished, you already consider yourself single.’

  ‘That’s right! I do!’

  Max assumed a mysterious expression. ‘From the way he was talking —raving, really— I’d say he means to finish it himself. I wouldn’t be surprised if he tried to make you single sooner than you think.’

  Elizabeth was concerned, and yet baffled by his hints. ‘What are you saying?’

  ‘Have you seen him, Elizabeth?’

  ‘No— I went to the guest room, but he was gone— why? Where is he?’

  Max looked frightened. ‘He’s gone? I knew I shouldn’t have left him alone!’

  ‘Why— why not?’

  He spoke gravely. ‘He kept saying he couldn’t cope, that he didn’t deserve to— was the window of his room open?’

  ‘No— I don’t think so— I don’t know— why?’ she gabbled in rising panic.

  ‘Oh, my God! I hope he hasn’t done something rash— I hope he hasn’t— oh, my God!’

  ‘Hope he hasn’t what? Thrown himself into the sea? What, was he suicidal?’

  ‘I’ve never seen him in such a state, Elizabeth,’ he told her, clutching her hand. ‘I couldn’t manage him, I told him to get some sleep, and went— but I should have stayed! If I’d known he really meant to do it—’

  ‘He wouldn’t— he wouldn’t!’ she cried —but suddenly a loud scream rang out from the gallery.

  They both started. Elizabeth clung to Max in fright, but he, dropping his play-acting immediately, recognised the voice, and exclaiming: ‘Mino!’ ran from the room, with the distressed wife scurrying behind.

  Outside, they encountered Mina, white-faced and trembling.

  All anxiety, Max hurried to her side. ‘Mino! What’s happened?’ He closed her in his arm supportively.

  ‘You’ve seen Hamish!’ Elizabeth concluded with a yelp. ‘You saw him jump out of his window! He’s dead— he’s dead, isn’t he? I know it! I know it!’

  ‘Shut up!’ Max ordered. ‘Mino, say something! Why did you scream? You’re so pale— you look like you’ve seen a real ghost!’

  ‘I think I have!’ she answered breathlessly. ‘I heard you two arguing, and was creeping along to eavesdrop, when I saw a woman come up the spiral stairs!’

  Max drew back reprovingly. ‘Now, Mino! What new machination is this?’

  Elizabeth continued over his cynicism, however. ‘A woman? Well, who was she? Where did she go?’

  ‘I didn’t recognise her,’ Mina pleaded, and pointed down the gallery. ‘She disappeared through that door— into the room I gave to Hamish.’

  ‘Then it’s obvious we’re meant to go and investigate,’ said Max. ‘I assume this will be the climax we’ve all been waiting for, Mino?’

  With that, he strode on, while the others huddled more cautiously afterwards. Wearing a bemused smile, he threw open the door to Hamish’s room— and jumped back in surprise. Elizabeth and Mina, equally alarmed by his reaction, scurried to peer in.

  A sharp, cold gale was blowing through the large window, which stood wide open. The grating of the sea resounded below, and the curtains flailed
wildly in the air. Crouched upon the windowsill was a handsome young woman, whose hair danced and winnowed. She seemed poised to leap out, when Max’s arrival interrupted her. Her tear-streaked face was contorted with a struggling misery, her mouth drawn into a grimace as she gritted her teeth, and her eyes bulged with fierce intent. Her fingers and toes gripped the window frame with an animalesque tautness, and she drew her breath in quickening pants.

  Max was shocked. ‘Genna!’ he cried. ‘What are you doing? How did you get here?’

  Twisting around, she leered towards him and screeched: ‘I’ve killed him! I’ve killed him!’ in a furious voice that rained spit from her working mouth.

  Elizabeth bawled: ‘Hamish! What have you done to him?’ but Mina held her back.

  The wretch in the window recoiled at this, and glanced out into the dark night.

  ‘Genna, Genna!’ started Max, reaching to her. ‘Come away from there—’

  But no sooner had he spoken than she sprang from view. Max volleyed forth to catch her, but she was already gone. He shouted her name helplessly as he watched the limp body fly down the stretch of wall and buttress, thump and jolt from the rocks below, and splash into the frothing sea.

  Elizabeth was immediately hysterical. ‘Was that her? Was that her? They had a suicide pact— oh— oh—!’

  ‘No, Elizabeth,’ Max contradicted firmly, turning from the window with a shudder. ‘Hamish was never suicidal, I was teasing you.’

  ‘Then she has killed him— she threw him out of the window!’ she squealed. ‘Max, Max, look again, he may be clinging to the guttering!’

  ‘No-one would survive that drop,’