There was dead silence as Laura ceased explaining. David’s face showed apparent calmness, but internally he was in turmoil. Rupert again. That foul, arrogant... words were not enough. With an effort, he dragged himself back to the present.
’I can see why you left. Not a very good introduction to English society. I’m sorry. We’re not all like that. Few people are, in fact.’
Laura’s tight expression softened. ’I know,’ she said. Most people were very pleasant and friendly, people like yourself. I think my employers were regarded as a bit odd even amongst the English, although they treated me well enough in other ways. In fact, they were kind, apart from their insistence that I should take up with their friend.’ She gave a short laugh. ’I would never have taken Mr. Marshall out on a lake like this. I might have had to drown him in order to keep his hands off me.’
’I think you would,’ said David. ’And good riddance, too. I never liked him, although in fairness, I have to admit the feeling is probably mutual.’
’You know him?’ asked Laura in surprise. ’Oh, but of course, you said you thought you might, and you’re in the same line of business, aren’t you?’
’Yes, but I know him for another reason than that.’
David hesitated, wondering how much he should tell this girl, a comparative stranger after all. He took the plunge, recognising a sympathetic listener, yet not understanding until long afterwards that what he was doing was fulfilling a man’s natural need to talk things over with his wife.
’You see, his wife, Stella, was the woman I was supposed to have married. Years ago, of course. We weren’t officially engaged, or anything like that, but I had asked, and she had agreed. The only thing was, that Rupert married her instead. Or maybe it was the case that she married Rupert. I don’t know. It worked out in the same way in the end.’
Laura looked at David with disbelief. ’You were going to marry Mrs. Marshall?’
’Well, she wasn’t Mrs. Marshall then, but that was the general idea. Oh, it was a long time ago. It started when we were at university together. It doesn’t matter now.’
She spoke seriously. ’I think it does to you. But if you don’t mind my saying so, she wasn’t the right sort of wife for you. She wouldn’t have made you happy.’
’I know that,’ said David wryly. ’I know that now. I didn’t know it then. Or more likely I did know it, but just chose to ignore it. Certainly I should have known it. The warning signs were there if I had wanted to read them properly. She didn’t treat me very well, though in fairness, she didn’t treat anyone else very well either. I was besotted, of course.’
’I can understand that. She is very beautiful.’
’Yes. Or rather, no. On the outside, she is. On the inside, she’s as ugly as anyone can ever be. Well, she was when I knew her, though it took me a long time to recognise and admit the fact, and I don’t suppose she’s changed a lot since then. She always said she would marry me, but she had a price, you see, a certain income I had to have in order to keep her in comfort. Well, to keep her in luxury, if you want to be accurate. She wasn’t prepared to start simply and wait and work for better times. In the event, Rupert reached whatever magic figure she had in mind rather more quickly than I did. So, she chose him. Of course, he is better looking, or was before he got as fat as you suggested, has been to the right school, plays cricket, had a substantial amount of money even before he started work. Forgive me, I’m getting bitter. As I said, it’s all a long time ago, and I should have put it behind me by now. I thought I had.’
’Do you still love her?’ Laura asked.
’No, not any more. Perhaps I never really did. However it is, I wouldn’t touch her now if she was grilled and served up in foil with parsley for decoration.’
’I hope not,’ said Laura with a slight shudder. ’Our lake fish are much better.’
’More tasty, and more acceptable, anyway. But I don’t know why we are wasting time talking about unpleasant things when we could be turning our minds to something more acceptable. You’ve had a rough experience with Rupert and his wife. So have many others. So have I. Let’s leave it at that.’
’Just one more question. Is Mrs. Marshall the reason you work so hard?’
’True confession time? Yes, I suppose it is. Or was at one time, before the habit of work grew on me. But I’m not working now, am I? Let’s talk about something else. Tell me about your family. Your parents seem a really nice couple.’
’They are, but I don’t really know I can tell you much more than that,’ said Laura. ’My father used to drive a lorry, delivering goods from one place to another, and my mother is a cleaner in a local school. They’re not rich, not in the way the world understands the word, but they have everything they want. More than that, they want everything they have.’
’Then they are certainly not poor,’ said David. ’On the contrary, I would think they must be happier than most.’
’Yes, I think they are.’
’You said your father used to drive. What does he do now? He doesn’t look old enough to have retired.’
’He’s not, but he has heart problems, and isn’t allowed to drive any more. So he had to stop working. Now he catches fish and talks with his friends in the petrol station cafe two or three times a week, where he drinks more coffee than is good for him.’
’And your mother works to keep the family?’
’Yes. We are all rather proud of her. Of course, my brother helps out when he can. He doesn’t live at home any more, but he is fairly well paid and he brings presents whenever he visits, usually food or something else he thinks we need. Not that we go hungry, you understand, but sometimes things are a bit tight.’
David’s memory took a leap back over several years. Once again, he could hear Stella’s mother: ’Well, if you are really intent on throwing yourself away on a second rate mechanic, I don’t suppose there’s anything I can do to stop you. You’ve always taken what you wanted. About the only thing I can do is to teach you how to scrub floors.’
Laura’s mother presumably scrubbed floors, and no-one here seemed to think it was a shameful occupation. On the contrary, she was a figure of pride. There was a lesson in that, one that David thought neither Stella nor her mother would be able to understand.
David’s eyes searched around. It was calm and peaceful, the low lying sun casting a bridge of golden light across the surface of the water. Trees were reflected accurately in detail, and as he looked over the side of the boat, it was difficult to tell if he was real, or if it was his mirror image that owned life. For a moment he felt giddy, a feeling that was strangely pleasant. He sighed, and settled back, slumping further down, content to let the moment of peace stretch out timelessly. He noticed with amusement that Laura unobtrusively pulled her skirt over her knees, and closed his eyes as a signal to her that he wasn’t consciously peeking, and that she had nothing to fear. His name wasn’t Rupert, nor did he believe that Laura was a grubby little peasant girl to be mauled around. Just the same, the sight of her legs stayed in his memory.
’Do you know something?’ he said. ’This is the first time I have been completely at rest for more years than I care to remember. Except for those few days in Lapland I told you about, and even then I had to keep on the move in order not to freeze to death. One day, I’ll go back there. It was lovely.’
Smiling at him, Laura took up the oars and began rowing again, slowly and deliberately, casting occasional glances over her shoulder to check on the direction. Gradually, they approached a small island fringed with stunted bushes and with somewhat higher trees in the middle. She guided the boat in to an area only slightly more open than the rest, and turned broadside to a large flat rock, pulling with short, regular strokes of the oars. The dog didn’t wait, but splashed noisily into the water, clambering across the rock to reach dry land, then disappeared into the thick undergrowth, panting with near ecstasy.
’There’s a current here,’ she said. ’Can you get out and fasten the rope to that big pine there while I hold the boat steady? Make sure it’s fastened properly. It’s a long way to swim back.’
David did as she asked.
’Er, this is a pine, I hope?’ he said. ’I ask only because I’m not sure about my trees.’
’Actually, it’s a fir,’ Laura said. ’Not that it matters, just as long as it’s big enough to stop the boat drifting away.’ She noted with approval the knot he had tied, then shipped the oars and stood up, giving a wave to the occupants of another rowing boat which was passing close by. One of the occupants looked vaguely familiar, but the figure being in semi silhouette made it difficult to be certain who it might be. David stretched his hand forward in a gesture of unconscious courtesy to help her out. She hesitated for a moment, then took his hand in hers, thrilling to the excitement of their first physical contact. He released his grasp as soon as she was on dry land, but the memory of his touch would stay with her for a very long time, of that she was certain.
’Well, we’re here,’ David commented. ’The only question is, just where are we? I’m a bit of a stranger in these parts, and I don’t have a map.’
’It’s our summer cottage,’ explained Laura. ’Really, it belongs to my grandparents, but they never use it nowadays, so the rest of the family has taken it over. It’s rather close to where we live, of course, but that makes it handy whenever we want to get away from everything. The whole island is ours, too. There are no neighbours to consider. Come on, I’ll show you around. I don’t suppose you’ve ever seen a Finnish summer cottage.’
’I have news for you. I’ve seen very little of Finland except for some of its airports, and they could be almost anywhere in the world.’
Laura made a sound that almost, but not quite a snort. ’That’s no news. Almost every time I’ve seen you, you’ve either been in an airport, leaving it, or just going to one.’
David chuckled, recognising the truth of her statement. She bent and picked a flower, then another, and another, searching for a variety of specimens.
’Can I help?’ asked David.
’No. I mean, no thank you. I know what I’m looking for, and I don’t suppose you know the Finnish words for the plants.’
’I probably wouldn’t know them in English, either,’ said David. ’In fact, if it doesn’t have several megabytes of random access memory, I probably don’t recognise anything. The fault is mine. I guess the loss is mine as well.’
He watched Laura picking flowers, taking pleasure in the simple act, then bent and picked some of his own anyway, presenting them to her as they reached the cottage in a clearing in the very centre of the island. She flushed and accepted them with thanks, and opening the door, placed them on the table in the room. She sorted her own flowers first, then paid attention to David’s, weaving them into a coronet and placing the result on his head, constantly pushing away the dog, who seemed to want to help in everything they were doing.
’No, don’t resist,’ she said. ’This is a tradition in this part of the country. It’s supposed to bring you good luck.’
’What about your own? Don’t you deserve good luck as well?’
’I have other plans for those,’ she said mysteriously. ’They’ll have to wait until I get home again. Anyway, I’m a Finn and I live in Finland. How much more luck am I allowed? Come on, I’ll show you around. It won’t take very long.’
She was as good as her word. It didn’t take very long. David thought he had never seen any house so small in all his life. There were effectively just the two rooms, one with a tiny kitchen built in, the other with a couple of beds. Two cupboards, each with a mirror and a single shelf above it, a table and three chairs completed the furnishings. Water came from a well, and the toilet arrangements could only be described as barely adequate rather than luxurious.
’You must be wondering why we choose to live like this nowadays.’
’It’s certainly different from what I might have expected,’ David admitted. ’I’ve always seen Finland through the eyes of a casual visitor, and what I’ve seen has been the modern side of it. Of course I realise people don’t all live in what seem to be luxury flats in Helsinki, but I’ve actually seen little else.’
’People used to bring up several children in houses just like this. Can you imagine twelve or even fifteen people living here? Can you imagine it when the temperature is minus forty and the snow is knee deep everywhere? Nowadays, they are used for summer weekend use. We like to feel we are getting back close to nature... just so long as modern civilisation is easily reached. There’s a lot to be said for turning a tap for water instead of hauling it up from a well, especially in the winter. As you know, it’s a bit cold then.’
David took a deep breath. ’I like it. I’m not saying I would care to live like this permanently, or even for more than a few weeks, but as a means of casting aside modern day stresses, it must be very effective. Provided, of course, you don’t have to share with a dozen others. And if you don’t mind the mosquitoes.’
’The mosquitoes. Yes, I’d forgotten you are bothered with them. They don’t usually trouble us so much, or maybe we are just used to them. Let me see now.’
She opened a cupboard and took out a small tube.
’Yes, I thought there was some of this here. It’s a mosquito repellant. Smear it on your exposed skin, and they’ll stay away. You’ll still get them coming close, but they won’t bother you. You should use some cream on the bites you have as well, but I’m afraid there’s none of that here. I’ll take you to the chemist’s shop tomorrow, and you can spend some of your money to help out local commerce. If I tell the chemist who you are, he probably won’t charge you more than double.’
David opened the tube dubiously and smeared the thick liquid on his hands and the back of his neck. His nose wrinkled .
’It’s a bit strong,’ he said. ’I’m not complaining mind, not if it works. It’s just the smell is a bit high. Is it supposed to be?’
’Yes. It doesn’t work otherwise. Nearly everybody wears it at this time of the year.’ She laughed. ’Perhaps that’s why the Finnish population is so small. It’s not the most romantic of scents, is it? I believe the French do it so much better, but perhaps they don’t have so many mosquitoes. Shall I light a candle? It’s getting a bit dark in here. There are too many trees shading the room on this side. They should be cut away a bit, but nobody seems to have the time or the energy. Actually they should be cut away quite a lot. My father would do it, of course, but he isn’t allowed to do anything that strenuous any more.’
David sat on a chair as Laura rummaged in the cupboard again and took out a small box, constantly pushing away the dog which gave the impression of wanting to be everywhere at the same time. Removing a candle from the box, she set it in between the mirrors which she placed on top of one of the shelves. She lit the candle and looked into the mirrors. Curiosity aroused, David stood and came closer to see what she was doing. He gazed at a curl of wayward hair over her right ear and was seized with a quickly suppressed impulse to kiss it. Laura caught sight of his reflection in the mirrors, gave a sudden start and quickly blew the candle out.
’What was all that about?’ he asked.
She blushed. ’Nothing. I’m just a Finnish peasant being rather mysterious. It’s not really dark enough for a candle, anyway. Perhaps we should be getting back. You must have a flight to catch tomorrow.’
’Strangely enough, I haven’t. I gave myself a week off. I really did come here to see you, if you are willing to show me around some more.’
’It takes longer than a week to see Finland,’ she warned him.
’And so? I’ll give myself another week.’
’I wish I could believe that. All right, if you are really here for a week, then I’ll show you around. You won’t see much. You won’t do much. There’s not a great deal to do here.’
David nodded in satisfaction. ’It sounds just the sort of holiday I should have. Er, the only thing is, I have to see Henrik in the morning, go over some reports. It won’t take long.’
She laughed out aloud, showing even white teeth. ’I might have guessed it. I knew you hadn’t really come here for my company. All right, you go and read your reports. How long will it take?’
’We should be finished by ten.’
’I’ll call for you then. If you’re not ready, I’ll go without you.’
’Would you do that?’
’Yes. That is, no. But don’t keep me waiting too long.’
’I’ll be ready at ten, I promise you.’
She laughed again as they made their way to the boat. ’I should leave you here, or tip you over the side into the lake, but I suppose I’ll have to take you back, or my parents may begin to wonder.’
The evening was getting cooler as the sun sank and dipped below the horizon. Laura gave a short shiver. No wonder, thought David. It’s not as warm as I expected, and that dress is only thin.
’Are you cold?’ he asked.
’A bit chilled, that’s all. At this time of the year nobody really believes it will ever be cold again, but we don’t get very many warm nights at all. I should have brought my sweater. You know. The one you can’t recognise me without.’
Without a word, David stripped off his coat and placed it around her shoulders. She looked up at him in surprise, then wrapped the coat around her slender form. He wasn’t such a big man, but the jacket reached well down past Laura’s hips.
’Thank you,’ she whispered. ’You are kind.’
Once again David held out his hand to steady her as she entered the boat. She gave it a little squeeze and smiled at him before taking her place at the oars, arranging her flowers carefully on the bench beside her. He cast off, climbed aboard and sat, watching her well coordinated movements as she sent the boat gliding slowly across the lake. The dog came close to David and snuggled in, head resting on his lap, tongue flickering over his fingers. He felt unaccountably honoured, if a little damp.
’She’s a remarkably well behaved dog,’ said David.
Laura laughed. ’At the moment, yes, when she is getting attention and a taste of mosquito repellant. She is really a very naughty dog, and hardly ever obeys orders. You should hear her when we have the Northern Lights in the winter. For some reason, she goes a little crazy then. There is a theory that some dogs can see into the future at that time. Maybe it’s true. Did you know that the Northern Lights are called Foxfire in Finnish? She looks like a fox, doesn’t she?’
’The curly tail rather spoils the effect,’ observed David. ’Otherwise, I’d agree. The face makes her look rather wiser than I think she is.’
’What are you going to do with the flowers?’ he continued. ’They look a bit limp now.’
The reddening of her cheeks was obvious even in the setting sun. ’They are for pressing. I’ll put them under my pillow, where they’ll smell nice.’
On arrival at the other side, they found the area deserted, though sounds of other parties could be heard from far away. David looked at his watch and found it was well after midnight. They stood for a while, staring into the dead ashes of the fire, then made their way along the street to where Laura lived. She gave him back his coat.
’I enjoyed this evening,’ said David. ’I enjoyed it more than anything I can remember in my life. Thank you, Laura. Good night.’
’Good night, David. I’ll see you in the morning. Ten o’ clock.’
’Yes. I’ll be ready.’