Free Stars Over Sarawak by Anne Hampson

have to stay. Mabuli not let me go back as I bring police.'
     
     'Police? They'll come up here?'
     
     'If they know you here, yes. But they not know....' He moved close and spoke while all the commotion of preparing the boat was taking place. 'I try, later, to get away. Then I get police.'
     
     'It'll be too late,' she cried. 'Kayun, I'm terrified!'
     

     

     

     

     

    CHAPTER FOUR

     

     
     
    GRIPPED by fear for the whole of the long weary journey, Roanna was almost in a state of collapse when at last she and the men with her arrived at their destination, having passed three other longhouses on the way up through the jungle. Darkness had fallen long ago and the black void of the tropical night only added to her terror. She blamed Rolfe over and over again, but. of course she blamed herself as well. She dared not dwell on what was going to happen to her; she felt sure she was going to die some horrible death. Her mind went back again and again to Carl Denver, and she wondered what he would have to say when, some time in the future, her fate was revealed. But perhaps it never would be revealed; perhaps she would be murdered and buried here, deep in the wild jungle of Borneo. She had several times put out a hand to feel Kayun's arm close beside her; he seemed full of strength and tried once, by clasping her hand, to tell her to be brave. Was he afraid — just a little? He seemed not to be, and she did not think his own people would harm him just as they were getting out of the boat he whispered in her ear,
     
     'When I do not arrive back with the prahu they will send police to find us.'
     
     'It'll be too late,' she whispered again, aware of one of the men scowling at her. 'They'll have killed me.'
     
     'They not kill,' he said, but then stopped so abruptly that Roanna was sure he had the conviction that they meant to torture her.
     
     She was to pay for Rolfe's crime, she thought, and in this moment of bitterness she knew she would not have experienced the smallest degree of regret were she to learn that he had in fact come to a violent end.
     
     They took her and Kayun into the longhouse where she was given a room to herself. Food was brought and nothing more happened that night. On impulse she crept to the door and eased it open. A Native was sitting there and she shut the door again, leaning against it, her heart throbbing so violently that she felt quite sick. For there was a leer on the man's face which seemed to tell its own tale. Where was Kayun? And could he protect her even if he was free to try? But nothing happened; the man, it seemed, was merely there on guard, and if this were on the orders of the chief he would not dare to move.
     
     The following morning she was given more food, but she had lain awake in heat that was like a warm bath, the perspiration soaking her clothes and her hair, and she desired water for washing more than anything else.
     
     'Kayun,' she said to the man who brought her the food. 'I want Kayun.'
     
     'Kayun run off.'
     
     'You speak English?' she gasped, for the moment too surprised to take in the fact that she was now alone.
     
     'Little English.'
     
     'Kayun!' she cried then. 'I want Kayun!'
     
     'He run off.'
     
     At last Roanna wept. Putting her head in her hands, she sobbed until her whole body felt weak.
     
     'Can I have water?' she asked at last, looking up at the man. 'Water — to wash.' To demonstrate she I rubbed her hands together, sobs still shaking her body. 'Water.'
     
     'I not know.'
     
     The man went away and for what seemed hours she was left alone. Her watch had stopped and her handbag was missing. She thought that perhaps she had left it in the boat in her terror as the men forced her to get out.
     
     Could she escape? The thought came when at last she could clear her mind of fear for a moment. To, wander in the jungle would be frightening, no doubt of that, but it would be preferable to staying here, not knowing what her