Not Even for Love(27)

Jordan had heard the sound too, and smiled. To his distress, she began to walk along the railing, leaning over it now and then. He didn’t know what she was looking at, for the clouds separated them from the ground far below. “What—”

“There!” she exclaimed. “Come here quickly before the clouds hide them again.” She pointed down the side of the mountain and, through the hazy clouds, he saw a green mountain pasture several hundred feet below them. There was a sizable herd of cattle grazing in the pasture.

“Cattle?” he asked, puzzled.

“Milk cows. You were hearing their cow bells,” she explained.

“I thought those heavy things on the thick leather straps were only for the tourists to buy as souvenirs,” he said as he continued to gaze down at the strange but picturesque sight.

“They are. But they’re also very useful. A cow can hardly get lost in the mountains if she’s wearing one of those bells. And the herd usually follows the lead of the one wearing the large bell.”

“Well, whadaya know?” Reeves said. He looked at her closely and murmured softly, “For a moment there, I thought I was so close to heaven that I was hearing the angels sing.”

“Well, you are pretty close to heaven. Mount Pilatus is—”

“I wasn’t referring to the height of the mountain,” he said.

Color bathed her cheeks as she looked away and started for the stairs. “I knew what you meant,” was all she said as he took her hand.

For variety’s sake they took the cog railroad down the other side of the mountain. It was Helmut’s decision, but Reeves gratefully accepted it.

Henri, the chauffeur, was waiting with the limousine at the cog railroad station. “Oh, I was hoping we could go back on one of the ferries,” Jordan said with disappointment. The ferries did a thriving business on the Lake of Lucerne. They were used by commuters and tourists alike. “I know it takes a long time with all of the stops, but it is always such fun.”

“Then by all means take Reeves with you if you want to ride on one of the ferries,” Helmut said generously. “For myself, I prefer the luxury of the automobile and Henri’s driving. I’ve had enough tourism for the day.” He turned to Reeves. “What do you think? Would you enjoy taking one of the boats? It will be at least an hour until you return to Lucerne.”

“Fine,” Reeves said. “What time are you meeting with that Italian manufacturer?”

“Four o’clock.”

“I’d like to sit in on that if you don’t mind, just for some background information.”

“I don’t mind at all. Why don’t you and Jordan take the ferry, see her home, and then come to the offices. You’ll have plenty of time.”

“Won’t you please come, too, Helmut?” Jordan asked. She didn’t want to appear to be too happy over being alone with Reeves.

“No, my dear. As much as I’ve enjoyed having Reeves with us, I have neglected some things on my desk. This will give me an opportunity to see to them. Au revoir,” he said, and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

His lips were cool and firm, so different from Reeves’s warm, moist, yielding lips. Helmut’s kiss didn’t transport her into another sphere where she slowly, but inevitably, lost touch with the one she lived in. It didn’t cause tiny ripples, like the aftershocks of an earthquake, to make her insides tremble.

He pulled away from her. “I’ll call you later, darling.”

“All right. Thank you for a lovely morning,” she said, and was ashamed for being so insincere. Helmut had had nothing to do with the loveliness of the day.

He waved them good-bye as Henri held open the door to the sleek Mercedes. They were alone. Reeves stood in the queue to buy their tickets. They were jostled by the crowd, who waited while the ferry docked and disembarked its passengers. And they were unaware of everything except each other. Only the stampeding throng that scrambled aboard the ferry brought them out of their shared trance.

They were scurrying and laughing amidst the crowd when they found a small table on the upper open-air deck and claimed it as their own. They piled their coats in one of the extra chairs and Reeves’s camera equipment in the other to discourage anyone from joining them.

Reeves bought them sandwiches and candy out of vending machines and they sipped coffee that was served at the snack bar on the lower deck.

They sat together at the small table, unconscious of the milling tourists, the frequent stops for passenger exchanges, the chattering of several languages, aware only of each other. The day was gorgeous. The lake was azure placidity. But had the climate not been optimum, neither would have noticed, for they basked in the sunny glow of each other.