Chapter Five: Gavin

It was another twenty minutes before anyone was calm enough to demand an explanation. Veronica's calls had sent Ned running, only to have him appear a few minutes later with the jungle girl in his arms. The commotion had worried her, and she wanted to see for herself that everything was well. While the ladies settled themselves on Marguerite's bed--conveniently the largest in the tree house--Challenger had gone out for medical supplies, wanting to ensure that Elaine's recovery was genuine, if nothing short of miraculous. Roxton was forced to initiate some of the techniques he'd learned in Tibet to slow his racing heart. But finally the tree house family had gathered about Marguerite's bed, patiently waiting for some logical explanation.

But as they all well knew, the plateau had few "logical" explanations, and Roxton, standing behind Marguerite, was rarely patient.

"Care to explain this, Marguerite?"

"No, Lord Roxton, I should be the one to explain," Elaine said, half-apologetic. The explorers turned to the girl, surprised. She had said nothing amidst the chaos surrounding her recovery after her initial comment to Marguerite, and they had nearly forgotten about her altogether. "Because thanks to Marguerite, I remember everything."

Elaine glanced nervously at the heiress before continuing. "My name is Elaine Conway. My brother Gavin and I were searching for our cousin when ape-men attacked our camp. Gavin and I were separated somehow during the fighting. I'd been trying to find my way back when I ran into the raptors, and then Marguerite and Lord Roxton found me." She paused for a moment, as if to say more, but fell silent.

"How did you come to the plateau?" Challenger asked eagerly. "Do you know of a way off?"

"I'm sorry Professor, but my home is not far from here."

"I've never seen any tribe with the clothes or the necklace you wear," Veronica noted curiously, as Elaine fingered her pendant. A beautifully-wrought circular design of silver, the pendant had two tiny emeralds embedded in the centre. On the other side of the bed, Marguerite started, as if suddenly remembering something she'd forgotten.

"Nor have we ever encountered any native with such a distinctively British accent," Challenger muttered quietly, his disappointment obvious. Veronica shifted uneasily. Something about the girl's story bothered her, and Challenger's comment hadn't helped.

"Who is your cousin?" Ned inquired next. "Maybe we could help you find her."

Elaine paused for a moment. "I don't think you could help me, Ned, but thank you."

"Now, young lady, we may not be detectives, but I'm sure we could be of some service. So just who is this cousin of yours that you're searching for and where exactly are you from? If we're to return you to your brother, we'll need to know where to find him," Roxton told her, looking straight at the girl.

Lord John Roxton was an imposing figure, but a Lord Roxton who had just found his lady in a dead faint was downright frightening--even if he wasn't trying to be. Surprisingly, Elaine met his gaze squarely for some time, but then glanced quickly at Marguerite on her left and Veronica on her right. "I...Marguerite...I..." Elaine floundered for a moment, only to be saved by a shout from below the tree house.

"Elaine! Are you up there? Elaine!"

"Gavin?" Elaine exclaimed. "Is that you? I'm up here, Gavin!"

"Guess we'd better greet the new arrival, then," Roxton said jauntily, his tone belying the wariness in his gaze.

The men left the room, and soon the ladies heard the familiar squeaking of the elevator. Minutes later, a tall young man in a dark green cloak dashed into the room and Marguerite moved to the foot the bed to allow him access to his sister. For without a doubt, they were truly brother and sister. Though the stranger's hair was sun-streaked amber to Elaine's pure gold, the attitude he adopted upon finding his sister was that of every older sibling.

"Elaine! What in the world were you thinking? Are you all right? Do you have any idea of all the worry you've caused? I've been looking for you everywhere! Why didn't you call me?" he demanded before hugging her fiercely, then drawing back worriedly. "Are you injured? What happened? There were two surges here that resonated over the whole damn plateau!"

"I'm fine." At his look of reproach and disbelief, she continued earnestly. "Really, I am. And I'm sorry too, but it wasn't my fault." Her brother continued to regard her with a mixture of consternation, worry, and love that Veronica found amusing. Roxton and Marguerite often had similar expressions on their faces when reprimanding each other. And, like Marguerite, Elaine was far from contrite. "Well, you could be gracious at least. It's thanks to these kind people here that I'm still in one piece, and you still haven't introduced yourself."

"As my sister so kindly pointed out, I'm afraid I've neglected certain formalities in my haste," the young man said, looking up at Challenger and Ned. "My name is Gavin Conway, and I'm forever grateful to you all for watching over my sister."

"It was no trouble at all. Lord John Roxton," Roxton introduced himself, offering the young man his hand. Roxton's immediate approval of the new acquaintance both surprised and didn't surprise Veronica--on one hand, Gavin Conway was a stranger to be suspect until they knew more of him, but on the other, he seemed a capable young man genuinely concerned for the safety of his younger sister, and that went a long way where Roxton was concerned.

"It's an honour, Lord Roxton. Your reputation precedes you." Veronica exchanged a confused glance with Marguerite at that, but Roxton continued the introductions smoothly.

"This is Professor George Challenger of the London Zoological Society and Mr. Edward Malone, our resident journalist." Challenger nodded at the stranger, his face thoughtful. Ned was more accepting; Conway appeared only slightly his junior and the two shared the camaraderie that affects all males of that age. "Veronica Layton, owner of this tree house." Conway started at that introduction and turned to face Veronica. His blue eyes lit and he smiled warmly at her. Veronica smiled in reply, though she could see Ned bristling behind Conway. The newcomer was a very handsome man, but he wasn't her Ned, and somehow Conway' smile felt...brotherly. Which is a refreshing change from all these looks I've gotten since adopting my "jungle costume," Veronica thought, amused. Even so, she didn't mind putting Ned a bit on edge--she had learned the value of that from Marguerite.

"And this is--"

"Marguerite Krux," Marguerite interrupted, stepping forward. "It's good to meet you, Gaw--Mr. Conway." She appeared startled by her uncharacteristic slip of the tongue, yet Gavin appeared far more unsettled by the heiress. Eyes wide, he bowed deeply before her and kissed her hand.

"My lady," Gavin addressed her respectfully. "It is both an honour and a personal pleasure to make your acquaintance. Please, just 'Gavin' will do. 'Mr. Conway' is far too formal for me, and 'Conway' will bring my sister running as well."

An uneasy silence fell as thoughts raced. Elaine broke the tension by calling to her brother. "Did you bring her--my things?"

"Of course." Gavin returned to the bedside, giving the others time to organize their thoughts. Veronica could see evidence of Marguerite's agitation only in Roxton's stance. Although the heiress remained as inscrutable as ever, the hunter had taken her into his arms protectively, and his confusion and unease were easily read on his face. Veronica watched the siblings cautiously as Gavin reached into his pack and pulled out a blue silk wrapped package, handing it gently to Elaine before undoing the clasp of the large green cloak he'd been wearing and rolling the garment into his pack.

Veronica gasped in surprise, stricken. Roxton voiced her thoughts immediately, his voice harsh. "That's it. I think we deserve some answers now. Veronica says she's never heard of a tribe with members matching your description, and you certainly didn't acquire that weapon on the plateau. I want to hear the truth. All of it," Roxton commanded. For though Gavin Conway was armed with a sword on his left hip, there was a gun on his right.

To his credit, Gavin seemed startled by the explorers' suspicion. He looked over at his sister, who shook her head in response to his questioning gaze. "They don't know, Gavin," she told him softly. "I told them how we were separated, but they don't know...she doesn't know the story. Any of it."

"Exactly," Marguerite interrupted sarcastically. "So, care to remedy your slight oversight?" Both siblings stared at her, and Marguerite hesitated for a moment, but pressed on. "The truth, if you please?" The two exchanged another look, and then Gavin turned to Marguerite.

"It is a long story in which we play but a little part, and to tell the whole tale will take some time. I ask for your patience, but I swear to you that it is the truth--as best we know, anyway. Please allow me to finish the tale before you judge us. It's...it's somewhat complicated."

"How many times have I heard that before?" Marguerite muttered under her breath, silenced by Roxton's admonishing glance. Gavin seated himself next to his sister, took a deep breath, and began to speak.