"It is an amazing idea. I wonder what Felicity would say to it. She hardly knows me."
"She would love to have a friend with her. So would Miss Cartwright. She would enjoy having someone to come home with."
"As I said before, you are devious, Raymond."
"I might get out there for a spell and give you a hand with the sleuthing."
"Would you?"
"The only way we could go out together is if you married me. We could not defy the conventions all that much by going out without being married."
"I don't know what I should do without you, Raymond. When I think how everything has changed since you appeared in the conference hall, I just marvel."
"It was fate," he said, and lightly kissed my forehead.
"And what of Granny, what is she going to say to this suggestion?"
"It might not be easy to persuade her."
I laughed. "We can be sure of that."
"You must work gently towards it. She knows you well and she loves you dearly. She wants to see you happy and she knows how your brother's disappearance weighs heavily upon you. She does give you credit for being able to take care of yourself. A few hints here and there ... get her used to the idea . .. Make it seem quite natural that you should go out to Australia with Felicity. And when Miss Cartwright has seen her niece settled, you come back together. It seems perfectly plausible to me."
"It is becoming more and more reasonable," I said. "I thought it quite outrageous when you first suggested it."
"We'll work gradually towards it."
"Oh, Raymond, I do love you." "Let's change the plans then. We'll go together." I shook my head.
"When I have found the answer to Philip's disappearance I'll come back and marry you." "That's a promise," he said.
ON THE HIGH SEAS
On a bright September day in the company of Felicity Derring and Miss Cartwright I boarded the Southern Cross. The weeks had been so busy that I had hardly had time to think of all that was happening. It seemed incredible when I looked back—the coming of Jan and now my departure. A year ago I would not have believed this could possibly have happened.
My emotions were mixed. I was doing what I wanted to do, what I had to do if I was ever going to know peace of mind; on the other hand I was setting out on what might well be a disappointing enterprise.
Granny M had been hard to convince.
"A wild-goose chase," she called it. "What are you going to do when you get there?"
I replied: "I shall have to wait and see what I find. But I feel in my heart that I am going to find the truth."
"I'm surprised at Raymond. He's encouraged you in this. I should have thought he would have done all he could to keep you here."
"Raymond understands me. He knows I can't be happy until I know. Philip is part of me. You must understand that, Granny. We were always together. I can't just let him go out of my life and not know why and where he is."
"Don't you think I feel the same? Are you the only one with any feelings?"
"I know, Granny," I said. "But I'll find out and I'll come back and when I do, I'll marry Raymond. He understands. That is why he is helping me to go."
"I don't want to lose both of you, you know."
"You won't, Granny. I'll come back. Perhaps I'll bring Philip with me."
"Where do you think he is then? Hiding away from us?"
"I don't know, Granny. But I am going to find out. Try to understand. You have Jan with you now..."
"H'm. I expect he'll be wanting to go off to Australia next. How shall I know what's happening to you?"
"Granny, it is only a trip. Lots of people take them. I shall be with Felicity and Miss Cartwright, and I shall have to come back when she does."
I cannot say that she was agreeable to the project but she was resigned.
I had seen a little more of Felicity and Miss Cartwright since I first met them, and I felt I knew Miss Cartwright well. She was one of those forthright, self-righteous women—of whom there are so many about that they have become stock characters. I even used to guess what she was going to say before she said it.
It was different with Felicity. On the surface she seemed meek, rather insipid. But I was not sure that this was truly so. I felt she was hiding secrets. I wondered what.
I thought of what I should do when I reached Sydney. I supposed I should have to accompany them out to this place which they referred to as "a property" and which I learned was in New South Wales, some miles out of Sydney. Then I supposed I should be expected to stay there for a while until Miss Cartwright was ready to return. But what should I find out there? It was hardly likely that Felicity's prospective bridegroom would have known Philip. That would be asking too much of coincidence.
Still, I was on my way, and I had an unshakable belief that something would come to guide me. I was still thinking of Ann Alice and I had the strange feeling that she was watching, helping me along the way she wanted me to go.
Granny came to Tilbury to see us off, in the company of Raymond and Jan. It was gratifying to see the way in which Jan put his arm round Granny as though to comfort her. Her mouth was tight with disapproval and suppressed emotion. But in my heart I knew she understood and that had she been my age and the opportunity had arisen, she would have acted just as I was doing.
I don't think for a moment she believed I was going to solve the mystery, but she did realize that I had to do something. I could not remain inactive. I had to try and if I failed I would come back and if I could not exactly put it all out of my mind I could at least convince myself that I could do no more and must accept what was.
I was rather glad when the last farewells had been said. Such moments are always rather agonizing. One is aware of the emotional atmosphere all around one—parents, sons, daughters, lovers... parting. One senses the apprehension of those who were leaving home to go into the unknown—even though they had chosen to do so.
Raymond held my hands tightly and said: "When you come back..."
"Yes," I repeated, "when I come back."
"It won't be long."
"Perhaps not."
"I shall be here to meet you."
"Yes... please do. And thank you, Raymond. Thank you for all you have done for me."
I clung to him for a moment. Then I kissed Granny and Jan once more and without turning back went on board.
What a noise! What a bustle everywhere! People seemed to be running about in confusion. Orders were shouted; sirens blew.
Felicity and Miss Cartwright shared a cabin. Mine was next to theirs and I shared with a young Australian girl who was travelling with her parents.
I looked round the small space which was to be my home for the next weeks and wondered how I should manage. There were two bunks, a dressing table with a few drawers and a cupboard. I had not been there long when my travelling companion arrived.
She was a big girl of about my age—sun-tanned with thick wiry fair hair and a breezy manner.
She said: "Hello. So we're stable mates, are we? Bit of a tight squeeze, but we'll have to make the best of it, won't we? Would you mind if I have the top bunk? I don't like the idea of people climbing over me."
I said I did not mind in the least.
"I hope you haven't much gear," she said. "Space a bit limited, isn't it? My name is Maisie Winchell. Pa and Ma are a few cabins along. We're in wool. What are you going out for? Let me guess. Going out to get married, are you? Some Aussie came over looking for a wife and found you."
"Quite wrong," I told her. "Though I am travelling with a friend who is going out for that purpose, and my name is Annalice Mallory."