He was returning to his plantation from England and he had mentioned that people went home to look for wives. Did he mean that that was what he had done? And if he had. he appeared to have failed to find one; and I could not imagine his failing in anything— least of all in the pursuit of a wife.
There was a great deal I had to learn about him.
At the moment I believed I should keep him at arm's length, which was not easy for he was constantly there. I knew that the passengers were beginning to speculate about us, and as it was known that Felicity was going out to be married, they would assume that I was the target for Milton Harringtons attentions.
I have to admit that I was rather pleased to be at the centre of such a romantic intrigue. It certainly gave a spice to the day.
As he had predicted we were in rough seas again approaching the Cape and this time Miss Cartwright made her decision. She was, she confessed, a little anxious about me. for while Felicity would be in her husband's care. I should have to make the journey back to England alone.
Milton Harrington assured her that he would arrange for my passage home when the time came and would make sure that I should travel in the company of friends of his, who would surely be returning to England. Indeed she had nothing to fear; and his assurances, combined with the weather, helped her to make up her mind.
If it could be arranged, she would go home for in her present state she could be no guardian at all—only an encumbrance.
Milton Harrington said that as soon as we docked he would set about making the arrangements.
Our stay in Cape Town was given over to the departure of Miss Cartwright. Constantly we had to reassure her that we should be perfectly safe without her.
We should be met in Sydney by William Granville. I should stay with Felicity until after the marriage; and then Mr. Harrington would help me to arrange a passage home, introduce me to the Captain of the vessel and some of his numerous friends who would surely be sailing because he knew so many people who made the journey often.
It would all work out satisfactorily in his capable hands.
And they were indeed capable. He took charge of everything. Miss Cartwright was to stay for a week in one of the best hotels. He introduced her to some of his friends who would be sailing to England. They would all be together and there was nothing to fear.
As for her charges, she could trust Mr. Harrington to do the same for them as he had done for her.
I was amazed that she was prepared to put so much trust in a man she had not known a few weeks before. I put it down to the power of his personality. Power was the word. He exuded power, and while that power was benevolent, that was very comforting. But I was wondering how one would feel if one were in conflict with it.
I felt there was so much I had to learn about this man.
Those days in Cape Town passed quickly. We had only a short time for sightseeing of perhaps the most beautiful of all the places we should visit. I shall never forget the sight of Table Mountain with what they call the tablecloth over it. There it was reaching to the sky and over the plateau frothy white clouds looking very like a tablecloth. The weather was warm, but not too hot; the flowers were colourful and the scenery majestic.
Miss Cartwright was in a state of nerves at the parting. I thought at the last minute she was going to change her mind and return to the ship. She kept talking about abandoning her duty and I knew her conscience was having a fearful battle with her dread of the sea. Conscience was defeated; and when we sailed out of Cape Town we left Miss Cartwright behind.
I had the impression that Milton Harrington was pleased that she had gone. Indeed, sometimes I thought he had skilfully manoeuvred her departure. Why?
He would have his motives. He was a man of motives. He was also occupying my thoughts far too much. I thought, He is a little brash; he is rather arrogant; he is certainly bold.
Felicity was impressed by him. I noticed that she was a little nervous in his presence. He had an effect on her too.
Now that Miss Cartwright had left, it seemed reasonable that I should move in with Felicity and leave my Australian companion with the cabin to herself.
This I did, and sharing a cabin brought us into closer contact. Consequently, our relationship changed a little.
We used to lie in our bunks, she above, me below, and talk until we fell asleep. I found that a certain drowsiness and the gentle rocking of the ship was more prone to bring out confidences than sitting on deck in the sunlight.
At length Felicity spoke of her fears.
"I wish this voyage would go on and on," she said.
"Oh, you are enjoying it then?"
"Yes... once I got used to the sea. The first part was dreadful. I just wanted to die."
"Like poor Miss Cartwright."
"I was so amazed that she went. I never thought she would. She's always been so strict about watching over me."
"I think Milton Harrington persuaded her."
"She was very taken with him. Annalice, what do you think of him?"
"Oh, I don't make hasty judgements."
"But you must have some idea."
"Well, I find him interesting... stimulating in a way. The sort of person it is quite amusing to meet... briefly ... on a ship. We reach Sydney ... we say goodbye to him ... and in a few months' time we shall be saying, 'What was the name of that man we met on the ship ...?'"
"You can't really believe that. Why, he has promised my aunt that he will make sure you have a safe passage home."
"Well, perhaps not a few months ... a few years, say."
"I don't think I shall ever forget him. It was the way he got rid of my aunt."
"Got rid of her?"
"Oh yes... He wanted her to go, didn't he?"
"Why should he?"
"Chaperones can be rather restricting."
I laughed. "Since she spent most of her time prone in her cabin she could hardly have been restricting."
"Her very presence was restricting. Now we are two young females all alone."
"Felicity, you're not scared?"
She was silent for a moment, and I went on: "You are, aren't you? Why don't you tell me?"
"I should have liked to go back with my aunt."
"Felicity! But you are going to the man you love." She was silent again and I went on: "I guessed you were worried. Wouldn't you like to talk about it?"
"It all happened so quickly."
"You were, as they say, swept off your feet."
"Well, I think I wanted something to happen ... because ..."
"Because what?"
"Oh nothing... William was there. I met him when we went to tea at a neighbour's. He talked to me and was clearly interested. Then I saw him quite a lot after that and he asked me to marry him. It seemed the best thing..."
"And now you are wondering."
"I'm thinking that I don't know him very well. And I'm all those miles from home. It's like going to strangers."
I was silent, trying to find the right words to comfort her. I was thinking of what Milton Harrington had said about his drinking habits. Poor Felicity! She was too weak, too helpless to cope with this situation into which she had thrust herself.
"It's my own fault," she said. "That doesn't help. It makes it worse really if it is something that you could have avoided. It serves you right..."
"No," I agreed, "it doesn't help. But you are imagining the worst. You'll probably find when you get there that you will like it very much. He must have fallen in love with you, otherwise he wouldn't have asked you to marry him ... and you must have liked him.''
"I don't think it was quite like that. He came to look for a wife. Quite a lot of people would have been suitable. He just happened to meet me."