The Island of Love (Camfield Series No. 15) by Barbara Cartland Page A

her out into the passage and walking behind them Lydia lighted the way.
    As she passed her cabin door she realised she was wearing only the nightgown in which she had slept.
    As if the Earl was aware of it at the same time he said:
    “Put on a thick coat and follow as quickly as you can.”
    For a moment Lydia hesitated, thinking that it might be difficult for him to reach the companion-way in the dark.
    Then she saw lights at the top of it and knew that other people on the ship were carrying lanterns.
    The ship gave a lurch as she entered her cabin and almost threw her to the floor, but she managed to prop the lantern up on the dressing-table before she reached for the wardrobe.
    Now the ship was rolling so badly that she thought it would be a mistake to linger, and instead of finding her coat she merely took a blanket off the bed and threw it over her shoulders.
    She picked up the lantern again and went back into the passage.
    She could see ahead that the Earl with Heloise in his arms had just reached the top of the companionway.
    She was about to follow him when she heard a voice calling:
    “Help! Help!”
    She paused on the bottom step wondering if she should go on, then again there was a faint cry for help.
    Holding the lantern high to illuminate as much ground as possible she moved a little way down the passage and saw there was somebody lying on the ground.
    “Please—help me!” a young voice cried.
    Now by the light of the lantern swinging in her hand she saw it was one of the midshipmen.
    “Are you hurt?” she asked.
    “I think I have—broken my—leg.”
    He spoke bravely but she could see there were tears of pain in his eyes.
    “I was running to warn His Lordship of the fire in the Engine Room, as I had been ordered to do,” he said, “but I—slipped.”
    “Perhaps it is only a bad sprain,” Lydia said, “but you will have to be carried up on deck. I will find somebody.”
    She turned to go towards the companion-way, but as she did so the boy asked:
    “You will not forget about me?”
    He sounded like a frightened child, and she replied: “I promise I would not do that.”
    For a moment the ship seemed a little more steady although she was sure the wind was whipping the waves up into a tempest.
    Then as she reached the bottom step she saw the Earl coming down obviously in search of her.
    “Come along!” he said. “I was worried about why you were taking so long.”
    He reached her as he spoke and she replied:
    “One of the midshipmen has broken his leg. He cannot walk, and if he is left here he may be forgotten.”
    She looked at the Earl pleadingly as she spoke and thought he hesitated for a moment before he said: “Your father and Heloise are already in the boat and they are waiting for you.”
    “Please come to carry the boy,” she said quickly. “He is in great pain and unable to move.”
    The Earl did not argue, and as she was already hurrying back towards the midshipman, he followed her.
    “Here is somebody to help you,” Lydia said cheerfully.
    The Earl bent down and picked the boy up in his arms.
    “I am going to carry you in a ‘Fireman’s lift,”’ he said, “because it is easier.”
    He put him over his shoulder, his head down his back.
    Then because the ship was rolling again the Earl steadied himself with his hand on the wall before he reached the railing of the companion-way.
    He went up it quickly and Lydia following thought how strong he was, but she found it difficult and wished she had taken a little longer to find her coat. As it was, the blanket trailed onto the ground, and she found it impossible to lift it out of the way and at the same time hold onto the railing and the lantern. When she reached the top of the stairway she found that the Earl had already disappeared on the deck with the boy over his shoulder and there were lanterns hanging from hooks on the walls.
    There was therefore no need for her to carry hers any further and as she handed it to the first