declared triumphantly:
‘There, what did I tell you, sir? “We shan’t have any trouble with Miss Hammond,” I said ... and I was right!’
Karin thanked him with a wan smile.
‘I wish you could feel as certain about what is going to happen to us next,’ she remarked. ‘I mean, can this kind of thing last indefinitely, or are we almost certain to be picked up soon?’ And once more she looked upwards — only more searchingly this time — into Kent Willoughby’s face.
With the same sort of protective move that he might have made if a small child had been seated near to him, he put his arm round her. He drew her a little towards him, so that she could rest her head against his shoulder if she wished.
‘We shall be picked up,’ he said, as if he was confident of it.
‘And if we’re not picked up?’
‘Then we’ll strike land. There must be a lot of land about somewhere in the Indian Ocean,’ smiling a little. ‘Islands, and that sort of thing ... upturned saucers that are constantly appearing and disappearing in this region.’
‘If we strike an island,’ Rolands remarked, sweating over the useless oars, ‘I hope it doesn’t disappear while we’re on it. Not until a passing ship has taken us off it, anyway!’
With this light quip the atmosphere also lightened a little, and as the sun was getting somewhere near the rim of the ocean, and the fierce golden ball that it represented was getting ready to plunge out of sight, the air was also promising to become cooler, and Karin actually felt quite comfortable as she lay with her head pillowed against Willoughby’s shoulder, and he smoked one of his few remaining cigarettes.
Earlier he had counted them, and decided that, whatever happened, he would reserve a few ... at least until they were liberated.
The night closed down, and it was like an unbelievably beautiful sable mantle dropping gently down over the sea. While they were still on the Ariadne it had seemed to Karin that the night in those latitudes was such a sudden affair that there was something almost terrifying about it. But now that she had nothing to do but lie and watch it, and the hot planks on which she lay grew blissfully cooler, she changed her mind. It wasn’t in the least terrifying. It was beneficent, and it was so welcome that it was like a friend hurrying to her relief.
As the stars shone forth, and the blackness increased, she did grow alarmed just for a moment or so. But the instant she began to feel alarm she also felt Kent’s arm about her, and perhaps because he sensed her shrinking he held her more tightly, and he even spoke to her soothingly.
‘It’s all right! One’s eyes soon become accustomed to darkness ... and in any case, the moon will soon be up. It will be as bright as day in another hour, without any of the discomforts of day. At least we won’t be roasted alive for the next few hours, and if it does turn very cold I promise I’ll do my best to keep you warm!’
‘Thank you.’ She turned her head slightly on his shoulder, and he thought he saw a tiny smile on her lips. ‘If it’s no worse than it was last night — or rather, early this morning — it won’t be too bad.’
Rolands discreetly averted his eyes.
‘I wonder whether I could see to make some coffee?’ he said musingly, while he contemplated the matter. ‘Or do you think I ought to wait until the moon’s up?’
‘Wait until the moon’s up,’ Kent replied. ‘There’ll be less danger then of you overturning the Primus stove.’
That night — perhaps because instead of being content with covering her with a tarpaulin and his coat Kent decided it was only common sense to keep Karin close to him, so that the combined warmth of their two bodies would help to overcome the searing cold — Karin slept almost peacefully, and she had no idea whether Kent slept as well, or whether the fixed position he was forced to maintain prevented him settling down as composedly as she had.
‘There, what did I tell you, sir? “We shan’t have any trouble with Miss Hammond,” I said ... and I was right!’
Karin thanked him with a wan smile.
‘I wish you could feel as certain about what is going to happen to us next,’ she remarked. ‘I mean, can this kind of thing last indefinitely, or are we almost certain to be picked up soon?’ And once more she looked upwards — only more searchingly this time — into Kent Willoughby’s face.
With the same sort of protective move that he might have made if a small child had been seated near to him, he put his arm round her. He drew her a little towards him, so that she could rest her head against his shoulder if she wished.
‘We shall be picked up,’ he said, as if he was confident of it.
‘And if we’re not picked up?’
‘Then we’ll strike land. There must be a lot of land about somewhere in the Indian Ocean,’ smiling a little. ‘Islands, and that sort of thing ... upturned saucers that are constantly appearing and disappearing in this region.’
‘If we strike an island,’ Rolands remarked, sweating over the useless oars, ‘I hope it doesn’t disappear while we’re on it. Not until a passing ship has taken us off it, anyway!’
With this light quip the atmosphere also lightened a little, and as the sun was getting somewhere near the rim of the ocean, and the fierce golden ball that it represented was getting ready to plunge out of sight, the air was also promising to become cooler, and Karin actually felt quite comfortable as she lay with her head pillowed against Willoughby’s shoulder, and he smoked one of his few remaining cigarettes.
Earlier he had counted them, and decided that, whatever happened, he would reserve a few ... at least until they were liberated.
The night closed down, and it was like an unbelievably beautiful sable mantle dropping gently down over the sea. While they were still on the Ariadne it had seemed to Karin that the night in those latitudes was such a sudden affair that there was something almost terrifying about it. But now that she had nothing to do but lie and watch it, and the hot planks on which she lay grew blissfully cooler, she changed her mind. It wasn’t in the least terrifying. It was beneficent, and it was so welcome that it was like a friend hurrying to her relief.
As the stars shone forth, and the blackness increased, she did grow alarmed just for a moment or so. But the instant she began to feel alarm she also felt Kent’s arm about her, and perhaps because he sensed her shrinking he held her more tightly, and he even spoke to her soothingly.
‘It’s all right! One’s eyes soon become accustomed to darkness ... and in any case, the moon will soon be up. It will be as bright as day in another hour, without any of the discomforts of day. At least we won’t be roasted alive for the next few hours, and if it does turn very cold I promise I’ll do my best to keep you warm!’
‘Thank you.’ She turned her head slightly on his shoulder, and he thought he saw a tiny smile on her lips. ‘If it’s no worse than it was last night — or rather, early this morning — it won’t be too bad.’
Rolands discreetly averted his eyes.
‘I wonder whether I could see to make some coffee?’ he said musingly, while he contemplated the matter. ‘Or do you think I ought to wait until the moon’s up?’
‘Wait until the moon’s up,’ Kent replied. ‘There’ll be less danger then of you overturning the Primus stove.’
That night — perhaps because instead of being content with covering her with a tarpaulin and his coat Kent decided it was only common sense to keep Karin close to him, so that the combined warmth of their two bodies would help to overcome the searing cold — Karin slept almost peacefully, and she had no idea whether Kent slept as well, or whether the fixed position he was forced to maintain prevented him settling down as composedly as she had.
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