“We are ‘a couple of maidens all forlorn,’” she sang, and though Thora disclaimed the situation, she could not prevent her companion insisting on the fact.
Thora, however, did not feel that she had any reason for being forlorn. Ian’s love for her had been confessed, not only to herself, but also to her father and mother, and the marriage agreed to with a few reservations, whose wisdom the lovers fully acknowledged. She was receiving the most ardent love letters by every mail and she had not one doubt of her lover in any respect. Indeed, her happiness so pervaded her whole person and conduct that Sunna felt it sometimes to be both depressing and irritating.
Thora, however, was the sister of Boris, she could not quarrel with her. She had great influence over Boris, and Sunna loved Boris––loved him in spite of her anger and of his neglect. Very slowly went the two weeks the enlisting ships had fixed as the length of their absence, but the news of their great success made their earlier return most likely, and after the tenth day every one was watching for them and planning a great patriotic reception.
Still the two weeks went slowly away and it 131 was a full day past this fixed time, and the ships were not in port nor even in sight, nor had any late news come from them. In the one letter which Rahal had received from her son he said: “The enlistment has been very satisfactory; our return may be even a day earlier than we expected.” So Sunna had begun to watch for the party three days before the set time, and when it was two days after it she was very unhappy.
“Why do they not come, Thora?” she asked in a voice trembling with fear. “Do you think they have been wrecked?”
“Oh, no! Nothing of the kind! They may have sailed westward to Harris. My father thinks so.” But she appeared so little interested that Sunna turned to Mistress Ragnor and asked her opinion.
“Well, then,” answered Rahal, “they are staying longer than was expected, but who can tell what men in a ship will do?”
“They will surely keep their word and promise.”
“Perhaps––if it seem a good thing to them. Can thou not see? They are masters on board ship. Once out of Lerwick Bay, the whole world is before them. Know this, they might go East 132 or West, and say to no man ‘I ask thy leave.’ As changeable as the sea is a sailor’s promise.”
“But Boris is thy son––he promised thee to be home in two weeks. Men do not break a promise made on their mother’s lips. How soon dost thou expect him?”