The breakfast was early; the colonel talked big, and explained the whole affair to the ladies, quite unconscious that every one in the company knew that the hoax had been played upon him. Before noon, every one had re-embarked on board of their respective ships, and their lofty sails were expanded to a light and favouring breeze.
Volume Two--Chapter Eighteen.
Isabel. Any where to avoid matrimony: the thought of a husband is terrible to me.
Inis. But if you might choose for yourself, I fancy matrimony would be no such frightful thing to you.
The Wonder.
The Boadicea, with the Indiamen, proceeded on to their destination, Captain Carrington taking every opportunity which light winds and smooth water afforded him, of paying his respects to the ladies on board of the Bombay Castle, or of inviting them on board of the frigate. The fact was, that he had fallen most desperately in love with Isabel Revel, and paid her the most marked attention; but, although a pleasant, light-hearted companion, and a young man of good family and prospects, Isabel Revel had not fallen in love with him: she liked his company, but nothing more.
In a month the squadron had arrived at the island of St. Helena, to which Captain Carrington had been ordered to convey them: his directions were then to cruise in a certain latitude, and ultimately to proceed on to the East Indies, if he did not fall in with the vessels he expected. It was, therefore, but parting to meet again; but during the short time that they refitted and completed their water at St. Helena, Captain Carrington proposed, and was politely refused by Isabel Revel. Impatient as a boy who has been denied his plaything, he ordered his stores immediately on board, and the next day quitted the island. It may appear strange that a young lady, obviously sent out on speculation, should have refused so advantageous an offer; for the speculation commences with the voyage. Some ladies are selected at Madeira. Since the Cape has been in our possession, several have been induced to stay in that colony; and very often ships arrive with only the refuse of their cargo; for the intended market in the East. But Isabel Revel had consented to embark on the score of filial duty, not to obtain a husband unless she liked the gentleman who proposed; and Captain Carrington did not happen to come up to her fanciful ideas of the person to be chosen for life. Captain Carrington did not impart the intelligence of his ill success to any one but Newton, who was employed to carry his farewell message. His secret was faithfully kept by both. Isabel Revel was not one of those young ladies who would make use of such an unworthy advantage to heighten her consequence in the eyes of others. But there was another reason, not exactly known to Isabel herself at the time, which prevented her from listening to the proposals of Captain Carrington. Had she questioned her own heart, she would have discovered that she was prepossessed in favour of one, who as unconsciously had become attached to her. He knew his own feelings, but had checked them in the bud, aware that he had nothing to offer but himself. This person was Newton Forster. His intimacy with Captain Carrington, the attention shown him by Captain Drawlock, (who trusted him to work the chronometers!!) his own excellent character and handsome person, had raised him to more importance than his situation as a junior officer would have warranted; and his behaviour was such as to have secured him the good-will of every one on board of the ship. Newton’s unassuming frank manner, added to a large stock of general information, occasioned his society to be courted, even by those who would otherwise have been inclined to keep at a distance one in his subordinate rank.
When they arrived at St. Helena, the first-mate, for a wonder, no longer made any difficulty of going on shore for an hour or two, if he knew that Newton would be the commanding officer during his absence; nay, so high did he stand in the opinion of his captain, that nut only was he permitted to take charge of the chronometers, but, if called away for a time below, Captain Drawlock would hand over to Newton’s charge any one of the unmarried responsibilities, who might happen to be leaning on his arm.
The Indiamen being now left to protect themselves, the senior officer, Commodore Bottlecock, issued most elaborate memoranda, as to the order of sailing, exercise of the men at the great guns and small arms, and every other point which could tend to their security by due preparation. Nevertheless, the ladies continued to appear on deck. Mrs Ferguson sat in her majesty; the young ladies tittered, and were reprimanded; the young gentlemen were facetious, and were rebuked; the old colonel talked of his adventure at Madeira, and compared every thing to the spent ball at the battle of —. Dr Plausible had become a most assiduous attendant upon Miss Tavistock, ever since he had satisfactorily ascertained that she had property of her own; every body had become intimate; every one was becoming tired, when the bearings and distance at noon placed them about two hundred miles from Point de Galle, the southernmost extremity of Ceylon. The wind was fresh and fair, and they congratulated each other upon a speedy termination to their tedious voyage.
Dinner was announced by the old tune of “Oh! the roast beef of old England;” and during a long voyage the announcement of dinner is a very great relief every way. As had been the invariable rule throughout the whole of the voyage, Miss Charlotte and Miss Laura Revel were placed on the one side of Captain Drawlock, Miss Tavistock and Isabel Revel on the other. They were flanked on the other side by Mrs and Mr Ferguson, who thus separated them from any undue collision with the gentlemen passengers or officers of the ship. The colonel was placed next to Mrs Ferguson, the young writer next to her husband; then the two cadets, supported by the doctor and purser, the remainder of the table being filled up with the officers of the ship, with the first-mate at the foot. Such was the order of Captain Drawlock’s dinner—sailing; as strictly adhered to as the memoranda of Commodore Bottlecock: the only communication permitted with the young ladies under his charge (unless married men) being to “request the honour of drinking a glass of wine with them.”