“Hush!” she said, blushing again, and speaking in so low a tone that only he could hear her. “You mustn’t talk like that here–and now. It–it isn’t right.”
She looked helplessly at Dolly, and Trenwith, understanding, looked as if she had said something that delighted him. Perhaps she had–perhaps she had even meant to do so.
“I’ll attend to getting supper ready now, sir, Mr. Trenwith, if you’ll take the wheel,” said Bates, just then.
“All right,” said Trenwith, nodding. “Now make a good job of it, Bates. I’ve been praising you up to the skies.”
Bates grinned widely, and disappeared.
No apologies were needed when they came to eat the supper which had been so well heralded. A table was set up in the after part of the boat, and the awning was drawn back so that the stars shone down on them. The Columbia’s engine was stopped, and she lay under the lee of Humber Island, a long, wooded islet that sheltered them from the strong breeze, making the sea as smooth as a mill pond. On shore twinkling lights began to appear, and, some distance away, a glare of lights in the sky betrayed the location of Rock Haven.
“Oh, this is lovely!” said Eleanor. “I’m so glad you brought us here, Mr. Trenwith! But tell me, doesn’t anyone live on this island? It’s so beautiful that I should think someone would surely have built a summer home there long ago.”
“I believe there are people there,” said Trenwith. “But they are on the other side.”
“I’m sorry we have to go home, but I suppose we really must be starting,” said Eleanor, after supper. “It’s such a heavenly night that it seems to me it would be perfect just to stay here.”
“Wouldn’t it? But you’re right–we must be starting back. We’ll go on and come around the other side of this island. You should see it from all points of view. Scenically, it’s our show place for this whole stretch of coast.”