It was getting late; the music had stopped and the dancers had disappeared. Miss Ross did not feel over comfortable alone with Sir Langham so far away from everybody else. Especially as she saw he was excited and nervous. Had he been drinking? she wondered. But she remembered that he had proclaimed far and wide that, because of his gout, he'd made a vow to touch no form of "alcoholic liquor" on the voyage, except on Christmas and New Year's Day. It was six days since Christmas, and already Aden was
left behind. No, it was just sheer nervous excitement, and if she could do him any good....
"I feel sure you will sleep to-night," she said soothingly, "if you will do as I tell you."
"I'll do any mortal thing. I've got a deck-cabin to myself. Will you keep willin' me when you turn in?"
"Go to bed now," she said firmly. "Undress quickly, and then think about nothing ... and I'll do the rest."
"You will, you promise?"
"Yes, but you must keep your mind a perfect blank, or I can't do anything."
She stood up tall and straight. The moonlight caught her grey hair and burnished it to an aureole of silver.
With many grunts Sir Langham pulled himself out of his chair. "No smokin'-room, eh?"
"Good night," Miss Ross said firmly, and left him.