There they were at last—their two admirers—looking over each other’s shoulders, in hesitating indecision. Little by little, allured by the soulful harmonies, they were drawn into the room; and when Miss Marsden gently swung around on the stool, she found that they had halted about as far from the piano as if it were a caged lion, and were uttering reserved expressions of admiration in respectful tones.
She answered them with distant politeness; but Nina did not open her lips until she thought it necessary to come to her companion’s rescue. The young lady had made an extraordinary mistake for a person of her self-command and composure. A piece of music had slipped from the piano to the floor, and as Captain Eversleigh picked it up she remarked, “That song looks as if it would suit your voice.”
An inquiring look flitted over his face, and though he did not speak, his manner plainly said, “How in the world do you know that I have a voice?” Blushing like a red, red rose at her blunder, she for a moment lost the faultless repose of manner that he found so charming, and dropping her hands on her lap she nervously surveyed her rings.
Nina glanced at the title of the song, “Do Not Forget Me, Darling.” Even from the solitudes of Rubicon Meadows she knew that it was one of the most hackneyed of the drawing-room songs of the day. Probably the naughty lover had sung it to Miss Marsden. Its title recalled him; and to keep herself from crying she had said the first thing that came into her mind.
“I guess you mean that it suits my husband’s voice,” she lisped, kindly.
Her air of utter guilelessness, coupled with the ridiculous suggestion of their reserved commander singing anything so sentimental as the ditty before them, quite overcame her companions, and they broke into spontaneous and simultaneous laughter.
“I think Captain Fordyce’s voice would be more after the order of double bass,” said Captain Eversleigh, controlling himself. “This is more suited to my after-mess baritone. Will you be kind enough to try the accompaniment for me?” and placing the music on the rack, he gave Miss Marsden the opportunity of turning away from them her white face with its crimson streaks.
Nina and Mr. Maybury retired to a divan. The piano had broken the ice between them, and for the remainder of the voyage it kept up its kindly offices. Miss Marsden and Nina found Mr. Maybury to be a cool, careless, undemonstrative youth, with a mercurial style of conversation and unlimited stores of nonsense and absurd chatter at his command.
Captain Eversleigh was more of a man of the world; although he, too, could be nonsensical when occasion required. However, whatever he might feel, there was not the slightest exhibition of devotion in the efforts he made for the entertainment of the person who pleased him most of the passengers on board the Merrimac. Indeed, he was more demonstrative with Mrs. Grayley, when that lady appeared. But she came out very little during the last few days of the voyage. Her favourite, Mr. Delessert, was in disgrace, and was lurking in out-of-the-way nooks of the steamer; therefore she preferred solitude and the darkened room that kept her hands white.
At last a morning came when the joyful news flew through the ship that they should be in England before evening.