He took her merriment not at all in good part, and usually wandered away. But always to come back; for the other people on board, the men especially, for some reason or other kept themselves severely away from him. Captain Eversleigh, who at first had shown a slight preference for his society, now, Nina noticed, never addressed him, but was constantly with the tall youth Maybury.
On the evening of the last day of bad weather Nina was in Miss Marsden’s room.
“It is eleven o’clock,” that young lady at last observed, “don’t you think you would better go to bed?”
“Don’t send me away yet,” pleaded Nina; “tell me some more things about yourself.”
The girl was kneeling by the lounge of her new-made friend; and, lovingly throwing an arm around her feet, she listened to stories of wanderings in Europe, until another half-hour had elapsed, when Miss Marsden insisted upon her saying good night.
“Shall I send Marie with you?” she inquired, when Nina reluctantly approached the door.
Nina darted a glance at the sleepy maid in the upper berth, shook her head and hurried from the room. With a light heart she trotted down the long passages. The Boston girl was a darling. She thoroughly approved of her. She was far more interesting to talk to than that faultfinding ’Steban. She did not miss him at all. She was glad that she had in some way offended him. She did not want to know what it was about. Very likely he was jealous of that wretched man, Delessert; and she scowled at his open cabin door that she was just passing.
A ray of light from it streamed out on the semi-dark passage; and as her pattering footsteps approached, he himself stepped out.
Nina threw him a hasty glance as he stood in the doorway. His face was deeply flushed and he was staring boldly at her. He had been drinking, the scamp, and she shrugged her shoulders in scorn. Once or twice before she had had her suspicions; now they were confirmed. And he had left the door-post and was blocking the passage.
She must control herself and not show wrath. That had been Mrs. Danvers’s instruction with regard to drunken tramps on the Rubicon Meadows roads. “Don’t cross them, but placate them and then run,” and Nina scanned the way behind him.