‘She had English money on her,’ exclaimed the captain.
‘English people who live in France often have English money on them,’ said Mrs. Lee. ‘But why do you say she was blown away from a port? Is it not more likely that she is a survivor of a shipwreck, the horrors of which have extinguished her memory? Assume this, Captain Ladmore,’ said the little woman with an air of triumph, ‘and in what part of the world are you going to tell me her home is?’
‘Well, Miss C——,’ said the captain, ‘the matter need not be discussed any further. If you are satisfied to remain, I am satisfied to keep you.’
I left my chair and took his hand and pressed it in silence. I was unable to speak.
As we left the captain’s cabin, Mrs. Lee said: ‘My husband was a shipowner, and I know how to reason with sea captains. I believe I have made Captain Ladmore see your case in its true light. We shall hope to hear no more of Sir Frederick Thompson’s absurd notion.’
‘Oh, Mrs. Lee,’ I exclaimed, ‘I feel happy now. It would break my heart to be removed to another ship, not knowing what was to befall me there and afterwards.’
‘Will you come on deck for a turn?’ said she. ‘You can join Alice later on. I wish her to rest every afternoon,’ and she then asked me to send the stewardess to her, as she desired to unpack a bonnet and cloak which were at my service.
At the foot of the stairs, which conducted to the steerage, I found Mr. Harris, the chief officer. I had not before encountered him in this part of the ship. He was talking to a bearded steerage passenger, who was leaning with folded arms against a table, but on seeing me, Mr. Harris turned his back upon the bearded passenger, and saluted me by raising his cap.
We stood in the light floating through the wide hatch from the saloon fore windows, and now, having a near and good view of his face, I was struck by its whimsical expression. His skin was red with years of exposure to the weather; one eye was slightly larger than the other, which produced the effect of a wink; his eyebrows, instead of arching, slanted irregularly into his forehead, and the expression of his somewhat awry mouth was as though, being a sour sulky man, he had been asked to smile whilst sitting for his photograph! These were points I had been unable to observe when I met Mr. Harris at one o’clock in the morning, and at table this day I had barely noticed him.
‘Good afternoon, mam,’ said he.