‘No, I cannot come on board. I shall be seeing you very soon.’
‘How is Captain Butler? Are you married yet, Marian? Oh, there’s a lot for me to hear! I haven’t had a syllable of home news since we left Sydney. We’ve made a ripping passage home—seventy-eight days from Sydney Heads to Soundings.’
‘The moment the ship’s in dock I’ll go home. Father can’t have heard that the ship’s in the river, or he or mother would be here to meet me, wouldn’t they? If you’re going straight ashore, Marian, and ’ll be seeing them soon, tell ’em I shall be home this afternoon, and ’ll be glad of a good blow-out—roast beef to be the main thing; I don’t care what they surround it with. I’m stiff with the brine of the harness cask. Is Captain Butler in England?’
‘You shall have all the news when I see you at my house, Will. You are busy now. We’ll meet to-morrow, Will.’
‘To-night, to-night, Marian! I have a hundred fine yarns to spin you.’
‘Thank God you are safely returned,’ said I, and kissing my hand to him, I sank into my seat, and the boatman plied his oars.
‘Fine young gent, that,’ said the boatman, ‘but a first voyager, I lay. Them young gents is all for eating after the first voyage; after the second they’s all for drinking. And who’s a-going to blame ’em?’ said he, smacking his lips. ‘Didn’t Noah himself take to drink after a few weeks of the Ark—and yon’s a nine months’ job.’
I paid the man, landed, walked till I came to a coach and drove to Stepney. I remained alone and at home for the remainder of the day. My heart ached, and sometimes I wept; yet I was thankful to have seen Tom, thankful to know he was sure now that I was faithful to him, thankful for all that had passed between us, few as our words had been. In the evening I received a note from my aunt telling me that Will was returned, and begging me to come to supper. I sent word by the messenger that I was low and poorly, and hoped to see Will at my house very soon.