“Yes, sir—he is boatswain of his Majesty’s ship the ‘Lion.’”
“Your father a boatswain!” said the colonel in the same slow manner. “You should have informed me of this before, sir.”
“The question was not asked me,” answered Ronald. “I was wrong, I feel, in not mentioning it.”
At that moment his eye caught Edda’s, casting on him a look of such sorrow and pain that he was about to spring to her side, when she suddenly sunk on her seat, and would have fallen on the deck had not Mrs Armytage and another lady at hand caught her in their arms.
“It is of no consequence,” exclaimed Colonel Armytage, in a peremptory manner; “you have undoubtedly duties to perform about the ship. We will not detain you from them.”
Ronald felt that his only dignified course was to retire. With a heart bursting with indignation, he walked forward. Not long after this the boats arrived to carry the passengers back to Calcutta, where they purposed remaining till the arrangements respecting the ship were concluded. Ronald had been directed to retain the command till it could be legally restored to Captain Winslow.
Miss Armytage had gone below, and was kept out of his sight till she was ready to leave the ship. He came to assist her down the side. She gave him a look full of sorrow, but which he interpreted to mean, “Do not think that what I have heard can diminish my affection for you; it were worth little if it did.” But she had scarcely time to falter out a few words before her father stepped up and effectually stopped any further communication.
The manner of Colonel Armytage, indeed, was so rude, that Ronald had to recollect who he was, to assist him in commanding his temper.
The passengers in the boats were concealed by the awnings which covered them, but Ronald could not help standing on the deck, watching them with a heavy heart as they took their way up the broad stream of the Hooghly.
The next day he received three letters; two were official, one of them was from his captain, expressing the warm approbation of Admiral Rainier for his conduct in the attack on the enemy’s forts; the other was from the officials of the Honourable East India Company, promising him some substantial proof of their sense of his merit. The third letter was private. He opened it with some misgiving.