Pat. Have you had a good time?” She was surprised at the steadiness of her voice.
“We’re both hot ... and very tired.” Ian laughed. “By jove, you two look gloriously cool. I shouldn’t mind a swim myself. How about you, Patricia?”
“I think it would be very pleasant.”
Maimie looked up sharply at her friend. Had there been a hint of coolness in her answer? Wasn’t she lacking her usual enthusiasm? But Patricia’s expression was entirely noncommital, and, despite her searching scrutiny, Maimie was not enlightened as to her friend’s thoughts. How much could she have seen?
“Well, what did you both think of Port Said?” Claud queried casually, and Maimie was conscious of a surge of gratitude for his nonchalant question and easy command of the situation.
“A most fascinating spot. We both enjoyed it thoroughly,” Ian answered with enthusiasm.
Patricia, on her part, was glad that Ian had taken the necessity of replying out of her hands, and, although aware that the two men had entered into an animated discussion on the recent improvement of conditions in Port Said, she scarcely heard one word of the conversation. Ian’s comforting words recurred to her mind, “Shipboard friendships don’t really mean a thing”, but she was miserably conscious that, although Maimie undoubtedly valued her friendship, as a chaperon she was putting up an exceedingly poor show.
CHAPTER NINE
Patricia rolled over on her narrow bunk, then slowly opened her eyes to the beam of sunshine filtering through the porthole. Stifling a yawn, she pulled herself up into a sitting position, and stared across the cabin at her friend. Maimie was still asleep, her head pillowed on her arm, her long lashes sweeping the smooth line of her cheeks.
Patricia glanced at the small travelling clock on the table. Why, it was scarcely seven, and a shame to wake Maimie yet; so relaxing again on her pillows, Patricia gave herself up to her thoughts. She was not entirely happy concerning Maimie, whose growing intimacy with Claud had caused her many misgivings, for she had never been able to rid her mind of the scene by the swimming pool of which she had unfortunately been a witness; that incident had occurred so early in the voyage, and it was obvious to everyone that the friendship had deepened; they had been thrown continually into each other’s company, and the attraction had been mutual. Patricia sighed. Well, this was the last day of the voyage, a day of g oodbyes, a day of reunions; surely her misgivings would prove to b e without true foundation. Ian might be right in what he had frequently told her—shipboard friendships were usually transitory affairs.
“Hallo. You awake?” Maimie’s voice, still heavy with sleep, aroused Patricia from her reverie.
“Yes. Been awake ages. I didn’t disturb you because it’s early yet,” Patricia responded.
“Early?” Maimie glanced at the clock, then swung her legs over the edge of the bed. “It may be, but don’t you realize that today we reach Singapore, and we may be in sight of land already?” Maimie exclaime d with a tremor in her voice.
“Don’t be silly. It’s only seven. I don’t suppose we shall see land yet; we’re not due in until lunch time,” Patricia reminded her friend.
“Only seven. I thought it was eight.” Maimie stretched her arms languidly above her head. “Thank goodness we needn’t get up for another hour at least.” She climbed on to the bed again and pulled up the sheet. “I thought I couldn’t have overslept on this day of days. Do you realize we’re really there?”
“ I do—worse luck.”
Maimie turned quickly and scanned her friend’s face for a moment before speaking. “I believe you really mean it. Are you very sorry it’s all over?”
“ Yes, very sorry.” Patricia paused before continuing. “I’m terribly anxious to see Singapore, but, you see, this has been such a lovely month ... sort of care-free, irresponsible. This is the
“We’re both hot ... and very tired.” Ian laughed. “By jove, you two look gloriously cool. I shouldn’t mind a swim myself. How about you, Patricia?”
“I think it would be very pleasant.”
Maimie looked up sharply at her friend. Had there been a hint of coolness in her answer? Wasn’t she lacking her usual enthusiasm? But Patricia’s expression was entirely noncommital, and, despite her searching scrutiny, Maimie was not enlightened as to her friend’s thoughts. How much could she have seen?
“Well, what did you both think of Port Said?” Claud queried casually, and Maimie was conscious of a surge of gratitude for his nonchalant question and easy command of the situation.
“A most fascinating spot. We both enjoyed it thoroughly,” Ian answered with enthusiasm.
Patricia, on her part, was glad that Ian had taken the necessity of replying out of her hands, and, although aware that the two men had entered into an animated discussion on the recent improvement of conditions in Port Said, she scarcely heard one word of the conversation. Ian’s comforting words recurred to her mind, “Shipboard friendships don’t really mean a thing”, but she was miserably conscious that, although Maimie undoubtedly valued her friendship, as a chaperon she was putting up an exceedingly poor show.
CHAPTER NINE
Patricia rolled over on her narrow bunk, then slowly opened her eyes to the beam of sunshine filtering through the porthole. Stifling a yawn, she pulled herself up into a sitting position, and stared across the cabin at her friend. Maimie was still asleep, her head pillowed on her arm, her long lashes sweeping the smooth line of her cheeks.
Patricia glanced at the small travelling clock on the table. Why, it was scarcely seven, and a shame to wake Maimie yet; so relaxing again on her pillows, Patricia gave herself up to her thoughts. She was not entirely happy concerning Maimie, whose growing intimacy with Claud had caused her many misgivings, for she had never been able to rid her mind of the scene by the swimming pool of which she had unfortunately been a witness; that incident had occurred so early in the voyage, and it was obvious to everyone that the friendship had deepened; they had been thrown continually into each other’s company, and the attraction had been mutual. Patricia sighed. Well, this was the last day of the voyage, a day of g oodbyes, a day of reunions; surely her misgivings would prove to b e without true foundation. Ian might be right in what he had frequently told her—shipboard friendships were usually transitory affairs.
“Hallo. You awake?” Maimie’s voice, still heavy with sleep, aroused Patricia from her reverie.
“Yes. Been awake ages. I didn’t disturb you because it’s early yet,” Patricia responded.
“Early?” Maimie glanced at the clock, then swung her legs over the edge of the bed. “It may be, but don’t you realize that today we reach Singapore, and we may be in sight of land already?” Maimie exclaime d with a tremor in her voice.
“Don’t be silly. It’s only seven. I don’t suppose we shall see land yet; we’re not due in until lunch time,” Patricia reminded her friend.
“Only seven. I thought it was eight.” Maimie stretched her arms languidly above her head. “Thank goodness we needn’t get up for another hour at least.” She climbed on to the bed again and pulled up the sheet. “I thought I couldn’t have overslept on this day of days. Do you realize we’re really there?”
“ I do—worse luck.”
Maimie turned quickly and scanned her friend’s face for a moment before speaking. “I believe you really mean it. Are you very sorry it’s all over?”
“ Yes, very sorry.” Patricia paused before continuing. “I’m terribly anxious to see Singapore, but, you see, this has been such a lovely month ... sort of care-free, irresponsible. This is the
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