The Kingdom of the Blind [29]
but he forced her to look at him. There was something else besides appeal in her eyes.
"You've been the victim of a mistake," he insisted, his hand resting upon hers. "I don't believe that you really care for him at all. He doesn't seem the right sort for you, he's so much older and graver. You mustn't be angry. You must forgive me, please, if I have said more than I ought--if I say more now--because I am going to tell you, now that we are alone together for a moment, that I love you."
She turned upon him a little indignantly, though the distress in her face was still apparent.
"Captain Granet!" she exclaimed. "You should not say that! You have no right--no right at all."
"On the contrary, I have every right, he answered doggedly. "It isn't as though Thomson were my friend. He hates me and I dislike him. Every man has a right to do his best to win the girl he cares for. It's the first time I've felt anything of this sort. I've never wanted the big things before from any woman. And now--"
She turned impetuously away from him. Over their head an electric message was sparkling and crackling. She stood looking up, her hand outstretched as though to keep him away.
"I cannot listen any more," she declared. "If you say another word I shall go below."
He remained for a moment gloomily silent. A young officer stepped out of the wireless room and saluted Geraldine.
"Very sorry for you people, Miss Conyers," he announced, "but I am afraid we'll have to put you on shore. We've an urgent message here from the flag-ship to clear off all guests."
"But we haven't had lunch yet!" Geraldine protested.
Conyers suddenly made his appearance in the gangway, followed by Olive.
"What's the message, Howard?" he inquired.
The officer saluted and handed over a folded piece of paper. Conyers read it with a frown and stepped at once out on to the deck. He gave a few orders, then he turned back to his guests.
"Gels," he explained, "and you, Granet, I'm frightfully sorry but I can't keep you here another second. I have ordered the pinnace round. You must get on shore and have lunch at the 'Ship.' I'll come along as soon as I can. Frightfully sorry, Granet, but I needn't apologise to you, need I? War's war, you know and this is a matter of urgency."
"You're not going out this tide?" Geraldine demanded breathlessly.
Conyers shook his head.
"It isn't that," he replied. "We've got some engineers coming over to do some work on deck, and I've had a private tip from my chief to clear out any guests I may have on board."
"Is it anything to do with this wonderful screened-up thing?" Olive asked, strolling towards the framework-covered edifice.
Conyers shrugged his shoulders.
"Can't disclose Government secrets! Between just us four--our friend Thomson isn't here, is he?" he added, smiling,--"we are planning a little Hell for the submarines."
They glanced curiously at the mysterious erection. Granet sighed.
"Secretive chaps, you sailors," he observed. "Never mind, I have a pal in the Admiralty who gives me a few hints now and then. I shall go and pump him."
"Don't you breathe a word about having been board the 'Scorpion,'" Conyers begged quickly. "They wink at it down here, so long as it's done discreetly, but it's positively against the rules, you know."
"Righto!" Granet agreed. "There isn't a soul I'm likely to mention it to."
"I'll come over to the Ship as soon as I can get away," Conyers promised.
They raced across the mile of broken water to the landing-stage. They were all a little silent. Olive was frankly disappointed, Geraldine was busy with her thoughts. Granet's gaze seemed rivetted upon the "Scorpion." Another pinnace had drawn up alongside and a little company of men were boarding her.
"I only hope that they really have hit upon a device to rid the sea of these cursed submarines!" he remarked, as they made their way across the dock. "I see the brutes have taken to sinking fishing boats now."
"Ralph believes that they have got something,"
"You've been the victim of a mistake," he insisted, his hand resting upon hers. "I don't believe that you really care for him at all. He doesn't seem the right sort for you, he's so much older and graver. You mustn't be angry. You must forgive me, please, if I have said more than I ought--if I say more now--because I am going to tell you, now that we are alone together for a moment, that I love you."
She turned upon him a little indignantly, though the distress in her face was still apparent.
"Captain Granet!" she exclaimed. "You should not say that! You have no right--no right at all."
"On the contrary, I have every right, he answered doggedly. "It isn't as though Thomson were my friend. He hates me and I dislike him. Every man has a right to do his best to win the girl he cares for. It's the first time I've felt anything of this sort. I've never wanted the big things before from any woman. And now--"
She turned impetuously away from him. Over their head an electric message was sparkling and crackling. She stood looking up, her hand outstretched as though to keep him away.
"I cannot listen any more," she declared. "If you say another word I shall go below."
He remained for a moment gloomily silent. A young officer stepped out of the wireless room and saluted Geraldine.
"Very sorry for you people, Miss Conyers," he announced, "but I am afraid we'll have to put you on shore. We've an urgent message here from the flag-ship to clear off all guests."
"But we haven't had lunch yet!" Geraldine protested.
Conyers suddenly made his appearance in the gangway, followed by Olive.
"What's the message, Howard?" he inquired.
The officer saluted and handed over a folded piece of paper. Conyers read it with a frown and stepped at once out on to the deck. He gave a few orders, then he turned back to his guests.
"Gels," he explained, "and you, Granet, I'm frightfully sorry but I can't keep you here another second. I have ordered the pinnace round. You must get on shore and have lunch at the 'Ship.' I'll come along as soon as I can. Frightfully sorry, Granet, but I needn't apologise to you, need I? War's war, you know and this is a matter of urgency."
"You're not going out this tide?" Geraldine demanded breathlessly.
Conyers shook his head.
"It isn't that," he replied. "We've got some engineers coming over to do some work on deck, and I've had a private tip from my chief to clear out any guests I may have on board."
"Is it anything to do with this wonderful screened-up thing?" Olive asked, strolling towards the framework-covered edifice.
Conyers shrugged his shoulders.
"Can't disclose Government secrets! Between just us four--our friend Thomson isn't here, is he?" he added, smiling,--"we are planning a little Hell for the submarines."
They glanced curiously at the mysterious erection. Granet sighed.
"Secretive chaps, you sailors," he observed. "Never mind, I have a pal in the Admiralty who gives me a few hints now and then. I shall go and pump him."
"Don't you breathe a word about having been board the 'Scorpion,'" Conyers begged quickly. "They wink at it down here, so long as it's done discreetly, but it's positively against the rules, you know."
"Righto!" Granet agreed. "There isn't a soul I'm likely to mention it to."
"I'll come over to the Ship as soon as I can get away," Conyers promised.
They raced across the mile of broken water to the landing-stage. They were all a little silent. Olive was frankly disappointed, Geraldine was busy with her thoughts. Granet's gaze seemed rivetted upon the "Scorpion." Another pinnace had drawn up alongside and a little company of men were boarding her.
"I only hope that they really have hit upon a device to rid the sea of these cursed submarines!" he remarked, as they made their way across the dock. "I see the brutes have taken to sinking fishing boats now."
"Ralph believes that they have got something,"