"If I were to take you back to Stalheim? There is sure to be some one
you could join."
"I hate to be baffled," said Anne. "And you may have forgotten that all
I have in the world--here--has gone on the steamer."
"Heavens, yes!" said Wareham, struck with this fresh complication. He
looked so shocked that Anne in self-defence began to laugh.
"Did no one miss us? This is humiliating!" It appeared that Mrs
Ravenhill inquired, and was told they intended to go on board without
returning to the inn. Mrs Martyn stayed in a shop until the last
moment, and had barely time to scramble on board; it was quite natural
that she should suppose the others had been before her.
"So we have no one to blame but ourselves," said Anne.
"But me," corrected Wareham. "You disclaimed responsibility from the
first."
"Oh, we will share. It is less dull to hold together. And what does
the landlord suggest? We can't be the first castaways."
"He says that the last victims took a boat, and were rowed to Ulvik.
But Balholm is a good deal further," Wareham said, after consultation.
Anne decided promptly.
"Very well. Please get a boat."
"You venture?"
"Why not? What else can be done?" Wareham could think of nothing. The
misadventure meant more to him than it did to her, at least it seemed so
beforehand. He had gone rashly near breaking his resolution in
capturing that solitary hour with her, and was forced to reflect that he
had not come out of the ordeal scathless. Fate was punishing him by
prolonging what he had already found too long for his strength, and
there was nothing for it but to accept fate. He said hurriedly--"I will
see about a boat at once," and was going, when she called him back.
"We must have dinner before we set off."
"You put me to shame," he said. "I believe my wits have deserted me."
"Worse things have fallen to my lot," she laughed; "do you expect me to
offer you, words of consolation? Bear your burdens with greater
philosophy, Mr Wareham."
"If that were all!" rushed from his lips.
"I can't even lighten them by ordering dinner," Anne went on, taking no
notice. "Bennett's Conversation-book is on the steamer, with everything
else, and I can remember nothing but _mange tak_, which doesn't seem
called for at this moment."
"At any rate, I can order dinner," said Wareham humbly.
"And you couldn't do anything better. Please have a great many trout.
Who knows when we shall dine again!"
"I must find out how long a boat will take in reaching Balholm."
"Don't ask," Anne said quickly. "Don't you see that as the thing has to
be done there is no possible use in looking at the difficulties? I, on
the contrary, mean to treat it as something special. All the world and
his wife--even those horrid tourists--go down the Nserofjord in
steamers; how much more enchanting to be rowed dreamily, with neither
smoke nor noise! Pray don't be so dismal about it. Do you know that
you are paying me the worst of compliments? Endure your fate bravely,
and order the trout."
Thus adjured, Wareham departed. Gudvangen was sleepily interested, and
the misadventure had happened before. He chose a good boat and two
rowers, and going back to the little saal, found Anne making an
excellent dinner.
"When one is cast away, it is prudent to chose a place with shops for
the event," she said. "I have made this an excuse for buying some
delightful furs. Money I have none, but they trust me."
"I have money," said Wareham, hastily turning out his pockets, and
unnecessarily ashamed of this fresh absence of foresight on his part.
They could not reach Balholm before the middle of the night, and Anne's
wraps were on the steamer.
"Very well. Then you shall pay as we pass, and I will owe it to you
instead."
"Having brought you into the predicament, I think I might be allowed to
provide the necessaries of life."
"Do you mean that you are proposing to present me with a set of furs?"
said Anne, laying down her fork and staring at him.
"Something you must have to keep you warm."
"Mr Wareham, pray don't make me begin to regret this incident."
He saw that she was vexed, and dashed away from the subject.
"Poor old Hansen was mortally afraid we should want him to telephone
something or other. I believe the telephone is sending him off his
head. He would have sent out to look for us if a message had not come
down from Stalheim just at the critical moment."
"Can't we use it?" said Anne, with a little more anxiety in her voice
than she had shown hitherto.
"Only backwards to Stalheim, and then, I imagine, telegraph to Voss.
That would not help us?"
"No, no; we are doing the only sensible thing. The trout are excellent,
and I encourage hunger."
"We will take some food with us."
"And tea. I insist upon tea."
"But how to boil it in a boat?"
"We will land on a rock," said Anne, who was laughing again.
"A fjord picnic. By all means. Besides, of course there are villages."
"We don't want to be delayed, and I shan't agree to anything more
sociable than a rock."
"You command the crew."
They were on excellent terms again; Anne's momentary haughtiness past,
she was mirthful over their prospects. They went out and bought the
gaudiest _tine_ Gudvangen could produce, and packed it with what
provisions they could find. Anne insisted, moreover, that there should
be a packet of tobacco for the rowers. Then she went to fetch her furs,
but apparently had changed her mind, for Wareham was not allowed to pay
for them. That she would arrange in Bergen, as originally fixed.
"You have not forgiven," he said, in a low voice.
"Not forgotten," she corrected. "By this time to-morrow I may have done
so."
He accepted the hint, and was silent.
They went down to the boat, and saw all their things placed, watched by
the few interested spectators Gudvangen sent out, and by old Hansen, who
took a fatherly interest in their proceedings.
"Can we sail?" asked Miss Dalrymple.
"There is not a breath. But the men are good rowers, and I can take an
oar to relieve them. There will be beauty enough to please you."
"Provided expressly on my account," said Anne lightly. "You will expect
me to be so prodigal of compliments at the end of the voyage, that I
shall not praise your arrangements now. Are we ready?"
"A good journey!" called out old Hansen. Wareham waved his hat, Anne
nodded and smiled, the boat moved smoothly along out into a world of
reflected colours.
"Good-bye, Eden," said Anne.