At its best, the unexpected is apt to come off awkwardly, and here was
more than one awkward element. When hearing distance was reached, they
found that Hugh was speaking volubly--
"Are you all right? No one suffered? What a nuisance for you both!
Bring the boat a little further on, Dick, and Miss Dalrymple will land
more comfortably. Are you all right?" anxiously again.
"My dear fellow, we're in a water-logged boat," Wareham called out, not
sorry that his words were truer than they would have been five minutes
ago, for with his attention elsewhere a good deal of water had leaked
in.
"Horrors!" cried Hugh, pressing forward, and ready to jump in to the
rescue. "Is Miss Dalrymple wet?"
"I'm afraid so." Wareham was cool again outwardly. "Here, take this
rope. Now, Miss Dalrymple, your foot here--so. You are cramped? Do
not hurry. We shall not be swamped just yet."
He managed to put his hand for her to tread on, while Hugh eagerly
helped her. In another moment men and all had scrambled on shore, and
Hugh was shaking hands violently with his friend.
"I never was more annoyed than to hear what had happened, but I felt
certain you'd come on, and have been on the look-out all night. They
shouldn't have left you. It was too bad. Miss Dalrymple, are you sure
you are not cold?"
"I am sure of nothing," said Anne, speaking for the first time. "May I
inquire what extraordinary chance brought you to this place?" She
looked rather amused than vexed.
"I heard you were here."
"How?"
"Wareham, like a good fellow, telegraphed."
Anne darted a look at him. He stood helpless. Explanation was
impossible. She said only--"Oh!"
"Of course I couldn't be certain where I should strike across you," Hugh
went on, "so I came straight up in the steamer, and asked as I came
along. Some other friends of yours are here. They seemed awfully cut
up about you. But pray, pray come at once to the hotel. I have made
them keep coffee and cold meat ready, and your room is all right. Dick
will see about those fellows."
He swept her away. Wareham stared after them, dumb wretchedness gnawing
at his heart. Complications gathered round him. Anne might naturally
resent what had the appearance of an act of treachery; and was this the
end of the fair dream which had floated with him along the clear waters
of the fjord? He stood reduced, insignificant, before Hugh's assertive
energy. Of her his last view as she walked lightly away was a side-face
turned inquiringly towards Hugh.
Wareham's mood might be painted black--of the blackest. If virtue does
not always meet with a reward, she expects it, and grows huffy at
non-fulfilment. He felt he had behaved well towards Hugh; an occasional
slip of the tongue should not count in comparison with the many times
that he had bridled it, and each of these times was quick to multiply
itself. By dint of looking back he convinced himself that Hugh's debt
to him was great.
It was one way of discharging it to be waiting at Balholm, at three
o'clock in the morning, to hand Miss Dalrymple out of the boat!
The men paid, and left to make the boat water-tight, Wareham walked
slowly up the short incline towards the inn. He lingered, from an
irritable disinclination to see Anne and Hugh together again; but before
he reached the door, Hugh came out to meet him like a bolt. He seized
Wareham's hand and wrung it.
"My dear old fellow," he cried exultingly, "was ever anything in the
world so amazingly lucky! I might have knocked about the country for a
week without tumbling up against them, and of all the blessed moments
for a man to arrive, just when she was a bit sore at their want of
care!"
As Hugh paused to contemplate his good fortune, Wareham thrust in a
question.
"What on earth made you go in for such a"--he would have liked to have
said "preposterous," but left it out--"hurricane dash across the seas?"
"What else would you have expected when I had your telegram? Wasn't I
just wild to get word with her again? And saw no chance of it. Look
here, what food there is, is waiting for you in there. Come and eat.
I've got to talk to some one about it all, and I'm not so unreasonable
as to harangue a hungry man."
"More sleepy than hungry."
"Well, you must eat before you turn in."
"Has Miss Dalrymple had some food?" Hugh laughed joyously.
"Do you suppose I didn't see that she had all she wanted? It's gone up
to her room, of course. She's got to pay that tribute to Mrs Grundy.
Here you are; now what'll you have? Here's the landlord himself. Beer,
sausage, kippered salmon, marmalade, coffee?"
Wareham made a selection; Hugh rattled on, helping himself meanwhile.
"I believe I'm as hungry as you are. Meat in this country is
uneatable--or was yesterday," he added, with an exulting fling at his
own change of mood; "but I can't understand that it isn't the orthodox
breakfast-time. I suppose one must go to bed, but I shan't sleep--not a
wink. I say, old fellow, it was awfully good of you to send me that
telegram--awfully. And now you've seen Anne--"
"Anne? Is she Anne again?"
"She's never been anything else in my heart. Now you'll understand.
Enough to throw a man off his balance, wasn't it?--to think of losing
her. She's splendid. And to tell you the truth, I've been fretting
myself with the idea she might be annoyed at seeing me here at her
heels."
"Well?"
"Try the salmon? No? You'd better. What was I saying? Oh, I believe
she was rather pleased than otherwise. Women are not to be counted on.
They'll fight you, but they like to be taken by storm."
Wareham agreed with a groan, thinking of himself in the boat. Hugh went
on--
"She didn't seem a bit vexed. But as I said before, I couldn't have
chosen a better moment if I'd waited a year. Selfish pig, that Mrs
Martyn. I don't believe she cared one halfpenny. Those other people,
Ravenstones, Ravenhills--what are they called?--were twice as feeling.
The mercy was that it was you, old fellow, and no other man, who was
with her."