“Oh, my dear, I would not delay you –”
There was more, but Justina had fled towards the gangway.
It was a busy scene on the dock.
A multitude of ships of all sizes were tied up or moving to and fro. Coaling ships were transferring fuel to steamers and the noise and bustle was tremendous.
Justina took a little time to locate Lord Castleton, but at last she saw his tall figure, elegant in cream linen, conversing with a couple of the passengers,
Justina descended onto the quayside and Lord Castleton at once came forward.
“Forgive me, I was tied up or I would have been waiting for you.”
“What a lovely day it is,” Justina smiled. “Mrs. Arbuthnot tells me we are to meet Lord Cromer’s representative.”
She looked around but could see no one who could fit that description.
“Ah, yes, Lord Cromer’s representative. Come, will you enter the carriage so we can be on our way?”
He helped Justina into the carriage. As the driver put his horse into motion, he entertained her with some details of the town.
“I should tell you that Port Said owes its origins to the existence of the Suez Canal. The port forms the northern entrance to that most convenient of modern constructions. You will know, of course, that the canal was opened in 1869. It cut the sailing time to Bombay by half. Imagine having to spend two months on board ship instead of one!”
She seemed happy to be in the carriage with him and he hoped that she would not react badly when he revealed exactly what he had arranged.
After a very short drive, the carriage reached a hotel.
Lord Castleton handed down Justina, paid off the driver and escorted her through to the restaurant.
There they were led to a table for two.
Lord Castleton allowed himself to appreciate the picture she made in her muslin dress with its wide sleeves and narrow waist. The broad hat threw a shadow over her lovely face and hid the gorgeous copper of her hair.
Justina looked around the table.
“But this is set for two, what about Lord Cromer’s representative?”
“Will you be very upset if I confess that there is no representative? That is a tale I made up for Mrs. Arbuthnot. I was afraid that there could be trouble if I insisted we lunched together alone.”
She gazed at him wide-eyed and then gave a charming little chuckle.
“You mean you lied to her?”
He nodded, keeping his expression very serious.
“I hope you will not tell Harry. It would not be a good example to set him.”
Another of those charming little laughs.
“But why? I mean, why did you want to lunch with me?”
He gave a silent sigh of delight.
What other female of his acquaintance would have asked such a question? They would all have assumed that their charms were quite sufficient to elicit such an invitation.
Watson would surely at this point look deep into her eyes and say that it was because she was the most beautiful woman he knew and he wanted her all to himself.
But he was convinced that if he said anything like that, he would only embarrass her.
“I want to be able to explain what Harry’s position is without the danger of interruptions from other passengers.”
“Particularly Watson,” he thought.
“Oh, yes, please do tell me everything.”
Across the table, Justina raised her face to look up at him. Lord Castleton enjoyed knowing that she had no idea the movement meant the inconvenient hat no longer shadowed her face.
“I have been thinking about Harry ever since you left my cabin last night,” Justina began. “He needs clothes. He cannot stay the whole voyage in your shirt. Even if his things are washed, I don’t think they would be very wearable.”
“I have taken care of that problem. You may have seen me talking to Major and Mrs. Partridge on the quayside.
They have kindly agreed to go shopping for a new wardrobe for him. You probably know that the Partridges have very recently lost a son of Harry’s age. A great tragedy that they are finding it difficult to come to terms with, so I was hesitant about asking them.
“But after I had told them Harry’s story, I asked for advice on what I should get him to wear and they suggested they did the shopping themselves. Of course I was delighted as they will know exactly what he needs.”
Justina’s face brightened.
“That is wonderful! How tactful you are.”
She paused for a moment and Lord Castleton enjoyed watching her face as it reflected so very clearly what she was thinking.
“Perhaps choosing clothes for Harry will help Mrs. Partridge feel there is still some use to life.”
“I do hope so.”
He reflected that as Justina revealed more and more of her character, he found his love for her becoming deeper.
Her expression remained solemn.
“I believe that not only have you organised Harry’s clothes, I think you have undertaken to pay his passage.”
“It is the least I could do. The poor boy has been through a nightmare. I keep thinking what if it had been a son of mine?”
“I don’t think you would have sent a son of yours away like that,” Justina said firmly.
“I wanted to explain all that to you. But first, I think we should order.”
He steered her away from the idea of a simple salad and suggested a rice dish.
“It is always better in these parts not to eat uncooked food unless you can be completely happy with the method of its preparation,” he explained.
Justina’s eyes grew wide.
“Really? My goodness, that is something to remember. But is it all right on the ship? I have often eaten salad on board without any upsetting effect.”
He reassured her that she could trust the ship’s cooks completely.
“Now, let me explain about conditions in India. The climate there is not suited to growing children, the hot season is so very hot and there are many diseases that their constitutions find it difficult to resist. I am sure it was well explained to Harry that he must return to England for his schooling.”
“Are you saying that he will have to return to England after all he has been through? That is awful!” Justina burst out.
“I am afraid almost certainly. However,” he added quickly as he saw mutiny gather in her eyes, “I shall have a long talk with his parents. I am sure they will be appalled at how he has suffered. I can recommend a school where I think Harry will be happier. I have a nephew there of about the same age and I can ensure that when Harry starts, he will have him as a friend.”
“If he really has to go to school in England, that sounds as though it would give him a much better chance of happiness,” Justina said doubtfully.
“I am sure he will soon settle down and enjoy making other friends.”
“There is also the matter of where he will spend his holidays,” Justina added, still anxious. “The aunt who has been looking after him sounds dreadful. I think his parents need to find somewhere else for his holidays.”
“As soon as he makes some friends, they will invite him to stay with them,” he replied cheerfully. “And I am happy to have him visit me. I have already told him that he may be of help to me on the voyage by exercising Breck.”
“Oh, that is too good of you,” said Justina and her face lit up. “Perhaps he could come and stay with us, too.”
It was the opening Lord Castleton had been hoping for.
“Us?” he asked.
“I haven’t a younger brother but I am sure we can – ”
“Her face paled and she stopped in mid-sentence. Then her expression lost its lively quality.
“Of course, that would only be until I am married.”
Justina put down her fork with a stifled sigh and the brim of her hat hid her face. She did not need to add that Harry would not be welcomed by Sir Thomas.
Lord Castleton took her hand in hi
s.
“Justina, please, can we not admit that this ridiculous notion you are engaged to be married to Sir Thomas is a fantasy that can be quickly dismissed?”
For an instant he thought he saw hope flare into her face, but she looked straight at him and he knew he had made a serious mistake.
“Lord Castleton, pray do not talk to me in that way. Mama and Papa will be very happy that I have made such a suitable match.”
“But what about you, Justina? Will you be happy?”
He saw an anguished stubbornness in her face and knew what she was going to say.
“Sir Thomas will make a good husband,” she stated firmly. “Papa cannot afford to give me a large settlement so I need a well-off husband. I shall have lots of children and a very satisfying life.”
“Are you sure he will make a good husband?”
Lord Castleton thought he had to push as hard as he could.
“There have been times when it seemed to me that you and he were in difficulties with your relationship.”
“You have no right to talk to me in that way,” Justina said in a low and furious voice. “You are not my father nor my uncle, no matter how much you think you stand in that sort of capacity. What I do with my life is for me to decide.”
She stood up and snatched her reticule off the table.
“I am going back to the ship. Thank you for looking after Harry, but I do not require you to look after me.”
She stalked out of the restaurant, followed by interested stares.
Lord Castleton swore, dropped as much money as he thought necessary on the table and hurried after her, cursing at the way he had handled the situation.
Next he found himself stopped by an old acquaintance.
Impatiently he pleaded urgent business, but when he emerged from the hotel there was no sign of Justina. Nor could he find a carriage for hire. He walked as quickly as he could back to the ship.
He needed to find her to see if he could repair the damage he had caused.
There was also the fact she had disclosed that her father’s financial situation was not as good as he had thought. Did, he wondered, Sir Thomas know this?
If he told Sir Thomas and he broke the engagement, Justina might be relieved, but she would not forgive him for showing her what a poor fellow her fiancé” was.
Maybe he would have saved her from disaster, but he would not have advanced his own cause.
What was he to do?
CHAPTER TEN
Justina did not find a carriage to take her back to the ship as it was not far and the tall masts in the dock meant she could hardly go wrong in finding her way.
She was so angry, she hardly noticed the heat.
How did Lord Castleton dare to talk to her so?
It did not occur to her that her anger was a way of disguising her longing for Lord Castleton to insist that her engagement to Sir Thomas was over.
Her fiancé was a handsome man and could be very charming, but Justina knew now she could never be happy with him.
She kept remembering her sister, Elizabeth, and how her initial happiness with Philip had so quickly evaporated.
As she walked, angling her parasol to ward off the sun’s rays, Justina was very conscious of her bruised upper arm. Did it mean that Sir Thomas was the same kind of man as Philip? Or was it just that she had not managed yet to find the way to handle him?
Even if she was able to find out how to keep him happy, Justina knew that she would still be miserable.
It was because she loved Lord Castleton.
She recalled what her other sister, Victoria, had said about being in love. She knew she fulfilled all the conditions.
She thought about Lord Castleton all the time, he made her feel all fluttery whenever he was near and his presence made life so much brighter.
Nothing had ever been as exciting as playing the duet in the concert with him.
It was hopeless, though. Not only was she engaged to Sir Thomas, Lord Castleton was not in love with her. He thought of her as a girl who needed guidance, the daughter of a friend of his.
Her eyes filled with tears as she remembered how she had shouted at him. He had looked astonished. Which was not surprising.
Justina had never felt more miserable in her whole life.
After her rudeness to him in the restaurant, Lord Castleton would never want to speak to her again.
She found the ship and hurried up the gangway, hoping she would not meet anyone. She wanted nothing more than to find her cabin and burst into tears.
Immediately she reached the deck, however, Faith and Charity appeared. They looked immensely pleased with themselves.
“Justina!” they both shouted. “Do look, we are engaged!”
Two hands were thrust before her. Each wore a small diamond ring on the fourth finger.
“Mama is overcome with happiness,” said Charity. “She thinks we have been very clever.”
“And indeed we can announce our engagements immediately,” pouted Faith. “Mama says she knows Papa will approve because Tony and Bertie are model soldiers.”
“Won’t you wish us happy, Justina?” gloated Charity.
“Of course,” said Justina, sincerely pleased for them.
“I think you have found the best of men.”
She kissed both of the girls.
“Will you do us a great favour?” asked Charity.
“If I can,” said Justina, thinking that all she wanted was to get away from them.
Their evident happiness only increased her misery.
“Mama insists we exercise Muffin now the noon heat has passed over, but Tony and Bertie want us to go to the Telegraph Office to send messages to their parents and to Papa,” said Faith.
“Of course I will,” said Justina. “I love exercising Muffin.”
She meant it. The little dog had given her so many happy hours with Lord Castleton and Breck.
It would not be the same on her own, but it would still be better than collapsing in tears in her cabin.
On the upper deck she found Harry throwing a ball to Breck and frustrated squeals were coming from Muffin’s kennel.
“Why,” exclaimed Justina. “I see you have found something to wear.”
Harry grinned at her.
“It’s a bell boy’s uniform. The Captain said I could wear it until something more suitable came along.”
The kennel Steward came and opened up Muffin’s kennel.
“Are you going to exercise a dog as well?” cried a delighted Harry. “That’s great! I say, isn’t Lord Castleton swell? I think he’s a corker.”
He threw the ball and both dogs streaked after it.
“Lord Castleton says he’s going to speak to my father about my school.”
Justina thought she had never seen such a change in anyone as in Harry. Gone was the bedraggled and miserable little boy of last night. In his place was a youngster eager to get on with life.
Breck brought the ball back and dropped it at her feet. She picked it up and threw it again. This time it was Muffin who retrieved it, catching it in her mouth after the first bounce.
“I say, isn’t that dog clever!” admired Harry.
“We’d better be careful about throwing the ball too far, we don’t want it to go overboard,” said Justina as he threw it enthusiastically once more.
“So, Justina, this is where you have got to.”
Her heart sank as she turned around.
Sir Thomas looked as angry as she had ever seen him.
“What is this I hear about you going off to lunch with Castleton?”
Justina summoned her courage.
“He said there was a special invitation – from Lord Cromer’s representative – and I was asked – because of my father,” she stammered.
“Don’t tell me any more of your lies. One of my whist chums saw you lunching together. There was no representative of Lord Cromer or anyone else with you.”
Muffin took the ball to Harry,
who picked it up and stood nervously bouncing it on the deck.
“He wanted to tell me what had happened with Harry,” said Justina, becoming angry herself. “There was nothing for you to get agitated about.”
“So you say.”
The white patches appeared again on either side of his nose.
Harry bounced the ball some more. Breck, obviously realising that no one was going to throw it for the moment, settled down onto the deck. Muffin, though, was gazing eagerly at Harry as he rhythmically bounced the ball.
“Boy, do you have to do that?” Sir Thomas snarled, sounding even more infuriated.
Justina took a deep breath. Any minute now he would grab her by the arm in one of his punishing grips, thrust his face into hers and make some demand.
She had had enough.
“Don’t talk to Harry like that,” she said spiritedly.
“Don’t you talk to me like that,” he responded.
Harry was rooted to the spot throwing the ball from one hand to the other.
Justina took a deep breath. Before, though, she could say anything, Sir Thomas wrenched the ball away from Harry and threw it into the sea.
“I told you not to do that,” he shouted.
Then they all watched, transfixed, as Muffin ran, jumped and sailed through the railings after the ball.
Justina screamed and ran to the side. Far below she could see the little dog thrashing around in the water.
“Do something!” she cried to Sir Thomas.
“Idiotic animal. Serves it right if it drowns.”
“I’ll fetch her,” yelled Harry.
He stripped off his jacket, nimbly ducked between the railings and jumped in after the dog.
“No, Harry!” howled Justina, too late to stop him.
She looked frantically round the deck, but the Steward was not to be seen.
Breck rose to his feet and wandered over. Justina grabbed his collar.
Then she saw a lifebelt hanging on the railings. She thrust Breck at Sir Thomas and told him to take hold of him.
Too surprised to do anything else, he hung onto the dog.
It only took Justina a moment to unfasten the lifebelt and throw it in after Harry.
It landed not far from him.
The dock was busy with small craft, but their ship was in a quiet area and no one seemed to have seen either the dog or the boy splash into the water.
Touching the Stars Page 14