Jalna: Books 1-4: The Building of Jalna / Morning at Jalna / Mary Wakefield / Young Renny by Mazo de la Roche Page B
Authors: Mazo de la Roche
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whimpering baby in her arms.
“Will the ship sink?” she asked.
“Certainly not. Don’t be alarmed,” said Philip. He threw open the door.
Conway stood there supporting himself by the brass railing which ran along the passage. He wore a bright-coloured dressing gown and, even in the excitement of the moment, Philip noticed how it heightened his resemblance to the Knave of Diamonds. With the door open, the noise of tramping feet and vehement shoutings, the roar of the steadily rising squall, the thunder and rattle of canvas and tackle, were increased. The sails were being lowered.
“They’re lowering the sails!” shouted Conway, but his voice came as no more than a whisper. “It’s blowing a terrible gale.”
His brother stood close behind him, clinging to the railing. He looked green with seasickness. Adeline said to him: —
“Come in and lie down in my berth, Sholto. You must keep the baby while we go to see the Captain.”
The boy obediently stumbled into the cabin and threw himself on to the berth.
“Oh, I’m so ill!” he moaned.
Adeline placed the baby beside him.
“You are not to come, Adeline,” Philip shouted.
Her eyes flashed rebellion. She gripped his arm in her hands. “I will come!” she shouted back.
The vessel gave a heave that sent them all staggering into one corner of the cabin. Mrs. Cameron now appeared in the doorway. She had a shawl wrapped about her head and she was holding Mary closely to her, as though determined not to be parted from her at the moment of sinking. But she spoke calmly.
“What is wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing but a leak, ma’am. We are going to see the Captain.” Philip’s tone, his very presence, were reassuring.
“We will go too.” They saw the words on her lips though they could not hear them.
Clinging to the rail and to each other Philip and Adeline gained the companionway. They found the Captain and the first officer supervising the lowering of the sails. The great canvas thundered deckward as in terrifying capitulation. The stark masts looked suddenly fragile and the ship vulnerable. The wind blew with terrific force and green walls of water reared themselves, then came crashing against the side of the rolling ship. The heaving wash of the waters was palely illuminated by a cloud-bound moon, that only now and again really showed herself. Adeline had seen storms at sea before this and they were tropic storms, but the ship had been larger, the company more numerous. There was a loneliness about this storm. The littlegroup of people seemed helpless, the wind was piercingly cold. However, the Captain spoke with equanimity.
“It’s nothing but a squall,” he said in his hearty, Yorkshire accent. “I’ve been round the Cape many times myself and this is naught but a puff of wind. So you’d best go back to your berths, ladies, and not worry.”
Above the noise of the storm came confused shoutings and tramping from the companionway. The steerage passengers were pouring up from below. They looked wild-eyed, rough and terrified.
Captain Bradley strode over to them.
“What does this mean?” he demanded.
The second mate shouted back — “I couldn’t keep them down there, sir! The water’s pouring in below.”
The Captain looked grim. He pressed his way through the crowd, ordering them to descend with him, which they did in great confusion.
Adeline heard him shout — “All hands to the pumps!”
Philip was patting her on the back. He was smiling at her. She smiled bravely back. He raised his voice and said — “The squall is passing. Everything will be all right.”
“Take Mrs. Cameron’s arm,” she said. “She looks ready to drop.”
Mary Cameron had left her mother’s side. Conway Court had his arm about her. Neither of them looked frightened but they both wore expressions of pale hilarity. Philip helped Mrs. Cameron back to her cabin. The wind was falling. Yet the sea was still heavy with great thundering waves and the
“Will the ship sink?” she asked.
“Certainly not. Don’t be alarmed,” said Philip. He threw open the door.
Conway stood there supporting himself by the brass railing which ran along the passage. He wore a bright-coloured dressing gown and, even in the excitement of the moment, Philip noticed how it heightened his resemblance to the Knave of Diamonds. With the door open, the noise of tramping feet and vehement shoutings, the roar of the steadily rising squall, the thunder and rattle of canvas and tackle, were increased. The sails were being lowered.
“They’re lowering the sails!” shouted Conway, but his voice came as no more than a whisper. “It’s blowing a terrible gale.”
His brother stood close behind him, clinging to the railing. He looked green with seasickness. Adeline said to him: —
“Come in and lie down in my berth, Sholto. You must keep the baby while we go to see the Captain.”
The boy obediently stumbled into the cabin and threw himself on to the berth.
“Oh, I’m so ill!” he moaned.
Adeline placed the baby beside him.
“You are not to come, Adeline,” Philip shouted.
Her eyes flashed rebellion. She gripped his arm in her hands. “I will come!” she shouted back.
The vessel gave a heave that sent them all staggering into one corner of the cabin. Mrs. Cameron now appeared in the doorway. She had a shawl wrapped about her head and she was holding Mary closely to her, as though determined not to be parted from her at the moment of sinking. But she spoke calmly.
“What is wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing but a leak, ma’am. We are going to see the Captain.” Philip’s tone, his very presence, were reassuring.
“We will go too.” They saw the words on her lips though they could not hear them.
Clinging to the rail and to each other Philip and Adeline gained the companionway. They found the Captain and the first officer supervising the lowering of the sails. The great canvas thundered deckward as in terrifying capitulation. The stark masts looked suddenly fragile and the ship vulnerable. The wind blew with terrific force and green walls of water reared themselves, then came crashing against the side of the rolling ship. The heaving wash of the waters was palely illuminated by a cloud-bound moon, that only now and again really showed herself. Adeline had seen storms at sea before this and they were tropic storms, but the ship had been larger, the company more numerous. There was a loneliness about this storm. The littlegroup of people seemed helpless, the wind was piercingly cold. However, the Captain spoke with equanimity.
“It’s nothing but a squall,” he said in his hearty, Yorkshire accent. “I’ve been round the Cape many times myself and this is naught but a puff of wind. So you’d best go back to your berths, ladies, and not worry.”
Above the noise of the storm came confused shoutings and tramping from the companionway. The steerage passengers were pouring up from below. They looked wild-eyed, rough and terrified.
Captain Bradley strode over to them.
“What does this mean?” he demanded.
The second mate shouted back — “I couldn’t keep them down there, sir! The water’s pouring in below.”
The Captain looked grim. He pressed his way through the crowd, ordering them to descend with him, which they did in great confusion.
Adeline heard him shout — “All hands to the pumps!”
Philip was patting her on the back. He was smiling at her. She smiled bravely back. He raised his voice and said — “The squall is passing. Everything will be all right.”
“Take Mrs. Cameron’s arm,” she said. “She looks ready to drop.”
Mary Cameron had left her mother’s side. Conway Court had his arm about her. Neither of them looked frightened but they both wore expressions of pale hilarity. Philip helped Mrs. Cameron back to her cabin. The wind was falling. Yet the sea was still heavy with great thundering waves and the
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