… well, not exactly sharing, but being allowed to follow in your footsteps, shall I say?”
My parents were clearly delighted, which showed they could emerge from the rarified atmosphere in which they usually lived to bask in a little flattery.
He was asked to luncheon, when we discussed the journey and my father, encouraged by my mother, went on to talk of the subject of the lectures he would be giving in South Africa and North America.
I could only think: he will be on the ship with us. He will be in foreign places with us. And a considerable excitement had been injected into the prospect.
In a way it took the edge off my apprehension.
Lucas Lorimer’s presence would certainly add a spice to the adventure.
Boarding a ship for the first time was an exhilarating experience. I had driven to Tilbury with my parents and had sat demurely listening to their conversation on the way down, which was mainly about the lectures my father would give. I was rather pleased about this because it relieved me of the strain of talking. He did refer to Lucas Lorimer and wondered how his talk would be received.
“He will have only a superficial knowledge of the subject, of course, but I have heard he has a light-hearted way of representing it. Not the right approach, but a little lightness seems to be acceptable now and then.”
“He will be talking to people of knowledge, I hope,” said my mother.
“Oh yes.” My father turned to smile at me.
“If there are any questions you wish to ask, you must not hesitate to do so, Rosetta.”
“Yes,” added my mother, ‘if you know a little it will enhance your enjoyment of the lectures. “
I thanked them and fancied they were not entirely dissatisfied with me.
I had a cabin next to my parents which I was to share
with a girl who was going to South Africa to join her parents who were farming there. She had left school, and was a little older than I. Her name was Mary Kelpin and she was pleasant enough. She had travelled this way several times and was more knowledgeable than I. She chose the lower of the two bunks, which I did not mind in the least. I imagined I should have felt a little stifled sleeping below.
She meticulously divided the wardrobe we had to share; and I thought that, for the time we were at sea, we should get on well.
It was early evening when we set sail and almost immediately Lucas Lorimer discovered us. I heard his voice in my parents’ cabin. I did not join them but decided to explore the ship. I went up the companionway to the public rooms and then out to the deck to take the last glimpse of the dock before we sailed. I was leaning on the rail studying the activity below when he came upon me.
“I guessed you’d be here,” he said.
“You’d want to see the ship sail.”
“Yes, I did,” I replied.
“Isn’t it amusing that we are taking the trip together?”
“Amusing?”
“I am sure it will be. A delightful coincidence.”
“It has all come about very naturally. Can you call that a coincidence?”
“I can see you are a stickler for the niceties of the English language. You must help me compile my speech.”
“Haven’t you done it yet? My father has been working on his for ages.”
“He’s a professional. Mine will be very different. I shall go on about the mysticism of the East. A sort of Arabian Nights flavour.”
“Don’t forget you will be talking to experts.”
“Oh, I-hope to appeal to a wider audience the imaginative, romantic sort.”
“I am sure you will.”
“I’m so glad we’re sailing together,” he said.
“And now you are no longer a schoolgirl … that is exciting in itself, is it not?”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
“On the threshold of life … and adventure.”
The sound of a hooter rent the air.
“I think that means we are about to sail. Yes, it does. Adieu, England. Welcome new lands … new sights … new adventures.”
He was laughing. I felt exhilarated and glad because he was with
My parents were clearly delighted, which showed they could emerge from the rarified atmosphere in which they usually lived to bask in a little flattery.
He was asked to luncheon, when we discussed the journey and my father, encouraged by my mother, went on to talk of the subject of the lectures he would be giving in South Africa and North America.
I could only think: he will be on the ship with us. He will be in foreign places with us. And a considerable excitement had been injected into the prospect.
In a way it took the edge off my apprehension.
Lucas Lorimer’s presence would certainly add a spice to the adventure.
Boarding a ship for the first time was an exhilarating experience. I had driven to Tilbury with my parents and had sat demurely listening to their conversation on the way down, which was mainly about the lectures my father would give. I was rather pleased about this because it relieved me of the strain of talking. He did refer to Lucas Lorimer and wondered how his talk would be received.
“He will have only a superficial knowledge of the subject, of course, but I have heard he has a light-hearted way of representing it. Not the right approach, but a little lightness seems to be acceptable now and then.”
“He will be talking to people of knowledge, I hope,” said my mother.
“Oh yes.” My father turned to smile at me.
“If there are any questions you wish to ask, you must not hesitate to do so, Rosetta.”
“Yes,” added my mother, ‘if you know a little it will enhance your enjoyment of the lectures. “
I thanked them and fancied they were not entirely dissatisfied with me.
I had a cabin next to my parents which I was to share
with a girl who was going to South Africa to join her parents who were farming there. She had left school, and was a little older than I. Her name was Mary Kelpin and she was pleasant enough. She had travelled this way several times and was more knowledgeable than I. She chose the lower of the two bunks, which I did not mind in the least. I imagined I should have felt a little stifled sleeping below.
She meticulously divided the wardrobe we had to share; and I thought that, for the time we were at sea, we should get on well.
It was early evening when we set sail and almost immediately Lucas Lorimer discovered us. I heard his voice in my parents’ cabin. I did not join them but decided to explore the ship. I went up the companionway to the public rooms and then out to the deck to take the last glimpse of the dock before we sailed. I was leaning on the rail studying the activity below when he came upon me.
“I guessed you’d be here,” he said.
“You’d want to see the ship sail.”
“Yes, I did,” I replied.
“Isn’t it amusing that we are taking the trip together?”
“Amusing?”
“I am sure it will be. A delightful coincidence.”
“It has all come about very naturally. Can you call that a coincidence?”
“I can see you are a stickler for the niceties of the English language. You must help me compile my speech.”
“Haven’t you done it yet? My father has been working on his for ages.”
“He’s a professional. Mine will be very different. I shall go on about the mysticism of the East. A sort of Arabian Nights flavour.”
“Don’t forget you will be talking to experts.”
“Oh, I-hope to appeal to a wider audience the imaginative, romantic sort.”
“I am sure you will.”
“I’m so glad we’re sailing together,” he said.
“And now you are no longer a schoolgirl … that is exciting in itself, is it not?”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
“On the threshold of life … and adventure.”
The sound of a hooter rent the air.
“I think that means we are about to sail. Yes, it does. Adieu, England. Welcome new lands … new sights … new adventures.”
He was laughing. I felt exhilarated and glad because he was with
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