Empire of Ivory Page 0,121

degree of apology embodied in this offer, and immediately said, "I do not think it can be recommended. We could easily find ourselves blown to Rio on the easterlies, and even though both the cure and word of the loss of the Cape must precede us home, our formation must still be needed urgently back in England."

Riley as gratefully received this gesture in return, and they walked several passes up and down the deck much more comfortably together. "Of course we cannot lose a moment," Riley said, "and for my own part I have reason enough to wish us home again, as quickly as we might go, or thought I did, until I realized she meant to be obstinate; but, Laurence, I beg you will forgive me for speaking freely: I would be grateful for a headwind all the way, if it meant we should not arrive before she has married me."

The other aviators had already begun referring, in uncharitable terms, to what they viewed as Riley's quixotic behavior, Chenery going so far as to say, "If he will not leave off harassing poor Harcourt, one will have to do something; but how is he to be worked on?"

Laurence had rather more sympathy for Riley's plight; he was a little shocked by Catherine's refusal to marry rather than burn, when the plain choice was put before her, and he was forcibly reminded to regret Reverend Erasmus, for the lack of what he was sure would have been that gentleman's warm and forceful counsel in favor of the marriage. Mr. Britten, Riley's official chaplain, assigned by the Admiralty, could not have brought a moral argument to bear on anyone, even if he were made sober long enough to do so.

"But at least he is ordained," Riley said, "so there would be no difficulty about the thing whatsoever; everything would be quite legal. But she will not hear of it. And she cannot say, in fairness," he added half-defiantly, "that it is because I am some sort of scoundrel, because I did not try to speak before; it was not as though - I was not the one who - " then cutting himself off hastily, instead ended more plaintively by saying, "and, I did not know how to begin. Laurence, has she no family, who might prevail on her?"

"No; quite alone in the world," Laurence said. "And, Tom, you must know that she cannot leave the service: Lily cannot be spared."

"Well," Riley said reluctantly, "if no one else can be found to take the beast on," a notion of which Laurence did not bother to try and disabuse him, "but it does not matter: I am not such an outrageous scrub as to abandon her. And the governor was kind enough to tell me that Mrs. Grey is perfectly willing to receive her: generous beyond what anyone might expect, and it would surely make everything easy for her in England; they have a large acquaintance, in the best circles; but of course not until we are married, and she will not listen to reason."

"Perhaps she fears the disapproval of your family," Laurence said, more from a motive of consolation than conviction; he was sure Catherine had not given a thought to the feelings of Riley's family, nor would have, if she had determined on the marriage.

"I have already promised her that they would do all that is proper, and so they would," Riley said. "I do not mean to say it is the sort of match they would have looked out for me; but I have my capital, and can marry to please myself without any accusation of imprudence, at least. I dare say that my father at least will not care two pins, if only it is a boy; my brother's wife has not managed anything but girls, the last four years ago, and everything entailed," he finished, very nearly flinging up his hands.

"But it is all nonsense, Laurence," Catherine said, equally exasperated, when he approached her. "He expects me to resign the service."

"I believe," Laurence said, "that I have conveyed to him the impossibility of such a thing, and he is reconciled to the necessity, if not pleased by it; and you must see," he added, "the very material importance of the circumstance of the entailment."

"I do not see, at all," she said. "It is something to do with his father's estate? What has it to do with me, or the child? He has an older brother, has he