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When the old ruddy postman came beating along the sandy road on his
tricycle one felt the handle…bars ought to have been oars。
Bill Hunt put down his book。 〃Letters；〃 he said complacently； and
they all waited。 But； heartless postmanO malignant world！ There was
only one； a fat one for Isabel。 Not even a paper。
〃And mine's only from William；〃 said Isabel mournfully。
〃From Williamalready？〃
〃He's sending you back your marriage lines as a gentle reminder。〃
〃Does everybody have marriage lines？ I thought they were only for
servants。〃
〃Pages and pages！ Look at her！ A Lady reading a Letter；〃 said
Dennis。
〃My darling； precious Isabel。〃 Pages and pages there were。 As
Isabel read on her feeling of astonishment changed to a stifled feeling。
What on earth had induced William 。。。？ How extraordinary it was。。。What
could have made him 。。。？ She felt confused； more and more excited；
even frightened。 It was just like William。 Was it？ It was absurd； of
course； it must be absurd； ridiculous。 〃Ha； ha； ha！ Oh dear！〃 What
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was she to do？ Isabel flung back in her chair and laughed till she
couldn't stop laughing。
〃Do； do tell us；〃 said the others。 〃You must tell us。〃
〃I'm longing to；〃 gurgled Isabel。 She sat up； gathered the letter； and
waved it at them。 〃Gather round；〃 she said。 〃Listen； it's too marvellous。
A love…letter！〃
〃A love…letter！ But how divine！〃 〃Darling； precious Isabel。〃 But
she had hardly begun before their laughter interrupted her。
〃Go on； Isabel； it's perfect。〃
〃It's the most marvellous find。〃
〃Oh； do go on； Isabel！〃
〃God forbid； my darling； that I should be a drag on your happiness。〃
〃Oh！ oh！ oh！〃
〃Sh！ sh！ sh！〃
And Isabel went on。 When she reached the end they were hysterical：
Bobby rolled on the turf and almost sobbed。
〃You must let me have it just as it is； entire； for my new book；〃 said
Dennis firmly。 〃I shall give it a whole chapter。〃
〃Oh； Isabel；〃 moaned Moira； 〃that wonderful bit about holding you in
his arms！〃
〃I always thought those letters in divorce cases were made up。 But
they pale before this。〃
〃Let me hold it。 Let me read it； mine own self；〃 said Bobby Kane。
But； to their surprise； Isabel crushed the letter in her hand。 She was
laughing no longer。 She glanced quickly at them all； she looked
exhausted。 〃No； not just now。 Not just now；〃 she stammered。
And before they could recover she had run into the house； through the
hall； up the stairs into her bedroom。 Down she sat on the side of the bed。
〃How vile； odious； abominable； vulgar；〃 muttered Isabel。 She pressed
her eyes with her knuckles and rocked to and fro。 And again she saw
them； but not four； more like forty； laughing； sneering； jeering； stretching
out their hands while she read them William's letter。 Oh； what a
loathsome thing to have done。 How could she have done it！ 〃God
forbid； my darling； that I should be a drag on your happiness。〃 William！
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Isabel pressed her face into the pillow。 But she felt that even the grave
bedroom knew her for what she was； shallow； tinkling； vain。。。
Presently from the garden below there came voices。
〃Isabel； we're all going for a bathe。 Do come！〃
〃Come； thou wife of William！〃
〃Call her once before you go； call once yet！〃
Isabel sat up。 Now was the moment； now she must decide。 Would
she go with them； or stay here and write to William。 Which； which
should it be？ 〃I must make up my mind。〃 Oh； but how could there be
any question？ Of course she would stay here and write。
〃Titania！〃 piped Moira。
〃Isa…bel？〃
No； it was too difficult。 〃I'llI'll go with them； and write to William
later。 Some other time。 Later。 Not now。 But I shall certainly write；〃
thought Isabel hurriedly。
And； laughing； in the new way； she ran down the stairs。
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8。 THE VOYAGE。
The Picton boat was due to leave at half…past eleven。 It was a
beautiful night； mild； starry； only when they got out of the cab and started
to walk down the Old Wharf that jutted out into the harbour； a faint wind
blowing off the water ruffled under Fenella's hat； and she put up her hand
to keep it on。 It was dark on the Old Wharf； very dark； the wool sheds；
the cattle trucks； the cranes standing up so high； the little squat railway
engine； all seemed carved out of solid darkness。 Here and there on a
rounded wood… pile； that was like the stalk of a huge black mushroom；
there hung a lantern； but it seemed afraid to unfurl its timid； quivering
light in all that blackness； it burned softly； as if for itself。
Fenella's father pushed on with quick； nervous strides。 Beside him
her grandma bustled along in her crackling black ulster； they went so fast
that she had now and again to give an undignified little skip to keep up
with them。 As well as her luggage strapped into a neat sausage； Fenella
carried clasped to her her grandma's umbrella； and the handle； which was
a swan's head； kept giving her shoulder a sharp little peck as if it too
wanted her to hurry。。。Men； their caps pulled down； their collars turned up；
swung by； a few women all muffled scurried along； and one tiny boy； only
his little black arms and legs showing out of a white woolly shawl； was
jerked along angrily between his father and mother； he looked like a baby
fly that had fallen into the cream。
Then suddenly； so suddenly that Fenella and her grandma both leapt；
there sounded from behind the largest wool shed； that had a trail of smoke
hanging over it； 〃Mia…oo…oo…O…O！〃
〃First whistle；〃 said her father briefly； and at that moment they came in
sight