On its return, both ships made sail on their respective
course, exchanging "bon voyage" by signal, and soon the upper sails of
the homeward-bounder were seen dipping below the horizon: longing eyes
followed her on board the Amphitrite.
How many hurried missives had been written and despatched in that
half-hour. But as for Staines, he was a man of forethought, and had a
volume ready for his dear wife.
Lord Tadcaster wrote to Lady Cicely Treherne. His epistle, though brief,
contained a plum or two.
He wrote: "What with sailing, and fishing, and eating nothing but roast
meat, I'm quite another man."
This amused her ladyship a little, but not so much as the postscript,
which was indeed the neatest thing in its way she had met with, and she
had some experience, too.
"P.S.--I say, Cicely, I think I should like to marry you. Would you
mind?"
Let us defy time and space to give you Lady Cicely's reply: "I should
enjoy it of all things, Taddy. But, alas! I am too young."
N.B.--She was twenty-seven, and Tad sixteen. To be sure, Tad was four
feet eleven, and she was only five feet six and a half.
To return to my narrative (with apologies), this meeting of the vessels
caused a very agreeable excitement that day; but a greater was in store.
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