Part 3 (2/2)

Adelaide watched the transformation in Margaret, who had always been so independent and outspoken. She started to become attentive to Roland's every word as he held forth. Adelaide also observed the blossoming s.h.i.+pboard romances among the other couples and, in a quiet moment, mentioned it to her friend, the purser.

The purser smiled and shrugged. 'Happens every voyage. Can't blame these young fellows. Usually the young men are under contract, so they aren't allowed to marry until they've put in several years work out in the East. So when the companies they work for allow them to settle down, they begin courting in earnest. There's not much opportunity for wife hunting in the colonies so if they don't find a wife on home leave they meet her on board s.h.i.+p. Many of these young women are known as the fis.h.i.+ng fleet travelling to the East, looking for suitable husbands.'

'I suppose so. It just seems, well, rather calculated,' said Adelaide.

'Ah, aided and abetted by the moonlight, the stars and the sea. It's a time without cares. There'll be long and lonely hours for some of these chaps stationed out in the hills and jungles. And it's not without its dangers. These fellows can tell some terrifying stories. Not the sort of thing they want the ladies to hear,' added the purser.

'And do these s.h.i.+pboard liaisons last?' wondered Adelaide.

'I believe so. I've seen couples meet and sail back on home leave a few years later with youngsters in tow,' said the purser.

While Adelaide found Roland Elliott to be very polite and eligible, she couldn't imagine Margaret being happy living so far away from Australia and her family in what could be very primitive and isolated conditions. Adelaide knew from experience that, whatever Margaret might say, her young charge wouldn't like life in a foreign place surrounded by smells, filth and strange customs. But she bit her tongue and waited, knowing that the situation would resolve itself when Roland left the s.h.i.+p at Colombo.

Any disappointment Margaret felt about Roland she kept to herself. When she awoke one morning to find the s.h.i.+p engines stilled, she looked out the porthole, and exclaimed to Adelaide, 'We're in Colombo! Oh, how romantic. Look, palm trees and a beach!'

Adelaide squeezed beside Margaret. 'What a lovely looking place. Is that a fort or something?'

'Oh, look at all those little boats, how sweet,' said Margaret.

'Yes, very colourful. All selling something no doubt.'

Margaret dressed quickly and hurried onto the deck to find Roland at the railing as the liner pa.s.sed the breakwater. The s.h.i.+p was greeted by a flotilla of small, makes.h.i.+ft craft carrying excited children and adults holding up their wares.

'Goodness me, how do some of those things stay afloat?' she exclaimed. 'Wouldn't catch me in one of them. What are they selling?'

'Everything you don't need but will be enticed to buy from a fan, a necklace, a basket, to a piece of silk,' laughed Roland.

'Oh, they're coming on board!' She grasped Roland's hand. 'They've climbed up the side just like monkeys! And what's that smell?' Margaret wrinkled her nose.

'Cinnamon most likely, my dear.' Roland reached into his pocket and held up a coin, calling out to the young men and boys all shouting and waving to the pa.s.sengers from the water below. As soon as the coin left Roland's hand, the children dived into the waters of the harbour until, triumphant, one boy surfaced with the penny clenched between his teeth. Other pa.s.sengers began throwing coins, taking photos and enjoying the entertainment. Roland took Margaret's arm. 'Come on, let's see if the snake charmer has appeared on deck.'

They found a small crowd around a dark-skinned man wearing what looked to Margaret to be a length of bright cloth knotted like a baby's nappy. He was cajoling everyone for coins to be thrown on a mat in front of his lidded basket.

'Is there really a snake in there?' whispered Margaret.

'There certainly is a dangerous cobra,' said Roland with a grin.

As the man removed the basket lid and began playing a reedy flute, a snake, a curved hood over its head, swayed from the basket.

Margaret clutched Roland's arm. 'I hope it doesn't come out!'

There were squeals and laughter as the snake rose up, swaying to the music. 'These Hindu magic men are pretty amazing with their tricks,' said Roland.

Margaret merely nodded and kept hold of his arm.

The performance over, Roland announced that he was going down to breakfast. Margaret agreed to go with him even though she'd had a quick tea and toast with Adelaide earlier in their cabin.

'What is there to do here?' she asked.

'I promised to show you around, so let me surprise you,' said Roland. 'I'll organise to have my luggage taken ash.o.r.e. It won't take long. We should get away as soon as we can to go to Kandy, the old capital, which is in the highlands and is much cooler. And tonight, before the s.h.i.+p sails, I'd like to take you to dinner. Just us. Would you like that?'

They exchanged a long glance and then Margaret nodded. 'It sounds lovely.' She was determined not to show him how sad she was at the thought of their imminent parting. She'd quickly learned that Roland was a no nonsense sort of a man who was uncomfortable around sentiment and emotions. She was determined not to be the sort of woman he'd referred to as 'those teary little idiots who fall apart and get fl.u.s.tered at the smallest matter. I like strong women who are capable and who don't make a fuss'.

Adelaide had debated with herself about going with them, but she didn't like the smells of Colombo and had decided that the two were unlikely to come to any harm since Roland seemed familiar with the place. She would stay on board the s.h.i.+p.

Roland had hired a car and driver, as had several others from the s.h.i.+p, and they all headed to the ancient Sinhalese capital. In the cool hills their first stop was at the Temple of the Tooth, the name of which Margaret found amusing, until she saw the beautiful old carved temple set beside a lake and surrounded by dark green hills.

'All this for a tooth relic?'

'The Lord Buddha's tooth, my dear,' said Roland. 'This is a very sacred place.'

'Well, it's certainly a beautiful setting. And the town is quite agreeable. Far fewer beggars.'

'The last of the Sinhalese kings built Lake Bogambara from a paddy field in the early 1800s,' said Roland. 'Quite a feat. Jolly peaceful place, isn't it.'

From the temple they went to the lake to watch the elephants and their handlers bathe in the water. After a light lunch at the elegant Queen's Hotel, which impressed Margaret with its grandeur, they drove back to Colombo.

'I'll come back to the s.h.i.+p at sunset with a driver,' Roland told Margaret.

Margaret watched him as he strode away, realising how much she was going to miss him.

She dressed with great care that evening, changing her mind several times before settling on a soft muslin print dress that, while demure, floated around her figure in alluring folds. She wished she had luxuriant hair like her sister Bette's, but she pinned up her own, curling the front and sides in tight wisps in the manner of glamorous movie stars like Janet Gaynor and Jean Arthur.

Roland was waiting at the bottom of the gangplank dressed in a white dinner jacket and black trousers. The driver behind him held open the car door.

'Where are we going?' asked Margaret.

He took her hand. 'Mount Lavinia. Dinner on the hotel terrace, which overlooks a very pretty beach.'

'It sounds lovely. You know this place well.'

'I've been here a few times. My father has several business acquaintances in Ceylon. Actually, that's why I've had to disembark here, to meet with one of them who's in tea.'

'Oh, I see. Adelaide said to say goodbye from her.'

'Could you tell her from me that it's been a pleasure to have met her and I hope that the rest of her voyage is enjoyable.' He held Margaret's hand and kissed her fingertips. 'I hope you will remember this evening.'

'Oh, I will,' she said.

Roland pointed out the sights of Colombo as they drove along the coast road, the leaning coconut palms etched against the molten sunset.

Margaret felt devastated. Roland was more than a s.h.i.+pboard dinner companion and dance partner. He was the most fascinating man she had ever met. She liked hearing him discuss the politics of the empire, the future of plantation commodities, the problems and disasters of the native staff, and the vicissitudes of cricket matches at 'The Dog' with the other men. Roland always seemed very knowledgeable and secure in his position in the fraternity of planters, civil servants, military and business people and he was certainly far more sophisticated than any other man who'd paid her attention.

Roland lifted his stengah and touched the edge of her champagne gla.s.s. 'Here's to meeting a very special young woman.'

'I've so enjoyed meeting you too, Roland.' She wanted to say more but couldn't think what to say without getting teary or appearing clingy.

<script>