Read "Driven to Bay, Volume III" by Florence Marryat online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
Maggie did as he desired her, in silence, and the two stood close together in the seclusion of the spare galley. The wind roared and howled outside, and lashed the waves into a murderous fury against the proud ship that dared to plough her way through them, but Harland spoke in low, incisive tones, and every word he uttered was audible to his companion.
‘I have been thinking over what you said to me this morning,' he commenced, ‘and I felt it was quite necessary we should see each other again. The fact is, you took me so completely aback by your unexpected appearance and your vehement accusations, that I really did not know what to say to you. But you are utterly mistaken in thinking I have any _real_ intention to marry Miss Vansittart. How _can_ I have, when I am married to you? The thing is too silly to be refuted. You say you overheard me talking a lot of nonsense to her last night. I acknowledge I did. The girl has taken an inordinate fancy for me, and I don't quite see my way out of it; and so -- well you know what we men are, -- bad hats, the very best of us, when there is no one by to keep us straight, -- but I never meant anything serious by it, upon my word of honour. Don't you believe me?'