Midsummer's Eve

"Just for a while. It would have been forgotten soon. This time next year you would hardly think of me at all.”

"What nonsense! I should always think of you." I suddenly realized that Matthew Hume knew our secret.

I said to him: "I'm sorry you've been brought into all this.”

"I thank God I was. It was fortuitous. Here I was just at the right moment. There is a purpose in it. I was sent on this ship for just this.”

He was, of course, an idealist and I thought at the moment I needed someone who was practical, like either of my parents.

"Yes," said Helena, "I was going to do it. I wanted it to seem like an accident.

It could have. It could seem as though I had come up here for some fresh air and fallen overboard.”

"Helena, how could you think of doing such a thing? How could you hurt us so!”

"I didn't think. I just believed that it would be better for us all.”

I put my arm round her and held her against me.

I said: "I am going to take you back to the cabin. You're going to lie down.”

"No," she said. "I want to stay here. I feel comforted by you ... both of you.

Matthew knows about everything. I've told him.”

"I knew there was some trouble," he said. "I did not know of what kind. I have just been praying that I could help, and this was God's answer. I was here at the right moment.”

"You saved me from that," said Helena.

"Thank you, Matthew," I said.

"Now we have to convince her that she must never try to do this again. It's wicked.

It's criminal. It's taking life ... your own and Your child's.”

"Yes," said Helena, "I know. But I felt so lost and frightened. I really don't know how I can go on. I know that Annora and her parents will look after me until the baby is born, but what then? I've got to go on for the rest of my life with everyone knowing that I have a child and no husband.

How can I do that?”

"You can," I said. "We're going to help you.”

Silence fell on us and we sat there for a long time listening to the sea thrashing the sides of the ship.

There seemed to grow up between Helena and Matthew a special relationship. He had saved her and I was sure he could not help feeling a glow of satisfaction because of that. Anyone would be gratified to save someone's life-but with Matthew it went deeper than that. He had made it his mission in life to succour his fellow human beings and Helena had given him the most obvious chance he had ever had.

He talked to her a great deal about his object in life. I would come upon them sitting in the alcove; he would be talking and she would be staring out to sea; whether she was listening or not I was not sure, but she sat on silently while he talked.

We went ashore at Capetown-a party of us, as we had done in Madeira. It was wonderful, after so much rough weather at sea, to be on dry land and in warm sunshine. Moreover Capetown will always be for me one of the most beautiful places in the world. I think it was because I felt happy on that day.

I was so relieved that Helena was still with us. I could not have borne it if she had succeeded. In my heart I should have blamed Joe and I could never forget the sight of him, standing there putting the incriminating papers into his pocket. Between them he and Uncle Peter had ruined Helena's life; and I had played my little part in the drama by making Joe's task easy.

But she had been saved in time by Matthew and from now on I was going to be extra watchful. I looked at the blue calm waters, the great Table Mountain and the beautiful Bay and I felt more at peace than I had for a long time.

The day passed all too quickly and we were at sea again. Now we were in the calm and peaceful waters of the Indian Ocean and delightful weather seemed to have its effect on us all.

Helena said to me: "I wish I could go on sailing like this forever. I never want this to stop. But it will have to soon and then ...”

I said: "Remember we are here with you, and when the baby is we are going to love it so much that everything will have been worthwhile." "Promise you won't leave me," she said. "Promise you'll stay with roe forever.”

"I will be with you as long as you need me.

She smiled and seemed almost happy.

We were astounded when the news broke.

Matthew announced it after we left the dinner table. There were my parents, Jacco and I, and of course Matthew and Helena and the prevosts.

Matthew said: "Helena and I are going to be married.”

We all stared at them. We had seen no real sign that there was any special attraction between them. Of course they had talked now and then, but Matthew was so enthusiastic about his mission in life that he talked earnestly about it to anyone who would listen.

For a few seconds no one spoke. Jacco recovered himself first.

"Well, congratulations. They say this sort of thing does happen on ships.”

"Helena and I have made up our minds," said Matthew. "We shall be married as soon as we reach Sydney.”

My mother kissed Helena and I said: "I hope you will be very happy, dear Helena.”

"This calls for a celebration," said my father. "I wonder what they can offer us.”