Andrew Jackson Hunt called out, ‘What happens if the railroad isn’t ready by the morning?’

The official shrugged. ‘You’re welcome to go by mule.’

‘By mule? And how long would that take?’

‘It’s about five hours on the railroad. By mule, it could take you days. That’s if you got there at all. The yellow fever’s bad this year.’

‘In that case, it looks as if we don’t have much choice,’ decided the woman who had chased Collis out of the ladies’ quarters the previous night. ‘Take us to the hotels.’

The company official led the way, while barefooted Jamaican porters took up the rear with the baggage. The Virginia was unloaded of her mail and her provisions, breathing and hissing and letting out an occasional chuff as her boilers were cooled off, and Collis turned back once and looked at her. She could return to New York and civilisation. God alone knew where he was going to end up.

Hannah was only a few paces ahead of him as they reached the wet railroad tracks of the company’s terminal. Already a sorry collection of mule traps was gathered there to take the ladies, overlooked by six or seven Jamaican muleteers in ragged white shirts and soiled white pants, and only one complete mouthful of teeth between the lot of them. They chewed and spat and watched the soaking, pale-faced passengers treading delicately along the boardwalk towards them, and one of them made a coarse remark which set the others cackling like castanets. Collis quickened his pace a little so that by the time Hannah was lifting her skirts to step over the first railroad track, he was right by her side. He crooked his arm and offered it to her.

‘Hannah?’ he said.

She stopped and stared at him. There were plum-coloured circles under her eyes, as if she hadn’t slept very well. Although she was carrying a small fringed parasol, her blue cape was stained with rainwater, and there were raindrops, or tears, clinging to her eyelashes.

She paused, and then turned away.

‘I don’t need any help, thank you. I’m quite capable of walking on my own two feet.’

‘Hannah, you’ve misunderstood me.’

‘I don’t think so. Now, please, we’re holding people up.’

She began to walk across the tracks, and Collis walked beside her. ‘What you saw this morning, Hannah, that was nothing but a farcical mistake. The girl was half-witted. She was only trying to show off.’

Hannah pursed her lips. ‘I see. She certainly succeeded, didn’t she?’

‘Hannah, this is a hot climate. All manner of odd things happen. But you mustn’t read damning interpretations into every one.’