Yamina thought of how fearful she had been while being carried from the harem, of the fear she had experienced thinking that she might be discovered before the Sultan’s Caïque left the steps of the Palace and again of the fear that Lord Castleford might forget his present and she would not be taken aboard The Himalaya.

Now the fears had gone, but she was still suffering from reaction.

“Go to bed,” Lord Castleford said.

She thought that his voice was kind and he added,

“I am going on deck and I shall be away for at least an hour.”

Yamina rose to her feet and he rose too.

They stood for a moment looking at each other and it seemed to her that, although they were not speaking, they still were communicating. Something indeed was still being said and yet she was not certain what it was.

“Goodnight, Yamina!”

Lord Castleford turned and went from the cabin, shutting the door carefully behind him.

Yamina undressed and got into bed.

She expected she would find it difficult to go to sleep before Lord Castleford came back, but actually she was only vaguely conscious of his return, when he was somehow part of her dreams.

But now she was abruptly aroused from her sleep by hearing the engine stop and the anchor being lowered.

For a moment she was afraid.

What could have occurred? Could anything have happened to make them turn back and not proceed on the journey as planned?

Thoughts rushed through her mind and without meaning to she sat up in bed.

Lord Castleford must have been aware of her movement because he too roused himself and said,

“Don’t be alarmed, Yamina. I learnt from the Captain that we were to stop at Monte Santo. One of the Russian monks from a famous Monastery on Mount Athos was wounded while ministering to the soldiers in the Crimea. They intend to land him here.”

“Monte Santo!” Yamina exclaimed. “How I wish it was daylight and I could see it! They say that the Virgin Mary stayed here for some time and for centuries no woman has been allowed to contaminate the Holy Mountain.”

“It may be a legend the monks believe in,” Lord Castleford said, “but actually five years ago Lord Stratford and his wife visited Monte Santo and Lady Stratford was entertained in one of the Monasteries.”

“Once again the intrusive female influence where it was least expected,” Yamina said with laughter in her voice.

Lord Castleford had risen as he was speaking and, having put on a long robe that Jenkins had left him over a chair, he walked to the nearest porthole and drew back the curtains.

Instantly moonlight, silver and brilliant, flooded in and Yamina could see him silhouetted against it.

“Come and look,” he suggested, “then you will have no regrets at not seeing Monte Santo in the daytime.”

“I would like to do that!” Yamina exclaimed.