Виктория Холт - The Black Opal

“I don’t understand it,” Toby had said.

“But I know it has happened.

Some say it is auto-suggestion.

“There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” There may be something in that. “

I remembered the conversation for a long time. There was certainly something unearthly about this man.

Prancing about in a strange manner, he was telling the

Chief something. A silence had fallen over the crowd and I suddenly felt they were no longer playacting. He went on twisting his body into strange contortions, pointing to the sky and making moaning noises.

And then, to my horror, he turned to Toby. He moved close to him, still moaning and swaying and pointing to the sky.

Then he turned and stood before the bowl of Kerewee. Suddenly, he picked it up and drank. Then he lifted the bowl, shaking his head back and forth, and I saw the liquid glistening on his chin. Then he laid the bowl reverently at the Chief’s feet and sat down beside Toby.

The drinking ceremony had begun. Two men carried the bowl to the Chief, who raised his hands to the sky in what appeared to be a blessing. Then he bent and drank, after which the bowl was passed to Toby, who managed it very well. There was a deep sigh throughout the crowd as the bowl was handed back to the Chief who took another drink before passing it to me.

I took the bowl and, as I did so, I almost dropped it. A little of the liquid slipped on to my dress. There was an awed silence. Hastily, I lifted the bowl and put it to my lips. I held it so that no one would be able to see how much I drank. My lips were wet with the liquid and I made a show of swallowing. The bowl was taken from me and the ceremony proceeded.

It was not until the bowl was empty and set down at the feet of the Chief and the dancing began that I felt at ease.

Then suddenly the witch doctor if that was what he was rose and began to gyrate in front of the Chief. He kept gazing up to the sky and he danced round Toby. He was shaking his head and then he began to shout, moving his body in strange contortions. Toby had risen; he shook his head and lifted his shoulders. I could not understand what he was trying to convey.

The Chief seemed to be remonstrating with him, and the people began murmuring as they shook their heads to and fro.

I wished I understood what was going on; I had a sudden notion that they were going to prevent our return to the ship and I sensed that some of the officers were uneasy too.

The sun was beginning to set and I knew that Toby was eager to get back to the ship to prepare for the midnight sailing.

He rose and, taking my arm, the officers with us, started to walk down to the shore. The Chief walked beside us, shaking his head all the time, as though in some protest. Toby kept a firm grip on my arm.

Finally we reached the boat. Toby helped me in and sprang in beside me. The others followed. There were not many of them who had accompanied us to the ceremony probably half a dozen officers at most.

These people could have stopped us with the greatest of ease, but they just stood, watching us leave, sadly shaking their heads.

“What was that all about?” I asked Toby as we moved away.

“They were trying to prevent our leaving,” he answered.

“They could easily have done that. They didn’t seem to be hostile.”

“Far from it. They wanted us to know that they were our friends. It was something to do with the wise old man.”

“The witch doctor, you mean?”

“He’s something like that. He thought we shouldn’t go. He’s seen something … some message in the sky. We should stay until tomorrow night. They don’t understand anything about the importance of time.

They see omens and such things everywhere. “

“It was kind of them to be so concerned.”

“They’re our friends. Didn’t I give them a mouth organ?

It may be they were just being especially hospitable, just telling us how sorry they were our stay was not longer so why didn’t we extend it a bit? Or perhaps it was simply something they got into their heads. It may have been something to do with your nearly dropping the stirrup cup. “

“It gave me such a fright.”

“I’m not surprised. I don’t suppose anyone ever came near to dropping it before. My dear girl, you ought to have realized you were holding a sacred emblem.”

“I did. That was why I was so nervous.”

“Well, that little jaunt is over. No more sacred drinking for a while.”

“It was all very interesting, but I was scared at one point that they were not going to allow us to get away.”

“And now, here we are, safe with the Lady of the Seas. Doesn’t she look a beauty?”

“You love the old ship, don’t you?”

“I do. But I love my daughter more.”

And at midnight we sailed.

During the early hours of the morning a strong wind blew up. I was awakened once or twice by the rocking of the ship and lay for some time listening to the creaking of her timbers. At times it seemed as though the Lady was protesting quite strongly.

During the late morning it abated a little, but there was a strong swell and it was too windy to go on deck. As night fell it worsened and I did not see Toby. I was experienced enough to know now that when the weather was bad it was necessary for him to be in charge in person and there could be no delegating to his deputies.

I retired fairly early. Sleep was not easy and I dozed fitfully. The movement of the ship was increasing. Tropical storms could be fierce and it was certain that we were close to one now. I wondered whether

Toby would attempt to take the ship into some harbour, if it were possible to find one.

I was fast asleep when I was awakened by the clanging of bells. I knew what this meant. The ship was in difficulties. We had been instructed as to what to do in such cases. One put on warm clothing, took one’s life belt and made one’s way to the nearest deck.

I fumbled with my clothes. I was thinking: If I can get to Toby . I must get to Toby.

But Toby would be at his post and there was no place for me there. But he would want me to be with him. I must find my way there.

Trembling, I buttoned up my coat and tied a scarf over my head. It was difficult to stand up and keep my balance.

I pulled open the door of my cabin and stumbled out into the alleyway.

The noise was deafening. It sounded as though something was breaking up everywhere. I staggered along to the companionway. The ship seemed different. It was hard to recognize familiar places. Furniture was lying broken in the wrong place. I could hear people shouting.

I must find my way to Toby.

I mounted the companionway. I felt a rush of air. I was now in a violent wind. I was close to the deck. There had been a door but it seemed not to be there now. Then I found I was staggering along the deck. I was unprepared for the force of the wind. It caught me and dragged me forward and then threw me back. I fell and with great difficulty scrambled to my feet. It was impossible to stand upright. I gripped a rail and stood, clinging to it. Everything seemed different.

Where was I? Nothing looked as it had before.

I was bewildered and very frightened. There was one thought which would not be dismissed. I must find Toby. We must be together.

I tried to be calm. This must be the way, although it looked different. I must find my way to the bridge. He would certainly be there. He had to look after the ship and I must be near him.

I managed to move along the deck. Now there were people everywhere.

They were letting down the lifeboats, those which such a short time before had taken us to the island.

The ship gave a sudden tilt. I was falling . sliding . I heard shouting. I tried to get up but could not move.

There was deafening noise everywhere. I heard a scream.

Someone was lifting me up.

“Toby,” I said.

“Toby.”

I was in a boat. It was uncomfortable. All I was aware of was that my leg was hurting. I was sitting on one side of the Chief, Toby was on the other. He was winking at me and saying: “Don’t let them see you are not drinking.”

Rock, rock, rock went the boat. Someone was putting something to my lips. I drank. It was fiery.

“Commonwood wouldn’t be the same now,” I heard Toby saying.

Then the rocking and oblivion.

I was on a ship. I could feel the familiar movement. Then it was quiet. I remembered. There had been a storm, but it was all right now.

I was in bed and someone was bending over me, but I was too tired to open my eyes.

The time came when I did open them. I knew for certain that I was on a ship, but it was not the Lady of the Seas. My leg hurt. I tried to move it but I couldn’t. I could feel that it was bandaged.

A woman came by. She was in the uniform of a nurse. I called to her.

She said: “Hello. So you’ve surfaced, have you?”

“Where am I?” I asked.

“On the Island Queen.”

“But…”

“We picked you up. You’re all right now. Leg came to grief, but it’s getting better.”

“What … happened?”

“You get some rest and we’ll have a long talk about it later.”

But. “

She was gone.

How had I come to be here? I was too tired to think. I had been on the Lady of the Seas. What had she said? The Island Queenf No . it was too much . and I was too tired.

I floated into oblivion. I was in the garden at Commonwood House. Mrs.

Marline was shouting at Adeline and Miss Carson was comforting her.

Then I was in the woods. Zingara was sitting on the steps of the caravan.

“I am your mother,” she was saying.

I was struggling to get out, to come back to what I vaguely knew was real. I was on a ship which was not the Lady of the Seas. Then where was Toby’s ship? And where was Toby?

“Hello,” said the nurse.

“Feeling better?”

I nodded.

“That’s the spirit. Leg’s not badly hurt. It’ll right itself in time.

You’ve had a nasty shock. “

I said: “What happened? ” “The weather was very bad. It can be like that in these seas. We picked you up. We’re taking you to Sydney. You’ve got people there, haven’t you?”

I said: “The ship … the Lady of the Seas… ?”

“It seems she was on her last legs. Been around a bit. Could be an inquiry.”

I could not grasp what she was talking about.

“Don’t you fret,” she went on.

“You’re safe now. You were one of the lucky ones.”

“The lucky ones.” I was floundering for words which would not come, perhaps because I was afraid to say them.

“What … what happened?”

“She was lost… and quite of number of poor souls with her.”

The Captain? “

“Well, dear, the Captain is always the last to leave the ship, isn’t he?”

It was the ship’s doctor who told me.

He had discovered that Toby was my father and he was very gentle.

He took my hands and said: “You see, it was a violent storm. They get them now and then in these waters. The ship couldn’t stand up to it.

Quite a number of people went down with her. I’m going to give you something to make you sleep. That’s what you need. “

I had lost him. All my happiness, all my dreams of the future . gone. An ageing vessel and a merciless sea had taken that away from me.

I had lost the one I loved above all others. I was aware of nothing but complete desolation.

Elsie was waiting for me when I arrived in Sydney. We clung together in our misery. We hardly spoke at all as we drove to the house. Then she asked a few questions about my leg. The bones were not broken but there were deep cuts and bruises. I had suffered mainly from shock and concussion.

Mabel, Adelaide and Jane were waiting, but the air of well-being had completely disappeared. It was a house in mourning.

Neither Elsie nor I could speak of him on the first night. The great comfort was that our grief was understood and shared. Something had gone from our lives which could never be regained.

I lay sleepless that night. I kept going over scenes from the past. He had filled my life, and now he had gone there was nothing left.

If only we had not been in that spot on that night. Many people had said “If only’ at some time in their lives. If only this … if only that … It was the well-worn cry of those in despair. I thought of that ceremony on the island and the way in which they had tried to hold us back. That wise old man had known that Toby was going into danger. Perhaps he did indeed have special powers. Perhaps he could see into the future. He had lived all his life on that island; he would be weather-wise. He could have seen the signs of the coming storm. He had been warning us, urging us to delay our journey. Oh, if only we had taken heed! If only … if only.