The Ocean's Daughter (Sequel to Sirene)

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Oceana awoke bright and early the next morning. She shot out of bed and did her morning toiletries as quickly as she could. Putting on a light jacket, for the early morning air was still a little chilly, she wanted to slip out of the house unnoticed, but was met at the bottom of the stair case by Beth. 

“My, you are up early,” Beth said with a smile.

“So are you.”

“Why are you in your jacket?”

“I just thought I would go for a little walk,” Oceana hurriedly replied and headed for the front door before Beth could ask anymore questions. Beth set her lips in a firm line.

“Oceana McNeil, you are so obvious. All of a sudden she wants to go for a walk in the morning, before even breakfast was served.” Beth made her way to the drawing room where Robert was busy pouring over the morning paper. He looked when she came in.

“Did somethin' happen to make ye so serioos?” He asked her.

“I'm not serious,” Beth argued, “and no, nothing happened, well except for Oceana suddenly deciding to go for a walk. If you were to ask me, she is going to meet up with that Chesterton fellow. Why else would she be sneaking out of the house?”

“I remember a time when sneak out of th' hoose was all ye ever did,” Robert said with a wink. Beth blushed a little from his words.

“Yes, but that was different.”

“True, Miss Patterson approves ay Lt. Chesterton while she dinnae exactly approve ay me. Allow me to remind yye, Miss Elizabeth Marie Warren, that ye an' I courted in secret fer over two months.”

Beth giggled and the sighed.

“Tell me, Beth, what is it about th' Leuitenant that ye dinnae like? Why are ye so suspicious of him? I hae only seen him once, but he seemed like a very nice fellow. An' everyone aroond him has only praise, everyone but ye.”

Beth was silent for a few minutes, trying to formulate her answer into words that Robert would understand. “It is just that I know there is more to him than he is showing,” she said at last.

“What do ye mean?”

“I mean that we do not know anything about him. When I asked him he gave some sort of evasive answer that didn't make any sense, so I logically went to Mrs. Morrely, whose husband is the captain of the ship on which Lt. Chesterton serves. And yes, while she did tell me what a brave and noble soul Lt. Chesterton was, how he saved her husband's life and how he is diligent and hard working, she could not say anything about his past. All we know about him was that the Admiral brought him up. Who were his parents, what was his family, what is his background, this is a complete mysterty to everyone.”

“And?” Robert raised his eyebrows.

“Oh, Robert, it is obvious he is hiding his past from everyone, and that is what worries me.”

“So perhaps he doesn't hae a past to boast ay and so he keeps it to himself, really, Beth, what is the problem with that?”

“It is obvious that he is hiding his past because he is not proud of it, and I worry as to what exactly he could be hiding. What if it is something dark and dangerous?”

“Oh Beth,” Robert rolled his eyes, “How can ye even jump to such conclusion? Ye know very well how London high society is prejudiced and condescendin' and perhaps it leaves him with no other choice. Of all people I would think ye should understand that better than anyone else. Did not yye also hide yer past from everyone, and give evasive answers when people asked? Maybe he also comes from some humble beginnin', but now that he is an officer and constantly in the presence of people of high social standin' he doesn't want them to behave as though he is inferior to them. For the love ay mercy, put such silly thoughts out of yer head. I think he is a good man an' if he loves Oceana and Oceana loves him then all is well.”