at Roberta and shook his head. ‘The only thing I seem to have any inclination for is writing nonsense-rhymes and playing cricket and I’m terribly bad at both. I adore dressing-up, of course, but only in funny noses and false beards, and we all like doing that, even Daddy, so I don’t imagine it indicates the stage as a career. I suppose I shall have to try and win the heart of an ugly heiress. I can’t hope to fascinate a pretty one.’
‘Oh,’ cried Roberta in a fury, ‘don’t pretend to be so feeble!’
‘I’m not pretending, alas.’
‘And don’t be so affected. Alas!’
‘But it’s true, Robin. We are feeble. We’re museum pieces. Carryovers from another age. Two generations ago we didn’t bother about what we would do when we grew up. We went into regiments, or politics, and lived on large estates. The younger sons had younger sons’ compartments and either fitted them nicely, or else went raffishly to the dogs and were hauled back by the head of the family. Everything was all ready for us from the moment we were born.’
Henry paused, wagged his head sadly and continued:
‘Now look at us! My papa is really an amiable dilettante. So, I suppose, would I be if I could go back into the setting, but you can’t do that without money. Our trouble is that we go on behaving in the grand leisured manner without the necessary backing. It’s very dishonest of us, but we’re conditioned to it. We’re the victims of inherited behaviourism.’
‘I don’t know what that means.’
‘Nor do I but didn’t it sound grand?’
‘I think that perhaps you got it a bit wrong.’
‘Do you?’ asked Henry anxiously. ‘Anyway, Robin, we shan’t last long at this rate. A dreadful time is coming when we shall be obliged to do something to justify our existence. Make money or speeches or something. When the last of the money goes we’ll be for it. The ones with brains and energy may survive but they’ll be starting from a long way behind scratch. They say that if you want a job in the city it’s wise to speak with an accent and pretend you’ve been to a board school. A hollow mockery, because you’ve found out the moment you have to do sums or write letters.’
‘But,’ said Robin, ‘your sort of education –’
‘Suits me. It’s an admirable preparation for almost everything except an honest job of work.’
‘I don’t think that’s true.’
‘Don’t you? Perhaps you’re right and it’s just our family that’s mad of itself without any excuse.’
‘You’re a nice family. I love every one of you.’
‘Darling Robin.’ Henry reached out a hand and patted her. ‘Don’t be too fond of us.’
‘My mother,’ said Robin, ‘says you’ve all got such a tremendous amount of charm.’
‘Does she?’ To Robin’s surprise Henry’s face became faintly pink. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘perhaps if your mother is right, that may tide us over until Uncle G. pops off. Something has got to do it. Are there bums in New Zealand?’
‘What do you mean? Don’t be common.’
‘My innocent old Robin Grey! A bum is a gentleman in a bowler hat who comes to stay until you pay your bills.’
‘Henry! How awful!’
‘Frightful,’ agreed Henry who was watching a hawk.
‘I mean how shaming.’
‘You soon get used to them. I remember one who made me a catapult when I was home for the holidays. That was the time Uncle G. paid up.’
‘But aren’t you ever – ever –’
Roberta felt herself go scarlet and was silent.
‘Ashamed of ourselves?’
‘Well –’
‘Listen,’ said Henry. ‘I can hear voices.’
It was Frid and the twins. They were coming up the bush track and seemed to be in a state of excitement. In a moment they began shouting:
‘Henry! Where are you-oou? Henry!’
‘Hallo!’ Henry shouted.
The manuka scrub on the edge of the bush was agitated and presently three Lampreys scrambled out into the open. The twins had been riding and still wore their beautiful English jodhpurs. Frid, on the contrary, was dressed in a bathing suit.
‘I say, what do you think?’ they cried.
‘What?’
‘Such a thrill! Daddy’s got a marvellous offer for Deepacres,’ panted Frid.
‘We’ll be able to pay our bills,’ added Colin. And they all shouted together: ‘And we’re going back to England.’
Now that the last trunk was closed and had been dragged away by an impatient steward, the cabin seemed to have lost all its character. Surveying it by lamplight, for it was still long before dawn, Roberta felt that she had relinquished her ownership and was only there on sufferance. Odd scraps of paper lay about the floor, the wardrobe door stood open, across the dressing-table lay a trail of spilt powder. The unfamiliar black dress and overcoat in which she would go ashore hung on the peg inside the door and seemed to move stealthily, and of their own accord, from side to side. The ship still creaked with that pleasing air of absorption in its own progress. Outside in the dark the lonely sea still foamed past the porthole, and footsteps still thudded on the deck above Roberta’s head. But all these dear and familiar sounds only added to her feeling of desolation. The voyage was over. Already the ship was astir with agitated passengers. Slowly the blackness outside turned to grey. For the last time she watched the solemn procession of the horizon, and the dawn-light on cold ruffles of foam.
She put on the black dress and, for the hundredth time, wondered if it was the right sort of garment in which to land. It had a white collar and there was a white cockade in her hat so perhaps she would not look too obviously in mourning.
‘I’ve come thirteen thousand miles,’ thought Roberta. ‘Half-way round the world. Now I’m near the top of the world. These are northern seas and those fading stars are the stars of northern skies.’
She leant out of the porthole and the sound of the sea surged up into her ears. A cold dawn-wind blew her hair back. She looked forward and saw a string of pale lights strung like a necklace across a wan greyness. Her heart thumped violently, for this was her first sight of England. For a long time she
