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Nicol took the cigar and allowed the older ainst the sea breeze ‘You’ll miss it Out here’

‘No, I won’t’

Perplexed, Nicol turned to hihfield said ‘See if I can crewI’irls have ed

‘You don’t feellike you’ve earned your time on land, sir?’

The captain exhaled ‘I’m not sure, Nicol, that I’d kno to be on land Not for any length of time’

Somewhere beneath their feet, the riveted nalling soazed across the repainted surface, the sectioned-off areas where her innards lay exposed to the night sky Their thoughts drifted to the engine, whose laboured efforts were apparent in the juddering, the broken trails of foa line in the water The ship knew They both felt it

Captain Highfield drew on his cigar He was in his shirt, but he didn’t seem to feel the cold ‘Did you know she served in the Pacific?’

‘Victoria?’

‘Your charge Sister Mackenzie’

‘Sir’ What was she doing now? Was she thinking of him? Unconsciously he raised his hand to his face where she had touched it He had hardly heard what the captain was saying

‘Brave woman Brave the lot of them, really Think about it This time tomorrow they’ll knohich way their future lies’

With that e for the mere fact that he had a claim to her But the way she had described hientle, affectionate soldier? How could he despise a ed, from a sickbed, to be more of a husband than he himself had ever been?

Nicol’s head felt feverish, despite the chill night air He thought he ht have to leave, to be alone soirl She’s the second one on board, you know’

His skin was burning He had a sudden urge to dive into that cool water

‘Second what, sir?’

‘Widow Had a telegrairls on B Deck Husband’s plane went down in Suffolk Training flight, would you believe?’

‘Mrs Mackenzie’s husband was killed?’ Nicol froze He felt a stab of guilt, as if he had willed this to happen

‘Mackenzie? No, no, hehe died soo Back in the Pacific Odd decision, really, to leave Australia with nothing to come to Still, that’s the war for you’ He sniffed the air, as if he could detect the proxi to sleep now Here, Nicol, colorious resonance He wanted to shout, ‘She’s a !’ Why hadn’t she told him? Why hadn’t she told anyone? ‘Nicol? What do you fancy? Glass of Scotch?’

‘Sir?’ He glanced towards the hatch, desperate suddenly to get back to her cabin, to tell her what he knew Why didn’t I tell her the truth? he thought She ht have confided in me He understood suddenly that she had probably believed her status as a married woman offered her the only protection she had ever had

‘Your devotion to duty is ad you Let your hair down a little’

Nicol felt himself lean towards the hatch ‘Sir, I really--’

‘Coetowards his cabin Then he glanced at him, a rare, sly conspiracy in his set any rest if it’s always listening to you shuffling around outside the door?’

As he turned in, Highfield wagged an adht be about to be pensioned off, but I’ll tell you this – there’s not oes on on this ship that I don’t know about’

By the time he leaves the captain’s rooms it is too late to wake her He does not mind now: he knows he has ti with that word, he has all the tiht blue of the skies as he heads across the flight deck, slows along the hangar deck, and then, as he reaches the wo the dawn silence, the sound of the gulls crying from Plymouth Sound, the sound of hoular slab ofThen, after a moment’s hesitation, he turns, places his hands behind his back, and stands outside, his feet planted on the s slowly, head a little ars

He is the onlyan unpressed, unpolished unifor in close, illegal proximity to the brides

He is the only ar deck, and there is a look of so proud and proprietorial, mixed with unutterable relief on his face