“I think that is impossible,” Lizbeth replied.
She spoke gently enough, but he suspected that she was laughing at him, knowing full well that it would be impossible for him to turn back now. They were at least three hours out from Plymouth, with the wind behind them. Besides which, nothing would be more unlucky or ill-omened to put back into harbour when once the voyage had begun.
“How dare you do this?” Rodney cried furiously. “And where is your brother?”
“I owe you an explanation, I know,” Lizbeth replied. “May I please sit down?”
Her plea did not inspire Rodney to any show of good manners.
“Yes, sit down and explain yourself if you can,” he said roughly.
Lizbeth glanced at him for a moment under her eyelashes, and then with her hands clasped in front of her on the table she began.
