An Orkney Maid by Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr (best sci fi novels of all time .TXT) 📕

I have thy love."

"And thine is mine. This is my plan. Above all things Boris loves a stirring, money-making business. I am going to ask him to take me as his partner. Tired am I of living on my past. How many boats has Boris?"

"Thou knowest he has but one, but she is large and swift, and does as much business as McLeod's three little sloops."

"Schooners."

"Schooners, then--little ones!"

"Well then, there is a new kind of boat which thou hast never seen. She is driven by steam, not wind, she goes swiftly, all winds are fair to her, and she cares little for storms."

"I saw a ship like that when I was in Edinburgh. She lay in Leith harbour, and the whole school went to Leith to see her come in."

"If Boris will be my partner, I will lay my luck to his, and I will buy a steam ship, a large coaster--dost thou see?"

Then with a laugh she cried: "I see, I see! Then thou can easily beat the sloops or schooners, that have nothing but sails. Good is that, very good!"

"Just so. We can make two trips for their one. No one can trade against us."

"McLeod may buy steam ships."

"I have learned all about him. His fortune is in real estate, mostly in Edinburgh. It takes a lifetime to sell property in Edinburgh. We shall have got all there is to get before McLeod could compete with Vedder and Ragnor."

"That scheme would please Boris, I know."

"A boat could be built on the Clyde in about four months, I think. Shall I speak to Boris?"

"Yes, Boris will not fly in the face of good fortune; but mind this--it is easier to begin that reel than it will be to end it. One thing I do not like--thou wert angry with Boris, now thou wilt take him for a partner."

"At any time I can put my anger under my purse--but my anger was mostly against thee. Now shall I do as I am minded?"

"That way is more likely than not! I think this affair will grow with thee--but thou may change thy mind----"

"I do not call my words back. Go now to thy bed and forget everything. This is the time when sleep will be better than either words or deeds. Of my intent speak to _no one_. In thy thoughts let it be still until its hour arrives."

"In the morning, very early, I am going to see Thora. When the enlisting ship sails northward, there will be a crowd to see her off. Boris and Thora and Macrae will be among it. I also intend to be there. Dost thou know at what hour she will leave?"

"At ten o'clock the tide is full."

"Then at ten, she will sail."

"Likely enough, is that. Our talk is now ended. Let it be, as if it had not been."

"I have forgotten it."

Vedder laughed, and added: "Go then to thy bed, I am tired."

"Not tired of Sunna?"

"Well then, yes, of thee I have had enough at present."

She went away as he spoke, and then he was worried. "Now I am unhappy!" he ejaculated. "What provokers to the wrong way are women! Her mother was like her--my beloved Adriana!" And his old eyes filled with sorrowful tears as he recalled the daughter he had lost in the first days of her motherhood. Very soon Sunna and Adriana became one and he was fast asleep in his chair.

In the morning Sunna kept her intention. She poured out her grandfather's coffee, and talked of everything but the thing in her heart and purpose. After breakfast she said: "I shall put the day past with Thora Ragnor. Thy dinner will be served for thee by Elga."

"Talking thou wilt be----"

"Of nothing that ought to be kept quiet. Do not come for me if I am late; I intend that Boris shall bring me home."

Sunna dressed herself in a pretty lilac lawn frock, trimmed with the then new and fashionable Scotch open work, and fresh lilac ribbons. Her hair was arranged as Boris liked it best, and it was shielded by one of those fine, large Tuscan hats that have never, even yet, gone out of fashion.

"Why, Sunna!" cried Thora, as she hastened to meet her friend, "how glad am I to see thee!"

"Thou wert in my heart this morning, and I said to it 'Be content, in an hour I will take thee to thy desire.'" And they clasped hands, and walked thus into the house. "Art thou not tired after the dance?"

"No," replied Thora, "I was very happy. Do happy people get tired?"

"Yes--one can only bear so much happiness, then it is weariness--sometimes crossness. Too much of any good thing is a bad thing."

"How wise thou art, Sunna."

"I live with wisdom."

"With Adam Vedder?"

"Yes, and thou hast been living with Love, with Mr. Macrae. Very handsome and good-natured he is. I am sure that thou art in love with him! Is that not the case?"

"Very much in love with me he is, Sunna. It is a great happiness. I do not weary of it, no, indeed! To believe in love, to feel it all around you! It is wonderful! You know, Sunna--surely you know?"

"Yes, I, too, have been in love."

"With Boris--I know. And also Boris is in love with thee."

"That is wrong. No longer does Boris love me."

"But that is impossible. Love for one hour is love forever. He did love thee, then he could not forget. Never could he forget."

"He did not notice me last night. Thou must have seen?"

"I did not notice--but I heard some talk about it. The first time thou art alone with him, he will tell thee his trouble. It is only a little cloud--it will pass."

"I suppose the enlisting ship sails northaway first?"

"Yes, to Lerwick, though they may stop at Fair Island on the way. Boris says they could get many men there--and Boris knows."

"Art thou going to the pier to see them leave? I suppose every one goes. Shall we go together?"

"Why, Sunna! They left this morning about four o'clock. Father went down to the pier with Boris. Boris sailed with them."

"Thora! Thora! I thought Boris was to remain here until the naval party returned from Shetland?"

"The lieutenant in command thought Boris could help the enlisting, for in Lerwick Boris has many friends. Thou knows my sisters Anna and Nenie live in Lerwick. Boris was fain to go and see them."

"But they will return here when their business is finished in Lerwick?"

"They spoke of doing so, but mother is not believing they will return. They took with them all the men enlisted here and the men are wanted very much. Boris did not bid us a short 'good-bye.' Mother was crying, and when he kissed me his tears wet my cheeks."

Sunna did not answer. For a few minutes she felt as if her heart had suddenly died. At last she blundered out:

"I suppose the officer was afraid that--Boris might slip off while he was away."

"Well, then, thou supposes what is wrong. When a fight is the question, Boris needs no one either to watch him or to egg him on."

"Is that youngster, Macrae, going to join? Or has he already taken the Queen's shilling? I think I heard such a report."

"No one could have told that story. Macrae is bound by a contract to McLeod for this year and indeed, just yet, he does not wish to go."

"He does not wish to leave thee."

"That is not out of likelihood."

"Many are saying that England is in great stress, and my grandfather thinks that so she is."

"My father says 'not so.' If indeed it were so, my father would have gone with Boris. Mother is cross about it."

"About what then is she cross?" asked Sunna.

"People are saying that England is in stress. Mother says such words are nothing but men's 'fear talk.' England's sons are many, and if few they were, she has millions of daughters who would gladly fight for her!" said Thora.

"Well, then, for heroics there is no present need! I surely thought Boris loved his business and would not leave his money-making."

"Could thou tell me what incalculable sum of money a man would take for his honour and patriotism?" asked Thora.

"What has honour to do with it?"

"Everything; a man without honour is not a man--he is just 'a body'; he has no soul. Robert Burns told Andrew Horner how such men were made!" replied Thora.

"How was that? Tell me! A Burns' anecdote will put grandfather in his finest temper, and I want him in that condition for I have a great favour to ask from him."

"The tale tells that when Burns was beginning to write, he had a rival in a man called Andrew Horner. One day they met at the same club dinner, and they were challenged to each write a verse within five minutes. The gentlemen guests took out their watches, the poets were furnished with pencils and paper. When time was up Andrew Horner had not written the first line but Burns handed to the chairman his verse complete."

"Tell me. If you know it, tell me, Thora!"

"Yes, I know it. If you hear it once you do not forget it."

"Well then?"

"It runs thus:


"'Once on a time
The Deil gat stuff to mak' a swine
And put it in a corner;
But afterward he changed his plan
And made it summat like a man,
And ca'ed it Andrew Horner.'"


"That is good! It will delight grandfather."

"No doubt he already knows it."

"No, I should have heard it a thousand times, if he knew it."

"Well, then, I believe it has been suppressed. Many think it too ill-natured for Burns to have written; but my father says it has the true Burns ring and is Robert Burns' writing without doubt."

"It will give grandfather a nice long job of investigation. That is one of his favourite amusements, and all Sunna has to do is to be sure he is right and everybody else wrong. Now I will go home."

"Stay with me today."

"No. Macrae will be here soon."

"Uncertain is that."

"Every hair on thy head, Thora, every article of thy dress, from the lace at thy throat to the sandals on thy feet, say to me that this is a time when my absence will be better than my company."

"Well, then, do as thou art minded."

"It is best I do so. A happy morning to thee! What more is in my heart shall lie quiet at this time."

Sunna went away with the air of a happy, careless girl, but she said many angry words to herself as she hasted on the homeward road. "Most of the tales tell how women are made to suffer by the men they love--but no tale shall be made about Sunna Vedder! _No!_ _No!_ It is Boris Ragnor I shall turn into laughter--he has mocked my very heart--I will never forgive him--that is the foolish