“I know, dear. I know. Don’t think me very foolish, Tom. But I don’t think I’m strong enough. Tom, darling, could not we leave this life? Think how rude Mr. Cottrill was to you only the other day. I do so long for our old happy life together. Away from the sea.” “Look here, Livy. I understand. You’re lonely. Suppose we go and stay ashore for a while. You would meet ladies ashore. You’ve met them already.” “Tom, I can’t meet those ladies. They’re not nice.” “What’s wrong with them? What’s wrong with Mrs. Montague?” “I feel that she isn’t a nice woman. That she isn’t---- You know I went to see her the day before yesterday. She was hung about with silver just like a savage, and all the young officers were there, playing cards. And Captain Montague had gone to Charlestown, and she was alone there, with all those men. So I sat down for a moment to rest after the walk and then came away. That was no place for me.” “Well, we could stop with the Governor. Maggy knows him. What’s wrong with old Mrs. Prinsep?” “I don’t like her, Tom. She’s a bitter woman. Oh, Tom, let’s go home.” “But I’ve promised, Livy.” “Yes, dear. I know. But we can’t always keep our promises. We can’t go to Darien. We can’t.” “But what else can we do? We must, my dear. I can’t pay our passage home. I came away in such a rush. I’ve not got five pounds with me.” “Oh, Tom, Tom. But that doesn’t matter, dear. We could borrow. Charles or Edward would lend to us.” “No, thanks, Livy. There are some things I draw the line at. I can’t take a man’s hospitality and then borrow money from him.” “But---- I know them better than you do, Tom. I could ask them.” “Do you suppose, Livy, that I could let you borrow money from any man?” “Then we could ask for a passage home in the convoy to the summer fleet. They would take us.” Stukeley smiled uneasily, knowing only too well how likely he was to get a passage home with that convoy in any case. “Olive,” he said, “do you remember a tale Captain Cammock told us about a little ruined city full of gold?” “Yes,” she answered. “D’you know, Olive, I’ve been half planning with Cammock to go to look for that ruined city. You see, Livy, we shall only be here probably till the summer fleet arrives. Ten days, or so. Do you think you could stand it for another month or two? If we found that city, I could buy my little Olive that summer cottage we set our hearts on.” “Oh, take me home, Tom. Never mind the cottage. And I couldn’t have you going into the forest. I couldn’t be alone in the ship.” “But then, Olive. Since I married my little Olive here, I’ve been wanting to do something for others. Living as a bachelor, one gets selfish. I want very much to help those Indians, Olive. To do something in return for you, dear.”