CHAPTER XIV
DRIFTING
On the day following their religious discussion an accident happened
which resulted in Geoffrey and Beatrice being more than ever thrown
in the company of each other. During the previous week two cases of
scarlatina had been reported among the school children, and now it was
found that the complaint had spread so much that it was necessary to
close the school. This meant, of course, that Beatrice had all her time
upon her hands. And so had Geoffrey. It was his custom to bathe before
breakfast, after which he had nothing to do for the rest of the day.
Beatrice with little Effie also bathed before breakfast from the ladies'
bathing-place, a quarter of a mile off, and sometimes he would meet her
as she returned, glowing with health and beauty like Venus new risen
from the Cyprian sea, her half-dried hair hanging in heavy masses down
her back. Then after breakfast they would take Effie down to the beach,
and her "auntie," as the child learned to call Beatrice, would teach her
lessons and poetry till she was tired, and ran away to paddle in the sea
or look for prawns among the rocks.
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