Tamar by Deborah Challinor Read Free Book Online Page A

than halfway to New Zealand, the most arduous and challenging leg of their journey had begun.
    Sharing a pot of tea at one of the long tables in the family quarters one evening, John Adams remarked to Tamar that in his view, the voyage thus far had been relatively free of medical problems. ‘Accuse me of being immodest if you wish,’ he said, ‘but I think diligence is the key. That, and rigorous pre-embarkation medical examinations. I know of one ship’s surgeon who lost almost forty passengers because they were not thoroughly checked before they sailed. We’re also lucky we haven’t stopped at any ports and picked up anything.’ He poured himself another generous mug of tea. ‘But I shouldn’t speak too soon, we’ve a long way to go. We’ve five women expecting, two of whom will deliver before we reach Auckland. And there was that dreadful business with Mr and Mrs Mayhew.’
    Mrs Mayhew was the woman who had accidentally smothered her infant daughter. Her grief-stricken husband had berated his wife, who was herself deranged with guilt and grief, to the extent that she hurled herself overboard. A rope had been thrown to her but she floated on her back, staring at the horrified passengers, until her clothes had become waterlogged and she sank beneath the surface. Mr Mayhew had been inconsolable and was confined to the men’s hospital, withdrawn and refusing to eat or speak. The couple’s four-year-old son had been taken under the wing of another family; if Mr Mayhew did not recover, the child would have to be fostered.
    John went on, ‘There’s also the matter of the food. It’s not getting any fresher, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.’
    Tamar had noticed, and had stopped eating meat, dreading to think what state it would be in by the time they reached Auckland.
    ‘I’m confident we have enough lime juice to prevent any of the nutrition-related diseases,’ said John. ‘But if we strike a bad batchof meat, food poisoning will become a serious risk. What a ghastly thought. It’s bad enough having to inspect the privies now when everyone’s more or less healthy.’
    John had become accustomed to discussing his duties with Tamar; she was an interested and sympathetic listener and he valued her opinion. John would have talked to Tamar about anything, as long as he could sit and look at her. His growing infatuation had not gone unnoticed. One of the older cabin passengers had taken him aside and suggested his association with Tamar, a young single woman and a steerage passenger, was unseemly. John had thanked him for his advice, then ignored it. Following that, someone else stated loudly at dinner that in her opinion, any relationship between cabin and steerage passengers was to be strongly discouraged. Fortunately Myrna had been dining in the single women’s quarters and had not heard the comments at first hand but John, unable to decide whether he was amused or angry, had recounted the conversation to her.
    Her response had been predictable. ‘Ignore the interfering auld bitch. It’s no business o’ hers what ye do.’
    ‘I know. That doesn’t bother me. It’s Tamar herself. The more time I spend with her, the more time I want to spend with her, and it worries me that she might be concerned about the difference in our class.’
    ‘Och no, laddie, she’s no’ that sort o’ person. She’s only seventeen and wi’out a family. She’s feeling fragile and doesnae want to rush into anything. And nor should she, so dinnae push her.’
    ‘She could do worse,’ replied John, slightly petulantly.
    ‘Aye, she kens that. Why d’ye no’ leave it until we get to New Zealand? There’s plenty o’ time,’ Myrna added, wondering whether Tamar could come to love the young doctor. But she doubted it, not with the high ideals Tamar had shared with her over the past weeks.
    ‘But someone else will surely come along. I’ll lose her!’

    ‘Aye, and if they do, then ye wouldnae have had her anyway, would