Focusing her attention on John, she absentmindedly put her hand to her forehead as if to feel for a pain, then burst forth heatedly.
“Headache! Yes, I had a headache, but I left him back on the balcony. John, that insufferable cad asked me to marry him.”
“Who did?” John asked calmly.
“Philip Caxton, that’s who! And he had the effrontery to kiss me—right there on the balcony.”
John was amused. “It seems, dear sister, that you have encountered a man who knows what he wants and goes after it. You say he asked you to marry him, and after only one day’s acquaintance? At least Browne and Buttler knew you a little longer than that. It looks as if Philip Caxton truly wants you.”
Remembering his words vividly, Christina stormed more. “Yes, he wants me. He even told me so, with no mention of love—just lust!”
John laughed. It wasn’t often that he saw his sister so angry. If Caxton had tried to molest Crissy, John wouldn’t be so amused, and he would have had to call the man out. But he could hardly blame Caxton for a kiss and a proposal of marriage. He would have done the same if he had found a woman as beautiful as Crissy.
“You know, Crissy, more times than not, desire does come before love. Had Caxton said he was in love with you, it probably would have been a lie. What he did state was the truth—that he wanted you. When a man finds a woman he can’t live without, then he knows he’s in love. I believe that love has to grow slowly and takes more time than just two days, or even two weeks. However, it seems that Philip Caxton was prepared to love you, since he proposed marriage. Instead of getting so angry, you might have taken it as a compliment.”
Calming down slowly, Christina leaned back on the seat and stared moodily off into the distance.
“Well, it doesn’t matter, anyway. I’ll never see Philip Caxton again. I should never have come to London in the first place. The men here don’t know their own minds. They all just compete for attention: each one boasting that he’s better than the next. And men like Philip Caxton think anything can be theirs for the asking. This isn’t the life for me. I guess I’m just a country girl at heart.” Christina took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Oh, John, I’m glad we’re going home.”
APLEASANT BREEZE ruffled Christina’s skirts as she and John boarded the ship that would carry them to Cairo. Christina was shown to a small cabin that she would have to share with another woman. John would be in the cabin directly across from hers. After their luggage was brought aboard, Christina went on deck for a last look at her beloved England. As she watched the seamen preparing to cast off, she recalled the frantic haste of the morning.
Christina had been awakened from another restless sleep by loud pounding on her door. Her brother entered the room and stood beside her bed, a forlorn expression on his handsome face. She noticed the paper he was holding as she wiped the sleep from her eyes.
“They came this morning, Crissy. I’m afraid I’ll have to leave immediately.”
“Who came?” she yawned. “What are you talking about?”
“My orders. They came sooner than expected,” he replied, handing her the paper.
Christina read it slowly, shaking her head in disbelief. “Cairo!” she exclaimed. “But that’s more than four thousand miles away.”
“Yes, I know. I have to leave in an hour’s time. I’m sorry I won’t be able to escort you home, Crissy, but Howard said he would be glad to go with you. I’m going to miss you, little sister.”
A smile crossed her lips. “No, you won’t, big brother. I’m going with you! I decided a long time ago.”
“That’s ridiculous, Crissy! What would you do on a military post in Egypt? The weather is miserable. It’s blazing hot and very unhealthy. You’d ruin your complexion!”
Throwing back the covers, Christina jumped from the bed and faced John, hands on hips and a stubborn tilt to her chin.
“I’m going, John Wakefield, and that’s all there is to it! It was miserable at home last year with you gone. I won’t stand it again. Besides, we won’t be in Egypt all that long.” She spun about, seeing her belongings scattered about the room. “Oh, I’m wasting time! You get out of here while I pack and get dressed. I won’t be long, I promise.”
Christina pushed John out of the room and called Mary to help with the packing. She had to hurry so John would have no excuse to leave her behind.
She was dressed and ready to leave in less than an hour. John made no more objections and even told her he was glad she was coming.
And now they were about to cast off for a strange land that Christina knew very little about.
Looking over the other passengers, she thought it strange that her brother was the only army officer on board.
“Crissy, you should have waited for me. I don’t want you on deck alone again!”
Christina was startled at his words, but relaxed as John joined her at the rail. “Oh, John, you’re being a mother hen. I’m perfectly all right up here alone.”
“Nevertheless, during the journey I’d rather you not come on deck without an escort.”
“Very well, if you insist,” she gave in. “I was just thinking how strange it is that there are no other officers on board. I thought replacements usually traveled together.”
“They usually do. I was wondering the same thing, but I won’t know the answer until we reach Cairo.”
