Omine Secundo

Steaming West

Feb 13th, 1903 – At sea, enroute to passing Melbourne, Australia

The next day saw the Runic steaming south down the coast of Australia, where later in the evening she would make a turn and head west for the port of Albany, some 1300 nautical miles away. The weather was pleasant, a sunny morning with puffy, cotton-wool clouds dotting the sky here and there. Off starboard, in the distance, the smoky blue horizon of the southern continent could just be glimpsed, their constant companion for the next week until they made port again.

Ada and her cousins were enjoying breakfast in the dining room, taking the measure of their fellow passengers who would comprise their whole universe for the next fifty-something days.

There were several families who had also been on the ship from New Zealand that Ada was mildly acquainted with, a smattering of honeymoon couples heading to Europe, and a good deal of English families making the voyage back home, mostly to visit family.

One of these was the Talbots, an old-money family who were prominent in Sydney society but originated from Old Blighty. Mr and Mrs Talbot were travelling with their daughter Leticia, a beautiful but haughty-faced miss of twenty-five. They were presently seated two tables over from the Banks'; Mr Talbot chastising their table steward for some perceived transgression or other.

Ada brought her gaze back to her own breakfast with a wry smile. "I wouldn't want to be in his shoes," she remarked to her cousins, before scooping a mouthful of scrambled eggs from her plate.

Gerald let out a snort at that. "Definitely not – every time I see that man he's berating the staff. I should never trust them with my food again if I were he."

Julia nodded in agreement, making quick work of her own breakfast. The Banks women had never been of the type to pretend to be delicate little flowers, nibbling at their meals. They ate like women who did good, honest work.

"I should be mortified to carry on like that," said Julia. "I wonder that these rich families don't see how vulgar it makes them look. So ungrateful," she trailed off, reaching for another slice of toast.

Ada just smiled, "Well, I suppose tiresome people are difficult everywhere, and we have both dealt with our fair share of those." She placed her cutlery down on her plate. "We shouldn't let them spoil our morning, it's beautiful outside. We should take a turn about the decks."

Gerald looked up from the newspaper that he had surreptitiously been sneaking glances of during breakfast. "Oh, you ladies have at it, I've promised to meet Mr Edwards for a cigar. Enjoy yourselves," he said, waving them off.

The promenade of the Runic was small, but serviceable, encircling most of the bridge deck, allowing passengers a sheltered stroll by the reading room, general room, gymnasium and smoke room. A smaller, open area was one deck above on the Boat Deck, providing a small circuit around the single smokestack of the steamer.

Julia and Ada made their way along the main promenade arm in arm, enjoying the sea air after breakfast. A few of their fellow early risers were also out and about, enjoying the breeze after the slight stuffiness of the cabins. At the far end of the promenade, some officers were just visible, no doubt in the midst of their rounds. Julia excused herself to go back to her cabin for her parasol, with promises to return shortly.

A small group of children had taken over a pair of deckchairs, re—enacting a childish version of a battle between two pirate ships. Ada smiled at their antics, especially one little boy who was giving a decent pirate drawl everything he had.

A second boy leapt up wielding an imaginary sword, his swinging arm knocking into a woman passing by. Unfortunately for him, the lady in question was Mrs Talbot, and he soon felt the fury of her husband.