However, one of the houses looked cheerful, and that was the dwelling to which Ethelberta had gone.  Its gay external colours might as well have been black for anything that could be seen of them now, but an unblinded window revealed inside it a room bright and warm.  It was illuminated by firelight only.  Within, Ethelberta appeared against the curtains, close to the glass.  She was watching through a binocular a faint light which had become visible in the direction of the bluff far away over the bay.

‘Here is the Spruce at last, I think,’ she said to her sister, who was by the fire.  ’I hope they will be able to land the things I have ordered.  They are on board I know.’

The wind continued to rise till at length something from the lungs of the gale alighted like a feather upon the pane, and remained there sticking.  Seeing the substance, Ethelberta opened the window to secure it.  The fire roared and the pictures kicked the walls; she closed the sash, and brought to the light a crisp fragment of foam.

‘How suddenly the sea must have risen,’ said Picotee.

The servant entered the room.  ’Please, mis’ess says she is afraid you won’t have your things to-night, ’m.  They say the steamer can’t land, and mis’ess wants to know if she can do anything?’

‘It is of no consequence,’ said Ethelberta.  ’They will come some time, unless they go to the bottom.’

The girl left the room.  ’Shall we go down to the shore and see what the night is like?’ said Ethelberta.  ’This is the last opportunity I shall have.’

‘Is it right for us to go, considering you are to be married to-morrow?’ said Picotee, who had small affection for nature in this mood.

Her sister laughed.  ’Let us put on our cloaks—­nobody will know us.  I am sorry to leave this grim and primitive place, even for Enckworth Court.’

They wrapped themselves up, and descended the hill.

On drawing near the battling line of breakers which marked the meeting of sea and land they could perceive within the nearly invisible horizon an equilateral triangle of lights.  It was formed of three stars, a red on the one side, a green on the other, and a white on the summit.  This, composed of mast-head and side lamps, was all that was visible of the Spruce, which now faced end-on about half-a-mile distant, and was still nearing the pier.  The girls went further, and stood on the foreshore, listening to the din.  Seaward appeared nothing distinct save a black horizontal band embodying itself out of the grey water, strengthening its blackness, and enlarging till it looked like a nearing wall.  It was the concave face of a coming wave.  On its summit a white edging arose with the aspect of a lace frill; it broadened, and fell over the front with a terrible concussion.  Then all before them was a sheet of whiteness, which spread with amazing rapidity, till they found themselves standing in the midst of it, as in a field of snow.  Both felt an insidious chill encircling their ankles, and they rapidly ran up the beach.