All Along the River Chapter 12 - Far, Too Far Off For Thought Or Any Prayer

In which a small circle of acquaintances gathers at the Angler’s Nest, where the delicate Isola and lively Allegra converse with seafaring Captain Hulbert about distant travels and the charms of summer in Italy, while the convivial drawing-room offers refuge from the evening’s chill. The conversation lingers on yachting, ghosts, and country life with gentle humour and quiet intimacy, as plans are made for sailings and visits, shadowed only by Isola’s unspoken unease.