The Patrician Part 2, Chapter 12

In which Miltoun's convalescence is marked by a quiet absorption in the sea's timeless mystery, while Barbara wrestles with a peculiar unease about both him and Mrs Noel, whom she visits with growing curiosity. A charged encounter with Courtier follows, amid a dance of unspoken feelings and subtle defiance that lingers as Barbara departs, leaving the impression that each of them is waiting for something yet to come.