It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.

Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.

Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.

Even in these few hours the lines about his mouth seemed less pronounced.

They talked freely of Maderstrom.
"A regular 'Vanity Fair' problem," Richard declared, balancing his wine glass between his fingers, "a problem, too, which I can't say I have solved altogether yet.