I put some calamine stuff on Jennifer last night, but I really don’t think she ought to go down to the beach again today.” Then she, too, recollected. Then he kissed her, and said, “It’s a lovely morning again.” The naval officer reached out and turned the switch of the electric kettle on the tray of tea things and baby food beside the bed, and Mary stirred beside him. The baby stirred, and started chuntering and making little whimpering noises.
The Navy Department, however, had maintained him on full pay throughout these months, and he was grateful to them. He had had no appointment since he had been promoted lieutenant commander in August and in the circumstances of the time he had almost given up hope of ever working again. The thought of it had made him happy when he went to sleep, and his happiness had lasted through the night. It could even mean a seagoing job if he were very lucky, and he ached for a ship again. It meant a new appointment, his first work for seven months. He had a date at eleven o’clock in the Second Naval Member’s office, in the Navy Department up in Melbourne. And then, as consciousness came fully to him, he realized that of course he would keep his shirt on today. He would do well to keep his shirt on today. As he lay in bed the sunburn on his back was still a little sore from their day on the beach yesterday, and from sailing in the race. Christmas was over, and this-his mind turned over slowly-this must be Thursday the 27th. They had had a barbecue in the garden on the evening of Christmas Day, with a few friends. He had illuminated the little fir tree in their garden with a string of coloured lights with a long lead to the plug beside the fireplace in the lounge, a small replica of the great illuminated tree a mile away outside the town hall of Falmouth. It was not Christmas, because that was over. He woke happy, and it was some time before his conscious senses realized and pinned down the origin of this happiness. No need to start before that happened he could lie a little longer. He knew from the sun’s rays that it was about five o’clock very soon the light would wake his baby daughter Jennifer in her cot, and then they would have to get up and start doing things. He lay drowsily for a while, lulled by the warm comfort of Mary sleeping beside him, watching the first light of the Australian sun upon the cretonne curtains of their room.
Lieutenant Commander Peter Holmes of the Royal Australian Navy woke soon after dawn.
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