one a wedding is arranged most  people who knew Baptista truth  

and agreed that there was nothing in  her to love and nothing in her to hate  

she did not seem to feel very strongly about  anything but still waters run deep and nothing  

had yet happened to make her show what lay  hidden inside her like gold Underground  

since her birth she had lived on Saint Maria's  an island off the Southwest coast of England  

her father a farmer had spent a lot of money  on sending her to school on the mainland  

at 19 she studied at a training college  for teachers and at 21 she found a teaching  

job in a town called tour upon Sea on the  mainland Coast Baptista taught the children  

as well as she could but after a year had  passed she seemed worried about something  

Mrs Weiss her landlady noticed the change in the  young woman and asked her what the matter was  

it has nothing to do with the town or you replied  Miss Truth and she seemed reluctant to say more  

then is it the pay no it isn't the pay is it  something that you've heard from home my dear  

Baptista was silent for a few moments then  she said it's Mr hadagan David hadigan  

he's an old neighbor of ours on Saint  Maria's with no wife or family at all  

when I was a child he used to say he wanted to  marry me one day now I'm a woman it's no longer a  

joke and he really wishes to do it and my parents  say I can't do better than have him has he a lot  

of money yes he's the richest man that we know  how much older than you is he 20 years maybe more  

and is he perhaps an unpleasant man no he's  not unpleasant well child all I can say is this  

don't accept this engagement if it doesn't please  you you're comfortable here in my house I hope and  

I like having you here thank you Mrs Weiss you're  very kind to me but here comes my difficulty I  

don't like teaching ah you're surprised that's  because I've hidden it from everyone well I  

really hate school the children are awful little  things who make trouble all day long but even they  

are not as bad as the inspector for the three  months before his visit I woke up several times  

every night worrying about it it's so difficult  knowing what to teach and what to leave untaught  

I think father and mother are right they say  I'll never be a good teacher if I don't like  

the work so I should marry Mr hide again and then  I won't need to work I don't know what to do Mrs  

ways I like him better than teaching but I don't  like him enough to marry him these conversations  

were continued from day to day until at last the  landlady decided to agree with baptista's parents  

life will be much easier for you my dear she told  her young friend if you marry this Rich neighbor  

in April Baptista went home to Saint Maria's for  a short holiday and when she returned she seemed  

calmer I have agreed to have him as my husband  so that's the end of it she told Mrs Weiss  

in the next few months letters pass between  Baptista and Mr hadegan but the girl preferred  

not to discuss her engagement with Mrs Weiss later  she told her that she was leaving her job at the  

end of July and the wedding was arranged for the  first Wednesday in August 2. a chance meeting  

when the end of July arrived Baptista was  in no hurry to return home to the island  

she was not planning to buy any special clothes  for the wedding and her parents were making all  

the other arrangements so she did not leave tore  upon sea until the Saturday before her wedding  

she traveled by train to the town of penzephyr  but when she arrived she found that the boat  

to Saint Maria's had left early and there was  no other boat until Tuesday I'll have to stay  

here until then she thought it's too far to go  back to Mrs wayces she did not seem to mind this  

in fact she was almost happy to wait another  three nights before seeing her future husband  

she found a room in a small hotel took her luggage  there then went out for a walk around the town  

Baptista yes baptistery tears the words came  from behind her turning round she gave a jump and  

stared oh is it really you Charles she said with  a half smile the newcomer looked her up and down  

he appeared almost angry with her but he said  nothing I'm going home she continued but I've  

missed the boat he did not seem interested in  this news still teaching he said what a fine  

teacher you make Baptista I'm sure she knew that  was not his real meaning I know I'm not very good  

at teaching she replied that's why I've stopped  oh you've stopped you surprised me I hate teaching  

perhaps that's because I'm a teacher oh no it  isn't it's because I'm starting a new life next  

week I'm going to marry Mr David herdegan but this  unexpected reply the young man took a step back  

who is Mr David herdegan he said trying to sound  bored he owns a number of shops on Saint Maria's  

and he's my father's neighbor and oldest friend  so no longer a school teacher just a shopkeeper's  

wife I knew you would never succeed as a teacher  you're like a woman who thinks she can be a great  

actress just because she has a beautiful face  and forgets she has to be able to act but you  

found out your mistake early didn't you don't  be unpleasant to me Charles Baptista said sadly  

I'm not being unpleasant I'm just saying what is  true in a friendly way although I do have good  

reason to be unpleasant to you what a hurry you've  been in Baptista I do hate a woman in a hurry  

what do you mean well in a hurry to be somebody's  wife any husband is better than no husband for  

you it seems you couldn't wait for me oh no  well thank God that's all in the past for me  

wait for you what does that mean Charlie you  never showed that you felt anything special for me  

oh really Baptista dear what I mean is there  was nothing that I could be sure of I suppose  

you like me a little but I didn't think you  meant to make an honest engagement of it  

that's just it you girls expect a man to  talk about marrying after the first look  

but I did mean to get engaged to you you know but  you never said so and a woman can't wait forever  

Baptista I promise you that I was planning  to ask you to marry me in six months time  

she appeared very uncomfortable  and they walked along in silence  

soon he said did you want to marry me  then and she whispered sadly back yes  

as they walked on away from the town and into the  fields her shoulder and his were close together  

he held her arm with a strong hand this seemed  to say now I hold you and you must do what I want  

how strange that we should meet  like this said the young man  

you and I could be husband and wife  going on our honeymoon together but  

instead of that we'll say goodbye in half  an hour perhaps forever yes life is strange  

she stopped walking I must go back this is too  painful Charlie you're not being kind today  

I don't want to hurt you you know I don't he  answered more gently but it makes me angry what  

you're going to do I don't think you should marry  him I must do it now that I've agreed why he asked  

speaking more seriously now it's never too late  to stop a wedding if you're not happy with it  

now you could marry me instead of him although  you were in too much of a hurry to wait for me  

oh it isn't possible to think of  that she cried shaking her head  

at home everything will be ready for the wedding  

if we marry it must be at once this evening you  can come back with me to True FAL the town where  

I live we can get married there on Tuesday and  then no Mr David herdegan or anyone else can  

take you away from me but I must go home on the  Tuesday boat she said worriedly what will they  

think if I don't arrive you can go home on that  boat just the same the only difference is that  

I'll go with you you'll tell your parents that  you've married a young man with a good job someone  

that you met at training College when I meet them  they'll accept that we're married and it can't be  

changed and you won't be miserable forever as the  wife of an awful old man now honestly you do like  

me best don't you Baptista yes she whispered then  we will do what I say three Baptista gets married  

that same afternoon Charles Stowe and Baptista  truth and travel by train to the town of truffle  

Charles was surprisingly very careful of  appearances and found a room for Baptista  

in a different house from where he was staying on  Sunday they went to church and then walked around  

the town on Monday Charles made the arrangements  and by nine o'clock on Tuesday morning they were  

husband and wife for the first time in her life  Baptista had gone against her parents wishes  

she went cold with fear when she thought  of their first meeting with her new husband  

but she felt she had to tell them as soon as  possible and now the most important thing was  

to get home to Saint Maria's so in a great hurry  they packed their bags and caught the train to  

penzephyr they arrived two hours before the boat  left so to pass the time they decided to walk  

along the cliffs a little way it was a hot summer  day and Charles wanted to have a swim in the sea  

Baptista did not like the idea of sitting alone  while he swam but I'll only be a quarter of  

an hour Charles said and Baptista passively  accepted this she sat high up on the cliffs  

and watched him go down a footpath disappear  appear again and run across the beach to the Sea  

she watched him for a moment then stared  out to sea thinking about her family  

they were probably not worried about her  because she had sometimes missed the boat  

before but they were expecting her to arrive  today and to marry David herdegan tomorrow  

how angry father will be she thought miserably  and mother will say I've made a terrible mistake  

I almost wish I hadn't married Charles in that  moment of Madness oh dear what have I done  

this made her think of her new  husband and she turned to look for him  

he did not appear to be in the sea anymore and  she could not see him on the beach by this time  

she was frightened and she climbed down the path  as quickly as her shaking legs could manage on the  

beach she called two men to help her but they said  they could see nothing at all in the water soon  

she found the place where Charles had left his  clothes but by now the sea had carried them away  

for a few minutes she stood there without moving  there was only one way to explain this sudden  

disappearance her husband had drowned and as she  stood there it began to seem like a terrible dream  

and the last three days of her life  with Charles seemed to disappear  

she even had difficulty in Remembering his face  how unexpected it was meeting him that day she  

thought and the wedding did I really agree to  it are we really married it all happened so fast  

she began to cry still standing there on the beach  she did not know what to do or even what to think  

finally she remembered the boat and catching  the boat home seemed the easiest thing to do  

so she walked to the station arranged for someone  to carry her luggage and went down to the boat  

she did all this automatically in a kind of dream  

just before the boat left she heard part of a  conversation which made her sure that Charles was  

dead one passenger said to another a man drowned  here earlier today you know he swam out too far  

they say a stranger I think some people in a  boat saw him but they couldn't get to him in time  

the boat was a long way out to sea before Baptista  realized that Mr hedegan was on the boat with her  

she saw him walking towards her and quickly  took the wedding ring off her left hand  

I hope you're well my dear he said he was a  healthy red-faced man of 55. I wanted to come  

across to meet you what bad luck that you missed  the boat on Saturday and Baptista had to agree  

and smile and make conversation Mr hadegan had  spoken to her before she was ready to say anything  

now the moment had passed when the boat  arrived her parents were there to meet her  

father walked home beside Mr herdegan while  her mother walked next to Baptista talking  

all the time I'm so happy my child said Mrs  truthan in her loud cheerful voice that you  

kept your promise to marry Mr herdegan  how busy we've been but now things are  

all ready for the wedding and a few friends and  neighbors are coming in for supper this evening  

again the moment for confessing had  passed and Baptista stayed silent  

when they reached home Mrs truth and said now  Baptista hurry up to your room and take off  

your hat then come downstairs I must go to the  kitchen the young woman passively obeyed her  

mother's orders the evening was a great success  for all except Baptista she had no chance to tell  

her parents the news and it was already much  more difficult than it had been at first by  

the end of the evening when all the neighbors had  left she found herself alone in her bedroom again  

she had come home with much to say and had said  none of it she now realized that she was not  

brave enough to tell her story and as the Clock  Struck midnight she decided it should stay Untold  

morning came and when she thought of  Charles it was more with fear than with love  

her mother called from downstairs Baptista time to  get up Mr hadegan will be at the church in three  

quarters of an hour Baptista got out of bed looked  out of the window and took the easy way she put  

her best clothes on confessed nothing and kept her  promise to marry David hadigan 4. the honeymoon

Mr hedegan did not worry about his new wife's  coldness towards him during and after the wedding  

I know she was reluctant to marry me he thought  but that will pass things will be different in  

a few months time during the wedding dinner  someone asked hedegan about the honeymoon