Silence, that was, except for the pounding of Lorna’s heart. She was certain it must be audible to Martin Douglas who sat next to her, but when she looked at him he smiled encouragingly, giving no indication that he was aware of her dismay. No one had known who the quizmaster was going to be, although Lorna had somehow assumed it would be a member of the ship’s crew. The other contestants must be equally surprised, she decided, except that none of them had any reason to dislike him. It was a personal emotion which grew in intensity every time they met. “Good afternoon,” began Ashley Ward in his deep voice. He smiled briefly at the contestants, looking, thought Lorna, very sure of himself, with no outward sign of any antagonism towards her. It rankled that he should be in complete control of his feelings when she herself felt considerably unnerved. Dressed in a beige silk shirt, open at the neck to reveal the brown column of his throat, he looked if possible more handsome than ever, Lorna conceded reluctantly, his hair sleeked back instead of falling across his brow in its usual unruly style.
