The Travels of Anadrasata Nearabhigan: Day 8
Another day in Anadrasata’s big adventure/voluntold task/break for freedom in 790 words. On a well-run airship, such as the vessels of the Pearlish Line, any drama comes from the passengers or events not on the ship….
I ndex Page
Ghairniksday, 18 Ochd, 1893 C.E.
Dear Journal
I was eating breakfast at a table with Miss Lhaidair, one of the Misses dh'Uhghitair, the two Reverend Doctors, and Mr dh'Venhair when Miss Dhaighan entered the room. I don't know how she did it, but by the time she was two steps over the threshold everyone was looking at her. She gave our table a look that could have been staring or fulminating and swept over to the buffet table to instruct the steward to make up a plate for her.
She was obviously upset with someone - probably Miss Lhaidair or Mr dh'Venhair, but I couldn't tell which.
When we arrived in Kaperdine there were two more telegraph messages for me. One was from Tallaig:
I NOTE YOU HAVE LOCKED YOUR BOOKINGS STOP I AM NOT PLEASED STOP ALSO NOTE GREAT AUNT STILL REQUIRES OUR HELP STOP I BELIEVE CONTINUING YOUR JOURNEY THE CORRECT ACTION STOP
The other was from Sura:
MOTHER AND ANNA HYSTERICAL STOP CASTOR AUDITING HOUSEHOLD ACCOUNTS STOP TALLAIG FURIOUS WITH EVERYONE STOP AM HIDING AT THE UNIVERSITY STOP KEEP GOING STOP
I see no point in sending any responses.
The last two religious scholars disembarked this morning - I may miss the Reverend Doctor Saphaidos, he was a very pleasant travelling companion. Two of the recently embarked military gentlemen also left.
The new passengers who came aboard are Mr and Mrs Haghaiphran and various members of their extended family - I do not have them all straight in my head yet. What I do understand is that they are taking their daughter, Miss Ailain Haghaiphran, to Amnestri where she is to be advantageously married. Apparently this is a firmly arranged matter and not mere speculation. The groom's name has not been mentioned and I am not entirely sure to whom the advantage in this match will specifically accrue.
This morning my language lessons touched on colour. The primer uses a colour wheel to demonstrate that Coac-hatl does not define colours quite as we do, so translations of colour descriptions are likely to be misleading. I spent part of my time while embroidering working out what colour my threads are in Coac-hatl.
When the tea tray came into the balcony parlor, Mrs Haghaiphran had Miss Ailain pour for us all while she and the two older Misses Haghaiphan offered criticism. I am certain that one of the two older girls is Miss Ailain's older sister, but I am not sure about the other. The two older girls/young women also disrupted and attempt by the Misses dh'Uhghitair, Miss Lhaidair, or myself to converse with her. Miss Ailain Haghaiphan does not seem unhappy with her lot, but I wonder why her relatives are so protective - I think they are being protective....
At dinner I sat at the Chief Engineer's table between Captain dh'Maighaintai and Major Khaitrai. Mrs Khaitrai was opposite the major and Miss Ailain Haghaiphran was on the other side of the major. There was some initial fuss from Mrs Haghaiphran when she discovered that Miss Ailain was not sitting with family members, but the Chief Steward somehow settled her feathers. From what I could observe, there was nothing wrong or remarkable about Miss Ailain's conduct or manners. Certainly, when we got to the balcony parlor, Mrs Khaitrai complimented Mrs Haghaiphran on her daughter's manners.
Elsewhere in the room, the Dowager Baroiness and Miss Dhaighan appeared to be conducting a small war - I gathered something had been said either at dinner or just before we went in to dinner. I had had my back to the Captain's table, where they had been seated, but Mrs Hailaaina Vahtaiti quietly reported to a small group of us over our fortified wine that they had been separated at the table by only Half-Colonel dh'Trai and neither of them had been prepared to concede his attention.
When the tea tray and the gentlemen joined us, Miss Lhaidair and I poured. Miss Dhaighan pursued her apparent aim of attaching herself to a noble, and preferably titled, gentleman. The married gentlemen stayed close to their wives. Mr dh'Venhair sat amidst the Misses dh'Uhghitair. The Mrses Vahtraiti started a table of six handed maistoto, with various non-noble officers and Lord Elnaith. Miss Ailain Haghaiphran made her apologies after one cup of tea and retired to bed early - her sisters(?) followed her a second cup of tea later. The Dowager Baroness and Mrs Haghaiphran looked on disapprovingly at Miss Dhaighran's behaviour, while the young men of their two parties retired to the billiards room, presumably to enjoy themselves and socialise without their parents.
I took a turn out on the promenade deck before turning in - the stars seemed particularly clear tonight.
Anadrasata Nearabhigan