“Don’t mind if I join you?” he grinned.
Verena smiled graciously. She had to be charming.
The waitress brought the boy eggs and bread.
‘I must seize this opportunity,’ thought Verena.
“Tell me,” she said to the boy, “where is your ship and when do you sail?”
“Oh, I’ve just come off a long voyage,” the boy replied, “been to New Zealand. They’ve natives there with faces painted so you’d swear they’d stepped straight out of a nightmare. They waggle their tongues at you like this –”
He stuck out his pink tongue and waggled it in Verena’s direction. She pulled back in horror. The boy, seeing her discomfort, doffed his cap.
“Beggin’ your pardon, miss.”
Verena took a deep breath – she could delay no longer.
“You must allow me to buy you your breakfast and in return I would ask a favour o
