He could not follow her--yet.

But he never begged her not to take the risk, if risk there were.

Why should she lose one happy thrill in her own joyous strength because he feared?
Better that she should never come back from these long, glorious swims than that he should have held her from them by so much as a gesture.
And she always did come back, glowing, dripping, laughing, her head as sleek as a young seal's, salt upon her lips and on her wave-whipped cheek.

Spence, whose swims were shorter and more sedate, would usually have breakfast ready.
But upon this particular morning Desire loitered.

Though the smell of bacon was in the air, she sat pensively in the shallows of an outgoing tide and flung shells at the crabs.