One Face in a Million Book 1: Mu Shangaaniana. William Bond

man who smiled easily. He had sandy-colored hair and a complexion that suggested he spent a lot of time outdoors. While some of the men had come to dinner wearing a white shirt, a tie, and a jacket, Mr. Englekes had come casually dressed in an attractive plaid long-sleeved flannel shirt. He seemed to be a strong man who was used to being independent. Christine had noticed his large hands, and she had observed that he was not wearing a wedding band!

      However, she had mostly admired his beautiful blue eyes and been attracted to him because of his handsome face and his pleasant smile. His easygoing, friendly demeanor had suggested that talking with him would be easy.

      As Christine glanced around the dining room, she made an initial appraisal of the passengers who would be traveling together across the Atlantic Ocean with her. She found that she was unique in that she was the youngest passenger and the only female who was traveling alone. She felt rather sorry for the two older men who had boarded the ship in LM, for they only spoke Portuguese while everyone else spoke English. There would be opportunities to visit with others over the duration of the voyage, and she saw that the Vonderbergs were an older couple who did not seem to be in the best of health. Being South Africans, she wondered if they would mingle with the Americans or prefer to keep to themselves. Time would tell.

      The Fieldings and the Carlsons appeared to know each other quite well, and they all seemed very outgoing and friendly. The Jordans seemed pleasant enough, but Christine had not yet formed any opinions about them. Mr. Kent and Mr. Easton were both sixtyish and seemed like seasoned travelers. She had seen that neither of these men were wearing wedding bands, but she felt no attraction to either of them. She had only seen these passengers for a brief time, and she was amazed that she had so quickly been attracted to Mr. Englekes. She had long known, however, that she had a strong attraction to good-looking men.

      After dinner, several of the people lingered to visit in the lounge, while others appeared to have gone back to their cabins. Mr. Englekes had approached Christine and engaged her in conversation. He had learned that she had finished her education in Swaziland and was going to the United States to find some employment before continuing her education. He also learned that Christine had grown up on a mission station where her widowed mother was continuing with her various responsibilities.

      Christine learned that Mr. Englekes, who wished to be called Greg, had grown up in western Montana and had studied engineering. He had worked as a mining engineer for a copper mining company in Butte, Montana, and he had gained enough expertise in his field to serve as a consultant. Because of this, he had been in southern Africa to share his expertise with some mining engineers who were opening a copper mining operation in Southern Rhodesia. He had completed several months there and was now returning to Montana with the expectation that he might soon be sent to some other mining area to offer his expertise.

      Not surprisingly, Greg and Christine visited easily. Christine wondered how old Greg was, but she didn’t want to be so bold as to ask him at this time. Perhaps, she would learn that on another occasion.

      “I am planning to go back into town for a couple of hours,” said Greg. “Would you care to join me?”

      Christine faced a decision. On the one hand, she was attracted to the young man from Montana, and she would like to have gone with him into the city, but she didn’t know him very well, nor did she know his intentions. Perhaps he just wanted to take a walkabout, or perhaps he planned to visit some bars. Dare she risk setting out into an unfamiliar area with someone who was a virtual stranger? She had felt a strong attraction to this handsome man, but she wondered if she could handle things in the unlikely event that a romantic opportunity presented itself. What counsel would Mother give in such a situation?

      “I’d love to go with you,” Christine replied with complete honesty, “but I’ve had a very full day here in Cape Town, and I believe I’d better decline your offer. However, I do appreciate your invitation very much.”

      “I understand,” Greg said, smiling. “I’ll say goodbye, for now, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

      After Christine had returned to her cabin, she dressed for bed. After turning off the lamp, she looked out the porthole and admired the city lights that stretched all the way to the base of Table Mountain. Somewhere out there was Greg Englekes. She could have gone with him, and they might have had a wonderful time. Such an opportunity was not likely to reoccur. In a sense, she regretted her decision, yet it seemed a caution to head off into an unfamiliar city with one who was virtually a stranger. He was a good-looking guy, and she realized how easily she was attracted to good-looking men. Not surprisingly, as she drifted off to sleep, she was thinking about Greg and was wondering if a relationship with him would develop.

      On the following morning, the Tropical Sun left port, and for some time, the passengers had a lovely view of Cape Town and Table Mountain. Before long, however, the distinctive mountain and the coast of Africa had disappeared from sight. What did the future now hold for Christine? She simply did not know.