AustLit

'Gordon Squires is an engineer on the Belmarina. Injured in an accident he is lying in hospital at Auckland, when he meets...

Betty Falconer, who is visiting another patient. They fall in love. She thinks Squires is a ship's fireman, while he imagines Betty is a maid at a large house. Squires returns to his ship. One night during the trip to Australia he sees a man making love to a girl in a quiet corner of the deck, and to his amazement recognises Betty Falconer, who, of course, he imagined was still in New Zealand. Consulting the passenger list, he finds that a Miss Falconer is certainly on board, so that there can be no mistake. Returning to Auckland, he treats Betty very curtly, and then when it is too late, realises that, as it was impossible for her to get back to New Zealand before him, it must have been a case of mistaken identity after all. He then tries to get in touch with her, but without success.

Tom Adson and his wife Joan leave for an ocean cruise to the islands on the Caesarea. Joan invites her old friend Betty Falconer to go, too, and they persuade...

Jermyn Scott, a wealthy young bachelor, to make up the party. The ship carries a seaplane for flights among the islands. Betty is dismayed to find that Squires, whom she had thought never to see again, is the pilot. The party of four decide to take a flight, and, piloted by Squires, they set off for an island, but neither Betty nor Squires give a hint that they recognise one another. Nearing their destination, the engine breaks down. Squires attempts to glide into the lagoon.

As the 'plane hurtled down they caught a glimpse of jagged rocks where a receding wave laid bare the reef...' (Publisher's abstract)