Harold Lowe has managed to claw his way up the career ladder of the British merchant marines, rising from a ship's boy to a master mariner with one of the world's elite passenger lines. Along the way, he's learned to master not only his craft, but...
This chapter is all one long conversation because these lovefools still have a lot of air-clearing to do. But if they (and you) get through it, there just may be some action coming in the next one :)
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Finally, Harry broke off his little displays of endearment and tipped her chin up to gaze into her eyes. "I thought I had lost you forever, you know," he murmured, a small frown creasing his brow at the thought.
Corrine gave him a wry smile. "Harry, you always had my heart - even when it was broken into pieces." She kissed him again - she couldn't seem to keep her lips off of him - and stared up at him adoringly. "I should thank you for not giving up on us," she said softly. "If it weren't for your patience and determination, we'd still be alone and miserable."
He snorted. "I'd have to be a bloody damn fool to let you go again, Corrine." He looked amused for some reason, as if he were remembering something.
"Still, it's quite brave of you to argue with an Irish lass when her temper's up, you know," she joked, nudging him gently.
He shrugged it off and said, "That was the easy part. The hard part was getting the courage to approach you this morning in the first place."
She winced slightly. "I'm sure - especially after I threw that money back at you."
"Stubborn girl." He tweaked her nose, and she snickered.
"Whatever made you do it, anyway, oh courageous one?" she teased, playing with his hair. She basked in the joy of their banter, realizing how very much she had missed it.
His face split into a slow grin. "Let's just say... my conscience spoke to me."
"Your... conscience?" she repeated. The way he said it made her wonder if if their little drama in the dining room had led to a confrontation with a certain former second officer after she had left.
"Yes - the same conscience that told me to pull myself together." He was still smiling, but his eyes grew serious. "I'm glad I finally listened."
That made her sit up and pay attention. She sensed there was something more he needed to tell her, and so she gently prodded, "What do you mean, Harry? About pulling yourself together? Why would you need to do that?"
He shifted uncomfortably, and with some trepidation she noticed that he had withdrawn from her, albeit unconsciously. No. She couldn't let him create distance between them again. Whatever was bothering him, she was determined that they would face it together. But she knew that she would have to be as persistent as he had been earlier if she wanted to get it out of him. "I don't want to press you, Harry," she said very gently, "but I think you should talk about it."
He cleared his throat uneasily. "I'm not sure you want to hear all this, Corrine." His voice was heavy with melancholy, with a pain she was only beginning to guess at.
