Cold All the Way Through, But Warming

The Tour

Rigel whined as we waited outside the offices, the Anastasia docked and unloading. She appeared hale and hearty after her voyage, her stern proudly displaying her name in brilliant yellow letters and her funnel painted the Dalian colors of blue and black. Father had tried to use white paint before, but it had wound up black from all the soot. He had grumbled, "As long as it's our blue, I suppose I can live with it."

I watched Will stare at me as he came off the ship, smiling when I saw his eyes drift down to Rigel. The puppy was behaving himself, for once, sitting calmly and focusing on the man coming towards us, his bag slung over his shoulder.

He stopped a step away from us. "Ana, what on earth is that?"

I couldn't help myself, "I'm afraid you've been replaced, I've got a new man. This here is Rigel, he's taken your spot in my bed."

He knelt down, considering the puppy sitting on his haunches and looking at him curiously. "Where in the world did you get him?"

"Charles brought him, to keep me company while you're gone."

"Of course it was Charles, why did I even ask?" He shook his head, standing and offering me his arm. "Well, you'd best tell Rigel he's not going to be getting in your bed for much longer. Just a few more months and I'll be there."

I grinned down at Rigel, trotting along beside me. "Oh, do I have to Will? He's such a lovely little thing to hold during the night."

His lips brushed up against my ear, his voice quiet as he whispered. "I'll give you something to hold during the night, although I can't promise it will be small." I felt a flush rise to my cheeks, and his hand dipping down from my waist to grab at my rear. Instead of jumping away from it, I leaned into it, letting him grab a large handful, his fingers rubbing me slightly. His bag, bumping along against his side, provided enough cover for him to have done it, and he slowly brought his hand back to its normal place. "I can take you on a tour of the ship tomorrow, once I get a decent night's sleep."

"Can Rigel join us?" I leaned into his shoulder, already anxious for tomorrow to arrive.

Will snorted, "I'd rather not have him staring at us the entire time." He opened the door to the carriage, handing me up. Then he looked to Rigel, the leash taut from my hand to the ground. "Well, jump, boy." Rigel gave a whine, looking up at Will. He sighed, reaching down and collecting him in one hand. "I am not doing this once he's grown." With that he deposited him on the floor, sitting next to me. He shook his head at the puppy currently considering his shoes, "If he starts chewing on my shoes, Ana, he's living down in the kitchen."

"Oh, Rigel will be fine." I smiled down at the puppy, draping the edge of my skirt over him. He rolled over, pawing at it and trying to bit the hem. "See? And he won't tear it, he just wants to play."

"And I'm sure Peggy is thrilled by him." Will snorted, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me to his shoulder. I smiled as I hear him breathe in my perfume, "God Ana, when I told Charles I was worried about your protection while I was out, I figured he'd reassure me that you could hire a guard or something. Not get you a dog."

"I think you should just be glad Charles didn't give me a knife." I let my hand drift over to his thigh, "Or a sword." My hand drifted higher, "Or a gun." With that I let my hand press against him. He was already rising to attention, and I could hear him let out a great rush of a breath.

"Ana, God. Please."

"Tomorrow, Will." I withdrew my hand, "Besides, the coachman will hear you. Not to mention Reggie if you come back with a mess on your pants."

He snorted at that, "God damn Reggie to the deepest pits of Hell for being so observant. If you didn't saddle me with that blasted valet I could have you in my lap right now."