Meredith Moore, a 18-year-old orphaned thief has lived her entire life in a world of corruption, danger and fear, making a living by stealing and forging her identity all along. When she decides to return home to New York after years in England than...
The sun pierces the fabric of the awning that covers the cabin's living room windows. The light fell on Meredith's long blond hair as it fell from the couch cushion. The young woman woke up with a sore head from the alcohol she had drunk the night before. Meredith staggered to her feet to walk over to the vanity in her bedroom. The girl's reflection was disheveled, her face showing the blush in her cheeks from all the whiskey she couldn't control after returning to her room. 'What happened last night' she taught straightening her hair, Meredith didn't remember anything of what happened once she left the dining room. The girl sighed and, lighting a cigarette, leaned over the railing of her private promenade deck and realized that the ship was stopped on the last leg of the journey in Ireland before New York. Watching people board the ship, Meredith was distracted by knocking on the door. The blonde tossed her cigarette and went to open the door.
"What happens?" Meredith asked the person who still hadn't focused properly due to fatigue "Miss Moore? are you okay?" The steward asked seeing the shabby look of the girl in front of him "Yes everything is fine ... do you need anything?" she answered him "Mr. Hockley and his fiance, have invited you for a tour of the ship together with Mr Andrews ..." the man informs her "When?" She asks him knowing that she has to change and settle down and above all get rid of this hangover "As soon as we set sail again, the meeting is at the entrance of the first class staircaise" The steward leaves her a note with the time and place written and then closes the door.
Meredith hastily got ready. She combed her long knotted hair and then arranged it in a high hairstyle, with a light make-up she covered the dark circles of tiredness having not slept much the night before so as to look as fit as possible. But her dress? with all the clothes she had brought she just didn't know what to choose for the occasion as they were all too eccentric. Once dressed, Meredith anxiously waited for the established time, while smoking the third cigarette of the morning, the young woman thought about how many questions all those indiscreet people of that spoiled family would still ask her. 'Poor Rose' she thought, who knows how much she has to put up with that man and her mother.
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The ship sailed and as planned Meredith left the cabin to join Rose, her mother and Mr Hockley. "Miss Moore good afternoon, we didn't see you at breakfast" Caledon told her with a dazzling almost fake smile "Well no, in fact I slept until a few hours ago" Meredith's answers as always leave all these nobles speechless "Miss Moore your dress... don't think you've exaggerated, it's just a tour of the ship..." Rose's mother said mockingly "You're right Madam, I don't like banality, you know that?" Rose giggled taking the blonde girl by the arm as they started walking on the deck of the first class, passing by the gymnasium and then to the crew's station "How was it at the end last night? Did you get back in the cabin in one piece?" The redhead asked her laughing "Yes, more or less, I think I drank more whiskey in the room" Meredith replied laughing, but her gaze met that of a man who seemed familiar to her, certainly not passing over to Rose who interrupted her speech as soon as she realized that the girl next to her was no longer listening, and following Meredith's gaze noticed the young officer looking at her "Who is it?" she asked curious in her ear "Nobody" the other one said seriously. Just as they were about to leave the crew station Rose headed for Caledon to hear something about the lifeboats with Mr Andrews leaving Meredith behind, but something stopped her suddenly. She couldn't go on, noticing the tail of her dress caught in a superfluous nail sticking out of the teak floor. Without attracting too much attention she tried to lower herself, but her tight corset prevented it "Shit!" she cursed "Miss Moore let me help you" A male voice ran to her help "I don't need it thanks" she replied continuing to try to detach the piece of fabric from the nail "Miss Moore let me give you a hand!" at that point Meredith looked up and immediately recognized the handsome officer who had rescued her the night before on the deck "Mr Lowe? are you persecuting me by any chance?" she said seriously "Well if you need help whenever I'm around I can't help but help you Miss" he replied smiling 'What a smile' she thought "Well don't worry Mr Lowe I'm doing just fine on my own" she replied going back to handling the dress "It doesn't seem like it to me, but unless you want to end up without the skirt of the dress, it's no problem for me, the choice is yours" the officer said sarcastically "You're insinuating that you want to see me without my dresses' skirt, Mr Lowe?" she said on purpose thinking of embarrassing him "Never say never, Miss Moore" he smiled in response teasing her "Forget it, take this nail off my dress" finally the officer with a deft gesture detaches with two fingers the nail from the girl's skirt offering her his hand to get up "Thank you Mr Lowe, again..." she said settling down but above all having the opportunity to observe him more closely; a beautiful man, tall, dark hair and these huge brown eyes that looked her up and down "You're welcome Miss, how was it last night? Did you manage to find your way to the bed?" He jokingly asked, "Is this how an officer speaks to a first-class woman on the most luxurious ship in the world?" Meredith asked seriously "No, only to little girls who find themselves drunk on their first night on a ship... obviously no offense Miss Moore" she said clearly teasing her. 'What a strange man' she taught... she had never had such a conversation with a man she had just met and never had sex with "You are an interesting man Mr Lowe, but this is none of your business, now if you'll excuse me but I have to go. See you Mr Lowe." The girl turned around and with an unexpected smile she took the end of the dress and walked towards the group of people who had left her behind.
