The Charlotte Series: Book 3: The Pretender's Gold

19

Photo: Cabin plan. Stu is sailing the SS Germanic. Stu cabins are forward of the saloon (dining hall) and port side. (Cabins #58, #60, #62)

Chapter 19

She was so intent on trying to untangle her skirts and some sort of -cane? - that she didn't hear his approach. As she started to mumble another curse he cleared his throat. She yelped and stumbled back. As her arms began to flail, he rushed forward and caught her.

She blushed as she looked up at him and he met a pair of perfect blue eyes. Perfect in shape, in color, in-his eyes drank in her countenance. The perfect face that wasn't so thin and sharp as was fashionable. And they lingered a second or two too long on her full pink lips. As she started to move away, he realized he still held her about the waist and he finished his earlier thought.

She appeared out of the mist like the angel she was.

As she started to move she stumbled and he held out a hand, which she quickly grabbed. He liked that he wasn't the only one cursed with skin that blushed uncontrollably.

"I beg your pardon." She said, and he thought even her voice was perfect. "But I've dropped my cane, you see. And the movement of the ship-would you mind terribly?"

"Oh." Stu blinked and forced himself to focus on her words instead of her- "Of course."

He knelt to retrieve the cane and noticed another nearby, where she first had become entangled. Someone had carelessly left the rope poorly coiled and it slipped loose in the night. It probably wouldn't have been a problem in clear weather, but-he frowned. He wasn't the captain and this wasn't his line. He retrieved the second cane easily holding the two in one hand and stood again.

"Here you are miss." He held her elbow as she swayed and watched as she held the two canes in each hand. They were odd looking, reaching to her elbow but the handle was not at the top, so that her wrists bent quite naturally when she held them.

Clever, that.

"Thank you." She looked down a moment then after a sigh, she straightened and looked at him as proudly as any lady of the ton ever might.

"I am damaged." She lifted her chin a notch and though the top of her had didn't reach his armpit she managed to look down her nose at him. "I can manage quite well on dry land, but with the swell it becomes rather difficult to manage."

"You've no need to apologize or explain to me, Miss." He smiled reassuringly and was pleased to see her relax a little. "I'm afraid I have forgotten my manners."

He took half a step back and offered a rather elegant bow.

"I am Stuart Windes, Miss. But my friends call me Stu."

"Mr. Windes." She smiled and managed to dip her knees a bit. "I am Summer Marston and I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Do you travel alone, Miss Marston?" Stu looked around, as no one else had appeared, "Shall I escort you back to the...ah..."

Summer smiled. She liked this large fellow. He seemed sincere and his manners were as rusty as hers, it seemed. She blushed as she recalled the curses he surely must have heard her utter...

"I do, though it wasn't by choice. My friend fell ill yesterday and her brothers forbid her to come."

"I wonder that her brother did not travel in her stead."

"He is needed at home. Our good neighbors have an entire house fallen ill. My friend was helping them until she fell ill as well. One of her brothers took up helping where she let off, and the other is taking care of our home, and my friend."