Heaven Bound (A Blakemore Family Book: Madame Lou Series Book 2) by SaraLynn Hoyt Page B

few more days. It seems silly to waste time on a cause that you can’t follow up with.”
    “I can’t seem to help myself.” Adeline said. “I’m just so bored with all the promenade- walking and sitting in the Writing Room and the Grand Salon. It’s like being trapped in a visit to my aunt Josephine’s.”
    “Thomas is waiting at the elevator for you. He’ll escort you to D-deck then come back for you in two hours. Will you be having supper in the dining room or with Lady Huntingdon tonight?”
    “I haven’t heard from Henrietta yet. I’m hoping that Jack will show up wherever she does, but he’s been so unpredictable lately. Just be ready with two gowns, Stone. And after dinner I’d like to go below deck again and see what that dance is all about. We can go together. It should be fun.”
    “Fun for who?” Emily didn’t look convinced. “I’ll be so busy watching out for you I won’t be able to fit in any snogging on the side.”
    “Emily!” Addie pretended to be outraged, but she dissolved into laughter. “I promise to give you plenty of opportunities for side snogging.”
    “And don’t forget to call me ‘Emily’ below decks. We are equals as far as they are concerned, so I’ll call you ‘Addie’.” Emily looked extremely uncomfortable with the idea.
    “Harder for you than me.” Adeline confirmed. “I’ll be back soon.”
    Adeline met Thomas at the elevator that went from first-class all the way to the lower decks. He was properly deferential to her as they rode down.
    “I’ll be back in precisely two hours, Miss James. But if you’d like, I could just wait here.”
    “Oh, no need, Thomas. I will be fine. I’m just going to walk around the deck and see if I can meet a few of the ladies.” Adeline had no intention of limiting her conversations to women, but telling Thomas that would not be wise.
    “Very well, Miss.” Thomas didn’t look convinced but he knew when to leave well enough alone.
    The afternoon was uneventful for Adeline. She managed to convince a few families to tell her about the conditions of the shipyards they were headed to, but they had little information to share. The bad news was that the Irish shipyards did not share the same benefits that the English labor laws guaranteed, like ten hour workdays. It was clear to Adeline that there would be a need for unions, which meant hard days ahead for these people. Fighting the status quo was never popular and the rich men who ran these companies would not be happy to see the unions arrive.
          It would mean their ships would not get built as quickly or cheaply as they hoped. And if they didn’t allow the unions to set themselves up, there would be riots and men would be hurt, maybe even killed, as a result.
    Two hours later, Adeline showed up at the appointed place and Thomas escorted her back to her suite. “If you please, Miss James, may I be of any further assistance?”
    “Why don’t you come in for a moment and if I have a message from the countess, would you deliver my reply?”
    “I would be honored.” Thomas said practically holding his breath as they entered the sitting room.
    “Stone.” Adeline called out. “Do we have dinner plans?”
    Emily came out of her bedroom and stopped in her tracks when she saw Thomas. She raised her eyebrows but didn’t waver. “Lady Huntingdon suggested a repeat of last night. Here is her invitation.” She handed over the velum envelope to Adeline.
    “She says that Jack has also agreed that it was a nice alternative from the crowded dining room.” Adeline read the rest of the note. “Father is invited, too, although I’ll be surprised if he accepts. I believe he does not approve of the countess.”
    Thomas tried to pretend not to listen, looking around the room and focusing on the artwork.
    “Thomas, please let the countess know that I will be attending and I’ll send a message around later if Papa will be joining us.”
    “Of course, Miss James.