not Bristol shape, and he would certainly consider selling if the price were right, a deal was struck in principle in very few minutes. Pending the outcome of a marine surveyor’s report and a personal inspection by the Mastersons, Portside Queen , formerly Felicity and Catriona , would change hands. Hopefully for the last time.
Beaming, Slim hugged his wife, spun her around and declared a celebration. Back at their table, he continued effusively, “We’ll dance until dawn, drink champagne, and dream of the day Catriona sails again. You, my dear Marian, are going to be one of our first guests.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I can’t wait! What a life you two are going to have.” A dreamy expression flooded her eyes. “ Faraway places with strange-sounding names …”
Smiling, Ethel finished the snippet of song. “ ‘ Calling, calling me … ’ ”
Leaning sideways, Slim nudged Rolph with an elbow. “You too, of course,” he murmured. “A honeymoon trip, maybe, like Ethel and I had? I tell you, boy, there’s nothing better than making love in a gimbaled berth.”
Rolph closed his eyes briefly. “No,” he said. “I’m afraid that’s not in the cards.” Faraway places … He looked at Marian. She still had that dreamy smile on her face. “But you might offer Marian a job as crew. By the time your refit’s finished, she’ll be ready to move on.”
Marian tapped Rolph’s hand with one fingernail. “I heard that,” she said softly. “And I’ll thank you to let me find my own future employment. Don’t forget you promised me three months training here. Why are you in such a hurry to get rid of me?”
Rolph picked up his champagne glass and sipped. “I’m a realist,” he said, shrugging. “I know you of old. You’ll be on your way again soon.”
“We’ll see.” Marian glanced at the dance floor. “Shouldn’t we join our guests in their celebrations?”
Rolph sipped again. “I thought we were.”
Marian grinned cheekily. “Slim mentioned dancing till dawn along with the champagne. We can’t disappoint him, now can we?”
Rolph hesitated, thinking of the way it had been holding her in his arms, wondering if he could stand even ten more minutes of it. He wondered, too, if he could stand to meet Marian’s entreating gaze for another ten seconds without giving in. It wasn’t the Mastersons he hated to disappoint. Dammit, Marian had always been able to get her own way simply by looking at him like that. He slid one hand up her arm to her shoulder, palm tingling as it stroked over her smooth skin.
“Come on, then,” he said gruffly. “If I must, I must.”
“Poor Rolph,” Marian sympathized. “The sacrifices you make in the name of business.”
“It really is criminal,” he said, and smiled down at her. “Should be looked into.” He looked into her eyes.
“Absolutely,” she agreed, her breath caught in her throat, her gaze locked with his, her heart beating high and hard and irregularly. She and he were momentarily encapsulated, isolated from the music, from the crowd, from everything but that silent, aching communication between them. So immersed was she in Rolph’s eyes, that when someone touched her arm, she jumped in genuine fear.
She whirled, blinked and shook her head, bewildered by the intrusion, finding it almost impossible to form a coherent thought.
“Marian?” The dark-haired man who had touched her seemed taken aback by her reaction. “So sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. It is Marian Crane, isn’t it?” He had a crisp British accent, but one not regional enough for her to place.
“I … yes. Of course.” She bit her lip. Who was this? He looked familiar, but she couldn’t recall from when or where.
“You remember me, don’t you?” he said with a smile. “Robin Ames. We met in Hong Kong a few years back. I was married to Adrienne then.” His smile never changed. “But I’m not now. Say, I don’t suppose your brother would mind if I
Beaming, Slim hugged his wife, spun her around and declared a celebration. Back at their table, he continued effusively, “We’ll dance until dawn, drink champagne, and dream of the day Catriona sails again. You, my dear Marian, are going to be one of our first guests.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I can’t wait! What a life you two are going to have.” A dreamy expression flooded her eyes. “ Faraway places with strange-sounding names …”
Smiling, Ethel finished the snippet of song. “ ‘ Calling, calling me … ’ ”
Leaning sideways, Slim nudged Rolph with an elbow. “You too, of course,” he murmured. “A honeymoon trip, maybe, like Ethel and I had? I tell you, boy, there’s nothing better than making love in a gimbaled berth.”
Rolph closed his eyes briefly. “No,” he said. “I’m afraid that’s not in the cards.” Faraway places … He looked at Marian. She still had that dreamy smile on her face. “But you might offer Marian a job as crew. By the time your refit’s finished, she’ll be ready to move on.”
Marian tapped Rolph’s hand with one fingernail. “I heard that,” she said softly. “And I’ll thank you to let me find my own future employment. Don’t forget you promised me three months training here. Why are you in such a hurry to get rid of me?”
Rolph picked up his champagne glass and sipped. “I’m a realist,” he said, shrugging. “I know you of old. You’ll be on your way again soon.”
“We’ll see.” Marian glanced at the dance floor. “Shouldn’t we join our guests in their celebrations?”
Rolph sipped again. “I thought we were.”
Marian grinned cheekily. “Slim mentioned dancing till dawn along with the champagne. We can’t disappoint him, now can we?”
Rolph hesitated, thinking of the way it had been holding her in his arms, wondering if he could stand even ten more minutes of it. He wondered, too, if he could stand to meet Marian’s entreating gaze for another ten seconds without giving in. It wasn’t the Mastersons he hated to disappoint. Dammit, Marian had always been able to get her own way simply by looking at him like that. He slid one hand up her arm to her shoulder, palm tingling as it stroked over her smooth skin.
“Come on, then,” he said gruffly. “If I must, I must.”
“Poor Rolph,” Marian sympathized. “The sacrifices you make in the name of business.”
“It really is criminal,” he said, and smiled down at her. “Should be looked into.” He looked into her eyes.
“Absolutely,” she agreed, her breath caught in her throat, her gaze locked with his, her heart beating high and hard and irregularly. She and he were momentarily encapsulated, isolated from the music, from the crowd, from everything but that silent, aching communication between them. So immersed was she in Rolph’s eyes, that when someone touched her arm, she jumped in genuine fear.
She whirled, blinked and shook her head, bewildered by the intrusion, finding it almost impossible to form a coherent thought.
“Marian?” The dark-haired man who had touched her seemed taken aback by her reaction. “So sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. It is Marian Crane, isn’t it?” He had a crisp British accent, but one not regional enough for her to place.
“I … yes. Of course.” She bit her lip. Who was this? He looked familiar, but she couldn’t recall from when or where.
“You remember me, don’t you?” he said with a smile. “Robin Ames. We met in Hong Kong a few years back. I was married to Adrienne then.” His smile never changed. “But I’m not now. Say, I don’t suppose your brother would mind if I
Similar Books
