Officer Garris had told him to come. “He says the captain insists on knowing if Miss Marshal is hurt.”
“I’m all right,” she murmured wearily, wishing they would all just go away and leave her alone. “I’ve got a few bruises, probably, and I’m a bit sore, but I’ll be all right if all of you would just let me rest.”
There was an awkward silence, and the crewman repeated apologetically that the captain wanted to be sure.
Julie had closed her eyes, but she sensed someone leaning over her, and she looked up to see Floyd’s slightly flushed face as he whispered tensely, “I’m afraid Jenkins will have to examine you, Miss Marshal. He used to be a doctor—”
“ Used to be?” she echoed, stunned. “Mr. Justice, I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“He was run out of the town where he was practicing, because of his drinking,” he hurriedly explained. “A patient died when he bungled the man’s treatment because he was drunk. The captain signed him on to have someone around when we need a doctor. It’s all right. He’s perfectly competent, since he’s sober. He wasn’t involved in the drinking tonight. Now he must examine you. I’m sorry. Your mother may remain with you, of course.”
Julie gritted her teeth and agreed to the examination. Anything, she thought, suppressing a scream of fury, anything to get it over with and have everyone just leave her alone.
The doctor’s examination was embarrassing and degrading, but at least, she thought with a sigh of relief when it was over, he was fast. The whole ordeal took but a few moments. Then he was saying that, indeed, she seemed fine. There was no bleeding, no danger of hemorrhage, and she had few bruises.
“I told you he didn’t actually do anything,” Julie ground out the words. “Now please, may I get some rest?”
“I’ll ask Mr. Justice to have some brandy sent in to help you relax,” he murmured as he hurried out.
Her mother helped her get into a gown, admonishing her all the while for disobeying orders. “I hope you’ve learned a lesson, dear. Let’s be thankful it wasn’t worse.”
Edsel Garris arrived with a bottle of brandy and insisted that Julie have a drink. “The captain is quite concerned, and I’m to report to him and assure him that you are all right.”
“Concerned!” Julie snorted with disdain. “So he sends you. He isn’t concerned enough to inquire personally. He sends his lackey.”
Her lids grew heavy as the brandy made her relaxed and sleepy. She closed her eyes, the sounds of her mother’s and Edsel’s conversation drifting farther and farther away…finally disappearing completely as she dropped off into blessed oblivion.
She awoke with a start.
The dim grayish-rose light peeking through the porthole told her that night was almost over and dawn was breaking in the east. She had slept soundly, but what had awakened her? Trying to focus her eyes in the haziness, she sat up, apprehension making her flesh tingle.
And then she saw the shadow of a man. He was leaning against the little desk in the corner. Gasping with fright, she clutched the blankets tightly to her chin and cried, “Who’s there?” as a scream bubbled deep in her throat.
A husky, mellow voice answered, “I thought I should prove my concern by inquiring personally. I understand you stated your doubts to my first officer to the point of dubbing him my lackey.” He sounded slightly mocking.
While Julie could not see his face, she could distinguish that he was a large man. The image of the captain she had conjured was of a withered, sour old creature who hated the world and everyone in it, including himself. The richly masculine voice that touched her ears did not sound like that of an old man, nor was he small and shriveled.
Propping herself up on the pillows, she took a deep breath and silently vowed not to let herself be intimidated. “I hardly call the middle of the night an appropriate time for a personal call,
“I’m all right,” she murmured wearily, wishing they would all just go away and leave her alone. “I’ve got a few bruises, probably, and I’m a bit sore, but I’ll be all right if all of you would just let me rest.”
There was an awkward silence, and the crewman repeated apologetically that the captain wanted to be sure.
Julie had closed her eyes, but she sensed someone leaning over her, and she looked up to see Floyd’s slightly flushed face as he whispered tensely, “I’m afraid Jenkins will have to examine you, Miss Marshal. He used to be a doctor—”
“ Used to be?” she echoed, stunned. “Mr. Justice, I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“He was run out of the town where he was practicing, because of his drinking,” he hurriedly explained. “A patient died when he bungled the man’s treatment because he was drunk. The captain signed him on to have someone around when we need a doctor. It’s all right. He’s perfectly competent, since he’s sober. He wasn’t involved in the drinking tonight. Now he must examine you. I’m sorry. Your mother may remain with you, of course.”
Julie gritted her teeth and agreed to the examination. Anything, she thought, suppressing a scream of fury, anything to get it over with and have everyone just leave her alone.
The doctor’s examination was embarrassing and degrading, but at least, she thought with a sigh of relief when it was over, he was fast. The whole ordeal took but a few moments. Then he was saying that, indeed, she seemed fine. There was no bleeding, no danger of hemorrhage, and she had few bruises.
“I told you he didn’t actually do anything,” Julie ground out the words. “Now please, may I get some rest?”
“I’ll ask Mr. Justice to have some brandy sent in to help you relax,” he murmured as he hurried out.
Her mother helped her get into a gown, admonishing her all the while for disobeying orders. “I hope you’ve learned a lesson, dear. Let’s be thankful it wasn’t worse.”
Edsel Garris arrived with a bottle of brandy and insisted that Julie have a drink. “The captain is quite concerned, and I’m to report to him and assure him that you are all right.”
“Concerned!” Julie snorted with disdain. “So he sends you. He isn’t concerned enough to inquire personally. He sends his lackey.”
Her lids grew heavy as the brandy made her relaxed and sleepy. She closed her eyes, the sounds of her mother’s and Edsel’s conversation drifting farther and farther away…finally disappearing completely as she dropped off into blessed oblivion.
She awoke with a start.
The dim grayish-rose light peeking through the porthole told her that night was almost over and dawn was breaking in the east. She had slept soundly, but what had awakened her? Trying to focus her eyes in the haziness, she sat up, apprehension making her flesh tingle.
And then she saw the shadow of a man. He was leaning against the little desk in the corner. Gasping with fright, she clutched the blankets tightly to her chin and cried, “Who’s there?” as a scream bubbled deep in her throat.
A husky, mellow voice answered, “I thought I should prove my concern by inquiring personally. I understand you stated your doubts to my first officer to the point of dubbing him my lackey.” He sounded slightly mocking.
While Julie could not see his face, she could distinguish that he was a large man. The image of the captain she had conjured was of a withered, sour old creature who hated the world and everyone in it, including himself. The richly masculine voice that touched her ears did not sound like that of an old man, nor was he small and shriveled.
Propping herself up on the pillows, she took a deep breath and silently vowed not to let herself be intimidated. “I hardly call the middle of the night an appropriate time for a personal call,
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