An Unsinkable Love(17)
"I'll be here when you return from dinner, ma'am. In the meantime, I'll go through your other dresses and see what I can do to fit them for you."
Elizabeth nodded distractedly, her attention centered on her husband's glowering face.
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An Unsinkable Love
by Terri Benson
Someone knocked at the door. Eldon glared at the portal.
Elizabeth seemed frozen in place. Bree hesitated then moved across the room, calling over her shoulder, "I'll get that," as she reached for the latch. She turned to face the door and jerked back. A fist hung in the air in front of her face. She stumbled and would have fallen, but the man who was in the process of knocking on the door lunged forward and captured her in a firm, but gentle, grasp.
"Pardon me, Miss Barry. It seems like I have a penchant for attempting to knock you off your feet. Of course, what I'd really like is to sweep you off your feet."
Bree's jaw dropped as she observed the same handsome man who'd nearly collided with her in the companionway. It dawned on her—Elizabeth's son, Mal. Malcolm DuMont.
Elizabeth had never mentioned her last name. Bree studied his face, noting the slightly sardonic tilt of his eyebrows and hint of a smile. He was clearly a spoiled, rich rake, who thought pretty words would win over anything in a skirt. She closed her mouth with an audible snap. If he thought she would be his next conquest, he could just go to the devil.
Ignoring him, she turned to Elizabeth. "It appears you now have two escorts, ma'am."
"Malcolm, dear, I didn't expect to see you this evening."
Elizabeth's gaze flicked uncertainly from her son's smiling face to her husband's frowning one.
"I decided to have dinner with you after all. And now I see how absolutely lovely you look tonight, I don't believe Eldon deserves to have you all to himself."
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An Unsinkable Love
by Terri Benson
Elizabeth laughed gaily, but Bree saw Eldon's face darken as he directed a fierce glare at his stepson.
Malcolm moved to his mother's side and helped her into the fur coat. Over her shoulder he said, "And what about you, Miss Barry? Will you be joining us for dinner?"
Bree didn't hear any sign of sarcasm in his tone, but she knew, somehow, he was making her the butt of a joke. Surely he recognized her uniform? Then she remembered she wasn't wearing her cap or apron, only the plain dark dress.
Elizabeth gazed at her son in surprise as she slipped her hand into the fur muff. "Oh, yes. Of course." She turned to Bree and said kindly, "Would you like to join us, my dear?"
Of course the woman was trying to be polite and didn't expect to take her seamstress to dinner. Bree deliberately snubbed Malcolm and smiled at Elizabeth. "No, thank you, ma'am. I have a great deal to do tonight. I do hope you enjoy yourself."
Elizabeth pushed the muff high on one arm and took both Bree's hands in hers. "Thank you. You can't possibly know what this means to me."
Bree watched as Elizabeth, flanked by the two tall, muscular men, walked carefully into the hall. The door shut behind them.
She went to the wardrobe and pulled out a selection of gowns. Bree closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against carved wooden door and muttered, "Oh yes, I can, Mrs.
DuMont. I know exactly how much it means to you. If only I could have given mother those same few moments of happiness." She sighed and went to work, knowing it would 61
An Unsinkable Love
by Terri Benson
be late when she finished and she'd have little sleep before it was time to return to Mr. Thorpe's domain.
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62
An Unsinkable Love
by Terri Benson
Chapter 5
Malcolm followed a few paces behind the older couple.
Eldon perfunctorily offered his arm to his wife and, staring straight ahead, strode down the corridor. Elizabeth glanced up at him repeatedly, like a puppy hoping for words of praise from its master, as she scurried to keep up.
He frowned. Something was wrong. Mother walked very awkwardly, as if there were pebbles or something in her shoe.
He knew from experience she wouldn't complain, especially to Eldon. He'd have to get her alone to find out what the matter was.
They proceeded down the hall and out onto the deck.
Malcolm watched as Eldon regally greeted select passengers along the way, cutting those he considered beneath his station. After they reentered the ship, they turned down the massive curved staircase and joined the jumble of elegantly dressed passengers in the reception room. While waiting their turn to enter the dining salon, Malcolm noted the flooring. It looked like marble, but he'd been told it was a new material, quite en vogue, called Linoleum, rumored to be much more expensive than imported stone. They moved to the head of the line and were ushered into the brightly lit room by the prim maitre d'. Malcolm recognized several faces scattered throughout the hundred-foot-long expanse.