An Unsinkable Love - By Terri Benson Page 0,19

allow her to sweep yet another incident under the rug.

"Really, dear, it's nothing. I took a spill." She wouldn't meet his eye.

"All right, we'll pretend for a moment you're fine. But you haven't had anything to eat. You and I are going to stop in at the A La Carte Dining Room and have a bite, and you can tell me all about your 'spill'."

"That's not necessary, Malcolm, and Eldon will be furious.

He was so angry after you booked the suite. He said it was a waste of money and we'd have been quite comfortable with singles. If he finds out we ate in the A La Carte and paid extra, he'll be very unhappy. We can go back to the dining room if you're hungry."

He gritted his teeth at her concern for Eldon's feelings, since her husband would most certainly have dismissed 65

An Unsinkable Love

by Terri Benson

thoughts of his wife by now. "No, Mother. I'll pay for dinner.

We don't get to spend much time together, and this late there probably won't be a lot of people there to interrupt us,"

Malcolm said, as he escorted her down the hall. "Besides, I'd like to hear about how you came to have Miss Barry in your room." Malcolm looped his mother's arm though his own and walked her down the corridor, slowing his pace to match her hesitant one. "How did you meet the young lady, Mother? Is she the daughter of a new friend of yours?"

Elizabeth peered up at her son. "Are you teasing me, Malcolm?"

He stopped and turned to her. "I met her a couple days ago, but we didn't get much of a chance to talk. I've been trying to find out more about her, but perhaps you've saved me the effort."

"But Malcolm, dear, Bree is a seamstress. She works for the shipping line. Where on earth did you meet her?"

"A seamstress? She didn't speak like a common servant."

Malcolm shook his head in bemusement as he remembered the plain dress she'd been wearing in his mother's suite. He'd also met her below decks. He was thrown by the elegant outfit she'd been wearing then, as well as her refined manners. She certainly didn't resemble the other workers with whom he'd come in contact on the ship. "Are you sure?"

"I assure you she is a very skilled seamstress." Elizabeth replied.

Malcolm steered her toward the restaurant, one hand scrubbing through the short hair at his nape as he considered the implications.

66

An Unsinkable Love

by Terri Benson

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67

An Unsinkable Love

by Terri Benson

Chapter 6

Bree jerked as the doorknob rattled, sinking into the chair with relief when Elizabeth entered. She was making a silent prayer of thanks Eldon wasn't with his wife when Malcolm stepped into the room behind her.

He was very solicitous with his mother, leading her gently over to the chaise and helping her sit. When he turned his face, Bree saw a brittle gleam in his eyes. Apparently he had at least some idea of what happened.

"Mother tells me you've offered to sit with her tonight."

"Yes. I've been working on some of her other gowns, and it's no bother to stay." Bree couldn't tear her gaze away from his stormy eyes. They were indigo dark and bore into her with unnerving intensity. He shook his head and broke the spell.

"She's a little fatigued. Do you think you could help her to bed?"

"Of course." Bree laid the garment she'd been working on aside and quickly went to Elizabeth.

"I'm sorry I'm such a bother, dear," Elizabeth said.

Bree shushed her with a shake of her head. "Don't fret about it. We'll just get you settled in and comfortable." After she closed the bedroom door and helped the older woman out of the heavy gown and into her nightclothes, she gently brushed Elizabeth's hair. Pain lines deepened around her mouth and Bree quickly finished plaiting the silvery-blonde hair and eased her into the narrow bed, tucking the bedding close around her thin body. She fetched a glass of water from 68

An Unsinkable Love

by Terri Benson

the bathroom, measured out the bedtime dose of laudanum then watched as Elizabeth drank it down.

"Thank you, my dear." Elizabeth reached up and brushed her hand across Bree's cheek. "You've been a godsend."

Bree grasped the thin hand as she stood, giving it a squeeze before tucking it under the blanket. "Sleep well, Mrs.

DuMont. I'll be just outside the door. If you need me, call out." By the time she reached the door, Elizabeth's eyes were closed, her face unlined