Murder on the Mauretania (32 page)

Dillman had no doubt that he was sitting beside the most attractive woman in the whole room, and Genevieve had already told him how dashing he looked in his white tie and tails. Both of them collected admiring glances from Captain Pritchard that had nothing to do with their appearance. The captain was the most contented man in the room, and he was signaling his congratulations to them. Dillman and Genevieve felt able to bask in their success for once.

Over the dessert course, he leaned across to whisper to her. “That woman is still staring at me, Genevieve.”

“They
all
are, George,” she replied.

“This lady is at the table in the corner,” he said, nudging her to look in the right direction. “The one in the plain dress.”

“Where?”

“Next to that large young man with the curly hair.”

“Oh, that’s Ruth Constantine,” she said, seeing her friend. “Next to the famous Donald Belfrage. I’m not surprised that Ruth is so interested in you, George. She’s just picked you out of the identity parade.”

“What identity parade?”

“The one she’s held since we set sail.”

“Ah,” he recalled. “You told me about Ruth. She’s very intuitive, you said. Ruth is convinced that you have someone special tucked away in the comer of your life.”

“That’s why she’s been lining up the suspects.”

Mock indignation. “Is that all I am—a suspect?”

“A prime suspect.”

“That’s something, I suppose.”

“You’re now under arrest.”

“Does that mean a sentence will be imposed on me?”

“Oh, yes.”

“By whom?”

“I think I might take over the judicial role myself, actually.”

“And where will the verdict be given?”

Genevieve made him wait for a long minute before she made her decision. “In my cabin.”

He grinned. “I thought we agreed to stay well apart during the voyage.”

“Yes, we did.”

“So?”

“I’m only inviting you back to play chess with me.”

“But you don’t have a chess set, Genevieve.”

“No, I don’t,” she said fondly. “In that case, we may have to improvise.”

By noon on Thursday of her maiden voyage, the Mauretania had spanned 624 miles in twenty-four hours, creating a new record for the distance covered in a single day. The captain was toasted, and a grateful American passenger, Mr. W. J. White, gave the stokers $1,000 in appreciation of their sterling work. But the Blue Riband eluded them. Slowed by bad weather throughout and hampered by thick fog off Sandy Hook, the Mauretania did not dock until 6.15
P.M.
on Friday, November 22, 1907. In spite of the adverse conditions, her average speed was a respectable 21.22 knots
.

After a refit the following year, the Mauretania went on to capture both the eastbound and westbound records in April 1909, holding the Blue Riband for the next twenty years
.

About the Author

Conrad Allen is better known as Edward Marston, the Edgar-nominated author of the Nicholas Bracewell series and of several other historical mysteries. He lives in England.

Find out more about him at
www.edwardmarston.com