Northern Lights Trilogy (120 page)

“It is most kind of you, Eric.”

“Shall we?”

“Let me kiss the children good night.” “Right away. I’ll get the skiff ready.”

After bidding her children a good night, she accepted Riley’s hand and climbed into the boat before it was lowered to the surface. At the bottom of the net, another sailor waited for them, and then stepped aboard. Elsa looked upward. “Two men? Isn’t that overdoing it a bit, Riley?”

He grinned down at her. “Nothing’s overdoing it when I’m sending my fair captain to another ship dressed as if she were attending a society luncheon.”

She shook her head, embarrassed to be caught, and then nodded her assent to Eric to carry her onward and away from the laughter of her men aboard ship. Eric sat at one long oar and sang a low sailor’s tune to help the other sailor keep time with him at his own oar. They said nothing, and Elsa felt a bit uneasy in front of the other sailor. Especially with her mind on Karl Martensen.

He was waiting at the rail when she arrived, as somehow she knew he would be. They tied up beside the massive
Fair Alaska
, and Karl carried a ladder down to the pier for her, then lowered it to the skiff. She carefully climbed up, wanting to curse her bulky crinoline for
making her feel clumsy, and accepted his hand. He bent low to kiss her fingers, then turned to shake Eric’s hand.

“Weren’t you the one who escorted Captain Ramstad to the ball?”

“Indeed,” Eric said, measuring Karl with his eyes. “Eric Young, Captain Ramstad’s second mate.”

“Yes, I was sorry not to have made your acquaintance the night of the ball. I know of you, Mr. Young. You have a good reputation. If you ever tire of working for Captain Ramstad, look me up.”

Elsa looked from one man to the other. They seemed to admire each other, but there was a smell of competition in the air.

“If you don’t mind, I’ll accompany my captain to your ship and stand outside the door should she need anything.”

“That’s hardly necessary. I have plenty of crew members to see to her every need.”

Eric stood firm, unrelenting, staring only at Karl, never at Elsa.

“You might as well agree, Karl,” she said, taking his arm and breaking the awkward moment. “I have assembled the most wonderful, loyal crew on the seven seas.”

“Apparently,” he said, tucking her hand more securely on his strong forearm. “And the other man?”

“He’ll stay with the skiff,” Eric answered from behind them.

“I’ll send some supper down!” Karl called back.

“Much obliged, Cap’n Martensen!” the man called back.

Once aboard the
Fair Alaska
, Elsa dropped her hand from Karl’s arm and brought it to her mouth in astonishment. “Why…Karl, she’s
beautiful.
”

“You haven’t seen the half of her.” He stared down at her, and Elsa sensed that he wasn’t only admiring his ship. “Come, this way. I’ll give you a tour of the main deck and then we’ll end up at the dining hall. You, too, Mr. Young.”

They began at the impressive bridge, twice as large as Elsa’s on the
Majestic
, then proceeded to the boiler room. Karl’s arm waved in the air as he explained the inner workings of the ship.

“They’re half again as large as ours,” Eric murmured in her ear when Karl’s back was turned. “She has to be twenty tons.” Elsa’s crew had heard of her wager with Karl and was eager for their journey north, and their race, to begin.

“Twenty-two,” she whispered back, remembering Kristoffer’s report from the Ramstad Shipyard in Camden.

She waited until Karl was finished and then, ignoring what he had just said, stared into his eyes. “You think you have us already, don’t you? Simply because your boilers are such monstrosities? You probably had a good laugh when I demanded you only use two.”

Karl’s eyes sparkled in merriment. “A wager’s a wager.”

“Indeed,” she said, turning to lead them out of the noisy compartment where one of the gigantic steam engines slowly chugged, even though the ship was idle. She supposed it was to generate the electricity that lit the entire ship. That electricity would eat up a lot of Karl’s precious steam, she thought with a smirk. And the sheer bulk of
Fair Alaska
would take a lot of power to push it northward. He hadn’t won yet.

They went down a great, curving staircase to the guest’s quarters, forty rooms that bragged of elegance by their ornate furnishings. There was even a tiny water closet and shower attached to each room, and electric lamps in each of the bedrooms. “My, Karl, she’s lovely. You really think you can attract enough paying customers to make it profitable?”

“I’m sure of it. John Muir has written countless articles on Glacier Bay, piquing society’s interest. Word has it he’s even contemplating a book, he’s so wild about the terrain. Trent Storm is already organizing rail trips from the Midwest and East to Seattle, where I’ll pick up the passengers and escort them to his roadhouses in Ketchikan and Juneau. You wait and see. It’ll be the rage.”

“You’re most likely right,” she answered, a bit miffed she hadn’t thought of the plan herself. It was perfect. A gem of an idea.

He took them back to the main deck’s receiving area, an enormous parlor meant for his guests’ recreation with huge portholes that
boasted of terrific views, even in foul weather. Then they walked along a narrow covered walkway that arced over the deck like a small bridge, presumably to allow crew members easy access while protecting his high-paying passengers from the elements in their formal dress. On the other side was a massive dining room; Elsa imagined the tables set with white tablecloths and silver. Crystal and china were neatly displayed in cabinets at the end of each long row of tables.

“You really think this will work?” she wondered aloud. “You’re obviously going to have to charge these people exorbitant prices to treat them this well. You’ll dine on what? Pheasant and duck? Pour the finest wines? Really, don’t you think it’s a bit ostentatious?”

“Not at all,” he said. “I think it’s the next wave of sailing. People will get up out of their armchairs and see the world, not just read about it. And if we can give them all the comforts of home, they’ll be all the more pleased to tell their friends that they must go too.”

“I hope so,” she said with a laugh. “Because if they don’t, you won’t be able to pay your Ramstad Shipyard bill.”

“Not at all.”

She looked at him quickly, confused.

“I paid cash for
Fair Alaska.
She’s mine, free and clear.”

Words could not express how glad Karl was to have Elsa aboard
Fair Alaska.
And he was even more glad when he smugly gestured toward the table outside the ballroom and could finally shut the door on the watchful Eric. It was more than loyalty that made that man such a watchdog for Elsa, Karl was sure of it. But tonight, tonight Karl would see if there was even a chance for him.

She paused when she tore her admiring gaze from the ballroom panels and saw the beautiful table. It was set with the finest sterling and china and crystal that Karl had, with a crystal candelabra already alight. She laughed in amazement and turned to him in surprise. “I had better leave.”

“Leave?”

“Yes. You must be expecting the governor.”

“Better,” he said, taking her hand. “An old friend that I’ve missed for far too long.”

She glanced away, her cheeks reddening with his praise, looking toward the gilt-edged mirrors on the walls and Antonio’s incredible carvings. “Where did you have these done?” she asked. “Last I knew, Ramstad Yard wasn’t doing such work.”

“San Francisco.”

“Ahh,” she said knowingly. “Convenient.”

“Convenient?”

“Yes,” she said, still running her hands over the carvings, avoiding his gaze. “All that work had to be done, right there near young Miss Kenney.”

Was that a hint of jealousy in her voice? Was she fishing for information? Surely not. “Yes, it was good to be near all the Kenneys. They’re fine friends.” He never wanted to say anything disrespectful about his friends, regardless of what he wanted Elsa to understand, that there could never be anything between him and Mara. He hoped Elsa read between the lines.

“And what would young Miss Kenney think of this?” she said, waving toward the table for two. She sounded a bit indignant. And for the first time Karl wondered if he had gone too far, too fast.

“I would tell her the truth,” he said. “I’d tell her that we are old friends who had dinner for the first time in two years and that I used every resource on the
Fair Alaska
to make it a memorable reunion.”

Her expression eased a bit, and she almost looked a little sorry at his explanation. Women! Who could figure what they wanted? Unable to think of what else he should do, he went to the phonograph, wound it up, and set the needle upon the metal disk. Music wafted into the air, and Elsa’s expression softened. “Do you have a phonograph?” he asked.

“Hardly. This is the first one I’ve seen.” “You’ll want one after you hear a few disks.”

“I want one now! And the children would love it.” “Take mine back with you.” “I couldn’t.”

“Yes, I insist. Borrow it until we reach Juneau.”

“You’re sure?”

“Absolutely.”

They paused, both watching the revolving machine and listening to the notes leaving the fluted horn that broadcast them. “Would you care to dance?” he asked, instantly chastising himself for his forwardness. Of course she didn’t. She was there for dinner, not romance!

“Certainly,” she said.

A second later, he faced her and offered his hand and arm. Slowly she walked toward him and took his hand in hers, placing her other hand on his shoulder. He whisked her across the ballroom floor, smiling. This was what he had longed to do as soon as he saw the completed ballroom. To take a woman into his arms, a woman who fit him as Elsa did, and float across the entire length. He caught glimpses of them in the mirrors, the hollow between her shoulder blades, his own intent face, her glistening hair. She was so beautiful. He wanted this moment to last forever, but all too soon, the music stopped.

She looked disappointed too, if he wasn’t mistaken. “Thank you, Karl. I was sorry we didn’t have another chance to dance at the Harvest Ball.”

“I, too. Come, let us sit. The food should arrive any minute.” He escorted her to the table and pulled out her chair. Then he sat on the other side and raised his crystal goblet. “I’d like to make a toast.”

“With an empty glass? Is that like an empty promise?”

“Not at all.” She raised her own crystal flute and waited. “I’d like to make a toast to friendship.” Her smile faltered a little, even as they touched the glasses together for a bell-like
ding
, and it was only then that Karl thought of the application to Mara Kenney as well as to Elsa. He was about to say something else, to amend it, when she spoke.

“And I’d like to make a toast as well.”

“Of course.”

“To dining like this every night of our journey to Alaska. The crew will love it.”

Karl raised his eyebrows. “You really think you can beat my ship, eh?”

“Every night. She’s the prettiest ship I’ve ever seen, but she’ll also be slower than molasses. She’s too heavy.”

“We shall see. To the
potential
of dining on the
Fair Alaska.
” “To dining on the
Fair Alaska.
” Their glasses met again.

L
ora Anders was hot.
Stifled
was a better word for it. She felt ill at ease, agitated, and could not seem to sit still through her attacker’s long-overdue trial. She fought the urge to pull at her high-necked collar, trying in vain to keep her hands in her lap. The small schoolhouse was packed with every townsperson who couldn’t wait to hear what the respected Mrs. Storm-to-be had to say against her assailant. Tora could hear the gossip already.

It was all his fault.

That she was here.

That she and Trent and her friends had to bear this.
Decker.

Dirty, despicable…she cast about for the last descriptive word that would define her assailant.
Lost.
Lost? The word stunned her. It had a quality of empathy that she did not care for. Lost? Yes, lost to this world. Lost to her. She should be happy. After today, Decker would be out of her life forever. What judge would dare to question Trent Storm? Once he took the stand, it was all over, regardless of what Tora’s past had been. He was Trent Storm, after all. And it was his testimony that would send the man to the gallows. Tora was certain of it.

Decker looked at her, and Tora immediately looked away, but not before she identified the look in his eyes. Gloating? It was he who would have to face the gallows. Not her. So why would he gloat? The man didn’t even have an attorney. There were few solicitors in Alaska. It was up to the judge to exact justice. And Tora aimed to turn the judge in her favor. If she dropped her eyes here, teared up there, he’d play right into her hands.

You are thinking of your old ways
, came the Voice.

Tora swallowed hard.
But this is justice, Father. He tried to take me again! And his intentions were not holy!
Tears came to her eyes. It wasn’t fair. She was created with certain physical attributes, attributes that may have contributed to his abuse of her. So shouldn’t she be able to use her looks in her favor to exact justice? To help justice prevail? The tears fell to her cheeks.