Steele-Faced (Daggers & Steele Book 6) (7 page)

Shay gave me a small nod that showed she accepted the apology. “Don’t mistake prosecution for judgment.”

A bell rang near the exit. A white jacket-clad steward stood there with triangle and beater in hand. Once the sound permeated through the room, he spoke in a loud, clear voice. “Ladies and gentlemen. The ballroom is now open.” He stepped to the side and swept his hand into the corridor.

Steele took a quick glance around the room as the masses began moving toward the exit. “Well, I think we’ve learned about as much as we’re going to tonight. Shall we?”

I sipped my drink and leaned in. “Shall we what?”

“Proceed to the ballroom.”

It took me a moment to process her meaning. “Are you…asking me to dance?”

“A lady asking a gentleman to dance? Of course not. That would be rather forward, wouldn’t it?” Shay stood rooted in place and let the void of silence fill the space between us.

“I—” I stared into her bold blue eyes, wide and beautiful and expectant. “—would love to. But what about Jimmy?”

“I don’t think he looks like the dancing type,” said Shay.

“That’s not what I meant.”

Shay smiled. “I know.”

“Fair enough. But I should warn you. It’s been a while since I danced.”

“As you might’ve guessed, my dress doesn’t provide for the greatest ease of movement.” Shay waved at her knees. “We’ll wait until they play a waltz. I should be able to handle that, if you can.”

“Believe it or not, I’ve danced it before.”

I held out my arm. Steele took it, and I escorted her into the corridor. While I presented a mask of tranquility, a little person inside me ran around in circles screaming.

I hadn’t lied. I
had
danced the waltz—something like four thousand years ago, when my ex-wife Nicole and I had just started dating and she’d dragged me along on all sorts of ‘fun’ outings I’d never truly appreciated.

The waltz, as I recalled, was one of the slowest of the ballroom dances, with a simple one-two-three, one-two-three pattern. The feet formed a box, moving forward and to the right and back and to the left over and over again. There was also supposed to be a corresponding rise and fall to the body where you elevated on your heels as you worked your way through the box, as well as numerous possible flourishes and twirls, though I could get by without performing any of those.

“Thomas?”

I glanced at Steele. “Yes?”

“You’re bouncing up and down.”

“Sorry. Muscle memory. For the waltz.”

“You know, if you’re not comfortable…”

I shook my head. “Nonsense. I’ll have everything sorted by the time we start. Never you worry.”

We followed the crowd into the ballroom, a broad two-story room that wouldn’t fit inside most buildings let alone on most ships, but the
Prodigious
took delight in making otherwise enormous things seem insignificant by comparison. I led Steele past the stage, where a string quintet sat with instruments ready, to a section of armchairs at the perimeter that still hadn’t been filled by guest posteriors.

The other gentlemen in the room had left the chairs for the ladies, so I did the same, waving my hand at a spot as the music began to play. “Care for a seat?”

“I would, but…” Shay tilted her head toward the dance floor.

I glanced at the quintet. “Is this a waltz?”

Shay smiled. “I don’t have the best ear for music, but this sounds like three-quarter time to me. Which would mean it is.”

Couples streamed onto the dance floor. “Just my luck. Might as well get to it, then.”

“Again, if you’re not feeling this…”

“No,” I said. “And stop doubting me. Now, if you’d join me for a dance, my lady?”

Steele seemed taken aback at my tone, but not offended. Perhaps she hadn’t expected me to take charge. Either way, she took my hand and allowed me to lead her to the dance floor.

The tiny agitator deep inside me screamed at the top of his lungs, yelling that I had no idea what I was doing and was about to make a fool of myself, but I ignored him. He kept yelling as I grasped Steele’s right hand in my left and held my arm firmly out at my side. He kept yelling as I wrapped my right arm around her midsection, placed my hand against the middle of her back, and pushed her firmly against my right hip. Still he yelled as I met her gaze, and in a moment of clarity, I understood the protest.

I wasn’t worried about making a fool of myself, or of proving myself a poor dancer, or even of providing my soon to be poker competitors with an inkling as to my true identity of a man not of means. I was afraid of disappointing Shay. Unnaturally afraid, given my rational knowledge of Shay’s romantic interest in me, but afraid nonetheless.

Shay smiled at me, a genuine, heartfelt smile of affection like nothing I’d ever seen her give to anyone else, a radiant yet subtle, kind and caring smile that crinkled the corners of her lips and eyes alike. “Ready?”

The agitator rose inside my head. I downed him with a swift elbow to the face. “Absolutely.”

I waited for the beat of the music to repeat and launched into the steps, leading Steele with a firm hand. Forward and right, close step, back and left, repeat, twirling a quarter turn with each movement. It took a fair mental effort to maintain, but only for three or four repetitions of the whole. At that point, the cycle became routine, and my mind and body alike relaxed. I forced my frame rigid as mandated by the dance, but I began to enjoy it, feel the bouncing rhythm of the waltz and the flow of the quintet’s strings and so much more. My handhold with Shay became more than a point of contact, and with each full rotation, our bodies moved together in greater sync.

Steele kept her head titled slightly to the side, as was the style, but I noticed her glancing at me.

“Can’t keep your eyes off me, can you?” I said. “Is it the tuxedo or the shave? Because I could ramp up my self-grooming regimen without too much pain. The clothes on the other hand…”

Shay turned her head and smiled. “You’re a far better dancer than I expected.”

“I can’t tell if that’s a compliment without knowing your expectations.”

“It’s a compliment.”

Shay turned her head back, and I dared to be brave. I led her into a spin turn. Shay took it without missing a step, her dress whipping around and slapping me on the shins. Thanks to my success, I tried my hand at a double reverse spin, which proceeded with similar results.

Round and round we danced, Shay spinning and twirling and showing me an enticing stretch of bare back with each turn. Her arms lengthened and became more elegant. The music flowed through us, and our bodies grew closer with every rotation. Sweat beaded at my temples and at the small of my back. Shay’s lilac perfume swirled around me, a musky, heady scent, and when I caught them, her eyes sparkled as brightly as her earrings.

The music stopped, and I brought us to a halt. Breath ran heavy through my nostrils, and I could tell Shay’s did, too. Her mouth hung open by a sliver, and her bosom rose and fell rhythmically, a bosom that I had great difficulty keeping my eyes off of. Sweat kissed her skin like morning dew, and she looked at me with soulful eyes.

I wasn’t sure what else she expected of me, but then I remembered my manners. I gave her a short bow. “Thank you for the dance, my lady.”

“I, ah…” Shay swallowed. “My pleasure. Although…perhaps you’d accompany me to the deck? Suddenly I find myself quite warm, and some fresh air could do me good.”

She wasn’t the only one. My shirt stuck to my chest, and my heart beat like a drum, though not necessarily from physical exertion.

I nodded dumbly and held out my arm.

10

A cold breeze hit us the moment I cracked the door to the
Prodigious’s
exterior, which was barren thanks to the wind’s efforts.

Shay shivered. “Well, this isn’t going to take as long as I thought.”

I stripped my coat off and offered it. “Here.”

Shay eyed it. “You sure?”

“I’m tough and thick-skinned.”

“Liar. You hate winter.”

“I’m also still warm from dancing. Maybe even more so than you.”

Shay didn’t respond to that. She presented me her back, and I helped her slip into the jacket. She crossed to the ship’s railing, leaned over, and rested her elbows against the polished wood.

I took a place at her left. The moon shone high in the sky, probably three or four days shy of full, surrounded by a sea of stars that glimmered palely in the bright moonlight. In the distance, behind the ship’s stern, New Welwic’s lights burned like a second sky. Waves slapped the ship’s hull, playing out a steady beat. Behind the melody of the ocean, I detected a low murmur, deep and muffled and distant. The roar of the ship’s engines, perhaps.

I tilted my head toward the city lights. “Hard to believe we’re so far away already. I can’t even tell we’re moving, and my stomach is usually finely tuned to that sort of thing.”

“You suffer from seasickness?” asked Shay.

“Depends on the size of the boat,” I said. “This is more of a small island, though.”

“Apparently, I don’t either.”

“Apparently?”
I said.

Shay turned her head toward me and sighed. “Alright. Confession time. I’d never been on a ship until today.”

“Really?” I said. “That can’t be true. We were on that skiff together when we dove into New Welwic’s underbelly.”

“A skiff is not a ship,” said Shay. “It’s a boat.”

“Correct you are, my nautically-informed dance partner,” I said. “But small vessels are worse than big ones when it comes to sea sickness.”

“We weren’t at sea,” said Shay. “We were in a cistern. My point is, I’d never set sail before today. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve travelled, but it was always via land.”

“Well then, you hit the jackpot,” I said. “Because I
have
set foot on ships before, and this is by far the largest, nicest, most modern one I’ve ever seen. And it may be the first one in history with a ballroom in it.”

“Jackpot…” said Shay. “Intended or unintended gambling metaphor?”

“Subliminal, perhaps?” I said. “It’s hard to stop thinking about the poker tournament entirely, although…I did. During our dance.”

Shay emitted something between a hum and a purr. “Likewise.”

I felt myself drifting toward her, my elbows gliding across the railing and my shoulder closing on hers. Maybe the breeze pushed me.

Shay tucked her left hand under my right, and the clasped pair hung over the ship’s lip. “So what is it about the tournament that preys on your mind?”

At the moment, nothing about the competition preyed on me. Shay did, though, with the breeze pressing the tail of her dress against her legs and pushing her hair over to the side, exposing the long, smooth lines of her neck. She sucked her lower lip in through her teeth and let it back out, succulent and wet.

I glanced over my shoulder to make sure we were alone. “Well, I suppose there are any number of things that concern me. Despite my braggadocio in Theo’s presence, I’m not entirely sure how I’ll place my bets with such a rich prize on the line, or if I’ll be able to bluff properly. I’m concerned about our overall performance, and who’ll come out on top. And I’m not sure if I’ll be able to keep my wits about me if things go as I hope they do.”

Shay did the thing with her lip again. “Are we still talking about card games?”

“I don’t know what
you’re
talking about. I’m trying to sell you a fine leather jacket.”

Shay smiled and squeezed my hand. “You rouge.”

The door behind us creaked, and we both turned. Out of it emerged a young man in one of the ship’s navy and white sailor’s uniforms. He took a look around and quickly locked onto Shay and me.

“Excuse me,” he said. “Are you Mr. and Mrs.…Waters?”

He hadn’t come from the ball. His clothing made that obvious.

“Yes,” I said. “What is it?”

He shifted his feet and glanced up and down the deck again, all while playing with his hands. “I’m, uh…sorry to interrupt. But Boatswain Olaugh instructed me to come get you. It’s urgent. Could you follow me?”

“What’s this about?” asked Steele.

He couldn’t keep his hands still. “I really can’t talk about it. But you’re needed in one of the ship’s luggage compartments. Please?”

I forced my annoyance down under my vestments. Shay wasn’t going anywhere, after all. “Fine. Lead the way.”

11

Shay and I trudged deep into the
Prodigious’s
belly, following the sailor down several flights of stairs into darkened corridors. The smooth wood floors of the promenade deck were replaced by bare metal, and the paint on the walls transitioned from a gentle cream to a flat white. The air became musty, and instead of cigar smoke and hints of potpourri, it held traces of coal ash and salt. It left an iron tang on my tongue.

While revelers packed the halls of the first couple floors, well-dressed and cheerful and inebriated, they disappeared the further we went. We passed a few of the ships’ crew, and then none at all for almost a minute. Given our escort’s demeanor, I started to get a feeling of unease—why had I let Shay convince me to leave Daisy behind?—but then we turned a corner to find Boatswain Olaugh standing in front of a closed bulkhead door, just as the sailor had promised.

He didn’t look happy, and I didn’t drop my guard.

“So,” I said as we walked up. “Can I ask what’s going on now?”

“Almost. Steck’s inside. He can explain better than I can.” Olaugh cranked on the door handle and opened it.

Steele glanced at the crewman but stayed true to character. “Steck? Who’s that?”

Olaugh nodded at the sailor. “He knows.”

“He knows?” I said.

“I, uh…know,” said the sailor. “Names. Occupations. Everything.”

“How does he know?” I asked.
“Why
does he know?”

Olaugh clenched his teeth. “If you’d go through the door, I think you’d figure out why pretty darn quickly. Or you should if you’re any good at what you do.”

Any good at what we do?
I stepped through the portal, and the sailor hadn’t sold it short. It was a luggage compartment, though only moderately filled. There were a few stacks of suitcases and trunks and carpet bags, loosely tied down with rope to keep from shifting, but most of the space remained unused, which made sense. The
Prodigious
was large enough to undertake a lengthy journey, but her maiden voyage consisted of a quick jaunt around the Wel Sea. I couldn’t imagine many of the ship’s guests had packed heavy.