To Hear the Sea-Maid's Music
CHAPTER 1
Lee Crane emerged on the bridge of the Seaview and looked at his watch, something he'd done a half dozen times in the last thirty minutes. Their passengers were cutting it close. There was only a window of about an hour left. If the sub was late getting to San Diego, he'd hear it from Admiral Nelson for sure. Why was it that the simplest trips were often the hardest?
The sight of his executive officer dropping the dockside telephone on its cradle gave Lee hope. "Chip, tell me that's good news about our visitors!"
Chip Morton mimed wiping his brow. "The car's coming through the gate now," he replied, stepping onto the gangway that held Seaview to the dock and advancing towards Lee. "The flight got delayed and then they ran into fog around Santa Maria. Better late than never. We'll make it."
Lee blew the air out of his cheeks. "About time," he growled. "The admiral will have a fit if we're late getting in. He's been planning this party for weeks."
The phone traffic had been heavy between Santa Barbara and San Diego as Admiral Nelson and Angie Williams, his secretary made the arrangements for cocktails and then dinner at the San Diego Yacht Club. Nelson and Miss Williams had gone ahead to make sure the details were all in order. He would not be pleased if anything marred the success of his Army-Navy Game party for the Class of '37. Especially if the transportation for the guest of honor was not Seaview.
Chip nodded in agreement. "It won't take long to get 'em stowed away. Party of two, Admiral Westerman and his nurse, apparently."
Lee grabbed the rail of the bridge and stared down at his X.O. "Nurse! Nobody said anything about a woman!"
Chip swung up beside his skipper and said, "Well, you know he had that bad car crash in Europe a few months ago. Probably does need a nurse. And before you ask, I checked on Cabin Two just this morning. Just had a feeling I needed to look at it."
"I'm going to stop with the questions if you're using ESP to do everything. Hopefully she's not some old battlewagon from Balboa. They're tougher than any four stripe chief I've ever come across," Lee said, flashing a grin.
A claxon began ringing, the signal that the dock area's outer doors were opening.
"We'll find out soon enough. Bring everyone to the control room as soon as you can, Chip."
"Aye aye, skipper."
Chip was soon back with two of the ship's company in tow carrying suitcases. Admiral Benjamin Westerman followed, leaning heavily over a cane, dark glasses covering his eyes. Westerman's expensive suit fit loosely on his gaunt frame and his gait was slow and deliberate; the accident had left him blind. Once he would have towered over the woman by his side, who couldn't have been more than a couple of inches over five feet. The fur-trimmed hood on her ski jacket shadowed her face and hid her from view.
Westerman's condition was not a surprise. Lee had seen news reports of the crash and remembered being amazed that anyone had survived the collision. It was difficult to reconcile his appearance now with the powerful man who had helped shape naval doctrine in the years since the Second World War.
Lee stepped forward. "Welcome aboard the Seaview, Admiral Westerman. It's an honor to see you again, sir."
The admiral's head came up and he answered in a thin but steady voice. "That you, Captain Crane? Sorry we're late, but you know how the weather is in San Francisco this time of year." The older man reached around and patted the hand of the woman who clutched his elbow. "May I present my granddaughter, Ellen Westerman. She functions as my eyes and often, my ears," he said, chuckling. "Never go anywhere without her."
As he held out his hand to shake hers, Lee stopped still. The woman had pushed back the hood of her jacket. This was definitely no elderly nurse on loan from a hospital. Somebody behind him actually swallowed so loudly the sound echoed through the space.
Ellen Westerman stared up at him with the strangest eyes he had ever seen. The irises were piercingly light blue, and her steel-blue pupils fixed on his in an unswerving gaze. His instincts told him these were the kind of eyes that could see through all manner of lies or extravagant declarations of admiration. He'd bet his next paycheck that she had heard plenty of those! Her red-lipped mouth was small and curved up in a generous smile. Shoulder length, shiny brown hair framed her slightly rounded face, the cheeks tinted a healthy pink from the cold. She held her head in a way that proclaimed she was aware of the effect she had on others and anticipated their stunned responses, but would never give the slightest indication that she was in any way expectant of it. He had the distinct feeling that wearing the hood was deliberate.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain," she said in a soft southern accent as she slipped her hand into his. "I hope we aren't a bother."
Her low giggle brought him back to reality. "Not... no, not at all," he began, forcing his voice to its normal tones. He still had her hand in his, and squeezed her fingers tighter, enjoying the warmth of the smooth skin. She did not attempt to withdraw her hand. He was about to say something else but caught himself as she looked around, a small frown line between her brows.
"We're very sorry that Admiral Nelson isn't here to greet us, you know. Grandpa was so looking forward to seeing him again."
"How do you know that?" Lee asked, a little sharper than he intended, withdrawing his hand at the same time. The little smile on her face told him she hadn't missed the accusation. This wasn't a secret mission, but neither had there been any sort of announcement of the admiral's travel plans. It was entirely possible that the admiral had told his old friend he wouldn't be with him on the trip. He certainly hadn't sat in on every phone conversation the admiral had made about the party.
"He told Grandpa, isn't that right, Gramps?"
"Did he?" Westerman answered. "Must of, it's all you've been talking about in the car. Big disappointment to my little girl here, for some reason."
"Well, Gramps, he shoulda been here to see us - you," she replied, her lower lip pouting a little.
"I'm sure he'll regret it later, Miss Westerman," Lee countered, careful to keep his voice neutral. "But there were arrangements he wanted to attend to personally, so he decided to go down early." He was glad he wasn't a member of the catering staff in San Diego. Admiral Nelson was not a patient man, and he had taken his frustration out on Lee and Chip a couple of times during the last few days. Later on, they'd probably get a soft apology, but until tomorrow was over no one was safe from his wrath.
He pointed at Chip. "Mr. Morton here will show you to your cabins. I'm sure that Admiral Westerman could use some peace and quiet after his trip from Brussels."
"I'm just glad to be back in the States," the admiral answered. "And no better occasion then to see Navy beat the pants off Army!"
There was cheerfulness in his voice as he said it, and Lee marveled that with all that had happened, Admiral Westerman still held a zest for life. He wondered if the man's beautiful granddaughter was responsible for some of that. Willful she might be, and disconcerting to look at - those see-through eyes were hard to ignore - but the admiral seemed happy enough.
While everyone laughed, Ellen whispered a few words into her grandfather's ear and then returned her attention to Lee. "I'd like to get my grandfather to his cabin, he needs his rest." She looked beyond him to the nose windows, smiling again. "Perhaps I'll have a chance to see you take her out, Captain Crane. I'm sure you're an old hand at this."
Lee smiled back, emboldened by the look in her eyes. "I haven't run into anything lately. I'll do my best to make it a smooth departure."
He turned to speak to his X.O, and was startled by the deep frown and angry look on Chip's face. Recovering, Lee said quickly, "Mr. Morton, please escort our visitors to their cabins. Then join me on the bridge.''
"Aye, sir. Follow me, please."
Ellen gently grasped her grandfather's elbow again and began leading him away, the tap of his cane in stark contrast to the room's silence.
Lee stood completely still until they had all disappeared from view and then shifted to the charting table, shaking his head as the crew returned reluctantly to their assigned tasks. Just before going through the hatch Ellen had turned and smiled at them all, and in that moment became the girl in the picture in the wallet, the one a smitten boyfriend wrote home to or called every week. They were instantly, crazily in love with her, and he had seen the approval on her face as she recorded the men's reaction. Lee allowed a small grin to form and almost said aloud the words that had quickly formed in his brain, the best description he could think of right then - she was a mesmerizing young woman. Chip hadn't fallen under her spell, though, if the look on his face as he escorted them out of the control room was any indication. He'd find out why the X.O. had seemed less than thrilled with her appearance.
The crewmembers that had been "volunteered" to stow the luggage weren't begrudging their latest assignment, either. Kowalski and Patterson were both staring at the spot where the stunning girl had stood, oblivious to the arrival of Chief Jones, who chose that moment to walk into the control room.
Seeing the men, his pug face dissolved into a frown and he barked, "This ain't bunk time, you two! Get that gear stowed!"
Kowalski roused himself and punched Patterson on the arm. "C'mon, Pat."
"I think I'm in love, Kowalski," Patterson whispered, picking up a suitcase.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. You might just have to stand in line, buddy!"
They were still talking as they disappeared aft, and Curley shook his head fiercely. "Crazy talk! Don't like women on the boat. Ain't natural," he muttered.
