Authors Note: Hi all, just a quick note to apologise for my mistake in why the Poop Deck was known as the Poop Deck. It was not because first class dogs did their business there; it was because of the French word for stern, la poupe, so it just meant the back of the ship. Thank you to CoolGirl for pointing that out in a review, and I'm sorry about that. Enjoy the chapter, Robyn x

After that, Cal rarely let me out of his sight during the remainder of the tour, always finding some excuse to walk with me, or stopping to look at something with me. In some ways, I found it quite irritating, it made me feel like a child, always being chaperoned everywhere. But, in other ways, I found it quite nice to walk alongside Cal, making general conversation about the ship.

We stopped for a while on the port side of the ship, gazing out to sea. Cal came up behind me, and stood next to me, staring out also. I leant further over, looking right out over, and Cal leant with me. I looked at him for a moment, and he looked back at me.

"Such a puzzling look you are giving me, Miss Scarlett" he said, with a smile "May I enquire as to why?"

I turned away. "Sorry" I said "It's just...no. Never mind"

Cal chuckled, "You are aware I cannot let you go without you telling me now"

I laughed back, "Okay, you've got a point there!" I laughed up at him, and suddenly noticed how close our faces were, practically touching.

"So, what is it?" asked Cal

"Why are you so nice to me?" I was surprised myself. That wasn't what I meant to ask him, though it was what I had been thinking. Cal looked taken back as well; he raised his eyebrows. I opened my mouth to explain myself, but Cal held up a hand, and I swallowed my words.

"Your question conjures up no easy answer, Scarlett" he said "Is it so perplexing for people to be nice to you?"

"Well, no" I said "But I am your servant, it is not your place to be nice to me. And people have said things..." I stopped, suddenly aware of what I was saying. I didn't want to get anyone in trouble for telling me stories of Cal.

But Cal seemed to know where I was going anyway, and a look of mingled realization and almost embarrassment crept over his features.

"People have been telling you stories of me, have they?" he said. It was my turn to look embarrassed.

"Sorry, I didn't mean..."

"Scarlett, don't worry. I hate to imagine the tales you have been told. Indeed, I have done things in the past that I have come to regret. I am by no means perfect."

Far from it, I thought, if the stories are anything to go by.

"And" he continued "As for being nice to you, let's just say you're a lucky one. I have been known to be nice in the past, you know!" He smiled down at me.

I was just about to reply, when a voice made us both whip round.

"Caledon Hockley, I have been looking everywhere for you!" It was a screechy, woman's voice. One I recognised almost instantly as Lady Horsaw's. I only had to turn round and see her big, fancy hat and dress to confirm my suspicions.

Cal grimaced as she came bustling over, and it was my time to smirk at him.

"Oh, Caledon!" she exclaimed "What on earth are you doing up here?"

"I was admiring the view with Scarlett" said Cal, simply, gesturing out to sea with his hand.

Lady Horsaw's smile vanished from her face, and for a moment she looked quite ugly and sour, "Scarlett?" she said. Then, acting as though she had just laid eyes upon me, she said, "Oh, your servant girl, of course!"

She looked down her long nose at me, a look of utter disgust on her face. For a moment I merely stared defiantly back at her, I was not going to be intimidated by this woman.

"Well?" said Lady Horsaw "What are you still doing here, girl? Clear off! Can't you see we are busy here?" I narrowed my eyes at her, arms folded across my chest. I was on the verge of lashing out, but Lady Horsaw didn't seem to get the message and continued "Of course, I don't really see why you're here at all, myself. Bit of a waste of space, aren't you? Now, clear off!"

I raised my eyes distinctively at Cal, assuming he would say something in my defence, as he had done with Mr Lovejoy. But he said nothing; didn't look at me at all. I frowned at him; even if he wasn't looking my way, I was sure he could tell the look I was giving him. I was annoyed he had been manipulated by the very presence of this awful woman, and I wasn't going to stand it any longer.

"Fine" I said, boldly, turned around, not even looking at Cal, and stalked off.

"What a rude girl!" I heard Lady Horsaw say, loudly "I do hope you shan't be keeping her long"

Lady Horsaw's voice was loud, and the wind carried it straight to my ears. Cal's voice was much quieter when he answered, with an uncomfortable, slightly embarrassed tone, but I still heard it, and his words continued to ring in my ears, getting louder and louder, long after he said them:

"No, of course not. She will not be with us much longer"

I stopped dead in my tracks. I didn't turn round, I just stopped. I wasn't sure why I was so shocked; after all, I myself had had suspicions about staying on to work for Cal. But I guess I had just lulled myself into a false sense of security, thinking that I would continue this new life, and that Cal would continue employing me.

I was surprised to find myself suddenly choked up, and struggling to keep myself from crying. The harsh reality that I would have nowhere to go, nowhere to look after Freddie. I clasped a hand to my face, and ran from the deck. I ran right by Mr Andrews, explaining to Mr Lovejoy about why there were two steering wheels, and didn't stop running until I reached the privacy of my own room, where I lay sobbing on my bed.