Chapter 10 - On to the House ... For a Game of Cat and ... um ... Mouse?
Amelia was content. The combination of excellent cuisine and the soft, steady jostling of the carriage under Delbert's practiced hand had a soothing effect, making her quite relaxed. More relaxed, in fact, than she'd been in quite some time. They hadn't spoken much since leaving the restaurant, but the simple pleasure of one another's company was fine by her. The dark, rust-colored leather of his modest carriage sunk beneath her enveloping her within its comforting warmth.
The night sky blended seamlessly with the dark awning, hiding the occupants within the darkened carriage. Occasionally the moon peeked from behind the heavy clouds littering the sky bathing Doppler and Amelia in a small stream of moonlight.
As Delilah slowly made her way to Delbert's home, Amelia took in the countryside replaying the course of the evening's events.
She could tell he was nervous when he first arrived. She'd heard him outside her stateroom door, mumbling encouragements to himself. She smiled, remembering how adorable he'd sounded.
And the dinner. She hadn't expected him to go all out. But the dinner was beyond anything she'd imagined. She'd never had a meal as fine as theirs, and she'd been to some pretty fancy gatherings during her time in the Royal Navy. But it was the conversation that had been the highlight of her night. She enjoyed a good discussion, one that was intellectually challenging, as well as amusing. Delbert suffered no difficulty in providing both, the former being his cup of tea, and the latter being ... well, the latter being a product of his natural lack of grace.
The big surprise he'd promised was intriguing. For someone who had a tendency to babble on about things, he was being surprisingly tight-lipped. Trying to extract that secret from him had been surprisingly unsuccessful, although her exit from the restaurant had been quite humorous and far too much fun, in her modest opinion.
She mentally shrugged. Oh well. Every man was entitled to a few secrets. She wondered what other surprises he kept tucked away. She decided to file that thought away for later analysis.
As Delilah rounded the corner, Amelia spied a building, larger than most on Montressor, looming in the distance. She could see that it followed classical design, and an observatory sat off to the northern side of it.
"Are we stopping to pick something up?" she asked, turning to Doppler.
He glanced over and lifted his eyebrows in question. "Pardon?"
"The observatory." She gestured ahead. "Are you retrieving something from here?"
Doppler nodded in realization and laughed softly as a small amount of pride splashed across his features. "The 'observatory' is actually my home," he smiled.
"Your home?"
The surprise was evident in her voice. Although Amelia knew the Doctor was well off - after all, he had financed the entire journey to Treasure Planet - she had no idea how well off he truly was. At least, not until now. She shook her head in amazement. Just when she thought she'd pegged the man, he went and sprang something new on her.
To look at him, his clothes, his manner ... one would never have guessed he owned a home that rivaled some of Montressor's finest families.
As they made their way down the cobblestone road lit by well-crafted lights distanced apart to illuminate the road perfectly, Amelia could see that his home sat against the edge of a cliff. The rocky crag plummeted downward to meet the sea, the distant sound of the water crashing against the rocky shoreline and gliding up in to the night air.
The soft rumble of the carriage hovering slightly the cobblestones added to the soothing effect. She was afforded a quick glimpse of the large entryway as they drove by on their way to the stable. High-arched doorways lined the main hallway and large oak doors sat nestled beneath them.
Even the stable, though small, was elegant. The deep wine-colored wooden paneling that formed the outer walls of the stable was accented with a black trim around the edges. Inside, Delilah's drinking pail and feed receptacle were both shiny steel. She thought the dainty ribbons hanging from both were a bit much, but who was she to criticize? Even the amber oak door to Delilah's sleeping area had the initials D.D. elegantly carved into it. Apparently, the Dopplers did everything in style.
Once he was certain Delilah was secure, Doppler made his way to Amelia still remained seated. He extended a hand, helping her down from the perch.
The soft padding of his hand beneath her lithe fingers was a new sensation, albeit not an unpleasant one.
"Well, shall we show you your surprise?" he teased as her feet touched the straw-covered floor.
"I can hardly contain my excitement," she deadpanned, but the sparkle in her eyes said differently.
"Then let's head that way."
He made to release her hand, but Amelia curled her fingers around his, securing her grip.
"Lead on," she nodded, making no reference to her action or acknowledging Delbert's questioning glance at their interlocked hands.
His gaze quickly flickered once more to the soft, small hand nestled in his own larger one. She truly was graceful in every way. Her slender fingers seemed even more defined without the elbow-length gloves. Her claws were neatly manicured. He was beginning to realize she was meticulous in everything she did.
But the feel of her hand in his was delightful, and if she wanted to leave it there, who was he to argue? He might be daft at times, but he wasn't deluded. Never look a gift bullydous in the mouth - that's what his grandfather used to tell him. And when the dirigipod was replaced with a stunningly beautiful, articulate and intelligent woman ... well Delbert didn't need a PhD, or two for that matter, to know to shut up and thank fate for this stroke of luck.
His smile was hidden by the soft glow of the lamplight as he led her away from the stables and around the observatory to the front entrance of his home.
The steps leading in to his home took Amelia's breath away. Smooth oval steps led to the arched doorway, encased on either side by a wide, gilded banister. Once inside, she was treated to even more beauty.
The vaulted ceilings were exquisite. The intricate overlay of fine gold trim caught the moon's soft glow and shimmered against the darkened night. Scenes of victorious armies and grandiose gatherings played across the room, depicting the finer moments of Montressorian history. Amelia found it inspiring.
During dinner, Doppler had briefly mentioned his study to her. Aside from the massive clutter that he had warned her about, she was eager to see it. The mural alone would well be worth the visit tonight. But for the moment, the grand entryway was quite dazzling. As the pair made their way further in to the house, the soft clacking of her boots against the black marble beneath her reverberated throughout the room. Light danced across the floor, revealing the distorted reflection of Doppler and herself as they entered the looming area that was Doppler's front hallway.
An obsidian-black marble staircase wound its way from the second landing down to the base of the hall where they stood. Amelia's gaze traced the stairs upward, noting the near-flawless replica of an ancient Terran Aphrodite nestled in a depression along the wall.
The ancient goddess was slightly turned, her mouth open in silent shock, arms covering her body as if she had just been caught unawares while preparing to bathe. The piece, carved out of pink granite, was a beautiful and sharp contrast to the charcoal marble that lined the stairway.
Delbert glanced to where Amelia's gaze lay.
"She's always fascinated me."
Amelia jumped, slightly startled to hear his voice and then smiled guiltily. "I see you caught me," she laughed, although her gaze remained on the statue. "She's beautiful."
"Yes, she is," Doppler agreed, his eyes never leaving Amelia's profile.
Amelia noticed. A warm blush crept along the back of her neck. "Wherever did you," she coughed softly, her voice catching. "Pardon me. Wherever did you find her?"
"An auction, believe it or not."
Amelia turned to him in surprise. "An auction? Really?"
"I know." He nodded in agreement. "An old estate sale, actually. The man was a private collector of ancient works of art. I went out of mere curiosity, but when I saw her ... "
"I completely understand."
Doppler smiled shyly and looked out the window on the other side of the room. Amelia glanced to where he was gazing. She saw numerous points of lights dotting the blackened landscape.
"Those lights, what town are they from?"
"Dopplerville."
"Dopplerville?"
"Yes, it was named after my family. When my ancestors originally came to Montressor, they settled in that town just north of here. They were miners."
"I see."
"Over time, as they grew more and more prosperous, they were able to take their wealth and use it to establish the town's bank, their museum, investigate the sciences, things like that." He straightened proudly. "The townspeople adopted their name in honor of their generosity and contributions."
"Hmm."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"It's apparently something, otherwise you wouldn't have said anything," Doppler noted, irritation creeping into his voice.
"It's just Dopplerville, it's ..."
"It's what?"
"Rather silly sounding," Amelia finally admitted.
Delbert was annoyed. "There's nothing silly sounding about it."
"Oh come now. You must admit, Dopplerville ... it doesn't roll off the tongue smoothly, now does it," Amelia chuckled.
"It rolls quite smoothly, thank you very much."
"There's no need to get quite so defensive about it. I wasn't insulting your family."
"Well you might as well have been," he sniffed. "Dopplerville has a fine, rich tradition. When people hear its name, they instantly call to mind the proud heritage of mining and astronomy."
"I'm sure they do."
"They do."
"Do calm down, Doctor," Amelia sighed. "I was in no way trying to impugn your family's good name."
"I should think not," Doppler nodded.
"But honestly. Perhaps you would do well to be a little more observant and try to understand a person's true intention, rather than following some misguided idea that has no merit." She chuckled softly.
"I should try to be more observant of people? I should realize their true intentions?" Doppler snorted incredulously. "That's the kettle calling the pot black, don't you think!"
"I have no idea what you're referring to."
"Your crew from Treasure Planet, Amelia! They all but danced around with signs that said, "Yo ho! Yo ho! We're a band of mutinous pirates!" He took a quick breath and went on before she could interrupt. "Maybe if you hadn't been so busy showing off with your 'look at me, I can somersault amongst the rigging' routine, you wouldn't have lost your ship to a band of pirates, and a misfit bunch at that!"
Amelia grew very silent, and her eyes narrowed dangerously. "I didn't lose my ship to a band of pirates, Doctor. If I recall correctly, you're the one who carelessly blabbed about the treasure map only moments after stepping foot onto my ship. And," she continued, silencing his protest with a deadly glare, "you're the boob who hired them in the first place!"
"Well! I never!" Doppler huffed. "I'll have you know the booking agent I used hired them! Not I!"
"Booking agent! It was a quest for a pirate's hidden treasure, not some pleasure cruise!" Amelia eyes widened. "Honestly, what is sailing coming to these days!"
"Apparently, ill-gotten quests replete with pirates, lost worlds and hot-tempered feline captains!" Doppler retorted.
They both stood looking at one another for a moment, chests heaving, eyes blazing. It was Amelia who finally backed down.
"Well, that was certainly unnecessary."
Doppler deflated a little, confused at the turn of events. "What?"
"The hot-tempered feline comment. While I do have my moments, I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm hot tempered." She smiled, taking the edge of her words.
"I wouldn't either," he admitted, sighing as he ran a hand over his brow. "I apologize for that, as well as the pirate comment. It was out of line."
"Quite so."
"And your somersault from the mast was rather impressive."
"Really?"
"Oh yes," Doppler nodded earnestly. "I was impressed. And a little intimidated."
"That was the point."
"Ah." He glanced down at his feet for a moment and then brought his gaze back to her. "And are you sorry?"
Amelia looked at him. "For what?"
Doppler was amazed. "For saying that Dopplerville was a funny sounding name!"
"Not at all. It is a silly name."
"Amelia!"
"I don't care what you say, Delbert, you will not change my mind," she informed him and took a breath, readying for another volley.
Doppler suddenly grew very still.
"What is it?" Amelia asked.
"You called me Delbert."
"Of course I did," she muttered, oblivious to the goofy grin that was suddenly plastered across his features. "It's your name."
"Yes," he agreed, still beaming, "but you've never called me by it before."
She shot him a skeptical look. "Surely, I have," she countered, while at the same time searching her memory for such an instance. She looked at Doppler who waited in silent amusement.
"Not even once?"
"Not even once."
She shook her head in apology. "I'm so sorry," she frowned, brushing an errant lock of hair away from her eyes. "I hadn't realized."
"It's not terribly important," Doppler shrugged, dismissing the faux pas with a wave of his hand.
"I disagree. We've had a lovely evening. Well, up until a few moments ago," she amended as Doppler suddenly broke into a coughing fit. Pointing a sharply manicured claw in his direction, she reminded him, "And that was entirely your fault."
Doppler sighed. He was not going to win this argument.
"But no more of that," Amelia continued. "A lovely evening in the company of a charming man ... you should rightfully expect me to call you by your given name, Delbert."
He smiled at her obvious embarrassment and took a step closer. "Well if you insist upon it ..."
"I do."
"And if I promise to bring it up during our next several dinners, will that satisfy your guilt?"
"The next several dinners? Aren't you being a little presumptuous?"
Another step. "Possibly."
"Most definitely presumptuous." She looked at him through narrowed eyes. "I have the damnedest time fathoming your passive-aggressive behavior, Delbert. One moment you're shy and bumbling, the next confident and almost ... well, wolfish."
Delbert wasn't certain he liked being compared to a wolf per se, but her assessment of his personality wasn't quite far off. "I don't know either, Amelia," he admitted candidly. "There's something about you that inspires confidence, at times, and at others," he grinned, "abject terror."
"Abject terror?" She mulled the words over. "Not quite what I was going for, I must admit. Still, it is something. But seriously Delbert, I feel I must apologize, again, for the gross oversight."
Delbert closed the final gap between them and took her hands, laughing. "Apology accepted. But if it will soothe your conscience, I do have a question I've wanted to ask you."
"Ask away."
"Actually, I've wanted to ask you for quite some time, but was afraid you might be offended or slap me for being fresh," Doppler began tentatively.
"Slap you?" Her eyes widened in indignation. "I'm hardly given to such a course of action as slapping a gentleman," she protested.
"Yes, of course not," he agreed. "But that's not to say you wouldn't grab him by the muzzle and have at him with a good verbal beating."
Amelia thought about it for a moment, recalling when they had first met. "I can grant you that, Delbert." She tilted her head. "Now what is this burning question you have?"
He brought a hand to the back of his neck and rubbed it nervously, a bit embarrassed by his next statement. "I noticed it the first time we talked in your stateroom and then again when I, uh," he blushed, "When I carried you to B.E.N.'s cave."
"Yes?" She was curious now.
"That intoxicating scent you wear. It's subtle, but spicy. You're wearing it again this evening. I caught a slight scent as I pinned your corsage earlier this evening."
"Only a slight scent?" she tapped his nose as if to her emphasize her point. "I would think you wouldn't miss much with this."
Doppler blushed. "I could smell it the instant I first stepped foot aboard your ship when we left for Treasure Planet. And every time since."
"And do you find it pleasant?" Amelia was amused.
Delbert narrowed his eyes in frustration. "More than pleasant, I'd say. It's been driving me mad for the past few weeks." He scratched an ear. "There's something about it. I don't quite know what. But it wreaks havoc on me."
"In a bad way?"
Doppler stopped and thought about it for a moment. "Well, no," he finally conceded. "I wouldn't say it's a negative thing. It's just very distracting. What is it called?"
Amelia smiled wickedly. "Distraction."
To be continued ...
Well gangsters, it just keeps going and going. This chapter was supposed to be short and sweet. But it got away from me. Things just kept popping up and they fit in so well! But, Chapter 11 is started. They're going up to the observatory folks. A starry night ... the possibilities are endless.
As always, you guys keep me on my toes! Thanks!
And thank you VikM, aka Dave, for the advice, ideas and encouragement. It's always nice to have someone to tell you it doesn't make sense and then figure how to make it work. As payment, I'll send you a stew bowl so we can lap together ;)
Amelia was content. The combination of excellent cuisine and the soft, steady jostling of the carriage under Delbert's practiced hand had a soothing effect, making her quite relaxed. More relaxed, in fact, than she'd been in quite some time. They hadn't spoken much since leaving the restaurant, but the simple pleasure of one another's company was fine by her. The dark, rust-colored leather of his modest carriage sunk beneath her enveloping her within its comforting warmth.
The night sky blended seamlessly with the dark awning, hiding the occupants within the darkened carriage. Occasionally the moon peeked from behind the heavy clouds littering the sky bathing Doppler and Amelia in a small stream of moonlight.
As Delilah slowly made her way to Delbert's home, Amelia took in the countryside replaying the course of the evening's events.
She could tell he was nervous when he first arrived. She'd heard him outside her stateroom door, mumbling encouragements to himself. She smiled, remembering how adorable he'd sounded.
And the dinner. She hadn't expected him to go all out. But the dinner was beyond anything she'd imagined. She'd never had a meal as fine as theirs, and she'd been to some pretty fancy gatherings during her time in the Royal Navy. But it was the conversation that had been the highlight of her night. She enjoyed a good discussion, one that was intellectually challenging, as well as amusing. Delbert suffered no difficulty in providing both, the former being his cup of tea, and the latter being ... well, the latter being a product of his natural lack of grace.
The big surprise he'd promised was intriguing. For someone who had a tendency to babble on about things, he was being surprisingly tight-lipped. Trying to extract that secret from him had been surprisingly unsuccessful, although her exit from the restaurant had been quite humorous and far too much fun, in her modest opinion.
She mentally shrugged. Oh well. Every man was entitled to a few secrets. She wondered what other surprises he kept tucked away. She decided to file that thought away for later analysis.
As Delilah rounded the corner, Amelia spied a building, larger than most on Montressor, looming in the distance. She could see that it followed classical design, and an observatory sat off to the northern side of it.
"Are we stopping to pick something up?" she asked, turning to Doppler.
He glanced over and lifted his eyebrows in question. "Pardon?"
"The observatory." She gestured ahead. "Are you retrieving something from here?"
Doppler nodded in realization and laughed softly as a small amount of pride splashed across his features. "The 'observatory' is actually my home," he smiled.
"Your home?"
The surprise was evident in her voice. Although Amelia knew the Doctor was well off - after all, he had financed the entire journey to Treasure Planet - she had no idea how well off he truly was. At least, not until now. She shook her head in amazement. Just when she thought she'd pegged the man, he went and sprang something new on her.
To look at him, his clothes, his manner ... one would never have guessed he owned a home that rivaled some of Montressor's finest families.
As they made their way down the cobblestone road lit by well-crafted lights distanced apart to illuminate the road perfectly, Amelia could see that his home sat against the edge of a cliff. The rocky crag plummeted downward to meet the sea, the distant sound of the water crashing against the rocky shoreline and gliding up in to the night air.
The soft rumble of the carriage hovering slightly the cobblestones added to the soothing effect. She was afforded a quick glimpse of the large entryway as they drove by on their way to the stable. High-arched doorways lined the main hallway and large oak doors sat nestled beneath them.
Even the stable, though small, was elegant. The deep wine-colored wooden paneling that formed the outer walls of the stable was accented with a black trim around the edges. Inside, Delilah's drinking pail and feed receptacle were both shiny steel. She thought the dainty ribbons hanging from both were a bit much, but who was she to criticize? Even the amber oak door to Delilah's sleeping area had the initials D.D. elegantly carved into it. Apparently, the Dopplers did everything in style.
Once he was certain Delilah was secure, Doppler made his way to Amelia still remained seated. He extended a hand, helping her down from the perch.
The soft padding of his hand beneath her lithe fingers was a new sensation, albeit not an unpleasant one.
"Well, shall we show you your surprise?" he teased as her feet touched the straw-covered floor.
"I can hardly contain my excitement," she deadpanned, but the sparkle in her eyes said differently.
"Then let's head that way."
He made to release her hand, but Amelia curled her fingers around his, securing her grip.
"Lead on," she nodded, making no reference to her action or acknowledging Delbert's questioning glance at their interlocked hands.
His gaze quickly flickered once more to the soft, small hand nestled in his own larger one. She truly was graceful in every way. Her slender fingers seemed even more defined without the elbow-length gloves. Her claws were neatly manicured. He was beginning to realize she was meticulous in everything she did.
But the feel of her hand in his was delightful, and if she wanted to leave it there, who was he to argue? He might be daft at times, but he wasn't deluded. Never look a gift bullydous in the mouth - that's what his grandfather used to tell him. And when the dirigipod was replaced with a stunningly beautiful, articulate and intelligent woman ... well Delbert didn't need a PhD, or two for that matter, to know to shut up and thank fate for this stroke of luck.
His smile was hidden by the soft glow of the lamplight as he led her away from the stables and around the observatory to the front entrance of his home.
The steps leading in to his home took Amelia's breath away. Smooth oval steps led to the arched doorway, encased on either side by a wide, gilded banister. Once inside, she was treated to even more beauty.
The vaulted ceilings were exquisite. The intricate overlay of fine gold trim caught the moon's soft glow and shimmered against the darkened night. Scenes of victorious armies and grandiose gatherings played across the room, depicting the finer moments of Montressorian history. Amelia found it inspiring.
During dinner, Doppler had briefly mentioned his study to her. Aside from the massive clutter that he had warned her about, she was eager to see it. The mural alone would well be worth the visit tonight. But for the moment, the grand entryway was quite dazzling. As the pair made their way further in to the house, the soft clacking of her boots against the black marble beneath her reverberated throughout the room. Light danced across the floor, revealing the distorted reflection of Doppler and herself as they entered the looming area that was Doppler's front hallway.
An obsidian-black marble staircase wound its way from the second landing down to the base of the hall where they stood. Amelia's gaze traced the stairs upward, noting the near-flawless replica of an ancient Terran Aphrodite nestled in a depression along the wall.
The ancient goddess was slightly turned, her mouth open in silent shock, arms covering her body as if she had just been caught unawares while preparing to bathe. The piece, carved out of pink granite, was a beautiful and sharp contrast to the charcoal marble that lined the stairway.
Delbert glanced to where Amelia's gaze lay.
"She's always fascinated me."
Amelia jumped, slightly startled to hear his voice and then smiled guiltily. "I see you caught me," she laughed, although her gaze remained on the statue. "She's beautiful."
"Yes, she is," Doppler agreed, his eyes never leaving Amelia's profile.
Amelia noticed. A warm blush crept along the back of her neck. "Wherever did you," she coughed softly, her voice catching. "Pardon me. Wherever did you find her?"
"An auction, believe it or not."
Amelia turned to him in surprise. "An auction? Really?"
"I know." He nodded in agreement. "An old estate sale, actually. The man was a private collector of ancient works of art. I went out of mere curiosity, but when I saw her ... "
"I completely understand."
Doppler smiled shyly and looked out the window on the other side of the room. Amelia glanced to where he was gazing. She saw numerous points of lights dotting the blackened landscape.
"Those lights, what town are they from?"
"Dopplerville."
"Dopplerville?"
"Yes, it was named after my family. When my ancestors originally came to Montressor, they settled in that town just north of here. They were miners."
"I see."
"Over time, as they grew more and more prosperous, they were able to take their wealth and use it to establish the town's bank, their museum, investigate the sciences, things like that." He straightened proudly. "The townspeople adopted their name in honor of their generosity and contributions."
"Hmm."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"It's apparently something, otherwise you wouldn't have said anything," Doppler noted, irritation creeping into his voice.
"It's just Dopplerville, it's ..."
"It's what?"
"Rather silly sounding," Amelia finally admitted.
Delbert was annoyed. "There's nothing silly sounding about it."
"Oh come now. You must admit, Dopplerville ... it doesn't roll off the tongue smoothly, now does it," Amelia chuckled.
"It rolls quite smoothly, thank you very much."
"There's no need to get quite so defensive about it. I wasn't insulting your family."
"Well you might as well have been," he sniffed. "Dopplerville has a fine, rich tradition. When people hear its name, they instantly call to mind the proud heritage of mining and astronomy."
"I'm sure they do."
"They do."
"Do calm down, Doctor," Amelia sighed. "I was in no way trying to impugn your family's good name."
"I should think not," Doppler nodded.
"But honestly. Perhaps you would do well to be a little more observant and try to understand a person's true intention, rather than following some misguided idea that has no merit." She chuckled softly.
"I should try to be more observant of people? I should realize their true intentions?" Doppler snorted incredulously. "That's the kettle calling the pot black, don't you think!"
"I have no idea what you're referring to."
"Your crew from Treasure Planet, Amelia! They all but danced around with signs that said, "Yo ho! Yo ho! We're a band of mutinous pirates!" He took a quick breath and went on before she could interrupt. "Maybe if you hadn't been so busy showing off with your 'look at me, I can somersault amongst the rigging' routine, you wouldn't have lost your ship to a band of pirates, and a misfit bunch at that!"
Amelia grew very silent, and her eyes narrowed dangerously. "I didn't lose my ship to a band of pirates, Doctor. If I recall correctly, you're the one who carelessly blabbed about the treasure map only moments after stepping foot onto my ship. And," she continued, silencing his protest with a deadly glare, "you're the boob who hired them in the first place!"
"Well! I never!" Doppler huffed. "I'll have you know the booking agent I used hired them! Not I!"
"Booking agent! It was a quest for a pirate's hidden treasure, not some pleasure cruise!" Amelia eyes widened. "Honestly, what is sailing coming to these days!"
"Apparently, ill-gotten quests replete with pirates, lost worlds and hot-tempered feline captains!" Doppler retorted.
They both stood looking at one another for a moment, chests heaving, eyes blazing. It was Amelia who finally backed down.
"Well, that was certainly unnecessary."
Doppler deflated a little, confused at the turn of events. "What?"
"The hot-tempered feline comment. While I do have my moments, I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm hot tempered." She smiled, taking the edge of her words.
"I wouldn't either," he admitted, sighing as he ran a hand over his brow. "I apologize for that, as well as the pirate comment. It was out of line."
"Quite so."
"And your somersault from the mast was rather impressive."
"Really?"
"Oh yes," Doppler nodded earnestly. "I was impressed. And a little intimidated."
"That was the point."
"Ah." He glanced down at his feet for a moment and then brought his gaze back to her. "And are you sorry?"
Amelia looked at him. "For what?"
Doppler was amazed. "For saying that Dopplerville was a funny sounding name!"
"Not at all. It is a silly name."
"Amelia!"
"I don't care what you say, Delbert, you will not change my mind," she informed him and took a breath, readying for another volley.
Doppler suddenly grew very still.
"What is it?" Amelia asked.
"You called me Delbert."
"Of course I did," she muttered, oblivious to the goofy grin that was suddenly plastered across his features. "It's your name."
"Yes," he agreed, still beaming, "but you've never called me by it before."
She shot him a skeptical look. "Surely, I have," she countered, while at the same time searching her memory for such an instance. She looked at Doppler who waited in silent amusement.
"Not even once?"
"Not even once."
She shook her head in apology. "I'm so sorry," she frowned, brushing an errant lock of hair away from her eyes. "I hadn't realized."
"It's not terribly important," Doppler shrugged, dismissing the faux pas with a wave of his hand.
"I disagree. We've had a lovely evening. Well, up until a few moments ago," she amended as Doppler suddenly broke into a coughing fit. Pointing a sharply manicured claw in his direction, she reminded him, "And that was entirely your fault."
Doppler sighed. He was not going to win this argument.
"But no more of that," Amelia continued. "A lovely evening in the company of a charming man ... you should rightfully expect me to call you by your given name, Delbert."
He smiled at her obvious embarrassment and took a step closer. "Well if you insist upon it ..."
"I do."
"And if I promise to bring it up during our next several dinners, will that satisfy your guilt?"
"The next several dinners? Aren't you being a little presumptuous?"
Another step. "Possibly."
"Most definitely presumptuous." She looked at him through narrowed eyes. "I have the damnedest time fathoming your passive-aggressive behavior, Delbert. One moment you're shy and bumbling, the next confident and almost ... well, wolfish."
Delbert wasn't certain he liked being compared to a wolf per se, but her assessment of his personality wasn't quite far off. "I don't know either, Amelia," he admitted candidly. "There's something about you that inspires confidence, at times, and at others," he grinned, "abject terror."
"Abject terror?" She mulled the words over. "Not quite what I was going for, I must admit. Still, it is something. But seriously Delbert, I feel I must apologize, again, for the gross oversight."
Delbert closed the final gap between them and took her hands, laughing. "Apology accepted. But if it will soothe your conscience, I do have a question I've wanted to ask you."
"Ask away."
"Actually, I've wanted to ask you for quite some time, but was afraid you might be offended or slap me for being fresh," Doppler began tentatively.
"Slap you?" Her eyes widened in indignation. "I'm hardly given to such a course of action as slapping a gentleman," she protested.
"Yes, of course not," he agreed. "But that's not to say you wouldn't grab him by the muzzle and have at him with a good verbal beating."
Amelia thought about it for a moment, recalling when they had first met. "I can grant you that, Delbert." She tilted her head. "Now what is this burning question you have?"
He brought a hand to the back of his neck and rubbed it nervously, a bit embarrassed by his next statement. "I noticed it the first time we talked in your stateroom and then again when I, uh," he blushed, "When I carried you to B.E.N.'s cave."
"Yes?" She was curious now.
"That intoxicating scent you wear. It's subtle, but spicy. You're wearing it again this evening. I caught a slight scent as I pinned your corsage earlier this evening."
"Only a slight scent?" she tapped his nose as if to her emphasize her point. "I would think you wouldn't miss much with this."
Doppler blushed. "I could smell it the instant I first stepped foot aboard your ship when we left for Treasure Planet. And every time since."
"And do you find it pleasant?" Amelia was amused.
Delbert narrowed his eyes in frustration. "More than pleasant, I'd say. It's been driving me mad for the past few weeks." He scratched an ear. "There's something about it. I don't quite know what. But it wreaks havoc on me."
"In a bad way?"
Doppler stopped and thought about it for a moment. "Well, no," he finally conceded. "I wouldn't say it's a negative thing. It's just very distracting. What is it called?"
Amelia smiled wickedly. "Distraction."
To be continued ...
Well gangsters, it just keeps going and going. This chapter was supposed to be short and sweet. But it got away from me. Things just kept popping up and they fit in so well! But, Chapter 11 is started. They're going up to the observatory folks. A starry night ... the possibilities are endless.
As always, you guys keep me on my toes! Thanks!
And thank you VikM, aka Dave, for the advice, ideas and encouragement. It's always nice to have someone to tell you it doesn't make sense and then figure how to make it work. As payment, I'll send you a stew bowl so we can lap together ;)