*Chapter 4*
After the tour, Clara and Claire were walking around on their private promenade deck, eyeing off all the interesting oak carvings on the ceiling and the walls.
"Hey Clara, do you think any of the officers are good looking?" Claire asked.
"Claire! How could you ask such a thing?! Those officers are most probably twice our age, perhaps a little younger or older." Clara was shocked that Claire would ask such a thing.
"Hey, I didn't ask you if you wanted to marry them, I just asked, if you think any of them are good looking."
"Well, I think the Second Officer is rather handsome, but I don't fancy him. Why do you ask?" Clara automatically knew what Claire would most probably say.
"Oh, you know the First Officer, he just totally makes my knees melt!" Claire said, confidently.
Clara felt so flustered and embarrassed, that she ran out of the promenade deck, slamming the door and went outside to take a stroll on the boat deck, where she could clear her mind.
She took a seat on a deck chair, near the wheelhouse, and watched all the couples strolling by.
She never thought Claire would act like that. America had really changed her. Now she was all presumptuous and vulgar. Clara hated the thought of Claire being with an officer.
Just then, Fifth Officer Lowe approached Clara.
"Hello there. Were you the lovely young lady on the tour this morning?"
Clara smiled. "Yes, actually."
"Why are you sitting out here, all on your own?" Lowe asked, a little concerned.
"I need to clear my mind. I suppose I should be out and about, making friends, but it seems to me that I have no one to talk to at the moment."
Lowe thought about this.
"Well, would you like to come into the wheelhouse and talk with us officers?"
Clara was a little reluctant, as she didn't know these officers all too well, but she finally agreed.
"Alright, then, come in," Lowe said, pushing open the wheelhouse door.
Clara stepped in, looking around at every little detail of the room. She seemed rather interested.
Moody, the Sixth Officer, caught a glance at Clara looking at all the telegraphs.
"Now why would a young girl want to hang around with ship officers, when she could be enjoying the food in the parisien café?" Moody asked Lowe.
"I don't know. She seems fascinated with a ship and its officers," Lowe replied.
"Hmm."
"Hello Mr Moody, may I take a seat?" Clara asked, as she took a seat from the corner.
"Of course, miss."
"Mr Moody, what is your job exactly?" Clara asked, leaning forward, as though she were really interested.
"Well, I go on watch, when I'm rostered, for ice bergs and such, and I inform the captain of any news we have received, from the wireless boys.
"Is that fun?" Clara asked.
"Well, it's alright. But I love working on ships, anyway. You get to go places. And as for my work, well, I suppose sometimes its fun, and then sometimes my shift is so uneventful, its gets rather boring. But I suppose it's all worth it in the end. I mean, it could be me on watch, spotting an iceberg."
"Yes, I suppose. Well, my day just consists of"- Clara was interrupted by Claire walking right into the wheelhouse, obviously searching for Murdoch.
After the tour, Clara and Claire were walking around on their private promenade deck, eyeing off all the interesting oak carvings on the ceiling and the walls.
"Hey Clara, do you think any of the officers are good looking?" Claire asked.
"Claire! How could you ask such a thing?! Those officers are most probably twice our age, perhaps a little younger or older." Clara was shocked that Claire would ask such a thing.
"Hey, I didn't ask you if you wanted to marry them, I just asked, if you think any of them are good looking."
"Well, I think the Second Officer is rather handsome, but I don't fancy him. Why do you ask?" Clara automatically knew what Claire would most probably say.
"Oh, you know the First Officer, he just totally makes my knees melt!" Claire said, confidently.
Clara felt so flustered and embarrassed, that she ran out of the promenade deck, slamming the door and went outside to take a stroll on the boat deck, where she could clear her mind.
She took a seat on a deck chair, near the wheelhouse, and watched all the couples strolling by.
She never thought Claire would act like that. America had really changed her. Now she was all presumptuous and vulgar. Clara hated the thought of Claire being with an officer.
Just then, Fifth Officer Lowe approached Clara.
"Hello there. Were you the lovely young lady on the tour this morning?"
Clara smiled. "Yes, actually."
"Why are you sitting out here, all on your own?" Lowe asked, a little concerned.
"I need to clear my mind. I suppose I should be out and about, making friends, but it seems to me that I have no one to talk to at the moment."
Lowe thought about this.
"Well, would you like to come into the wheelhouse and talk with us officers?"
Clara was a little reluctant, as she didn't know these officers all too well, but she finally agreed.
"Alright, then, come in," Lowe said, pushing open the wheelhouse door.
Clara stepped in, looking around at every little detail of the room. She seemed rather interested.
Moody, the Sixth Officer, caught a glance at Clara looking at all the telegraphs.
"Now why would a young girl want to hang around with ship officers, when she could be enjoying the food in the parisien café?" Moody asked Lowe.
"I don't know. She seems fascinated with a ship and its officers," Lowe replied.
"Hmm."
"Hello Mr Moody, may I take a seat?" Clara asked, as she took a seat from the corner.
"Of course, miss."
"Mr Moody, what is your job exactly?" Clara asked, leaning forward, as though she were really interested.
"Well, I go on watch, when I'm rostered, for ice bergs and such, and I inform the captain of any news we have received, from the wireless boys.
"Is that fun?" Clara asked.
"Well, it's alright. But I love working on ships, anyway. You get to go places. And as for my work, well, I suppose sometimes its fun, and then sometimes my shift is so uneventful, its gets rather boring. But I suppose it's all worth it in the end. I mean, it could be me on watch, spotting an iceberg."
"Yes, I suppose. Well, my day just consists of"- Clara was interrupted by Claire walking right into the wheelhouse, obviously searching for Murdoch.
