*Chapter 30*

Micheline chuckled.

"Well, we swam over to a boat that was only about five or so feet away."

Claire's jaw dropped. Micheline laughed and went on.

"We tried calling you, Claire, but you were too busy swimming over to the ship. But at least you got off safely, that's the main thing."

Clara snorted a laugh, and Claire took it too seriously, bursting with anger.

"AND YOU SAW ME DID YOU? YOU DIDN'T GRAB MY ARM, OR ANYTHING!" Claire grasped Michelines arm, and shook it vigorously. Micheline was horrified, as Claire kept yelling right in her face.

"WHY DIDN'T I SEE A BLOODY BOAT, FIVE FEET AWAY? HUH?! TELL ME, YOU LITTLE FRENCH" -

Lightoller came up behind Claire, clasped a hand over her mouth, and grabbed her arms, pulling her away.

This was certainly no way for a young lady to behave.

Micheline stared at Claire, with shock. Claire's handprint was on her arm. A few nearby people backed away, fearing Claire would yell at them, as well.

Clara rushed over to Micheline, and put a comforting arm around her.

"Are you alright?" Clara asked sympathetically.

Micheline hung her head, and closed her eyes.

"What did I do wrong? I did not intend to offend her. I thought she liked me. And, she hurt my arm. See?" She lifted her sleeve.

"Im sorry. Claire does have her little outbursts, from time to time. And she does have a very strong grip. The trouble is, she uses it on the wrong people."

Micheline lifted her head to look at Clara.

"It's alright Micheline, don't be afraid of Claire. She's a nice person, you know," Clara said, tucking Micheline's brown curls behind her ears.

"But why isn't she proper and polite? Being high society and all."

"Well, surprising as it may seem, Micheline, Claire was as polite as me. In fact, we were exactly identical in every way. But then she went on a holiday to America, for a year, and when she returned, I was shocked to see that her politeness had disappeared, she had developed an inappropriate behaviour, and a whole new vocabulary of improper words."

"I see." Micheline smiled. "Improper words," she mocked, in Clara's polite English accent.

Clara giggled. "Do I really sound like that?"

"Yes! All the time!" Micheline cracked up laughing, which was a good sign, considering she was close to tears a few moments ago.

Meanwhile, Lightoller had taken Claire to a corner where she could calm down.

"What was all that for?" he asked, angrily.

Claire rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"She really gets on my nerves, that stupid girl. She was acting like she was so much better than me, getting into a lifeboat, while I was on top of an upturned collapsible."

"Don't take it so seriously. She was only joking." Lightoller assured Claire, and brought her back out to Clara and Micheline.

Micheline heard Claires voice and looked up. Then she hid behind Clara.

"Hey, um, Micheline, I'm really sorry. Don't get the impression that I'm bad. Cause I'm not. Ok? I'm really nice. You know that."

"That's ok, then," Micheline said softly, from behind Clara.