I sighed as I headed back upstairs to find my Stewart. I spotted him
standing at the base of the staircase beside the rail post. His eyes found
me almost immediately. I walked over to him with a cautious smile.
"Still wandering?" He asked with a raise of his eyebrow. I nodded slightly and he smiled. "This ship holds a strange fascination for you doesn't it."
I shrugged again. "I guess so. Is that why you needed to see me?" I asked somewhat impatiently, knowing that it wasn't.
"No. Actually, a young German gentleman asked me to ask you to meet him. In the Squash Court." He paused. "They've opened it for him. Quite irregular, especially for fencing. I found the young gentleman quite a brooding, even for a German." He rolled his eyes ever so slightly.
A German? I wasn't about to fence Colonel Zeitel. He'd likely kill me. Unless... "Did you get his name?"
The Stewart nodded. "Willie Haderlitz he called himself. He has a connection to Colonel Zeitel I believe."
I nodded. "Thank you."
"So, you'll be meeting him?" The Stewart asked.
"Yes, as soon as I get around to it."
"Very good. I will inform the young germ gentleman presently." He said. I sighed. Well whether or not he thought I was meeting him presently, he would have to wait. I had a few other things to do first. Daisy ran over to me excitedly.
"Did you get it? Get his name?" She asked her eyes sparkling. I nearly laughed she looked so frantic to find out.
"Yes, I did. His name is Mr. George Quincy Clifford. But...that's all I know about him."
"Clifford... Clifford... never heard of him." She paused and then came up with another idea. "You don't suppose he's rich do you?" She tapped her finger on her chin and gazed at me hopefully.
"Could be filthy." I said with a wink. She beamed.
"O, you're an angel!" She exclaimed. She paused and grinned. "And I've news for you too! While you were gone... Andrew Conkling's been asking for you!" She paused for emphasis. "Yes! Conkling, the steer baron. God knows what he's been doing in Europe. Buying it probably." She said with a delighted chuckle...always being a lover of men with money.
"Where was I, oh yes, Andrew Conkling asked me to pass along this." She handed me a piece of paper, which I read on the spot. 'A matter of extreme urgency requires you attention. Meet me at Scotland Road. A.C.' I continued to read it while she continued to talk. "They're friends with Captain Smith. Smith! So handsome, so dashing! White Star's best officer! Or was... he's retiring after this voyage. Couldn't be more tragic."
I sighed, forgetting that Daisy was there. Like I didn't have things to do already...now I had to meet Conkling. I couldn't just ignore him. "My dear, you've blanched. Bad news?" I looked up at her and shook my head.
"Nothing bad. I'll talk to you later...I better be moving on. Goodnight."
"Yes, yes, good night." She said, and then spotted somebody else. Probably rich, I would guess. "Oh! It's Mrs. Bough bank! Consuelo!"
I shook my head with a chuckle and went to the purser's office. I turned in the painting and then headed up to the smoking room. Enough business for now, I wanted to find out about Georgia. She had told me I could go and see her if Charles was in the smoking room...and I wanted to see her.
I walked to the smoking room door and spoke with the attendant. I asked about Lord Lambeth and he pointed to a man standing near the center of the room. I thanked him, and left. As soon as I had, I realized how odd that must sound... asking for someone and then not seeing them. Oh well.
I found Georgia's room without a problem. B-70. "Enter." She called as I knocked. I walked in and saw her standing by the porthole. Tears clouded her eyes as she stood.
"What's wrong?" I asked with concern. I took her into my arms and held her. She didn't resist.
"Charles stormed off again. To the smoking room, I suspect. He's hiding something, I just know it!" She exclaimed as she pulled back to wipe her tears. "But that's not what I want to talk about."
"What do you want to talk about?" I asked as we sat on the bed.
"First of all, I'd like to know how you've faired these last few years. Rather well from the looks of you." She commented eyeing me with a slight grin. "I'm so glad to see you. You're the only one I can trust! Please promise you'll help me." She said taking my hand, in that way she used to. The way that made me feel like agreeing to anything she wanted.
"Of course. I promise, to help you. No matter what." I said, and placed a kiss on her hand.
She smiled. "You...You always were there when I needed you." She sighed. "But now, my life is just a horrible mess."
"What's happening?"
"When Charles discovered my affair with Sasha, he was quite calm." She paused, looking as if she wished she hadn't said that. I didn't meet her eyes. I instead looked around the room. "But I know him you see. His revenge is taking the necklace, leaving me with nothing!" She paused. "And Sasha... I'd never trust him again!" She paused and then looked up at me, hoping that I had gotten something useful out of this. "Don't you see?? They're looking for guns! Bombs!"
I looked at her, not understanding. "Wait, what are you talking about Georgia? Who are 'they'? Charles and Sasha are looking for weapons?"
She shook her head. "No, no, no. Sasha's friends. His gallery was their London base. I remember them being there a lot when we would meet. They were rough men... foreign. Sasha told me they were part of a Balkan Aid Society. Stupid girl I was I believed him. These people, they-" She was cut off as the door opened. Charles walked in. I stood quickly, as did Georgia. "Charles!" She exclaimed as she approached him.
"Please Georgia, continue, was it my title of income that you found so desirable? I was never quite sure. Now that both are depleted why don't you go to Sasha. I'm sure he can help... as he's done before." Charles said angrily. I could smell the whiskey on his breath, and smoke on his clothes. Of course I had already known that he was in the smoking room.
Georgia half glared at him and smiled at me. "Ignore him. I see the smoking room has had its usual effect."
"Ah yes, idle gossip is it?" Charles said as he picked up his whiskey glass.
"You see? His attitude." She said shaking her head. "Please...go. I'll find you later...and remember, I need your help!" She said as Charles pushed her back behind him and led me towards the door.
"Thank you for seeing after my wife. Now I think it best if you leave the happy couple, drowning in their happiness. Goodnight." He said as he shut the door.
I stood for a moment and glared at the door. How dare he treat her like that! I sighed. Then remembered that I had a mission. I didn't know how it was connected but something told me that it involved Conkling. Or maybe the ship was connected to Conkling in some way. After all...the ship was made of steel. Something wasn't right...but I couldn't put my finger on it. Not yet anyway. But I would. Soon.
"Still wandering?" He asked with a raise of his eyebrow. I nodded slightly and he smiled. "This ship holds a strange fascination for you doesn't it."
I shrugged again. "I guess so. Is that why you needed to see me?" I asked somewhat impatiently, knowing that it wasn't.
"No. Actually, a young German gentleman asked me to ask you to meet him. In the Squash Court." He paused. "They've opened it for him. Quite irregular, especially for fencing. I found the young gentleman quite a brooding, even for a German." He rolled his eyes ever so slightly.
A German? I wasn't about to fence Colonel Zeitel. He'd likely kill me. Unless... "Did you get his name?"
The Stewart nodded. "Willie Haderlitz he called himself. He has a connection to Colonel Zeitel I believe."
I nodded. "Thank you."
"So, you'll be meeting him?" The Stewart asked.
"Yes, as soon as I get around to it."
"Very good. I will inform the young germ gentleman presently." He said. I sighed. Well whether or not he thought I was meeting him presently, he would have to wait. I had a few other things to do first. Daisy ran over to me excitedly.
"Did you get it? Get his name?" She asked her eyes sparkling. I nearly laughed she looked so frantic to find out.
"Yes, I did. His name is Mr. George Quincy Clifford. But...that's all I know about him."
"Clifford... Clifford... never heard of him." She paused and then came up with another idea. "You don't suppose he's rich do you?" She tapped her finger on her chin and gazed at me hopefully.
"Could be filthy." I said with a wink. She beamed.
"O, you're an angel!" She exclaimed. She paused and grinned. "And I've news for you too! While you were gone... Andrew Conkling's been asking for you!" She paused for emphasis. "Yes! Conkling, the steer baron. God knows what he's been doing in Europe. Buying it probably." She said with a delighted chuckle...always being a lover of men with money.
"Where was I, oh yes, Andrew Conkling asked me to pass along this." She handed me a piece of paper, which I read on the spot. 'A matter of extreme urgency requires you attention. Meet me at Scotland Road. A.C.' I continued to read it while she continued to talk. "They're friends with Captain Smith. Smith! So handsome, so dashing! White Star's best officer! Or was... he's retiring after this voyage. Couldn't be more tragic."
I sighed, forgetting that Daisy was there. Like I didn't have things to do already...now I had to meet Conkling. I couldn't just ignore him. "My dear, you've blanched. Bad news?" I looked up at her and shook my head.
"Nothing bad. I'll talk to you later...I better be moving on. Goodnight."
"Yes, yes, good night." She said, and then spotted somebody else. Probably rich, I would guess. "Oh! It's Mrs. Bough bank! Consuelo!"
I shook my head with a chuckle and went to the purser's office. I turned in the painting and then headed up to the smoking room. Enough business for now, I wanted to find out about Georgia. She had told me I could go and see her if Charles was in the smoking room...and I wanted to see her.
I walked to the smoking room door and spoke with the attendant. I asked about Lord Lambeth and he pointed to a man standing near the center of the room. I thanked him, and left. As soon as I had, I realized how odd that must sound... asking for someone and then not seeing them. Oh well.
I found Georgia's room without a problem. B-70. "Enter." She called as I knocked. I walked in and saw her standing by the porthole. Tears clouded her eyes as she stood.
"What's wrong?" I asked with concern. I took her into my arms and held her. She didn't resist.
"Charles stormed off again. To the smoking room, I suspect. He's hiding something, I just know it!" She exclaimed as she pulled back to wipe her tears. "But that's not what I want to talk about."
"What do you want to talk about?" I asked as we sat on the bed.
"First of all, I'd like to know how you've faired these last few years. Rather well from the looks of you." She commented eyeing me with a slight grin. "I'm so glad to see you. You're the only one I can trust! Please promise you'll help me." She said taking my hand, in that way she used to. The way that made me feel like agreeing to anything she wanted.
"Of course. I promise, to help you. No matter what." I said, and placed a kiss on her hand.
She smiled. "You...You always were there when I needed you." She sighed. "But now, my life is just a horrible mess."
"What's happening?"
"When Charles discovered my affair with Sasha, he was quite calm." She paused, looking as if she wished she hadn't said that. I didn't meet her eyes. I instead looked around the room. "But I know him you see. His revenge is taking the necklace, leaving me with nothing!" She paused. "And Sasha... I'd never trust him again!" She paused and then looked up at me, hoping that I had gotten something useful out of this. "Don't you see?? They're looking for guns! Bombs!"
I looked at her, not understanding. "Wait, what are you talking about Georgia? Who are 'they'? Charles and Sasha are looking for weapons?"
She shook her head. "No, no, no. Sasha's friends. His gallery was their London base. I remember them being there a lot when we would meet. They were rough men... foreign. Sasha told me they were part of a Balkan Aid Society. Stupid girl I was I believed him. These people, they-" She was cut off as the door opened. Charles walked in. I stood quickly, as did Georgia. "Charles!" She exclaimed as she approached him.
"Please Georgia, continue, was it my title of income that you found so desirable? I was never quite sure. Now that both are depleted why don't you go to Sasha. I'm sure he can help... as he's done before." Charles said angrily. I could smell the whiskey on his breath, and smoke on his clothes. Of course I had already known that he was in the smoking room.
Georgia half glared at him and smiled at me. "Ignore him. I see the smoking room has had its usual effect."
"Ah yes, idle gossip is it?" Charles said as he picked up his whiskey glass.
"You see? His attitude." She said shaking her head. "Please...go. I'll find you later...and remember, I need your help!" She said as Charles pushed her back behind him and led me towards the door.
"Thank you for seeing after my wife. Now I think it best if you leave the happy couple, drowning in their happiness. Goodnight." He said as he shut the door.
I stood for a moment and glared at the door. How dare he treat her like that! I sighed. Then remembered that I had a mission. I didn't know how it was connected but something told me that it involved Conkling. Or maybe the ship was connected to Conkling in some way. After all...the ship was made of steel. Something wasn't right...but I couldn't put my finger on it. Not yet anyway. But I would. Soon.