"Can you truly mean this?" The Captain said, clearly incredulous as he held the draft of her article in his hand. "At long last you admit the superiority of men? I must congratulate you on setting your feminine stubbornness aside, and if I understand this copy correctly, you are publicly stating the logic of masculine supremacy, I congratulate you M'dear!" Smiling with satisfaction, he set her pages on the desk beside her and turned around to peer through the telescope on the binnacle, "A woman intelligent to know she cannot compete with a man," he continued, "now that's someone to be appreciated!"
Peering through the glass behind her, the Captain missed her crossed eyes and the steady frustrated tapping of a single key on her empty typewriter. Closing her eyes and clearing counting at least to 10 to recapture her temper, Carolyn wondered to herself how someone she found so compelling, so interesting, so appealing could equally infuriate her so quickly.
"CAPTAIN," she said loudly, "Obviously you have not read past the headline. My text is entirely focused on the need for women to join together, with one voice, AGAINST the unrelenting, and if I might say, ineffective male supremacy found in the Schooner Bay City Council. I might suggest you read the whole article, before you put your ghostly foot in your ghostly mouth!"
Turning briskly he stood, mouth opened in surprise, "Madam! Clearly I have overestimated you – but surely we can compromise here before these misbegotten thoughts are published."
Standing quickly, she tapped the papers, and tucked them briskly into a folder. "Too late. It is in today's paper already, in fact I look forward to seeing it in print when I have my breakfast in a few minutes. I heard Martha bring the paper in a few minutes ago, in fact!"
Giving him a tight smile, she nodded and slipped out the door and with a satisfied smile stepped quickly downstairs. Carolyn would have been surprised to see his face, as he watched her go out of their master cabin. His grin still lingered there as her steps echoed downstairs. "I adore how she still has no idea that I have infinitely more faith in her than she can possibly imagine." The sound of his gentle laugh filled the room as he disappeared from sight.