Chapter XIII: Specters of the Past
A/N: There are some squicky parts in the first pov. In the flashback part that is. Mina's husband was not a good man in the slightest. I know what I am implying, and it was one of the most difficult things I have ever written. And darkest. Know that I did not like writing at all. Thanks go out to the The Cowgirl Bookworm who helped quite a bit. The first part of the chapter tested me. Italics are flashbacks. I am making a historic personage 9 years older. I hope it turned out well. SSD
Mina had indeed given Cecily a good chaffing Monday morning, when her niece finally woke up.
And every morning after, since her niece and Harold still needed to learn how to be less overt in their interest in each other. She was sure that everyone in the house was thankful that Captain Torrey had been keeping Roland hopping at work so that her nephew was occupied elsewhere.
Even Randall had gotten in some light jabs at his cousin. Which had resulted in Cecily short-sheeting his bed.
Her youngest son was working on his course work, navigation it looked like today. And the way his eyes were focusing on the map made her remember how someone else focused on things…
"I'm sorry, I don't think I caught your name," Mina asked as she dried her oldest son off. He'd stopped coughing up water thankfully.
"Arthur Rostron. Is your son alright?" It had been such a long time since a man besides Albert had looked at her with kindness in his eyes.
Hoisting Alistair onto her hip with a small smile on her face she replied, "He is, thanks to you."
"It wasn't a problem. I was already on the water. He hardly weighed anything. Just happy to bring him back to you alive," he said a bit sheepish. The sailor looked to say something more before his face darkened.
"What is going on here?" Mina stiffened; Alistair burrowed further into her. Wyndam had shown up.
"Alistair took a tumble into the water. Mr. Rostron here got to him before he drowned," she answered despite her damp dress.
"Well thank God someone was watching him," her husband glared at her before continuing, "At least one of you has sense." Alistair's rescuer bristled at the tone.
Before she could hold her tongue, she fired back, "You try watching three boys under the age of seven. See how well you do!"
"You think I would let my heir down," Wyndam replied silkily taking a threatening step towards her.
Before he could do much more than that, Mina hissed, "Not here." There was an audience.
Her husband turned his charm on at their son's rescuer saying, "Thank yo again for stepping in. I do not have my wallet on me, I am afraid a reward will have to wait. Why don't you come by our house here in town later for it and a meal?"
Arthur had not declined the meal, but Wyndam had left her to deal with him on her own (after a particularly vicious backhand). Mina was just supposed to pay him and send him on his way. What had just started as a way to mess with her husband, turned out to be best dinners she'd had in years.
He'd asked if he could write so he could ask how Alistair was doing. Her oldest had snuck downstairs during the meal, shyly spoke to Arthur, thanking him and taking a shine to him. It was then that Mina impulsively offered him the chance to visit whenever he could.
Arthur's letters were a balm for her sanity and his rare visits were shreds of joy for both her and the boys.
One of his visits coincided with one of Albert's. Wyndam, tired of his heir's fear of the water, decided that he would fix the problem.
By chucking him into a pool.
Everything happened so fast. Albert lunged at Wyndam, Arthur went after Alistair (again), and her son was quickly back in her arms shaking and soaked.
It was becoming harder and harder not to see Arthur as a knight in armor. He'd rescued her son twice. Now he was standing with Albert, soaking wet, between them and Wyndam. Knights like that only existed in stories.
About a year later, her husband had been uncommonly avoidant of her. Mina taken what she could get. It meant she could wear lighter weight clothes in the summer.
What should have aroused her suspicions was that Wyndam was taking an interest in Matthew. Her husband had always ignored him for the most part, and in the past four months had been interacting with him more.
They had gone for a drive with some horses, which meant Mina was free to interact with Alistair and Brandon as she saw fit. Even better, Arthur was going to be coming for a short visit as he was in between ships.
A few hours after Arthur's arrival, Mina became aware that Wyndam and Matthew had been gone for several hours. It made her remember some of the horrible suggestions a few of Wyndam's family members had made after Matthew was born.
It was nearly time for dinner, and she was growing frantic. When cart pulled in Wyndam was nowhere in sight. Only one of the younger stewards was holding Matthew, and when he saw Mina, the young man turned ashen.
Mina felt the blood drain from her face as the young steward got down from the cart and gently pulled Matthew down, with heavy bandages on his right foot.
"What in God's name was done to my son," she snarled.
"Mrs. Stirling, when your husband took Matthew on the drive, he asked him if he wanted to be able to play around like his brothers and cousin. When he said yes, Mr. Stirling said he knew someone that could help make that happen," the young steward began.
Mina began to shake with fury. Wyndam's interest in Matthew for the past few months had been a smokescreen.
"He really has his best interests at heart, the surgeons is one of the best in the field," the steward continued, not realizing that he was digging a deeper hole for himself.
She couldn't keep it in any longer. Mina let out a vile wave of Welsh profanity. Wyndam had tricked both her and Matthew, who only wanted to play around like Alistair, Brandon and Roland. Soon she was in tears.
"Hand Matthew over to his mother, and make yourself scarce," Arthur growled in and icy voice. Mina had forgotten he was there. He must have followed her outside.
Deciding that Arthur was the greater threat to him right now than Wyndam was, the young man did exactly as he was told and bolted.
"He's going to be hurting when he wakes up. Get him to his bed. The night is going to be rough. Tell Alistair and Brandon to eat. Though they might lose their meals," Arthur warned.
He had not been joking, though her older boys had kept their food down. Even with the opium, Matthew was in agony, floating in and out of lucidity. He begged and cried for her to make the pain go away. But there was nothing for her to do but hold him.
Finally, around midnight, Matthew passed out from sheer exhaustion. Arthur walked/guided Alistair and Brandon to their rooms.
Mina walked with Arthur back to the guest room and thanked him again for his help.
She was not sure who exactly reached for who first, but the next thing Mina knew, her and Arthur were all over each other and fell into his bed.
The following morning had come entirely too quickly. An agreement was reached that it had been exhaustion and temporary insanity on both their parts and they were never to speak of it again.
This particular visit ended. Wyndam tried to say that he'd thought it was for the best, that it broke his heart to see the look on Matthew's face while other children played.
When Arthur visited next, Mina could hardly look at him. She did not interact with him outside of her duties as a hostess, and only then when the children were around.
Arthur put up with two days of her avoiding him, before catching up with her and pulling them both into the library, which was rarely used. He looked around, making sure they were alone before they were alone before pleading, "Mina we agreed what happened was in the past. I miss you; I miss my friend. Even the children can see that something is up."
She turned away from him, unable to look at those grey eyes. The only eyes other than blood family's that looked at her with kindness.
He brushed her hair over her shoulder asking, "Please Mina let me help you. Don't turn away. Let me be there for you, as a friend. You're fading, a blind man could see it. I'm worried that one day when I come to visit Alistair, you'll be gone. Oh, you'll still be here physically, but the Mina your brother knows, the Mina I know, will have long since died."
She begged, "Arthur, please don't do this."
"Just tell me why you are avoiding me, and I'll stop," he replied.
"Because what happened the last time you visited was the most I've felt alive in years! I love my boys more than anything in the world, yet I hate their father more than you could possibly imagine. The only person who comes close to hating him as much as I do is Albert. I've lost count of the times he's begged me to let him rid me of my problem. I cannot let him do that, he's got a family of his own! I have walked a line for years, but it constantly changes. I think you can guess what Wyndam does when I cross it! I know where I stand with you. If I do what we did again, I will not be able to stop," she said in one breath.
"I cannot believe that I am saying this, but why should we stop?"
Her heart stuttered. Had he said what she thought he said?
Taking advantage of her stunned silence Arthur went onward with, "Mina, at the time we said it was insanity. You were clearly miserable, but for those few hours you were happy. I was happy! I love being around you and the boys but I cannot be help you if you treat me like I am a piece of furniture!"
"I don't want you to get hurt Arthur! Wyndam and his family can and will make your life a living hell," Mina replied.
"I'm doing this to try and protect you, you sweet fool," this time she let him pull her into his arms. "I can protect myself. And you as well Mina. Provided you'll let me," he was caressing her arms yet not trapping her.
Under normal circumstances, Mina would never consider doing this. But her marriage to Wyndam had never been normal.
It wasn't like he had not done this and worse to her.
Throwing caution to the wind, Mina yanked Arthur's tie to pull him into an intense kiss. When they came up for air he said in a low voice, "We should probably take this somewhere much more private. And leave separately."
The left separately, but that afternoon had been *glorious*. As were the next five years. Maeve knew more about it than Albert did, though her brother likely pretended not to know. But she could tell that he was happy that there was a man in her life that treated her right.
March 1890, everything went to hell. The boys were away at school, Mina had told her husband she was heading to visit Albert, Maeve, Roland, and Cecily. Which she was, but she was going to be seeing Arthur during the trip as well.
She should have never gone to see him in his study. Just as soon as she finished telling him to behave himself, he asked, "Perhaps I should tell you the same thing wife?"
"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean husband," she replied. The two of them rarely called each other by their given names.
"You must think I am a complete idiot, if you don't think I am not aware of what goes on in my own house. Around my children. My wife carrying on with someone not me. A sailor of all things," her husband sneered.
"You have never been overly burdened by your marriage vows Wyndam. And it was not only here at the house," she mocked back.
"Here is what you are going to do: Firstly all contact between Arthur, you and the boys is to cease immediately after this visit. If not, I will start interfering with his sailing career," Wyndam had a cruel smile on his face.
"Why are you allowing this visit then," Mina replied tightly.
"You are going to be my mouthpiece to deliver the threats to your beloved Arthur," his smile got even more sadistic.
"Secondly, perhaps I will remove Matthew from his inheritance, as how could I possibly know he's mind," her husband drawled.
"You bastard! Arthur didn't even enter the picture till Matt was 10 months old," she hissed.
Clearly thinking he had cowed her, Wyndam sauntered over to her, "I am your husband; you are my wife. There are things that must be done, no matter how much we detest each other. Besides, don't you want a daughter?"
Through bared teeth Mina replied as sweetly as she could, "Not if she's yours."
His eyes narrowed to slits like a snakes she had seen at a zoo before growling, "If you are denying me my rights, I will take them. You won't like me when I'm angry."
Mina slapped him, dragging her nails down his face. Wyndam retaliated with a backhand that sent her flying into the wall, which her head hit with a crack, her head going black.
The next thing she remembered, was her husband crooning, belt buckle clicking. "Now go to your beloved sailor and tell him what I told you."
Mina unsteadily made it to the carriage which took her to the train station. During the train ride to Liverpool, she tried to get herself together for the dreadful conversation with Arthur. She could not even eat any of the food on the train.
Arthur could tell as soon as she stepped off the train that something was wrong. Once they were alone, Mina relayed Wyndam's words to him and also told him about the blank spot in her memory.
Steepling his hands he replied, "I still don't give a rat's arse. He can threaten all he likes. I'm not afraid of him!"
"I don't want to see you lose everything you've worked for, just because of me!" Mina grasped his work roughened hands, tears streaming from her eyes, "I am not worth the trouble."
Straightening her shoulders she whispered, "So one last time, fy nghalon. I would never forgive myself. Let us not think beyond tonight. I want to only focus in the now."
And focus in the now they did. It had been a night to remember. The goodbyes the following morning were gut wrenching. Later that month, she found out from the boys that he'd had written goodbye letters to them. Maeve had sent her a telegram which was quickly destroyed that there was a letter from Arthur waiting for her in Wales. Mina quickly sent the letters between them to Maeve who would look after them.
By the end of May Mina knew for certain she was pregnant again. She spent the rest of the year praying for another boy.
She got her wish early Christmas Day morning when her son Randall was born with light strawberry blond hair and the normal blue eyes that newborns possessed. Thankfully Brandon had been born with hair like that so there was no reason for her husband to be suspicious.
When May of 1891 rolled around, Mrs. Hudson snuck Mina into the nursery whispering with a small smile, "There's something about Randall's eyes I think you would like to see."
Afraid that his eyes were hazel, Mina peered into the cot to check on her son. Instead of her husband's hazel eyes or her blue eyes staring up at her, there were stormcloud grey eyes. And there was only one person Randall could have gotten those from!
There had been no safe way to tell either of them, not as long as Wyndam was alive. And even once her piece of shit husband died (she still suspected that Albert had something to do with that, Antin had friends everywhere), Arthur had likely changed addresses multiple times and given Randall's Royal Navy aspirations the wrong people finding out would be dangerous.
Mina had just become too accustomed to keeping the secret to herself.
Will massaged his temples. If it was not one thing with Senator Smith, it was another. Not even half an hour earlier, the git had asked him why he had not gone back for potential survivors.
Barely keeping the sarcasm out of his voice he'd replied, "I had a full lifeboat, including a murderer. Just when I was about to discuss the options with Master at Arms Turner, the murderer in question decided to try and capsize the lifeboat. My focus at that moment changed to dealing with that troublesome occupant who was keen on avoiding justice for his crime and causing death to the witnesses, myself included."
That had shut the man up good. Now it was time for the lunch break.
"You handled that question well. No one should be able to twist your answer around for their own purposes," Lieutenant Lethbridge had snuck up on him. The lilting Welsh was still in his voice, like his hellion of a sister. The wild western states had not erased their birthplace entirely.
"I find it hard to believe that there are some think you and your sister were born here," Will remarked.
"People have to be around Cecily and I a lot to notice. Erik, Lucy, my CO, and the 40 Thieves are in that category. Neither of us really considered anyone from that part of the world that wasn't family," the younger man replied.
Now is as good a time as any to ask about a naval architect. Aloud he asked, "Lieutenant, would you know where to find a naval architect capable of keeping his mouth shut?"
"In the Bureau of Ships? There are plenty of naval architects, very few of them are good at keeping their mouths shut. What would you need one of them for, sir," Roland asked curiously.
"I have… come into possession of plans and designs for a ship and discretion is something I and those that know about them would vastly prefer," Will said in an undertone.
"How many others know of these plans," Roland inquired.
"Six others," Will answered easily.
He watched the young lieutenant work things over in his mind. It was only moments later when Will could tell that he realized just what ship the plans were for.
Once he found his words again, it was the naval officer speaking. "Mr. Murdoch, if I am understanding you correctly, and I'm pretty sure I am: There isn't a naval architect on the Eastern Seaboard that will keep his mouth shut about those ship plans you have, not even with a squad of Marines point rifles at his head," he murmured.
Will had a feeling that would be the case.
"That being said, I do know someone with enough naval architectural knowledge to fill a library. Better yet, he's in Washington for the inquiry and is quite capable of keeping his mouth shut," Roland had a grin on his face.
"How is he in town for the inquiry?"
"Lieutenant Sperling is an engineering officer on board the Florida. The battleship that provided the escort for the Carpathia. The officers and some the enlisted crew have to provide testimony. He could go over ship plans in his sleep. Erik kept me awake plenty of nights in our dorm room at Annapolis," he continued.
"How soon can you speak to him," Will asked, hope rising.
"Tomorrow. He'll likely get some liberty this weekend. You'll definitely meet him at the birthday celebration on Friday for Cecily."
So him and Charles meeting is inevitable. The only thing to do now is mitigate the tomfoolery.
Harry was drained by the inquiry for the day and wanted nothing more than to have something to eat and spend time with Cecily.
Not necessarily in that order. A smile crept onto his face.
He saw Cecily on a balcony overlooking one of the rivers around Washington. The Anacostia, Harry thought.
Putting his arms around her shoulders from behind and pulling her tight to him, he whispered, "Did you have a good day?"
What happened next was something he did not expect: Cecily screeched bloody murder.
Harry removed his arms from her as if he'd burned her.
It was only when she had turned around that Cecily realized it was him.
In a shaky voice she said, "Harry, not even my father or Roland do that. You did nothing wrong."
"Why did you react in that manner," he asked, his own heart still racing.
"Let's take this inside. I have a story to tell you, and should probably start before Antin breaks down the door." Cecily went inside, shut the door to the balcony, sat down on a leather couch and motioned for him to join her.
"10 years ago it began with a persistent suitor. Nothing I said or did deterred his interest. I was one of the few girls in town that was completely uninterested in him. He would make a rather large fool of himself at times in attempts to impress me. Most of the gifts he sent were cheap trinkets. The food gifts I gave to Rafaela to use, since I did not want them going to waste. By July things were starting to get out of hand, so I talked things over with Father, Antin, and Roland who was home from Annapolis for a short time. The decision was made to let Roland scare the living daylights out of him," Cecily stopped to drink some water.
"And did Roland scare the living daylights out of the young Mr. Thornton," Harry inquired.
"We thought he did. Roland still taught me how to use a knife. Paul left me alone for the rest of the summer and into the autumn. Until a party towards the middle of October," her voice began to catch here, but she forged onwards, "Wore a red dress the color of changing leaves. Many noticed it. He noticed it as well apparently. I stuck close to my father for most of the night, then I decided to go out on a balcony to get some air," Cecily's hands went over to his and grabbed them.
"I had only been out a short time when someone grabbed me around the shoulders from behind and began dragging me somewhere to do God only knew what. I knew I only had one shot, so I grabbed the knife Roland got me, and slashed at my assailant's face. Only then did I see it was Paul," He did not realize that he had been holding her hands so until Cecily muttered, "Harry, you're hurting my hands."
He loosened his grasp then asked, "What happened next?"
"I ran for it. Not easy in a ball gown mind you. Paul chased me. Antin found me running. I babbled what happened, he handed me off to Max, who had just started working as a member that month, but Antin had scouted out himself. Max brought me immediately to my father."
"What did Antin do next? I am surprised he did not kill him," Harry growled.
"What he did had far greater consequences for Paul. Antin hauled him out, still bleeding, and threw him onto the ballroom floor and openly accused right then and there of what he did," Cecily was paling at the memory.
"How did it play out," he pulled her closer letting her know he was still there for her.
"All hell broke loose. He had the temerity to start lying even with the blood dripping from his face. Saying that I had been the one who'd started it. Most of his family believed him, except for his older half-brother. Hard to believe that they shared even one parent. Thing is, people in Denver believed me and my side of the story. Still, I went to DC till things calmed down. My father, Antin, and Roland were incensed when his mother got the charges dropped on a technicality and shipped him off to Boston to her family who were and still are in the newspaper business. That's when the smear campaign against me began. It's also where the Ice Queen persona had its roots," her eyes grew shadowed.
"I could not react, since any reaction gave more fodder to the press. So I learned to tamp down any outward reaction and let no one outside of family and a select few others see the real me. There were some downsides," Cecily grimaced.
"What were some of those, though from how I heard you talked in the first class smoking room about I think I can guess at a few," Harry still remembered the fury that coursed through his veins when he'd heard those words.
"In the years following the incident, I became a game: Tame the wildcat. Defrost the Ice Queen," she paused before snarling, "Break the Ice Bitch. After a while I just stopped trying. Then you came along. For the first time in years I could be myself with someone that wasn't in either category. The newspapers are going to find you fascinating Harry. For you achieved what many thought was impossible," Cecily drank some more water.
"Would you like me to kill him for you," he had to ask this. Cecily's honor was at stake.
"As much as I would like you to, don't. Number one, he's not worth it. Number two, even Antin hasn't been able to figure out a way to have him offed and not have it get traced back to any of us," her smile grew a little.
Tracing the backs of his hands she said, "I don't want you to think I'm a china doll." Cecily shifted closer to him.
"I don't think you are one," he replied before saying, "I just don't want to scare you like that ever again. Several men in your life might just decide to kill me," Harry shuddered.
"Just don't grab me from the back again, and we'll be find," Cecily had shifted herself into his lap now, with an arm around his shoulders to keep herself steady.
Lips to his ear she whispered, "Grab me from the front all you like!"
"May I kiss you?" He felt he should ask permission after what she just told him.
Cecily's only answer was to kiss him herself.
Always give the lady what she wants was Harry's final thought before joining her in the madness.
Antin was grinning like the cat that got the canary as soon as he turned around towards Albert's study.
Cecily was finally starting to heal from what happened 10 years ago, that couldn't please him more. What Paul Thornton and his mother's family had done or nearly done to her…
When he'd first heard her screech from the other side of the house, Antin had gone running. By the time he had gotten to where she was, Cecily was telling the fifth officer, her and her brother's old friend what had happened in regards to Paul Thornton.
Cecily seemed to trust him; Antin was reserving his judgement. He had been aware of her interest in the man, the looks the pair had exchanged on the train ride down, even the most fat-witted person would have noticed. The interest was clearly mutual. Still Antin felt the strong urge to separate the two of them when Cecily placed herself on his lap and pulled him into an intense kiss that had yet to stop.
Still, Lowe had asked her permission beforehand, so Antin gave him points on that.
He let himself inside Albert's study. His boss and friend looked up asking, "Is Cecily alright, what did she scream for?" He got up from behind his desk to meet him halfway.
"I think Mr. Lowe decided to surprise Cecily and hug her from behind. Clearly he did not know that it's something that scares the living daylights out of her. By the time I got there, she was telling him the story of what happened with Thornton," Antin informed.
"What was Harold's reaction," Albert sounded worried.
"He asked a few questions over the course of her tale and by the end of it he was offering to kill Thornton for her. She told Lowe Thornton wasn't worth it."
"That's one less thing to worry about. What did they do after," Albert inquired.
Antin grinned a bit. He friend was likely going to regret asking him that question!
"Well, Cecily decided to take the lead a bit in showing him exactly what he could do beside sneak up on her!"
"Meaning," Albert's eyes were narrowed in suspicion.
Antin tried to not let his amusement show likely failed when he replied, "Meaning that she got into his lap and was kissing him for all she was worth."
"You did not have to say it like that," Albert reached into a desk drawer for a bottle and two glasses.
"If it makes you feel any better, he permission to kiss her first. Cecily kissed him like that as an answer," Antin smirked before sipping the offered drink.
"It does. I'm starting to wonder when he will come to talk to me about things," Albert pondered.
"He has been more than a little bit occupied. Might be waiting for the weekend when there's more time. I don't think he will do anything that Cecily doesn't want him to do," Antin drawled.
Though I imagine Cecily would let him do quite a bit!
Cecily knew that Lucy was up to something. She had not figured out exactly what it was, but it more than likely had something to do with her and Harry.
Telling him about the incident 10 years ago had been freeing. Kissing him had been even more so, especially once their tongues had gotten involved again.
She was rapidly becoming addicted to him. Not just to kissing him, though that was fun, but for the fact that she could be herself around him.
"You are daydreaming. And I bet I can guess who it is about," Lucy drawled as she flopped onto Cecily's bed.
"And you haven't spent time daydreaming about Erik," Cecily posited back before asking, "I've been wondering something: Not that I don't look good in green and all, but I've been wearing quite a bit of it lately. At your suggestion. Are you planning something? I know full well how devious you can be."
"I just want you to look your best. You, your father, and Roland haven't had this many guests in a while," Lucy replied.
"You haven't been like this with me since I was hiding Erik's letters from your parents. You are up to something Lucy Esther Trent. And I am going to find out what it is," Cecily declared with narrowed eyes.
"Has anyone ever told you that you have an overly suspicious mind" her friend rolled her eyes.
"It's helped me in the past. So why don't you just tell me what you're doing and get it over with," she looked over her should as she brushed her hair.
"If I tell you, then you would go out of your way to avoid it. You'll just have to wait and see till Friday. Think of it as a surprised birthday present," Lucy had a grin that could only be described as diabolical on her face.
"You know I won't stop bugging you about it," Cecily warned.
"And I wouldn't expect anything less from you. Goodnight," Lucy replied.
Even though it was only Thursday, Erik was looking forward to his weekend liberty that was starting tomorrow. He definitely wanted to spend some time with Lucy, make up for lost time. There was that birthday celebration for Cecily tomorrow, which he would definitely see Lucy at.
He also wanted to try and speak to the other guests of Mr. Lethbridge if at all possible. It would be fun to pick their brains if they were up to it.
As he was coming around the bow of the Florida he heard Roland ask, "Do you still have some of your naval architecture books with you?"
Not expecting his friend's presence on board the ship Erik jumped, "Jesus Christ. I don't know what Antin taught you, don't do that right now. Everyone's a bit jumpy right now. But to answer your question, yes I do. Why do you ask?"
Looking around to make sure the coast was clear, Roland lowered his voice, "I need you to look at some ship plans I have access to."
"You didn't steal them from the German embassy again did you? You know I can't read German," Erik said in a similarly low voice, but still a little higher.
"The plans are all in English. And why would you accuse me of that? Such a thing is illegal," his friend replied with a slight grin.
"Unlike many in Washington, I know you do more than just sail a desk. Captain Torrey has ordered you to do just that on more than one occasion due to the fact that you speak flawless German. Can you tell me anything more about these plans, are they for a warship," Erik inquired.
"Not for a warship. Passenger ship," Roland answered.
"Which country's flag does it fly?"
"Great Britain. Port of departure is Southampton."
"Would it be at all possible for me to see the ship itself as well?" It would make his going over the plans easier even if they had to be discreet about it.
Roland grimaced a bit when he said, "Well… that might be rather difficult. Seeing as it's at the bottom of the North Atlantic now."
As soon as his friend finished speaking Erik choked. Was he saying…
"Roland do you mean to tell me that there are plans that somehow made it off the Ti-" His friend made a slicing motion in the air.
"Keep your voice down. The fewer people who know about this the better. I haven't even told Captain Torrey yet. I want to be sure there are issues before I tell him anything," Roland hissed.
"One of your father's guests has them I imagine," Erik lowered his voice.
"Yes. Do you still want to look them over?"
"Hell yes!"
A/N 2: I said this in the first author's note. This was not an easy chapter to write in the slightest. I did not do it lightly. Looking forward to seeing what you all think! SSD
He's not really an OC but the young Arthur Rostron is played by Adam Campbell.