All characters are at least 18 year old and figments of my imagination.
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Dinner was a success thanks to plates heaped with pasta and sausage, plus four bottles of wine. It didn't hurt to have a new member at the table with unheard stories to share. Prompted by questions, James told much of his life story.
"I knew it!" cried Karen on hearing that James was an artist. While she preferred he'd been a movie star or stage actor, an artist was somewhat glamorous. She gave Mary a look which said, 'I told you so.'
Mary shrugged and thought to herself that he might be an art forger. Wearing dinner clothes and his long hair carefully combed, James no longer looked like a pirate. He actually looked fairly nice. She still didn't trust him, but she smiled at him anyway. Showing interest in the newcomer was her way of putting Arthur in his place. And James played his part by lapping up her attention like a puppy dog.
"You're an orphan? Oh, how terrible. How did your parents die?" she asked.
"According to my mum, my pop drown at sea before I was born. My mum died when I was ten of overwork and a broken heart," James said sadly.
"How old are you, laddie?" asked the Captain.
"Nearly twenty-three."
"So you were born in 1905 or 1906?"
"1906, sir."
"Um, interesting," said the Captain.
"It's so sad, it makes me want to cry," Mary said.
"Me too!" piped up Karen, feeling that her friend was stealing a march on her. She reached over the table to touch James' hand but stopped when she noticed her Stepmother's frown. There was still the matter of her might-be engagement to Freddy to deal with.
Mrs. Waters said gaily, "Whatever happened in the past, brought you to us. And we welcome you to our hearts as a friend."
"Hear, hear. Let's drink to that!" boomed the Captain, raising a glass.
A discussion about sleeping arrangements broke out. Many ideas were floated, but in the end, Mrs. Waters' suggestion won out. Arthur and Freddy would remain in their cabin, while James would take over the girls'. Mary and Karen would share the master's cabin and bed with her.
"It is the most comfortable way and leaves one bunk open in case another stray falls in our laps," she explained.
Several of the group found things not to their liking. Karen and Mary were reluctant to give up their privacy. Mary wasn't happy in the company of her friend's Stepmother, who seemed condescending. And what girl would choose to share a room with her Stepmother, even if not an evil one. Not Karen, that's for sure.
Arthur had hoped to get away from Freddy's french postcard albums and the activity that went with them. He'd hoped to have a cabin to himself, or at least a new roommate. Alone with James, he could share his ideas for how James could help him out. It wouldn't be too much of a sacrifice for the artist. Art wanted James to entertain his Stepmother. From what Art had seen, it wouldn't be a hardship for the well-equipped youth.
"Let's give three cheers for our great cook, Gladis. Come in here, Gladis, dear!" called out the Captain.
Appearing shyly in the door to the galley was a small, plump, buxom woman. Of middle-age, she looked pleasant and motherly. To James, she looked familiar, but most motherly women did.
"Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip hooray! Hip, hip, hooray!" they chimed in together. Gladis blushed brightly, smiled, and disappeared back into her station.
"We're blessed to have her. I don't think I could live without her," the Captain said, his eyes misting over.
The party broke up. The men went topside for smoking and chitchat. The women went to oversee the transfer of clothes and personal items from the cabins. Mr. Bates and Tom helped out with that task. Jerry helped Gladis out with the dishes and galley cleanup.
After the transfer was complete, the three women gathered in Mrs. Waters' cabin. The time had finally come for the Stepmother to receive the news of the hoped-for engagement. To say she was disappointed with what she heard from Karen would be putting it mildly.
"Your father will be upset, as I am. You know this whole trip was to bring the engagement off," Mrs. Waters complained.
"But he's so boring! I can't stand him! And I don't think he even likes me," Karen cried.
"Nonsense, my dear. He asked me to persuade you to pose for him many times. That shows he is interested!"
"Only as an object of art. Besides, he told me he wants you and Mary to pose for him too," Karen said.
Mary was startled to hear this news. She didn't think the man had even noticed her. If anything, the news made her think even less of him, almost as little as she thought of Arthur.
"If he asks me to pose, I'll do so gladly. Your father had a photographer take pictures of me. And I'll tell you something else, my dear," Mrs. Waters said, wagging a finger in Karen's face. "You will pose for Freddy. Yes, you will!"
*
Up on deck, the men occupied themselves in clouds of smoke by making profound observations on the gathering dusk. The sunset had come and gone while they ate dinner. Now the stars appeared in all their dazzling glory. The Captain began pointing some of the brighter ones out and naming them.
"That one there just above the horizon is not a star at all. It is the planet, Venus," he said knowingly.
"Charming," said Freddy. "I've heard it said that there are troops of beautiful women living on it."
