Page 2 of Captain's Orders
Gerald Whitfield didn't seem to notice anything amiss. He was already admiring the yacht's lines, one hand on Patricia's shoulder, pointing out something on the deck to Bea.
Grace smiled and shook their hands. There were no drinks left on the tray.
"I'll get you a glass," Dani said. "Champagne? Or something else?"
Grace opened her mouth to answer, but Sarah cut in. "Oh, she doesn't drink. She's working."
"Mrs. Brennan," Captain Jordan's voice cut through the moment. "I'm afraid I don't have Grace listed on the charter agreement. The booking was for twelve guests."
Sarah's eyebrows rose. "Was it? I thought we mentioned—" She looked at her husband, who shrugged. Then at her mother, who was occupied with Bea's questions about dolphins. "I'm sure we must have mentioned her. She always travels with us. The little ones are a handful."
"I don't doubt it." Jordan's voice remained pleasant. "Unfortunately, twelve berths means twelve guests. All of our guest accommodations are assigned."
"Well." Sarah laughed, a little uncomfortably. "Grace can sleep on a sofa or something, can't she? She won't mind." She glanced at the young woman. "Right, Grace?"
"Sure," she said. "Whatever works."
What else was she supposed to say? Actually, I do mind being treated like an afterthought? She couldn't. They all knew she couldn't.
Gerald had turned back now, registering that something had stalled the boarding process. "What's the holdup?"
"An issue with the guest count, Mr. Whitfield," Jordan said. "We have twelve berths and thirteen guests."
"Thirteen?" Gerald frowned, then spotted Grace, and understanding dawned. "Ah. The nanny. Sarah, didn't you tell them about Grace?"
"I thought Mark did."
"I thought you did," Mark said.
It bothered Dani that they talked about Grace like she wasn't standing three feet away. Like she was a scheduling conflict rather than a person.
"Does it matter who thought what?" Gerald said. "She's here now. Surely there's somewhere she can sleep. A couch, a—what do you call it—a daybed somewhere?"
"I'm afraid that's not possible," Jordan said. "Maritime safety regulations require all passengers to have a designated berth. I can't legally sail with thirteen people if I only have twelve assigned berths."
Silence. The Whitfield adults exchanged glances—that quick family semaphore of who's going to handle this? Nobody looked at Grace.
The other children, oblivious to the tension, were already exploring the yacht, and Dani heard Zoe redirecting them away from something.
"What exactly are you suggesting?" Gerald asked. "That we leave Grace behind? She's essential. Six children, Captain. Six."
"I understand the difficulty?—"
"But we need Grace." Gerald sighed, looking a little panicked now. "We've paid a considerable amount for this charter. There must be a solution."
Patricia lowered Bea back to the deck and put a hand on Gerald's arm. "Gerald."
"No, Pat. We're talking about one person. One." He turned back to Jordan. "What about your crew quarters? Surely there's a spare bunk somewhere down there. I'll pay extra. Double the rate for the extra person. Whatever it takes."
Dani held her breath. Crew quarters were their sanctuary—the only space on the yacht that belonged to them. The tiny cabin she shared with Lindsay, with its narrow bunks and books and the photos taped to the wall. The thought of a guest, even a nice one, wasn't pleasant and besides, with their freelancers on board, there were no crew berths free.
Jordan was silent for a beat, weighing the charter fee against the intrusion, the client's satisfaction against her crew's boundaries. "I'll need to speak with my crew before I can commit," she said. "Dani, Lindsay, can I have a moment with you?" She turned to the freelancers. "Elsa, Netty, will you please show the guests the lounge? We won't be long."
Elsa and Netty guided the Whitfields inside and Grace followed, still clutching the stuffed animals.
Jordan waited until the guests were out of earshot, then turned to Dani and Lindsay.
"Before you say anything, hear me out," she said. "I have a pull-out bed in my cabin. One of you can sleep there, and the other shares with Grace in your cabin."
