Page 105 of Haunting the Deep

Ismay wears a smug grin. “If you lovely ladies are interested, I can surely convince Captain Smith to give us a tour of the bridge. I saw him not twenty minutes ago in the smoking room.”

I look from him to his unshaven butler. What’s going on here? He’s taking them on a tour? I don’t want him to. I really don’t want my aunt going anywhere with that butler. I can’t even pinpoint why. It’s just an instinct, a powerful one.

“This very moment?” asks the Countess of Rothes.

“I always say there is no time like the here and now.” Ismay sounds like he’s showing off.

Mrs. Brown puts down her sherry. “Why not? It might be good fun.”

“No.” My voice is too loud and too fast. They all turn to look at me.

Alexander steps forward. “I think what Samantha is trying to say is that it is late.”

My aunt smiles. “You are both sweet to worry, but really, a little exploring never hurt anyone. Besides, we will get a good view of the stars.”

“Excellent,” Ismay encourages.

My aunt, Mrs. Brown, and the Countess of Rothes all stand.

Anxiety rises in my chest.No, no, no.I push Ismay with both hands. “You willnotbe taking my aunt anywhere, especially not with him!” I point at the butler.

The women gasp.

Ismay brushes off his suit where I pushed him and frowns. “Miss Mather, I cannot imagine what I have done to upset you so. I was just offering to show them the bridge because they expressed interest in how the ship runs.”

“Samantha, that was unquestionably rude,” my aunt says. “You owe Mr. Ismay an apology.”

I look at their shocked faces, and embarrassment flames my cheeks. I don’t have a reason—nothing other than a feeling. They were all having a nice night, and I came along and caused a scene.There’s something seriously wrong with me.“I’m terribly sorry, Mr. Ismay. I don’t know what came over me.”

“It is my fault,” Alexander says quickly, and everyone shifts their focus to him. “You see, we were reading a book earlier with a scene quite like this one. A comedy, you know. And we were laughing about what it would be like if people actually did things like that in proper society. I said that if I ever met a girl with that much nerve, I wouldn’t waste a second. I would propose to her then and there.”

Did I just hear him correctly? My already-red cheeks deepen their blush.

The women’s shocked faces soften. The angry group is suddenly alive with oohing and aahing.

“How romantic,” says the Countess of Rothes.

Aunty Myra brings her hand up to her mouth. “Of all the curious surprises. And to shock us all like that.”

“The creativity of the young,” Mrs. Brown says.

I look anywhere but at Alexander. Did he just propose? Or did he just save me from my worst social blunder ever?

Alexander laughs. “You will have to forgive us for the abrupt exit, but I would like to speak to Samantha alone—with your permission, Mrs. Harper.”

“Of course!” she says.

“Follow me,” he whispers in my ear.

Alexander unlocks a cabin door.

“You want to talk in your bedroom?” I ask, my voice somewhere between excitement and fear.

He turns to me, slightly startled. “It is a suite, the largest on the ship, with a sitting room and a private promenade. I would never presume to take you into my bedroom. But if you are uncomfortable, we can surely go somewhere else. I just thought a private moment might be nice.”

“Of course. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…I guess I’m just nervous.”

He opens the door. “Nervous good or nervous bad?”