review the crochet and knitting goods in the catalogues for you.”
“Would you? Excellent!” The words had barely left his mouth when a loud sound cut the air and the Opportunity lurched, flinging Miss Fairweather into his chest.
Eight
O h dear. I’m sorry.” Millicent pushed away.
“Are you—”
Arthur’s cry sent her rushing to his side. “Arthur!” He pushed himself up and sat in the center of his cot as he wailed.
Mr. Clark plucked his son out and awkwardly tossed the blanket over Arthur. The blanket descended to bury the boy, and his wails grew.
“There, now.” Millie repositioned it and patted his back. “I bet you want Buddy, don’t you? Buddy heard a loud noise. Do you think he’s scared?”
Arthur jammed his thumb into his mouth and reached out with his other hand. Whimpers still spilled from his lips.
“We’re fine. Yes, we are.” Mr. Clark patted his son’s back. “Let’s go sit down. Maybe Nanny can find you a biscuit. Can you, Nanny?”
“Right away.” Thanking God for having provided those biscuits earlier in the day, Millicent withdrew one from the box. “Here you go.” She held out the biscuit, and Arthur pulled his thumb from his mouth to accept it. “Here, sir. I’ll take him.”
“That’s not necessary.” Mr. Clark sat in a chair and didn’t seem to mind that his son crumbled the biscuit all over both of them. He didn’t say much, but the reassuring thump, thump, thump of his hand patting Arthur filled the silent suite.
It didn’t take long for Arthur to calm. Millicent went into the nursery and brought out a fresh nappy. “Arthur feels safe with you. I thought—”
Something between panic and resolve mingled in Mr. Clark’s eyes. “I’ll try.”
Millicent smothered a smile. “I’ll change him. I simply didn’t think he’d tolerate my taking him away from your presence at the moment.”
Mr. Clark handed him over. Millicent changed Arthur, then set him on his feet. “All done!”
“Dah done.” Arthur bobbed his head.
Her boss lifted his son. “Clearly, the engine repair didn’t hold. I rather doubt they’ll get it fixed tonight. Just to be on the safe side, I’ll go make inquiries.”
Millicent sat down and patted her lap. “Come here, Arthur.
I’m going to tell you a story.”
The little boy gave her a wary look.
“My story is about a man and his boat.”
“Boat!” Arthur dove toward her.
“Yes. Once upon a time, there was a man named Noah . . .”
A short while later, Mr. Clark returned. He studied how Millicent cradled his son on her lap. “He fell asleep right after Noah put horses on the ark.”
“At least he made sure of the important things.” Mr. Clark stuffed his hands into his pockets. “The damage is significant. It looks as if we’ll finish the voyage under old-fashioned sails. It’ll take another week. I will, of course, pay you for the additional time.”
Millicent bit her lip, then shook her head. “That’s not right. I agreed to mind Arthur for the entire voyage for seven dollars.”
“I appreciate your trying to be honorable, but I must be just as scrupulous. This has become more involved than we suspected.”
Yes, it has . . .
“So I insist. I’ll pay you for two weeks. You can safely put Arthur down—the engines won’t start up again.”
Millicent nodded and left the parlor. As she bent to put the toddler into his cot, Millicent’s heart caught. It’s okay to like the child. I just don’t need to love him.
Her heart, however, whispered back . . . liar.
“Mr. Tibbs,” Mr. Clark said as he helped himself to a piece of his son’s toast, “Miss Fairweather is to have the day off.”
“You aren’t going to try to watch the lad all on your own, are you?” Mr. Tibbs looked horrified. “Not change him and all . . .”
“Which is precisely why I brought up the matter. Do you think you can find another woman in steerage who’s equal to the task?”
Mr. Tibbs cleared his throat. “Yes,
“Would you? Excellent!” The words had barely left his mouth when a loud sound cut the air and the Opportunity lurched, flinging Miss Fairweather into his chest.
Eight
O h dear. I’m sorry.” Millicent pushed away.
“Are you—”
Arthur’s cry sent her rushing to his side. “Arthur!” He pushed himself up and sat in the center of his cot as he wailed.
Mr. Clark plucked his son out and awkwardly tossed the blanket over Arthur. The blanket descended to bury the boy, and his wails grew.
“There, now.” Millie repositioned it and patted his back. “I bet you want Buddy, don’t you? Buddy heard a loud noise. Do you think he’s scared?”
Arthur jammed his thumb into his mouth and reached out with his other hand. Whimpers still spilled from his lips.
“We’re fine. Yes, we are.” Mr. Clark patted his son’s back. “Let’s go sit down. Maybe Nanny can find you a biscuit. Can you, Nanny?”
“Right away.” Thanking God for having provided those biscuits earlier in the day, Millicent withdrew one from the box. “Here you go.” She held out the biscuit, and Arthur pulled his thumb from his mouth to accept it. “Here, sir. I’ll take him.”
“That’s not necessary.” Mr. Clark sat in a chair and didn’t seem to mind that his son crumbled the biscuit all over both of them. He didn’t say much, but the reassuring thump, thump, thump of his hand patting Arthur filled the silent suite.
It didn’t take long for Arthur to calm. Millicent went into the nursery and brought out a fresh nappy. “Arthur feels safe with you. I thought—”
Something between panic and resolve mingled in Mr. Clark’s eyes. “I’ll try.”
Millicent smothered a smile. “I’ll change him. I simply didn’t think he’d tolerate my taking him away from your presence at the moment.”
Mr. Clark handed him over. Millicent changed Arthur, then set him on his feet. “All done!”
“Dah done.” Arthur bobbed his head.
Her boss lifted his son. “Clearly, the engine repair didn’t hold. I rather doubt they’ll get it fixed tonight. Just to be on the safe side, I’ll go make inquiries.”
Millicent sat down and patted her lap. “Come here, Arthur.
I’m going to tell you a story.”
The little boy gave her a wary look.
“My story is about a man and his boat.”
“Boat!” Arthur dove toward her.
“Yes. Once upon a time, there was a man named Noah . . .”
A short while later, Mr. Clark returned. He studied how Millicent cradled his son on her lap. “He fell asleep right after Noah put horses on the ark.”
“At least he made sure of the important things.” Mr. Clark stuffed his hands into his pockets. “The damage is significant. It looks as if we’ll finish the voyage under old-fashioned sails. It’ll take another week. I will, of course, pay you for the additional time.”
Millicent bit her lip, then shook her head. “That’s not right. I agreed to mind Arthur for the entire voyage for seven dollars.”
“I appreciate your trying to be honorable, but I must be just as scrupulous. This has become more involved than we suspected.”
Yes, it has . . .
“So I insist. I’ll pay you for two weeks. You can safely put Arthur down—the engines won’t start up again.”
Millicent nodded and left the parlor. As she bent to put the toddler into his cot, Millicent’s heart caught. It’s okay to like the child. I just don’t need to love him.
Her heart, however, whispered back . . . liar.
“Mr. Tibbs,” Mr. Clark said as he helped himself to a piece of his son’s toast, “Miss Fairweather is to have the day off.”
“You aren’t going to try to watch the lad all on your own, are you?” Mr. Tibbs looked horrified. “Not change him and all . . .”
“Which is precisely why I brought up the matter. Do you think you can find another woman in steerage who’s equal to the task?”
Mr. Tibbs cleared his throat. “Yes,
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