“Wait, how do you communicate with Sandro?” I asked his retreating back.
He ignored me, hurrying through the crowd of passengers with the agility of an eel. I glanced in the direction where Rennie had disappeared before following Edward. A group of passengers came out of the stairs, and I had to make my way through wide skirts and people chatting.
“Excuse me.” I elbowed my way out of the crowd, but it was wasted energy. I lost sight of Edward. Dash it.
I huffed. I was infatuated with Sandro, but not stupid. The whole affair was more tangled than a pretzel. But there was at least one thing I could do immediately. Grabbing a fistful of my skirt, I strode along the corridor and rushed down the stairs to the reception area. The same young lady I’d seen the other night greeted me with a nervous smile.
“Madam, can I help you?” she asked.
A little breathless, I put my hands on the desk. “Would you please check if there’s a passenger named Edward Morrison on board?”
Her scowl didn’t bode well, but she opened the register and skimmed through it. “Morrison... I’m sorry, madam, but there isn’t a... oh, no, wait. Yes, Mr Edward Morrison, cabin two-four-six.”
I exhaled. “Thank you.”
The first number of a cabin corresponded to a level on the ship. So two-four-six meant deck number two. As theSS Florentiasailed deeper into the Mediterranean Sea, more passengers rushed to the main deck to admire the view. I had to walk upstream, once again making my way through elegant ladies and too-perfumed gentlemen. Why did some people perfume themselves like that? Rennie, for example—why was I thinking of him? And what was the obsession with his scent?
Shaking my head at my own silliness, I took a corridor on the right and slowed my pace. Cabin two-four-six was tucked in a corner. Edward must have a spectacular view of the sea from that spot.
I knocked on the door, racking my brain for a plausible excuse to talk to him. But then again, I didn’t need any excuse. He hadn’t answered my questions. “Edw?—”
The door was pulled open, and a dark-haired woman came into view. “Good morning,” she said, arching a brow. Her words sounded like a question.
Confound it. I hadn’t thought Edward could be married.
“Good morning. I’m Miss Monia Fitzwilliam and I was looking for Mr Edward Morrison.”
“My husband isn’t here at the moment.” Her gaze roamed over me. “Why do you want to see him, may I ask?”
“I just wanted to... thank him for dancing with me. He’s the most agile dancer I’ve ever had the honour to dance with.” Oops! Of all the things I could have said, I chose the least appropriate one.
“I beg your pardon!” Mrs Morrison’s expression became pinched with annoyance. “What are you talking about?”
I wrung my hands. “Well, a few nights ago, he was, ahem, kind enough to dance with me.”
“Was he now?” She tilted her head.
“I’m afraid I’ve taken too much of your time. Don’t let me keep you.” I turned on my heels and cowardly sprinted away as fast as my petticoats allowed.
Mrs Morrison said something I didn’t catch, and I cursed my lack of judgement. If I’d put Edward in an uncomfortable position with his wife, he might decide to stop helping me. If he were helping me. But it wasn’t my fault either if he’d disappeared, pretending not to hear me. The whole situation was quite confusing. I groaned inwardly when Rennie swept into view after I rounded a corner. He marched towards me, broad shoulders swaying.
“What are you doing here?” we asked together.
His expression tightened. “I asked you to please stay on the deck. But you left to wander around.”
“No. Youorderedme to stay on the deck. It’s different.” I went to sidestep him, but he mirrored my moves, blocking me.
“What were you doing on deck two?”
“Nothing of importance.” I was being harsh, but if he trusted me and told me everything he knew about Sandro, I wouldn’t be so unreasonable. So it was really all his fault. Yes, I was being a cow, but, oh well, the damage was already done.
“I need to know where you are and what you plan to do at any moment. It’s not only my job, but, as I told you, I care about your safety, and there are two crazy men on board.” His voice rose.
“I was never alone. There were always people around.”
“But not me.”
“You’re overreacting as usual,” I said, jabbing a finger at him. “Nothing happened.”
“You keep sneaking off on me.”
I opened my mouth but then shut it. Because he was right.
“Where did you go?” he asked through gritted teeth.
“To chat with Edward, the man I danced with the other night, but he wasn’t in his cabin and I spoke with his wife. That’s all.” I tilted my chin up, trying to gather my dignity. “Well, now I’m returning to my cabin to freshen up, if that’s all right with you.” I sauntered off without waiting for his reply.
The low growl he released haunted me as I walked towards my own cabin. I wasn’t sure what game I was playing, but I was sure I wasn’t winning it.
