Page 11 of The Searching Songbird

She ended up sleeping until dinnertime, when she was woken by a knock on the door. Pulling the towel off her head, she ran a hand through her hair, trying to work out some of the tangles before answering the door.

The same boy she'd met earlier stood there, sans rope this time. He grinned at her rumpled appearance. “Sorry to bother you, miss, but Captain Melbrooke asked me to bring ya to dinner. Should I give you a minute to get ready, or would ya like to go as is?”

She stuck her tongue out. “Cheeky. Yes, I'll need a moment.” She started to pull the door closed, but stopped suddenly. “You can call me Lily, by the way.”

His chest puffed up a bit, and he stuck his hand out. “Nice to meet you, Miss Lily. I'm Kenny.” She held back a smile at his serious expression. Taking his hand, she gave it a firm shake.

“The pleasure is all mine, sir. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be just a moment.”

She made another search of her trunk, digging through the piles of clothes until she found the smooth handle of her brush. Giving her hair a quick once-over, she tied it back with a rose-colored ribbon that matched her skirt and patted her cheeks a few times, bringing back a bit of their color. Flinging the door back open, she stepped out and joined Kenny in the corridor.

“That really was quick,” he said. “I have three older sisters at home, and I don't think any of 'em have ever gotten ready for anything that quick.”

She shrugged, matching his stride as they walked. “I've spent the last several years traveling from town to town in the back of a covered wagon. I've learned not to be overly self-conscious about my appearance.”

Kenny glanced over at her. “I reckon you don't need to bother much, anyways. You're right pretty jest as ya are now.”

“Coming from such a handsome, young man as you, that is quite the compliment. Thank you.” She smiled as his freckled cheeks grew pink. He quickened his pace until they arrived at the captain's private dining room. Stepping back, he gestured for her to go ahead.

“Here you are, Miss Lily. Enjoy.”

She peered into the room, where a large table was set with a fine, linen tablecloth and porcelain place settings. A handful of men were standing off to the side, chatting. “Are you not dining, as well?”

“I'll take my meal down in the mess hall with the rest of the crew. Only the payin' passengers dine with the cap'n.”

“Oh. Well, perhaps I'll see you around later.”

“Maybe. The crew usually has a bit of music up on the deck in the evenings, but with this rain, I 'spect they'll probably jest play cards in the bunk. I doubt you'd wanna go down there, but you should definitely join in up on deck, should we get some clearer weather.”

“I'd like that. I just love music, you know.”

“That so? I guess it's all right. I go more for the fresh air and company, myself.” He tugged on the brim of his cap. “Well, I'm off. You have a nice night.”

She gave him a quick curtsy in return. “Thank you. You, too.”

With a last, jaunty wave, he left, leaving Lily to enter the dining room alone. She took a small step inside, looking around for the captain. He wasn't hard to find, given the way he towered over the other men. With broad shoulders and a full head of dark-blonde hair and matching chin whiskers, he cut a rather impressive figure. Not to mention intimidating, if you didn't happen to be on his good side. Which she was. Thank goodness.

“Good evening, Captain Melbrooke.”

He broke off the conversation he was having with a short, somewhat portly man and turned to her with a smile. “There you are, Miss Delaney. I was starting to wonder if you were planning to dine in your cabin tonight.”

“I probably would have missed dinner altogether, if you hadn't sent Kenny down to fetch me,” she confessed. “All the excitement from this morning must have caught up with me. I was fast asleep.”

“You must have needed the rest, then. And might I say, it's done you well. You look lovely this evening.”

She held back a snort, thinking of the pillow lines that had been running down her face not too long ago. Somehow, she doubted she looked all that lovely, but if the captain wished to be gallant, then so be it. “Thank you, captain. You're too kind...”

“Well, now, Melbrooke, surely you aren't planning to keep this lovely creature all to yourself, are you? Introductions, man!” The portly man whom the captain had been conversing with gave Lily a broad grin, his eager eyes moving over her figure in a much too familiar way. She took an instinctive step closer to the captain's side.

“The young lady is Miss Delaney, the daughter of my good friend, Hiram Delaney. Miss Delaney, this oafish boor is, surprisingly enough, the Honorable Gunter Haggs, whose brother is the Earl of Grandoline.”

The other man chuckled. “Guilty as charged, I'm afraid. You'll have to pardon my manners, Miss Delaney. It's so rare that I find myself in the presence of such beauty, I forget myself.”

Lily managed a hesitant smile. “It's... nice to meet you, sir.”

The captain gave her a skeptical look, but refrained from comment. “While I'm at it, I suppose I should introduce the rest of our company.” He gestured toward the remaining three men. “On the left is Mr. George Benton, owner of the Lehi Bank, with branches in both Eldour and Roshka.” A thin, middle-aged man with spectacles and a hawk-like nose nodded in greeting, though his expression was one of bored indifference. “In the middle we have Mr. Karl Adams, who owns several properties within the city of Flores.” A bald, older man with a cane and a sour expression stared back at her. He pursed his lips in annoyance, as if displeased with her presence there. Captain Melbrooke shot him a warning look before moving on to the last man in the room.

“And finally, we have Captain Elliot Dennings, a retired naval captain, as well as my mentor.” Captain Dennings bowed, then lifted his head with a congenial smile. His gray eyes sparkled with genuine interest, giving an air of youth to his weathered face.