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Dance
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2021-02-25 04:25:46Daniel had returned from the hospital just before dinner time still in a lot of pain, but his arm was wrapped up tight in a cast, and Dr. Simpson assured him that it would heal just fine so long as he kept the cast dry and went to a doctor within a few weeks of disembarking. Charlie and Jonathan had both stopped by to see him in the hospital as he waited for the cast to dry, and Meg had watched the girls for a bit so that Kelly could as well.
When Ruth saw her daddy’s cast she cried, saying she was, “So, so, so, so sorry, Daddy,” and Kelly took it as another opportunity to drive home the idea that she must stay with Mummy, Daddy, or Aunty Meg at all times to which she had added, “Or Uncle Charlie. Or Mr. Jonaffin.” Her mother gave in but insisted that the list could not be lengthened to add anyone else, and Ruth agreed that she would never run off again.
Daniel was too tired to accompany them to dinner, so the ladies took the girls and wen
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Dinner was just as much a whispering, staring match as breakfast had been, but by now, Charlie no longer cared at all what the other First Class passengers had to say, and a few times when he caught gloved hands covering faces, obviously speaking about him, he waved across the room, causing the mumbling ninnies to blush in embarrassment.“Heard you had a bit of excitement on the Third Class promenade this morning, Charlie,” Molly mentioned with a knowing smile halfway through the event.“We did,” Charlie affirmed. “Lots of excitement indeed, Ms. Molly.”“What happened?” one of the older gentlemen at the table asked.Charlie realized all eyes were suddenly on him. They were probably wondering what he was doing on the Third Class promenade in the first place. Well, if they wanted to know, they had better muster the courage to ask. Otherwise, he would answer the question with as little detail as possible. &ldqu
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Kelly refused any of the several beers gentlemen began offering her the moment she and Meg walked in the door. She was still nursing Lizzy, after all, and she’d noticed the baby was a bit groggy if she drank anything at all even a few hours before she fed her. Meg, on the other hand, had accepted the first drink she’d been offered, which had cost her an obligatory dance with a rather large Scottish lad named Titus, but the glasses were tall, and she was able to make that drink last long enough she was not forced to accept any of the other offers that came her way.Occasionally, Kelly consented to cut a rug with the more attractive men that asked, but for the most part, she simply flashed her wedding band in the direction of those who’d have her hand, and they’d move along. Meg didn’t mind telling the men no directly. In fact, she wished she’d done more of it in her former life.“We really shouldn’t stay too long,” M
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“Meg,” Kelly warned, tugging gently on her shoulder, “I think you’ve had enough beer for a while, darlin’.”Meg looked at the glass in her hand, which was about two-thirds gone, and nodded, stepping over to sit it down on a nearby table.As she turned to dispose of her beverage, Charlie stepped closer to Kelly and asked quietly, “How many has she had?”“That’s her first,” Kelly admitted, “but she doesn’t drink much.”“I see,” Charlie replied, nodding and returning his attention to Meg who was staggering just a hair as she crossed back over to him.“Well, if she doesn’t drink, and she doesn’t dance, perhaps this isn’t the best way for her to spend her evening,” Jonathan chimed in, speaking about her as if she wasn’t there, even though she could clearly hear him above the music.A scowl formed on Meg’s prett
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As he pulled away, she cocked her head to one side, the soft skin of her alabaster cheek brushing his and said in a breathy whisper, “Well then, dance with me.”Smiling a crooked grin, Charlie nodded, saying “All right, then, Miss Meg.” Taking her hand in his, he led her out to the makeshift dance floor, muttering quietly under his breath “but you’ll be sorry you asked.”Except she wasn’t sorry. As the rhythm of drums and violin increased, he wrapped one arm tightly around her waist, still holding her other hand in his and began to move her swiftly around the dance floor. Neither of them had any clue how to do the steps the Third Class passengers around them knew so well, but that didn’t stop them from trying, and when they couldn’t figure it out at all, Charlie would take the lead in one of the many ballroom dances he did know, which oddly enough, from his perspective, she seemed to know as well. He twirled h
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“Everything okay?” Charlie asked as he stepped over to where Meg was still standing, her eyes cast down to the floor in contemplation.After a moment, Meg nodded. She finally pulled her eyes away from the floor, and as she leaned in, she whispered into Charlie’s ear, “Can we go somewhere quieter, where we can talk? The promenade perhaps?”“Of course,” Charlie replied, raising his eyebrows in surprise. Taking her by the hand, he carefully led her over to the stairs, ignoring the jealous eyes that followed them as he did so.Meg knew the change in location meant Jonathan wouldn’t find them directly, but her conversation with Kelly had sobered her up a bit, and she concluded she had some important things to say to Charlie, things she could hardly say while gallivanting around the dance floor.Once they reached the deck, Meg began to shiver. At first, she thought it might be because of the conversation she was a
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Meg’s forehead furrowed in confusion. “What? No. I’m not sure I understand what could possibly be so humorous,” she insisted, seeing the amusement playing in the corners of his eyes. “Charlie, I’m serious. There are so many things that you don’t understand—important things.”Charlie did his best to stifle his laughter, and with both of her hands in his, he pulled her closer, saying, “I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you. I promise. Just listen, Meg, whatever it is that makes you think you’re not good enough for me, it doesn’t matter. You’re wrong.”She shifted her position again, pulling back a bit and turning to face him even more. “No, Charlie. That’s just it. Don’t you wonder why I won’t tell you my last name? Or who I was before I got on this boat? Doesn’t it bother you at all that I won’t answer any of your questions about my family or
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When they reached her door, Meg realized Charlie was going to kiss her again, and she was going to let him, because this was likely the last time it would ever happen. She would stand there in her borrowed dress, outside a Steerage cabin aboard the grandest ship in the world, and let her fiancé of three years kiss her for only the second time, while he still had no idea that she was a lying, cheating, corrupted whore. Because that’s what people like Mary Margaret Westmoreland did.When she finally returned her attention to the gentleman before her, he was standing very close to her, his green eyes smiling at her, despite the terror she was only barely managing to hold back. “Thank you for asking me to dance,” he said quietly, smiling down at her as he brushed her hair behind her shoulders and then wrapped his hands around her waist.She placed her hands on his chest and managed to return his smile. “Thank you for… everything else,&
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