Where Trust Lies Page 7

  Without waiting for further introduction, the girl interjected, “I have a pill for you. I know it’ll help. It did wonders for my sister’s seasickness.” After a pause, she said, “Here, take it.”

  Beth felt a small tablet pressed into her hand and heard the sound of water being poured. “What is it?” she asked, struggling to raise herself onto an elbow.

  The stranger giggled. “Oh, I don’t know. Just something to settle your stomach and stop your headache. But I bet you’ll feel better in the blink of an eye. It worked that way for Penny. And how!” Then she added an afterthought. “That’s my sister—Penny.”

  Without another word, the girls slipped through the door and into the hallway.

  After what seemed a rather short time, Beth was indeed feeling much better. She cautiously raised her head. The pill certainly had seemed to work. Almost as if she were in a dream world, she rose and washed, changed from her clammy, crumpled clothing, and fixed her hair before the enormous gilt mirror. It’s such a relief to feel healthy again. For a moment she wondered what had been in the medicine but soon brushed such thoughts aside. Whatever it was, it did its job. Beth slipped into the hall, intending to find Julie and her new friend to thank them. Then she saw the pair turn a corner toward her.

  “Well, how about that!” the new acquaintance called up the hallway. “You look just ducky!”

  “I feel just fine,” Beth assured them both.

  Julie asked, “Can you eat something?”

  “Why, yes, I’m starving. Imagine that! I’m truly hungry.”

  “The dining room is closed,” Julie said. “But that’s no problem. There are a lot of other places to eat.”

  Beth reached out a hand to Jannis’s arm. “I want to thank you. I really do feel so much better. It’s almost a miracle.”

  The young woman simply smiled warmly in return. Beth had not really seen her previously in the dim light of the room. She was rather attractive, with fashionably bobbed blond hair and a boyishly pretty face—a relaxed and charming demeanor. Beth liked her immediately. “That’s how it worked for Penny too,” Jannis assured Beth. “Let me tell you, she was just as thrilled.”

  “I can’t wait to meet her.”

  “Well then, let’s get a wiggle on, gals. Penny is waiting for us in the lounge.”

  Beth paused. “Can we—oh, Julie, should we go to the lounge?”

  “I’ve already been,” Julie said with a laugh. “Mother checked it out—they don’t serve anything wicked, what with prohibition and all. It’s just a nice place to sit—kind of like the dining car on the train. But there are going to be shows in there later, comedies and music and such!” Julie stepped between, linking arms with both women. “We’re going to have a marvelous time, ladies. This is the beginning of many happy cruise days, I’m very certain.”

  Beth was introduced to Penny at their table in the corner of the lounge, a piano playing softly in the background. The sisters made a lively pair, gushing with enthusiasm at taking their “first cruise together,” they said. Compared to this younger sister, Penny looked a little drab—heavy eyes, broad face, and drooping mouth. They actually didn’t look at all alike.

  Jannis explained, “I don’t mind telling you, Beth, our auntie had a hard time letting us go. As I was telling Julie earlier, she was gonna come on this cruise too, but she broke her leg, and the ol’ doc said she should stay off it—not even walking around at home. So, needless to say, he didn’t want her to go. She’s quite old, you know. What is she, Pen, fifty or so?”

  “Oh, maybe even older,” Jannis’s sister confirmed with a vigorous nod.

  Beth couldn’t remember hearing anybody chatter as incessantly as their new friends. Julie’s questions inspired even longer streams of explanations. “Where did you say you were from again?” Beth asked.

  “Buffalo—that’s in New York. And it’s our first time in Canada. Can you believe it, living so close and all? We’ve wanted to come up here for so long. Julie says you’re from Toronto, Beth. But that you just came back from the West. How was that? Did you like it out there—a deb like you? I wouldn’t have guessed it.”

  The rapid-fire conversation was all a little overwhelming to Beth, particularly since her head was still rather foggy and slow. “I did enjoy it there. It was wonderful. I hope to go back again soon.”

  “You do? And give up your swanky lifestyle. Say it ain’t so!”

  Julie seemed compelled to explain. “Penny and Jannis aren’t in the staterooms. They’ve got a room on one of the lower decks—with only a porthole. But I told them not to worry about that. They can just come up and visit with us, borrow our balcony. We’ve got lots of room.”

  “Lots of room in your room,” Jannis laughed. “You’re so clever, Julie.”

  Julie finally caught on and joined in the merriment over the play on words.

  “Well, there’s no sense sitting here beatin’ our gums anymore,” Penny cut in. “Golly, let’s get up and do something.”

  “Yes, let’s,” Jannis agreed.

  As they exited the lounge, Julie drew close to Beth. “They’re flappers—honest-to-goodness flappers, Bethie! I know you can’t tell by what they’re wearing now, but you should have seen them dressed for dinner. So modern, so chic.” She sighed. “They don’t get to share our dining room, but everything else on board is open to all. Aren’t we just going to have the best time?”

  Chapter

  7

  BY MORNING, Beth’s headache and queasy stomach had returned. It did not help that she had been out far later than she was accustomed. She had seen her first silent film accompanied by a pianist, watched part of a comedy routine that incorporated some silly magic tricks, and strolled along the deck in the moonlight with their new friends. It had been a “spectacular evening,” as Jannis put it, but now it was morning, and she was sick again.

  After Mother and Margret had gone off to breakfast, Julie slipped back in the room with another pill from Jannis. “Take it,” she insisted. “You want to enjoy the trip, don’t you? This is going to help.”

  There was certainly no question that the medicine had worked well yesterday. Having suffered through Mother’s concoctions and cures over the years, it seemed reasonable for Beth to take this as well. As quickly as the previous day, she was on her feet again.

  Beth was able to eat a satisfying breakfast. Afterward she and Julie went looking for Penny and Jannis. They were easy to find, with their bright laughter and outgoing antics drawing lots of attention. The four young women wandered the promenade deck, looking for some type of activity. During the night the ship had sailed into Saguenay Fjord, touting the best whale sightings. But beyond the railings an ethereal haze of fog shrouded the rugged landscape in mystery, while tall evergreens pierced through like sentinels along the rocky banks. The four assured one another that the warming sun would soon burn away the fog and agreed to try later for the whale sightings.

  They passed the indoor pool which looked somewhat like a Roman bath in design, but decided against a dip, since so many others were already swimming. They happened upon tennis courts painted on the wood flooring in a far corner of the recreation deck, with tall nets pulled taut all around to confine wayward balls. At the moment there was no one else nearby.

  “Have you ever played?” Penny asked Beth.

  “No, I haven’t even seen a game.”

  Julie stepped forward eagerly. “I’ll try—who wants to join me?”

  “In those shoes?” Beth was dubious Julie would be able to maneuver in her short heels and narrow-cut shift.

  “Can’t hurt to try.” She tossed her felt cloche toward Beth and stepped out onto the court.

  Jannis followed suit, picking up a second racket. “At least I’ve seen it done—while I was at a college visiting a friend.” For several minutes they batted the ball across the net, making every effort to keep it slow and under control, but lobbing it as often as not into the net or out of bounds. Penny and Beth laughed at their
feeble attempts and chased after the ball when it bounced their way.

  Julie was huffing with the exertion. “I can do this. I know I can. Just give me a chance to get used to it.” Jannis seemed far more suited to the activity, her blond hair whirling in circles around her head as she spun one way and then another.

  “Keep your arm straight,” she called to Julie. “That’s how I’ve seen it done.” She joked, “You look as if your arms are noodles. Stretch out. Toughen up.”

  “I’m trying!”

  “Here, get this one,” Jannis challenged. But with a turn of her foot, Jannis came down hard on the makeshift court, her legs sprawled out under her. Before Beth and Penny could hurry to her side, a young man had entered from the shadows and was helping her up.

  “Miss, are you all right? Is your ankle hurt? I was just walking by—rats, and you were doing so well too.”

  “Thanks.” Jannis laughed off the assistance. “I’m fine. Just embarrassed.” He pulled her carefully to her feet.

  “Nick?” Julie exclaimed, gaping in wonder from the other side of the net. “You’re Nick, aren’t you?”

  The dark head swung around. “Hey, sure—it’s my little fashion consultant! And here you are on board my ship. Lucky me!” He smiled around at each of them. “And here’s your pretty sister too. Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?”

  “I’m Jannis, the damsel in distress.” She shook Nick’s hand heartily. “So glad to meet you. And this is my sister, Penny.”

  “Charmed,” Nick answered with a mock bow. “Now, don’t tell me your names. The two of you are . . . Beth? That right? And June, is it?”

  “Julie!”

  “Oh, sure—I remember now. Don’t take it personally. I’m bad with names. Say, you ladies want some real competition?” He winked at Jannis. “I promise to go easy on you.”

  Jannis eyed Julie, and they had quickly cooked up a plan without a word being exchanged. “You can play us both.”

  The match did not last long. The combined efforts of Julie and Jannis were no contest for the skill of the young man, who obviously had played often before. He clearly did all he could to send the ball where they could easily hit it back—but didn’t. Beth’s sides ached from cheering and laughing.

  Other passengers were beginning to gather, and at last it must have been too much for Julie’s pride. “I surrender!” she called, waving her racket. “That’s enough—for this time. Maybe we can try again later when I can borrow Bethie’s comfy ‘old lady’ shoes.”

  “Ah,” Nick said, “you’re going to blame your shoes, are you? I see.”

  Just then another man stepped forward. “Hey, buddy, how ’bout a game—you and me?”

  Beth saw Nick’s quick change of expression. “All right, buddy. Rally for serve.”

  Jannis ceremonially passed the ball to him, and he gathered a second from a nearby table. This time the ball was traveling much faster. The four women retreated to a table where they could watch the match. Soon a waiter dressed in white stopped at their table to ask if they’d like anything to drink.

  “I’d like strawberry soda, please,” Julie said. “What’ll you have, ladies?”

  He took their orders, and Julie gave him Mother’s room number.

  When he returned, Jannis lifted her glass in a toast. “Isn’t this just living the high life!” she enthused. “I mean, can you believe it? Here we are, playing tennis, drinking soda pop, and looking out at all this beautiful scenery—and, girls, I do not mean the riverbanks.” With her eyes she motioned toward the tennis court. “What else could a gal want?”

  Beth blushed and thought of Jarrick. She felt for the hanky holding the tucked-away petal. She did not want to participate in even a hint of behavior or attitude that she might later regret. Rising suddenly, she said, “Julie, we should go find Mother and Margret. They must be wondering where we are.”

  “I doubt it,” countered Julie, palms upward. “When we left this morning, she just told us to enjoy ourselves.”

  Jannis let out a hearty guffaw. “Well, you’ve surely done that, sis.”

  For some indefinable reason, Beth found the remark irritating. “Just the same, please excuse us. We should at least check in.”

  Julie rose slowly. “All right then, Bethie. Forgive us, ladies—the wet blanket wants to take me away from all this fun.”

  “Keep your chin up, honey,” Penny called. “We’ll catch you later.” She smiled at Beth, then Julie. “You’ll find us somewhere around. Why, of course you will! We ain’t got nowhere else to go!” The hearty laughter followed them as they made their departure.

  It took time to find Mother and Margret, seated with Mrs. Montclair, Victoria, and Monsieur Laurent in a lovely atrium. They had borrowed a pair of binoculars to watch for whales while JW played happily in a corner.

  “Why, look who’s here at last. Enjoying ourselves, are we?” Mother seemed remarkably pleased and content.

  “Yes,” Julie answered for them both. “We could have stayed longer, but Bethie wanted to check on the rest of you. You seem fine to me,” she grumped.

  “Well, thank you for your regard for our well-being.” Mother waved a languid hand at them. “We’re having a lovely morning. We’ve seen several whales already—one had a calf, two of them were white. Come join us, my darlings. We’re taking turns with the field glasses.”

  She waved Emma over. “Let’s have a picture. Emma, would you take it, please, now that we’re all together? Come, my dears, gather round—Monsieur Laurent standing behind. Bring the baby over, Miss Bernard. Edith, Victoria, we’d like you to join us. Emma, can you get the scenery in the background? Squeeze together, everyone.” After some laughter and more instructions, several pictures of the group were captured.

  Beth felt an odd relief to be safely back with her family. Perhaps she wasn’t used to the almost brittle vibrancy, the casual easygoing nature of their new friends, or the novelty of the surroundings. But there seemed to be something about Penny and Jannis that made her uneasy. Whatever it was, she quickly put it aside, fascinated by the magnificent fjord and its whales.

  “Watch for rings of bubbles,” Monsieur instructed, “that could indicate whales about to breach. See there—on the surface to the left. Who has the glasses now? Can you see the bubbles?” His gestures became more energetic. “There—right there.” Oohs and ahs followed as three whales surfaced together.

  “Someday,” announced Victoria, “I’d like to pilot a ship like this—no, a smaller one. And go looking for whales in the ocean. That’s what I’d do, just follow them through the sea.”

  Her unusual remark was met with chuckles all around, but Victoria appeared to have been quite serious. Margret explained, “I’m sorry, dear. A woman could never be a ship’s captain. It wouldn’t be allowed.”

  “Nonsense,” Mrs. Montclair put in firmly. “There’s no reason she couldn’t. There’s nothing particularly manly about steering a ship.”

  Mother cast an eye around the group cautiously. “What do you say, Monsieur Laurent? Do you think a woman would ever make captain?”

  His answer came slowly. “I have known women who were certainly capable. In fact, I’ve lived in places where it’s not at all uncommon for a woman to work alongside her husband on a fishing dory or a small bateau.”

  “But not on a great ship like this!” Mother exclaimed. “Surely, Monsieur Laurent, you don’t mean to suggest she might captain such a large vessel as this?”

  “What might prevent her from doing so, Mrs. Thatcher?”

  Mother seemed to grope for an answer. “Well, isn’t there some type of permit needed? I hardly think a woman would be given a permit. But more than that, who would be her crew? I don’t suppose for a minute that men—and certainly not rough sailors—would take orders from a lady.”

  The man shrugged and nodded. “Perhaps that is true for now. But in years to come—who knows?”

  “Why, Mr. Lorant, I’m so pleased to find we agree at l
ast!” Mrs. Montclair was exuberant. “I’ve always told my Victoria that she may do anything she sets her mind to. After all, we have the vote now—at long last. It only follows that many of the senseless ways in which women are excluded from positions of authority and leadership will eventually be resolved as well.”

  “That may well be, Mrs. Montclair,” he responded, “but if I may add a thought. It is true that women have been granted the right to vote in federal elections and in most of the provinces too, yet they are not formally defined as ‘persons’ by the government of Canada. They cannot run for office or read the law or participate in any number of roles—at least,” he added, “not throughout the country.” He was clearly baiting her, and Beth wondered what his motivation might be. “What have you to say about that?”

  “Stuff and nonsense!” Mrs. Montclair ranted, falling easily for his apparent scheme. “In England, from whence my family came and where our name still maintains considerable influence, that manner of thinking has long ago gone the way of the Dark Ages. And if we are to believe the newspapers, such will also be the case here before long—with or without the assent of Canadian men. Such paragons as Queen Victoria—after whom my daughter is named—and Queen Elizabeth the Great have set fine examples of British women in power. And with their historic influence, we shall soon see that the British will insist we keep pace with such obvious wisdom.”

  “Do you mean, Edith, that you support the intervention of Britain’s power into Canadian matters?” Mother seemed genuinely shocked.

  “Whatever it takes to see justice achieved,” retorted Mrs. Montclair.

  Beth was not sure she appreciated Monsieur Laurent’s ability to stir the pot.

  “Ah, Mrs. Montclair,” Monsieur continued with a smile, “you take great pride in your English heritage, I see. How ironic, then, that your name comes from the French.” He hurried on before she could bluster a response. “So you feel that the ends justify the means—I see. It is an interesting conundrum, though, that you would subjugate a country in order to grant additional freedoms to a subset within it. You do not see the paradox in such a political ‘gain,’ Mrs. Montclair?”