Hamilton_ Donald - Helm 12 - T by The Interlopers

Author:The Interlopers [Interlopers, The]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-10-26T04:24:19+00:00

18 THE MOTOR VESSEL MATANUSKA

was a good-sized ship. Above the car deck was a deck of staterooms for those who wanted privacy on the two-day voyage up the coast and were willing to pay for it. The purser seemed to be doing a good business in accommodations; however, I got the impression that most of the passengers were planning to divide their time between their cars below, and the numerous upholstered chairs and airplane-type seats up above.

Over the stateroom deck was the observation and nourishment deck, with glassed-in lounge, snack bar, restaurant, and a cocktail bar called the Totem Room, not open at this hour of the morning. I made a special note of its location, since that was where I was to make my next pickup at five o’clock that afternoon.

Outside, a promenade deck for fresh-air lovers ran clear around the ship. It was out here, after doing enough exploring to get my bearings, that I stopped to await developments while watching the last cars driving aboard. Developments weren’t long in coming. Almost immediately a feminine voice spoke softly in my ear.

“You’re a hard man to catch.”

“I didn’t know if I was supposed to be caught,” I said without turning my head. “If I was, I figured you were just the girl to do it.”

Libby Meredith laughed. “Well, now that I’ve found you, you’d better kiss me, darling,” she murmured. “Do a good job. I know it’s rough but it’s in the line of duty! You’re supposed to be Grant Nystrom and mad about m remember?”

“How could I forget?”

I turned to face her. She was wearing another smart cut pantsuit, yellow-brown corduroy this time, with rather long tailored jacket buttoned over a brown turtleneck sweater. Pants or no pants, the outfit looked too fashionable, and her short dark hair was too smooth am her makeup too perfect, for a lady about to plunge into the great northern wilderness. One was tempted to muss her a little so she’d fit the rugged scenery to come. Maybe that was the idea. Unlike Pat Bellman, I reminded myself this was a girl who’d been around long enough to know at about temptation.

“Libby, darling!” I said, putting amazement and de. light into my voice. “What a wonderful surprise!”

I took her by the shoulders, pulled her close, and kissed her hard, to the amusement of the camera-toting passengers on both sides of us.

“Grant, please!” She made a pretense of flustered embarrassment as she freed herself. “Not among all these people, dear!” Then she relented and patted my cheek affectionately, smiling. “But I’m glad you’re glad to see me.”

“Come on, let’s get out of here,” I said. “I’ve seen a boat leave a dock, haven’t you?”

I led her away, with my arm around her waist. Corduroy isn’t my favorite material by a long shot-I’m an old-fashioned silk-satin-and-lace man at heart-but somehow she managed to make me very much aware of the woman under the ribbed, velvety cloth.

“Have you got a stateroom?” I asked.

“Yes, why?”

“Because you owe me three nights of bliss, sweetheart.

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