10. Ten
Daniel followed the feisty woman to the stairs. She’d barely made the first step when Lula sniffed her out. She bent to stroke the dog’s fur, and the little hound’s tail swished wildly.
“How old is your dog?” He’d never seen a person and dog as fond of one another as these two.
She scooped the terrier up and settled the creature on her hip like a mother with a toddler.
He withheld a smile. Eccentric as well as clever, feisty, and nigh on irresistible.
“Next month will be three years I’ve had her. Got her as a weanling pup. She was a puny little thing. Fit in my palm when Papa brought her home.”
She started up the stairs, and the dog fixed black eyes on him over Camilla’s shoulder. There’d be no opportunity for more kisses with her canine chaperone.
Not that he should be thinking about that. But the way her soft lips had felt beneath his had stirred something within him. Now he had a hard time putting the sensation and the accompanying complications it caused from his mind.
Lula continued to stare at him as her head bobbed over Camilla’s shoulder up the staircase, down the hall, and into the office he’d visited earlier. Had that only been yesterday morning?
Impossible.
Camilla lowered the canine to the floor, and Lula trotted over to sniff his boots. After completing a thorough investigation of both shoes, she retreated to a round pillow on the floor by the bookshelf, turned three circles, and then curled into a ball. But her wary eyes never left him.
The captain opened a desk drawer and extracted a journal. Reverent fingers traced an embossed design on the cover he couldn’t quite make out.
Her gaze held his. “These are his personal thoughts and prayers. It still feels like an invasion of his privacy for me to read.”
Understandable. “You don’t have to.”
That seemed to be the right answer because an appreciative curve graced her lips before she flipped to the last third of the book.
While she read, he examined the room to give her privacy. He moved toward a document encased in a glass frame nailed to the wall.
From the desk of Capt. Seeley of the United States Steamboat Inspection Service:
A skilled pilot of steam vessels who can be trusted to perform duties and safe navigation in the waters of the Mississippi River. Having passed examination and inspection, Camilla Lockhart is hereby licensed to act as a second-class pilot on steam vessels not exceeding thirty gross tons for the term of five years.
Dated February 22, 1924
She’d only been a licensed pilot for a few months. He didn’t know much about the differences between a captain and a pilot except that one seemed to be a position and the other an occupation, though they melded together as far as he could tell. He did know being licensed was a major accomplishment. And for her to earn it at such a young age from men who were likely hesitant to let a woman into their ranks only elevated his estimation of her higher.
“Here’s something.” Camilla’s voice towed him from the document, and he took the opportunity to watch her face while she read. “This entry denotes Papa’s meeting with Mr. Dixon, which I now know is the elder Mr. Gray.”
She met his gaze before beginning to read. “‘Met with Mr. Dixon who has compelling evidence about the location of the Hollis fortune. Supposedly, there’s a stash of hundreds if not thousands of gold coins. The worth of that sort of find is nearly incalculable.’”
Her voice thickened. “‘I could buy my Camilla a proper house and give her an opportunity to live a normal life as a girl ought. Pay for lady classes and the like. Maybe find her a good suitor. Can’t expect her to miss her marrying years taking care of me on this rickety old boat. Not if I hope to have grandsons someday.’”
She paused to compose herself, and he resisted the urge to reach out and comfort her.
After a few breaths, she continued. “‘Mr. Dixon claims to have documentation he discovered in his father-in-law’s attic that suggests the treasure might not be where they’ve believed in family lore. If that’s true, then there might be more to this than merely old rumors. He’s promised ten percent of the findings. Even that percentage would be enough to make a better life for my dear daughter. I have to try.’”
Moisture glistened in her eyes even as she unsuccessfully attempted to blink it away. “There’s only one other notation. A short passage he wrote two months later, three days before he died.” Camilla turned to another page.
Daniel rested his palms on the desk between them. Lula popped her head up and emanated a low growl. He smirked at the hairy guardian.
Ignoring the dog, Camilla read the final entry. “‘Mr. Dixon has discovered the location! Tomorrow, we will begin the search. I must be careful. I overheard Mr. Dixon speaking to a man whose face I could not see. They were talking about someone following him. If others know he is close to discovery, they may attempt to take it from us.’” She closed the book. “That’s all I have.”
She replaced the book inside the drawer and lowered herself into the chair, the weight of sharing her father’s final recorded words sinking her deep into the cracked leather. When Lula scuttled over and pawed at her leg, Camilla scooted back to allow the dog to jump up and sit in her lap.
Daniel took the seat opposite. “The journal mentions Mr. Dixon making a discovery in his father-in-law’s attic. I hadn’t thought to search there.”
She stroked the fur between Lula’s pointy ears. “I suppose we can look after we eat supper tonight. Assuming I’m still invited?”
“Of course.” He laced his fingers together. “My invitations, like my contracts, are always made in the utmost sincerity.”
The quip earned him a ghost of a smile.
They sat in silence before he broached the topic bouncing around between his ears and demanding his attention. “I’d like to discuss what happened in the records room.”
“You mean when you kissed me?” Her steady gaze held his. “Or what you meant when you called me unusual?”
Her directness settled his nerves. He always fared better with clear conversations than ones with skirted topics and veiled meanings. “Both. I enjoyed kissing you. Perhaps more than I should have, which is why I couldn’t continue even though I longed to do so. Secondly, my statement that you are an unusual woman is true. It is not, however, an insult as you seemed to take it, but rather a declaration of fact that, in my estimation, was a compliment.”
She leaned back in her chair. “You talk like a lawyer.”
“I am one.”
Camilla laughed, a pleasingly robust sound. “And you certainly talk like one. But thank you for the clarification.”
When she said nothing more on the matter, he returned to business. “Shall we go fetch Lucas and see what Anna’s family cooked for this evening?”
She tugged her watch from her pocket, checked the time, then replaced it. “I also found the kiss pleasing. Will that be an issue with our deal?”
The twists in the conversation left him off-kilter. He jabbed a hand through his hair and dislodged his hat, making it drop to the floor. “I suppose we can postpone any romantic inclinations until after we have concluded the search. That way we can keep things less muddied.”
He retrieved his hat and dusted it off before settling the fedora over his forehead.
“So…” Camilla drummed her fingers on the desk. “You’re saying you’d like to pursue a romantic relationship with me if we find your treasure? Why?”
How did he answer that? “Even if we do not find the treasure, I’d like to continue to get to know you in a more personal way. It’s already clear the hope of discovering something deeper than friendship exists.” He splayed his fingers. “At least on my account.”
“I like you, Mr. Gray.” She sat forward, and the dog spun a circle and settled in her lap, finally no longer glaring at him. “You remind me of Papa. I never had to guess what he was thinking. I appreciate that about a person.”
“So do I.”
They stared at one another until she broke the strange feeling building between them by thrusting herself backward in the chair and scooting away from the desk.
She scooped up her dog, stood, then turned to place the creature on the chair. “Let’s go find your nephew and his frogs. Then we can search the attic. Of course, sooner or later, we are going to need to finish the boat repairs and take to the water.”
“Got to know where to start looking first.”
“Fair point.” She winked as she passed him, dog at her heels. Seemed the terrier had no intention of staying behind.
Like another enchanted puppy, he tagged along after them.
Camilla stopped short at the door, nearly causing him to trip over the dog who had also come to a sudden halt. He caught himself before his big feet could do any damage to tiny paws. Lula looked up at him and yipped.
He held up both hands.
“Oh, hush, girl.” Camilla scooped her up. “She’s being especially protective today. I’ll need to lock her in here so she doesn’t attempt to follow me off the boat.”
“Why not let her come? Lucas would enjoy it.” At her owlish expression, he added, “Unless she doesn’t care for children, of course. My nephew can be rambunctious, but I don’t believe he’d cause her harm.”
She settled the dog on her hip, and the two of them regarded him. “Never had a fella invite me and Lula to supper.” She spoke to the dog. “Imagine that. What would Papa think of this one?”
Did she expect the dog to answer?
As though reading his thoughts, she shot him a look, almost daring him to ask her. Instead, he thrust his hands into his pockets and let his previous statement stand.
“Very well. We accept.” She waltzed out the door, and he could have sworn he heard her chuckle under her breath.
Had she done that just to set him off-balance? If so, she’d succeeded.
During a prolonged discussion of hand signals with Solomon on the main deck, Camilla gestured for Daniel to go ahead and disembark. Did she need the engineer’s permission to go with him to supper, or were they discussing boat business?
He grabbed the gangplank railing to leave as another man mounted the other end. He locked gazes with the grumpy dockmaster from yesterday. Daniel stepped back. He’d wait and see what problems ensued.
The paunchy man climbed the gangplank with obvious effort and placed his hands on his hips upon arriving on the deck. Solomon noticed him and gestured to Camilla.
She stiffened. “May I help you?”
“You’ve been requested to disembark on account of housing a lawless crew.” He sneered at Solomon.
“What? We’ve been docking here for more than two decades. And what’s this about a lawless crew?”
Lula growled.
Without making eye contact, Camilla held the dog out in Daniel’s direction. The little thing hung from where Camilla hooked her hands under the creature’s front legs, belly stretched out long and rear legs dangling.
Should he…? Before he could talk himself out of it, he accepted the proffered canine and awkwardly held her away from his body. The dog stared at him. At least she didn’t look like she might bite. She did seem uncomfortable, though. He twisted her so the length of her belly rested along his forearm, and he secured her chest in his palm. Then he settled her against his side. Her ears twitched as she focused on her mistress.
“We have a report of a criminal on board,” the red-faced man announced, punctuating each word with his finger. “Either you depart, or you turn the miscreant over.”
Finn and another man Daniel hadn’t seen before joined them. Dark-skinned and in his midfifties with close-cut hair.
Camilla tapped her toe on the deck. “You have no right to—”
“There’s the criminal there.” The dockmaster stabbed a finger toward the older newcomer. “He was recognized in town.”
Solomon made a series of gestures Daniel couldn’t decipher. Looked like something with eating and a throwing-his-hands-up motion to indicate exasperation.
The red-faced man scowled. “What’s he saying with all that voodoo talk? Putting a curse on me?”
Camilla blinked. “Excuse me?” She drew in a long breath, looked to the heavens, then started again in a calm tone. “Mr.—What did you say your name was?”
“Liles.”
“Mr. Liles. Every man on this vessel is a Christian. We don’t do voodoo or witchcraft or any other such nonsense. My engineer suffered an injury that causes difficulty with speech, so he communicates with hand signals. There’s nothing illegal about that. And as for Buck, he’s already served his time.”
“So you admit to harboring a criminal.” Mr. Liles snorted. “That’s all I needed to know.”
“No, sir. I said he’d served his time.” Camilla refused to be cowed, and as Daniel nodded his approval, she drew herself to her full height. “Which means he is no longer a criminal but a reformed man.”
Mr. Liles gestured her closer, and she moved near with a frown. Daniel had no trouble hearing the whispered words.
“Miss, I don’t want to see you get hurt. That boy there was accused of beating a man and leaving him for dead.” He hissed the next words. “A white man!”
Camilla crossed her arms and leaned away from him. “I know that. And while he served the deserved sentence for that crime, he met a chaplain—a chaplain who introduced him to Jesus. Buck spent the next fifteen years turning into one of the finest Christian men I know. He’s no trouble to this town or anyone else.”
“You trust the word of a n—” He cleared his throat as Solomon’s already impressive stature seemed to expand. “A colored man?”
“I trust the fruit I’ve seen in his life and the power of the Holy Spirit to transform us all. So yes, sir, I do trust my brother in the Lord, no matter who he was in his previous life.”
Daniel couldn’t help but grin. Heaven help any man who thought to go against Captain Camilla Lockhart’s convictions.
Buck stepped forward, hat in his scarred hands. “Won’t go to shore again if it makes folks uncomfortable, sir.”
Mr. Liles glared at him, then addressed Camilla. “Any more complaints, and I will be forced to send the law this direction.”
“Understood.”
They all watched in tense silence until the man stepped foot on shore. Once he disappeared around the bend, tension drained from the air. Daniel ran a hand down the dog’s soft back. The fur beneath his skin felt surprisingly nice. How long had it been since he’d stroked a pet? Not since boyhood.
“Well, how do you like that.” Camilla rubbed her forehead, shoulders deflating. “I’m sorry about that, Buck.”
“It’s all right, Captain. I know how it is in the free world.” The man’s dark eyes held sorrow. “I don’t want to cause you no trouble. This is why I don’t often come out of the kitchen. But I didn’t think anyone would recognize me here.”
“It’s not your fault.” She sighed and leveled a look at Daniel. “Got any questions for me?”
The words sounded like a challenge. Did she think he’d agreed with Mr. Liles?
He gave the first answer that came to mind. “‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.’ So said Paul in Second Corinthians. I forget the exact verse.” His fingers made another pass down Lula’s back. “Besides, I don’t see how your crew or their past is any of my business, so I’m not sure what question you are expecting me to ask.”
Solomon made another series of quick gestures, and Buck grinned. Finn tipped a respectful nod. Apparently, he’d passed muster. The idea tugged on the corner of his mouth, but he withheld his pleased grin lest they mistake it for him joshing with them.
The redheaded crewman scooted forward.
“Solomon says you would fit in here with our little brotherhood.” Finn’s gaze darted to Camilla. “Plus one sister. We here is all reformed men her pa gave a second chance. Seems you might be the type to understand.”
Another surge of respect for this bold woman surfaced, and Daniel held her gaze even though he spoke to Finn. “A fine captain you have here, gentlemen.”
The men hooted their agreement, and her cheeks colored a pleasing pink.
“All right now. Enough of that.” Camilla waved their laughter away. “Mr. Gray has asked Lula and me to have supper with his family. Any of you fellas take issue with that?”
Even Solomon shook his head in the negative.
“Well, then.” She brushed her hands down her gray trousers. “Best we be off.”
The dog still cradled in his arms, he followed her swaying form off the boat. They’d promised to wait to explore any romantic notions until after they’d completed their treasure hunt.
But he suspected it wasn’t going to be a promise he could keep.