I read some of the wireless news items but could not make sense of them, so I put them aside for later study. What little I had learned from them was not comforting. I had cherished deep down an illogical hope that this would turn out to be just a silly mixup that would soon be straightened out (don"t ask me how). But those news items ended all hoping.
I mean to say, what sort of world is it in which the "President" of Germany visits London? In my world Kaiser Wilhelm IV rules the German Empire - A "president" for Germany sounds as silly as a "king" for America.
This might he a pleasant world... but it was not the world I was born into. Not by those weird news items.
As I put away. Graham"s file of The King"s Skald I noted on the top sheet today"s prescribed dress for dinner: "Formal".
I was not surprised; the Konge Knut in her other incarnation as a motor vessel was quite formal. If the ship was underway, black tie was expected. If you didn"t wear it, you were made to feel that you really ought to eat in your stateroom.
I don"t own a tuxedo; our church does not encourage vanities. I had compromised by wearing a blue serge suit at dinners underway, with a white shirt and a snap-on black bow tie. n.o.body said anything. It did not matter, as I was below the salt anyhow, having come aboard at Papeete.
I decided to see if Mr Graham owned a dark suit. And a black tie.
Mr Graham owned lots of clothes, far more than I did. I tried on a sports jacket; it fit me well enough.. Trousers? Length seemed okay; I was not sure about the waistband - and too shy to try on a pair and thereby risk being caught by Graham with one leg in his trousers, What does one say? Hi, there! I was just waiting for you and thought I would pa.s.s the time by trying on your pants. Not convincing.
He had not one but two tuxedos, one in conventional black and the other in dark red - I had never heard of such frippery.
But I did not find a snap-on bow tie.
He had black bow ties, several. But I have never learned how to tie a bow tie.
I took a deep breath and thought about it.
There came a knock at the door. I didn"t jump out of my skin, just almost. "Who"s there!" (Honest, Mr Graham, I was just waiting for you!) -
"Stewardess, sir."
"Oh. Come in, come in!"
I heard her try her key, then I jumped to turn back the bolt. "Sorry. I had forgotten that I had used the dead bolt.
Do come in."
Margrethe turned out to be about the age of Astrid, youngish, and even prettier, with flaxen hair and freckles across her nose. She spoke textbook-correct English with a charming lilt to it. She was carrying a short white jacket on a coat hanger. "Your mess jacket, sir. Karl says the other one will be ready tomorrow."
"Why, thank you, Margrethe! I had forgotten all about it.
I thought you might. So I came back aboard a little early - the laundry was just closing. I"m glad I did; it"s much too hot for you to wear black."
"You shouldn"t have come back early; you"re spoiling me."
"I like to take good care of my guests. As you know." She hung the jacket in the wardrobe, turned to leave. "I"ll be back to tie your tie. Six-thirty as usual, sir?"
"Six-thirty is fine. What time is it now?" (Tarnation, my watch was gone wherever Motor Vessel Konge Knut had vanished; I had not worn it ash.o.r.e.)
"Almost six o"clock." She hesitated. "I"ll lay out your clothes before I go; you don"t have much time."
"My dear girl! That"s no part of your duties."
"No, it"s my pleasure." She opened a drawer, took out a dress shirt, placed it on my/Graham"s bunk. "And you know why." With the quick efficiency of a person who knows exactly where everything is, she opened a " small desk drawer that I had not touched, took out a leather case, from it laid out by the shirt a watch, a ring, and shirt studs, then inserted studs into the shirt, placed fresh underwear and black silk socks on the pillow, placed evening pumps by the chair with shoe horn tucked inside, took from the wardrobe that mess jacket, hung it and black dress trousers (braces attached) and dark red c.u.mmerbund on the front of the wardrobe. She glanced over and a fresh the layout, added a wing collar, a black tie, and a fresh handkerchief to the stack on the pillow - cast her eye over it again, placed the room key and the wallet by the ring and the watch - glanced again, nodded. "I must run or I"ll miss dinner. I"ll be back for the tie." And she was gone, not running but moving very fast.
Margrethe was so right. If she had not laid out everything, I would still be struggling to put myself together. That shirt alone would have stopped me; it was one of the dive-in-and-b.u.t.ton-up-the-back sort. I had never worn one.
Thank heaven Graham used an ordinary brand of safety razor. By six-fifteen I had touched up my morning shave, showered (necessary!), and washed the smoke out of my hair.
His shoes fit me as if I had broken them in myself. His trousers were a bit tight in the waist - a Danish ship is no place to lose weight and I had been in the Motor Vessel Konge Knut for a fortnight. I was still struggling with that consarned backwards shirt when Margarethe let herself in with her pa.s.s key.
She came straight to me, said, "Hold still," and quickly b.u.t.toned the b.u.t.tons I could not reach. Then she fitted that fiendish collar over its collar b.u.t.tons, laid the tie around my neck. "Turn around, please."
Tying a bow tie properly involves magic. She knew the spell.
She helped me with the c.u.mmerband, held my jacket for me, looked me over and announced, "You"ll do. And I"m proud of you; at dinner the girls were talking about you." I wish I had seen it. You are very brave."
"Not brave. Foolish. I talked when I should have kept still."
"Brave. I must go - I left Kristina guarding a cherry tart for me. But if I stay away too long someone will steal it."
"You run along. And thank you loads". Hurry and save that tart."
"Aren"t you going to pay me?"
"Oh. What payment would you like?"
"Don"t tease me!" She moved a few inches closer, turned her face up. I don"t know much about girls (who does?) but some signals are large print. I took her by her shoulders, kissed both cheeks, hesitated just long enough to be certain that she was neither displeased nor surprised, then placed one right in the middle". Her lips were full and warm.
"Was that the payment you had in mind?"
"Yes, of course. But you can kiss better than that. You know you can." She pouted her lower lip, then dropped her eyes.
"Brace. yourself."
Yes, I can kiss lots better than that. Or could by the time we had used up that kiss. By letting Margrethe lead it and heartily cooperating in whatever way she seemed to think a better kiss should go I learned more about kissing in the next two minutes than I had learned in my entire life up to then.
My ears roared.
For a moment after we broke she held still in my arms and looked up at me most soberly. "Alec," she said softly, "that"s the best you"ve ever kissed me. Goodness. Now I"m going to run before I make you late for dinner." She slipped out of my arms and left as she did everything, quickly.
I inspected myself in the mirror. No marks. A kiss that emphatic ought to leave marks.
What sort of person was this Graham? I could wear his clothes ... but could I cope with his woman? Or was she his? Who knows? - I did not. Was he a lecher, a womanizer? Or was I b.u.t.ting in on a perfectly nice if somewhat indiscreet romance?
How do you walk back- through a fire pit?
And did I want to?
Go aft to the main companionway, then down two decks and go aft again - that"s what the ship"s plans in the booklet showed.
No problem. A man at the door of the dining saloon, dressed much as I was but with a menu under his arm, had to be the head waiter, the chief dining-room steward. He confirmed it with a big professional smile. "Good evening, Mr Graham."