“Five days.”
She turned back to the intercom, “for the next five days.”
“Yes, Miss. I’m glad the real party has finally showed up.”
“Thank you, Sir Reginald.” She turned back to James and Maria, “In case you are wondering, the ‘Miss’ is a title thing because I am the daughter of a Lord, and it will stay with me in some circles for the rest of my life. I have not been able to get Reggie to stop using it, so I title him back whenever he does.”
“Your father and mother explained some of that to us. On his death bed, your father asked me to call him Richard. If I should forget protocol and do so, please understand that it is in no way intended to be disrespectful.”
“On the contrary, it is I who am to be impressed.”
Supper was a multicourse affair much like the early suppers on the cruise had been, but neither James nor Maria was able to pay much attention to the food, excellent though it was. The three young adults were filled with curiosity about their parents and how they spent the last days of their lives. Their bodies had already been disinterred, cremated, and the ashes stored in the family crypt, which they would visit on the morrow. When it came time to deal with the sinking of the Fiji Queen, Maria described James’ role, which he had announced he could not do; he described hers. Three rapt faces followed every word of the description. The days following were described in less detail, and the listeners seemed relieved.
After supper, Sandra took them on a tour of the house, with special attention to the portrait gallery. James and Maria both immediately gravitated to a painting of Lord and Lady Richard as they had known them.
“Ron painted this,” Maria stated, there being no doubt whatsoever in her mind on the subject.
“Yes,” responded Susan Kirkpatrick. “Of course, we knew who our parents were, and very well portrayed too, but until today we had no idea who the other two people in the painting were. From the expressions on their faces, they were happy with the two of you. We are so delighted to have you here with us.”
“It may interest you to know,” James informed her, “that Ron Haskell, the painter, was also among the survivors. He had about ten pencils, a sketchbook and his memory to work from. He sent two portraits to me and Maria not long ago, and they are stunning.” James’ voice faltered and tears welled in his eyes. “I’m sorry. This is how I remember my friend Richard – he was so alive, so alert, so observant and so wise – at this moment, I miss him very much.” Maria gave him a hug. Sandra produced a box of tissues and joined James in grieving for her father.
They spent five glorious days, living in a mansion near the center of London, going everywhere, spending a day and a half in the British Museum. As they prepared to depart, Sandra approached them with an offer of a reward for having brought them such important news of their parents. James and Maria both declined, indicating that they had already received reward enough in the generous hospitality received from the children of Richard and Mary. “Yes, Daddy knew to whom he was giving instructions,” was her only response.
Sandra hugged them both as they entered the security scanning process. “If you are ever in London, you have a home here.”
“If you are ever in Oregon, you have a home there, too, but certainly a much more humble one than the one you have in London.”
Two months later, they received notice of a donation made in their name to the charity they had designated – in the amount of one million pounds sterling.
Acknowledgments
I want to acknowledge all people involved in this book series, without their permission and their support of whom this work could not be accomplished: Mr. Samuels, Mr. Del Mar, Captain Ashley, and the free spirit of Mr. Gallagher.
Distributed by Nick Niels Sanders with all rights and permissions required.
Table of Contents
Aboard
6
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
Aboard Page 4
