Allison stiffened and took a step away fromhim. His lungs constricted causing his chest to ache. Had shedecided to stay with Mrs. Brown?
The midwife pulled a plain muslin bonnet offa peg by the door. She handed it to Allison. “A lady’s outfit isn’tcomplete without a bonnet. You best put this on before you gooutside.”
Allison sighedand reluctantly took the bonnet. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“You’re welcome, dear. If you ever needanything else you let me know.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
George still hadn’t gotten a straight answerout of her about leaving. He struggled to force out the words. “Ifyou are coming with me back to theQueen Bee weshould get going,” he said, trying to sound casual, but not quitesucceeding.
Allison nodded. “Lead the way.”
George held the door open for her.
“I’ll pay you back,” she said, passing him.“Every penny.”
George shook his head and watched her marchpast him.
“Oh,” Mrs. Brown reached for George’s armstopping him. “You’ll have to buy Allison an apron for the job.”She handed George back the money he had given her. “She might needa few other things, too. You can pay me next time. I don’tmind.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” George said. “I hadn’tthought about that.”
Mrs. Brown smiled at them like a proud mama.“I like to take care of my children. Now don’t forget to stopby.”
“Yes, ma’am,” George said. “We won’t. Ipromise.”
George raised his arm and then dropped it tohis side. He resisted the urge to take Allison by the arm andescort her to the docks. He didn’t want to spook her.
“You lived by the waterfront,” he said, “I’msure you know where the docks are.”
“Yes, but I thought you’d appreciate showingme the way.”
George pressed his lips together. He didn’tknow how to respond. He’d appreciate it more if he thought he couldwalk arm-in-arm with her like a couple. Even though theyweren’t.
What was he going to do? Frederick hadstruggled to focus on his work when Emma occupied his thoughts andshe had been miles away.
Allison would be working very close to him.This could either end badly or it could end well.
There was only one way to find out.
Chapter 10
ALLISON LEANED OVER the railing of thesteamboat and pulled up a bucket of fresh water, the rope passingthrough her hands. She did this enough times each day she couldalmost do it with her eyes closed. She took a deep breath, the coolnight air invigorating her slightly. In a couple more weeks herhands would grow numb if she stayed out on deck too long. The shawlGeorge had given her helped keep her warm.
Being wrapped in his arms would keep her evenwarmer, but buying a coat seemed the safer option.
George stood next to her, not close enough toinvade her space, but close enough to be noticed. Of course, evenif he was leaning against a wall in the shadows she’d sense hispresence. His masculine scent, a spicy mix of salt, river water,and earthiness enticed her. Even the other roustabouts didn’t havequite the same alluring musk.
If she wasn’t dead on her feet, the moonlightshining over the water would be romantic. The ship always docked atnight. Her floating house now stationary, she didn’t have to worryabout maintaining her balance.
“You look tired,” George said.
Allison pulled the bucket into the boat.“Look who’s talking. You look none too fresh yourself.”
George grinned and leaned back on his heels.“I suppose you’re right. Your day almost over?”
“I have to do some ironing and then I’ll bedown.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
His deep voice rippled through her, sparkinga fire in its wake. He wanted her. He hadn’t said it, but he didn’thave to. She could see it in his eyes. His lustful stare caused herheart to throb harder, her thrill laced with an undertone of fearbecause she worried all men were like her previous owner.
George hadn’t touched her since they leftMrs. Brown’s house, but she her nerves skittered just below thesurface. Her mouth opened and she swallowed a yawn. She still hadan hour of ironing to do. Climbing the steps to the boiler deck,she tried not to spill any water.
George, not being a member of the cabin crew,wasn’t allowed on the upper deck and she was relieved. It gave hersome privacy, a place to retreat to when she could no longer bearthe heated tension between them.
She clenched her thighs together. There wasone way to relieve that tension once and for all, but she wasn’tready.
She knocked on a stateroom door.
“Come in,” a lady’s voice called.
Pushed the door open, she walked over, andpoured water into the washbasin. “Is there something else I can dofor you, ma’am?”
The middle-aged lady turned around, her back to her. “Please help meundress, girl.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Allison undid the back of her burgundy dressand then unlaced her corset, admiring her delicate brown twistedinto a braided bun. “Have a good night, ma’am.”
“Will you have my other dress ironed bymorning?” the woman asked.
Allison let out a short sigh. Another dressto add to her pile. The tips for the extra work didn’t seem enoughto compensate her for the long hours.
“Yes, ma’am, if you wish.”
The woman pulled a paisley dress out of hertrunk and handed it to her. “Thank you. That will be all.”
Allison worked in a small compartment at therear of the ladies’ cabin, cleaning all the linen from the table,bedding and towels from the staterooms, and clothes from some ofthe passengers and the officers. It was quite a daunting pile. Shewashed these items in a long wooden tub, her fingers in the waterso long they’d turned raw and prune-like.
She hung the wash out to dry along theguards, or if there was no room there, on the main deck. Retrievingthe dried clothing from earlier, she began the last step: smoothingout the wrinkles with the coal-heated iron.
Sleep kept nagging at her; Allison rolled hershoulders shaking it off. Steam rolled off the hot iron, heatingher neck and face. She took her time ironing, double checking thebedding was wrinkle free before returning them to the steward.
Maybe when she returned to the main deckGeorge would already be asleep. Or she could sleep on the parlorfloor with the rest of the cabin crew—all male, except for theother chambermaid. She didn’t trust
