Read Online Justice Done by Jan Burke - Free Book Online Page B

still he followed. As they passed two of the larger shops along the passageway, he said, “These were once the first class passengers’ library and drawing room. Winston Churchill was given use of the drawing room when he was aboard the ship during World War II. He and other leaders finalized plans for the invasion of Normandy while on this ship, probably in that room.”
    Sarah glanced into the rather barren souvenir shop that now occupied the space.
    â€œDon’t worry,” he said, reading her thoughts. “Not all of her dignity has been lost.”
    â€œWhere does the tour begin?”
    â€œThe port side of this deck,” he said.
    â€œI’m sure I can find it,” she said.
    â€œUndoubtedly. But I’m going with you.”
    â€œBut you’ve been before . . .”
    â€œYes,” he said, “but much of the ship can only be seen on the tour. You don’t mind if I join you?”
    â€œOf course not.”
    T he tour (she couldn’t prevent herself from counting the group—eighteen sightseers, including the two of them) was led by a retired naval officer. Parsons stayed at her side, but did not touch or crowd her. She soon relaxed and began to thoroughly enjoy the tour itself, fascinated by the grandeur and history of the ship.
    When the tour group reached the cabin class swimming pool, she heard a woman say, “I’ve heard that it’s haunted.”
    Sarah looked around the room of beige and blue-green terra-cotta tiles, the etched wire-and-glass image of an ancient sailing ship behind her, the glimmering mother-of-pearl ceiling above, the empty, sloping bottom of the pool itself. There were no windows or portholes, but the room was large enough to prevent her from feeling claustrophobic. Nothing about any of it struck her as particularly scary, nothing sent a chill down her back. But when she turned to make a joke to Robert about ghosts who had turned green from chlorine, she saw that he was pale, and had a strange, intense look on his face.
    The guide was making light of the woman’s remark. “Do you mean the woman in the mini-skirt or the one in the bathing suit? I’d settle for a glimpse of either one.”
    â€œThere’s more than one ghost?” the woman asked.
    â€œOh yes, the ship has long been reported to be haunted,” the guide said lightly. “If you believe in such reports, this ship is loaded with ghosts. Myself, if I see one, I hope it’s one of the young ladies who rove in here.”
    The group laughed and began to move after the guide as he went on with the tour. Robert, however, remained motionless, and continued to stare into the pool.
    â€œRobert?” Sarah asked. “Are you feeling ill?”
    When he seemed not to hear her, she touched his sleeve. “Robert?”
    He turned to her with a start. “Oh—I’m sorry, we’ve fallen behind. We’d better catch up with the others.” They were not far from the group, though, and once they reached it Sarah asked again if he was feeling ill.
    â€œNo,” he said, “I’m fine now, thank you.”
    She did not believe him, and glanced back at him several times as they made their way to the next area, along a catwalk over one of the cavernous boiler rooms. He was still pale.
    By the time the formal tour was finished, though, he seemed himself again, and Sarah happily allowed him to accompany her to the other shipboard exhibits. He seemed to enjoy her enthusiasm as she was able to see the anchor chains and lifeboats and all the other parts of the ship she had read about. She lost her self-consciousness over her study of the ship’s statistics and decided her knowledge gave her a better appreciation of what she was seeing how.
    Not that her appreciation was limited to the ship’s physical power. There was nostalgia, pure and simple, to be relished. She lingered over photos of Winston Churchill, Queen