Drowning in Her Eyes by Patrick Ford Read Free Book Online

take it back. ”
    SS Golden Ray was a passenger cargo ship of around twenty- thousand tons displacement , driven by two oil- fired steam turbines capable of a cruising speed of eighteen k nots . It was being fitted with stabilisers . A smooth sh ip in most weather conditions, s he could accommodate eight passe n gers. There was not much call for berths right now: bigger and faster aircraft had taken much of the international pa s senger traffic. This is why the Captain was waiting for his five passengers with great curiosity. It was unusual for five members of the one family to travel together.
    Captain Ernshaw had received a phone call from the ship ’s agents a week ago. The passengers were arriving by train today. There was notification that one of the passengers may need some special medical attention, and they provided details to Golden Ray ’s surgeon, along with a list of medic a tions required on board for the voyage. His information was that two of the passengers were attractive young women and that his crew was to be on its best behaviour. Ernshaw grunted at that. If any of his Jolly Jack Tars took liberties he would keelhaul them, and they knew it.
    * * * *
    The objects of Captain Ernshaw ’s curiosity had been planning for a couple of months by the time he received his phone call. Jimmy and Marci had talked their respective heads off after he had recovered from his devastating visit to the hospital. “Marci, ” Jimmy had said, “we have to face this head on and make the most of what we have while we still can. I have a few ideas, myself, but you have to decide first what you want to do. You have to face the prospect of being tied to an invalid for a few years, and following me like that girl in the Bible. You know, ‘Whither thou goest, so doth I ’ or something like that. I have some unusual requests to put to you all, and I don ’t want you to be tied down. ”
    â€œYou mean Ruth , ” s aid Marci, “and if you think I would abandon you, you haven ’t learnt much in the last eighteen years. ” He gazed into those brown eyes again. His heart swelled with love. He felt very humble in her presence, and, for the umpteenth time, thanked God for bringing her into his life.
    â€œOk ay , ” he said, “this is what I want to do. Firstly, I would like to show you and the kids a little more of our great country. I am sure that the experience will be better than any school education, at least in the short term. Then I would like to take them on a voyage to a foreign country, again for the experience. Perhaps we could even live abroad for a short time. Secondly, I want to keep my condition from the children. I don ’t want to spoil this experience by having them all weepy and sad. ”
    â€œI think Susan knows, ” replied Marci, “She has said nothing but she sometimes looks at you in a wistful way. I think she senses that the younger two do not need this bu r den right now. I will do whatever you want, my love, to see you enjoy your last years. There will be plenty of time to mourn when you are gone. ”
    The family conferences that followed were long and convoluted. Finally, the prospect of a year away from school was too tempting for Sarah and James Junior. Susan had graduated from Las Lunas High and was planning for co l lege. She thought it would be good to have a year off study, especially if travel was involved. They decided they would like to see the Mountain States, the Grand Canyon, Yello w stone Park, California and the Pacific coast. Jimmy wanted to return to his roots in Montana to see the country of his youth, and pay his last respects to his long dead parents. Moreover, he had a private trip planned to Washington, to visit Arlington and some of his shipmates who had already departed this world. Marci was pleased with the progress they had made. She had come to like the idea of getting the kids out of school for a while,