Chapter 48: Drydock Part 2
"You will be saving him from boredom. He can't spend all day working on his report."
"He's a scientist?" Crysabel said it in the same tone she might have said unicorn.
Cal laughed.
"Yes, and a very good one too. He worked on chemistry and helped collect samples. He's very clever."
"He did say something about chemistry and boring people to death."
"That's Pentam. He's worked with my father for the last few years."
"Your father?"
"Sir Shillingsworth."
"I know him!" Crysabel splashed water on Cal's hair. "You better just dunk."
Cal dropped under the water and shook her head. When she came up Crysabel wrapped her hair in a towel.
"I shouldn't say I know your father, but I saw all the cards at the museum with his name on them. It must have been so exciting going on all those adventures."
"This was my first one," Cal said. "The rest of the time I stayed at home to catalog all the specimens and artifacts he brought home."
"But even that must have been something. To handle things from all over the world."
"It was. It made me happy to help him, and you're right, it felt a little like sharing his adventure."
"So why did you come on this trip?" Crysabel massaged Cal's shoulder. "Mother tells me I have magic fingers. She won't let anyone else massage her."
"Ahh, I believe she's right." Cal closed her eyes. "I drew a portrait of Lord Carroway, and he insisted I go."
Crysabel helped her out of the bath and wrapped her in a dressing gown.
"Where did the daughter of a Baron learn to give such wonderful baths?" Cal lay on the bed.
"There's an orphanage in the village not far from my father's mansion. I used to sneak out and help give the children baths. Nurse knew, but kept my secret from my parents. I wonder if the children miss me."
"I'm sure they do."
A knock on the door interrupted them.
"Lady Cal, I've brought your supper."
"Bring it in Meireka." Cal pushed herself up and went to sit in a chair next to a table. Meireka brought in a tray loaded with food.
"Cook didn't know what you wanted, so he sent a little of everything."
"Thank him for me, this looks delicious." Cal waved at Crysabel. "You may as well join me." Cal put a hand on Meireka's arm. "How's Cericia?"
"Oh, she's such a mischief maker. She brings in banana leaves and scribbles on them with sticks from the fire. I get home and she's soot from head to toe. I think she does it just to have a bath every night."
"I'll have to come up and visit again. I had so much fun last time."
"Señor Calamphi is like a different man, he was always grumpy, always worried the guests would get mad. Now he is like everyone's father. Even the laundry maids sing at work. And the guests are happy too. Just ring when you've done with the tray." Meireka curtseyed to Cal and Crysabel.
"What a delightful woman." Crysabel helped herself to some food. "And so beautiful. How lucky you could meet her daughter."
Cal ate until she was comfortably full and could hardly keep her eyes open. Crysabel rang for Meireka.
"Please don't let all this go to waste. Give it to the laundry maids or something."
"Thank you, Miss." Meireka picked up the tray and left.
Cal crawled into bed and dropped off immediately.
***
The sunlight woke Cal. She sat up and looked around. Crysabel still slept soundly. The girl wasn't at all what Cal had expected. She hoped they could stay friends. Meireka or another maid had dropped off Cal's work clothes just inside the door. She dressed quickly then headed down for a quick breakfast before returning to the Peregrine.
"I thought I told you to rest." Captain Cully tried and failed to look severe.
"I did rest, now I'm back to work."
"None of the other engineers know any more than to keep the pressure up and which valves to open. They run the engines, but know nothing about how they work."
"You said you knew your way around an engine room. We can figure it out between the two of us."
"You win. It's that or drink all day." Captain Cully went to get changed while Cal visited Monky.
"We're trying to figure out how to fix the engine." Cal told him. "The boiler's solid, I've been over it a dozen times, but we're losing pressure. I thought it was only the release valve, but I think it must be somewhere else too. I think the shaft is bent. Or the bulkhead is rubbing on it."
"Which is it?"
"The shaft." Cal shook her head. "If it was rubbing, it would have screeched."
"I could feel the old girl thumping from up here, even in my dreams." Monky held his hand out shaking it violently.
"I don't know how to fix it."
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