Touching the Stars

by Barbara Cartland

  The Arbuthnots’ cabin was not much better.

  She told them not to worry about the dog and escaped as soon as she could.

  She put on an outer coat and found her way to the upper deck where the kennels were kept. Once in the fresh air, she breathed deeply and tried to forget the poor souls who had succumbed to seasickness.

  There were four kennels secured near one of the funnels, but only two were occupied. A terrific barking from a large dog greeted her as she arrived, but the little terrier was silent.

  She lay with her nose between outstretched legs and looked miserable.

  A Steward gave her a lead and opened the kennel. She reached in and picked up the dog. As Justina lifted her, she could feel her shivering badly, but it did not stop her licking her face in welcome.

  “Come on now, let’s go for a bit of a run.”

  Justina soothed the small animal and soon the shivering stopped. She attached the lead and, hanging onto the railings, took Muffin round the upper deck a couple of times. She trotted through the rain beside her happily enough.

  But when she was taken back to the kennel, the shivering started again and she uttered little whimpers of distress.

  Justina hated the idea of putting her back into the dark and chilly kennel. She looked around the deck. The Steward was nowhere in sight.

  Quickly, she shut the door and closed the padlock.

  Then she slipped Muffin under her jacket and arranged it so that it hung loosely with no betraying bulge.

  The rain seemed relentless and Justina was very happy to return to the warmth and safety of the ship’s interior. She was also happy to see that her bed had been made up and the cabin looked beautifully tidy.

  Locking the door, Justina rescued the dog from inside her jacket. There were more frantic lickings of her face.

  She took a cushion from the little sofa and put it down in a corner.

  “Your bed,” she told the dog.

  Muffin looked up at her, her head on one side and then arranged herself comfortably on it. Despite the motion of the ship, she seemed to fall asleep almost immediately.

  Justina looked at her for a few moments and satisfied that she would be happy for a while, found her sketch book and some chalks.

  The main lounge was almost empty. Only two elderly men were there, fast asleep in comfortable chairs.

  Through the huge windows were marvellous views of the stormy waves with crests of white foam. In the distance, Justina could see a large sailing ship coming towards them.

  Then she turned to a new page in her sketch book. Soon she was lost in capturing the wildness of the scene and the ship having a hard time making way against the wind with one small sail.

  “Well, well,” said a familiar voice a little later. “Still not suffering from mal de mer I see.”

  She looked up to find Sir Thomas standing beside her.

  “Good morning,” she greeted him.

  Wearing a smart blazer and a cravat, he looked very dashing.

  “Quite an artist, aren’t you?” he said, taking a look at her sketch.

  Justina forgot the slight unease she had felt in his company at the end of the previous evening and grinned. She had spent enough time on her own and was delighted to see him.

  He sat down in the chair next to Justina and summoned the Steward.

  “Now, you must join me in a brandy, nothing better for settling the stomach.”

  “But my stomach does not need settling though – I thank you,” Justina responded hastily. “Are you feeling under the weather, Sir Thomas? Is that why you need brandy?”

  “I am very good sailor,” he protested. “I hope you don’t think I look as though I am a victim of the ship’s motion like most of our fellow passengers.”

  He looked around the almost empty lounge.

  Justina told him the truth, which was that he looked very well.

  “I haven’t seen Mrs. Arbuthnot or her girls this morning.”

  “Victims – ” replied Justina succinctly. “I have been walking their dog.”

  “Good Heavens, don’t tell me you like animals?”

  “Don’t you?” Justina was amazed as she could not imagine anyone not liking man’s best friend.

  “Horses are fine for getting me around, in fact, I rather pride myself on my equestrian abilities. For the rest,” he gave a shrug, “I’d rather not come into contact.”

  Justina was about to start arguing with Sir Thomas when he continued,

  “I prefer to spend my time with attractive members of the human race.”

  He bared his teeth at her in a way that Justina hoped he meant for a joke.

  “You,” he added, “are one of the most beautiful and unusual women it has been my privilege to meet for a long time.”

  Justina gazed at him in astonishment. Exciting as it had been to hear him call her beautiful last night, it was extraordinary to be told again in the morning! It almost persuaded her that he meant it.

  He moved his chair closer to hers.

  “Last night you looked wonderful. I was so glad the Arbuthnots had to leave the table as they might have been insulted by the way I only had time for you.”

  He smiled at her, a dangerous smile that made her heart flutter in a way it never had before.

  “You have the most astonishing eyebrows. In another woman they might dominate her face too much, but yours are perfect, they balance the straightness of your nose and the size of those eyes, which have a depth of grey like the sea today.”

  Justina could not stop staring at him.

  Never before had any man spoken to her in such a way. One part of her wished him to continue, another was afraid of where it might lead.

  She gave a nervous laugh.

  “Now you are talking nonsense, Sir Thomas. Especially when I am dressed in my oldest clothes, I only brought them in case of rough weather.”

  “When I look into those remarkable eyes, I cannot see anything else,” he mumbled.

  Justina found herself almost unable to think. She swiftly gathered up her chalks and sketch pad.

  “I – I must go – go and change before lunch is served. I cannot enter the Saloon dressed like this,” she managed to say.

  “No one will notice.”

  Sir Thomas tried to catch hold of her arm.

  But Justina evaded his hand and, helped by the way the ship lurched, moved quickly out of the Lounge.

  Gradually her heart stopped beating so rapidly and her breath came back.

  She fought the motion of the ship as she made her way back to her cabin and wondered about her feelings.

  Was this the sort of emotion Vicky had felt when she fell in love with Edward? Or Elizabeth when she was with Philip?

  But at the thought of her eldest sister’s disastrous relationship, Justina felt panic.

  She would have to be careful next time she met Sir Thomas not to allow him to raise such exciting feelings in her again.

  Approaching her cabin, Justina became aware of a commotion. Her door was partly open and several Stewards and Stewardesses were outside, exclaiming and offering advice.

  From inside the cabin came a furious mixture of barking and growling.

  Muffin!

  “What is happening?” she demanded.

  “Miss Mansell, there is a dog in your cabin and it is preventing access,” Chappell said, fired up to the point where he was prepared to forget that she was one of his cherished passengers.

  “I am so sorry,” she muttered and slipped past him.

  Muffin was just inside the door, feet firmly planted on the floor, ears on end, sharp teeth bared, determined to repel all who would attempt to enter.

  Justina bent down and scooped her up.

  “There, there,” she cooed soothingly. “No need to be on guard, these are friends.”

  “Thank you, miss,” Chappell said stiffly.

  “I do apologise,” Justina replied, stroking a panting Muffin. “She thought she was protecting my
territory, you see.”

  “I don’t knows about that, miss. What I do know is that animals ain’t – isn’t allowed in the cabins. That dog should be in a kennel on the top deck.”

  “But it’s so cold and miserable up there, she was so unhappy.” Justina started to get angry. “How can you condemn this poor little animal to such an awful fate when the weather is getting rougher and rougher?”

  “Miss, it’s the rules and if you won’t obey them, I’ll have to call an Officer.”

  “I don’t care if you fetch the Captain, I am not taking Muffin back up there,” Justina shouted.

  Suddenly an authoritative voice broke into the argument.

  “Will someone please explain what this noise is all about? I am finding it impossible to work in my cabin.”

  To Justina’s amazement, Lord Castleton stood by the open door, a well-shaped eyebrow raised as he assessed the scene in front of him.

  “Oh, my Lord, please help me,” she blurted out impulsively, remembering how kind he had been the previous evening. “They are trying to insist that this poor little dog is sent back to those awful kennels.”

  Lord Castleton came into the cabin and looked at the terrier panting excitedly in Justina’s arms.

  “Is this your dog?”

  “No, she is Mrs. Arbuthnot’s.”

  “So what are you doing with her?”

  “Mrs. Arbuthnot is seasick and sent me a message asking if Dorcas would exercise her.”

  “And who is Dorcas?”

  “My maid, only she is seasick too, much worse than Mrs. Arbuthnot.”

  “So you took on the duty,” he proclaimed as though the whole scene had now become clear to him. “And then decided that your cabin would be a more acceptable home for her than the official kennel?”

  Justina looked up at him with relief.

  “Yes, it was raining and cold and she was shivering and, well, I couldn’t do anything else.”

  “You didn’t like it up on deck so you decided that – what is this animal’s name?”

  “Muffin.”

  “So you decided that Muffin didn’t like it either. Do you know what that process of deduction is called?”

  Justina looked at him in surprise. What on earth was he talking about? Then suddenly she understood.

  “Anthropomorphism?” she asked doubtfully.

  “Good girl!”

  “I don’t know what you’re on about, but that animal is not allowed in the cabins, my Lord,” broke in Chappell.

  “Leave this to me, will you, please?” he said firmly but politely.

  “Right you are, my Lord, as long as you understand ships’ regulations.”

  “Quite,” said Lord Castleton.

  He waited until the little group had dispersed, but made no move to shut the cabin door.

  “Thank you so much, my Lord,” sighed Justina. She sank down on the little sofa. “I didn’t know what to do.”

  He looked at her ruefully.

  “What we have to do, I am afraid, is return this mutt to her kennel.”

  Justina could not believe her ears.

  “She’s not a mutt, surely you can see she is a Highland terrier. And surely you don’t expect her to go back to that dreadful kennel?”

  “I admit that the accommodation is not what that spoilt animal is used to, but I promise you she will settle down quickly. Her ancestors were used to far worse.”

  “But she isn’t,” Justina flared at him. “You are heartless if you condemn her to go back up there.”

  Lord Castleton sighed.

  “Call me what you like, but I have a dog in the kennels myself and I am known as a lover of animals.”

  “I don’t believe it!”

  “You don’t believe I’m a lover of animals?”

  “I don’t believe you have a dog up there. You couldn’t have.”

  “Shall we go and see?”

  Justina looked up at him. There was nothing threatening about the way he stood there, but somehow she found it difficult to refuse him.

  “Yes, let’s, then you will see exactly what I am talking about.”

  “I was up there earlier myself, giving Breck a walk,” he said mildly, indicating the way into the corridor.

  “Breck?”

  “My dog. He is an Irish Wolf Hound. I expect to go hunting in India with one of the Maharajahs. I told him about Breck last time I was in India and he insisted I brought him on my next trip.”

  Justina was so interested in this story, she forgot to insist that he need not expect her to leave Muffin in the kennel.

  As they climbed to the upper deck, she plied him with questions.

  Lord Castleton seemed happy to tell her about hunting wild boar and the fabulous palaces he had stayed in.

  It was still raining, but the rocking of the ship seemed to have quietened a little.

  As they emerged, the Steward in charge of the kennels came up to them.

  “Have you got the little dog, miss? I’ve been that worried, seeing that the kennel was locked with no animal in it.”

  “It’s fine, Parsons,” said Lord Castleton. “Miss Mansell has been good enough to introduce Muffin to me. Now I am going to introduce her to Breck. Would you be good enough to open both kennels?”

  “Right away, my Lord. But I would ask you not to be too long as I’m not supposed to allow passengers on the deck in this weather.”

  “We will be very careful,” responded Lord Castleton soothingly.

  The Steward unlocked two of the kennels then stood by the funnel keeping an anxious eye on them.

  “I am not leaving Muffin here,” Justina said pointedly.

  “Come and meet Breck.”

  He opened the door of his kennel and whistled. Out came a great, lanky and majestic looking brindle hound that bounded up to his master and gently licked his hand.

  Lord Castleton took a firm grip of his collar.

  “Shall we take them both inside for a few moments?” he suggested.

  Justina was delighted. She was sure she could convince him that both animals should not be outside in this weather.

  “Now, say hallo,” he commanded his dog.

  Breck looked up at Justina still holding Muffin in her arms and licked at her hand. He was so tall that it was an easy reach for him.

  “Oh, you darling,” she cried and caressed his head, feeling his coarse springy hair.

  “Why don’t you put Muffin down and let them meet.”

  Carefully she put Muffin on the ground. The little dog looked curiously at the huge animal and bared her teeth but did not growl.

  Breck maintained a lordly disinterest for a few moments and then bent his head to sniff at the terrier. Muffin backed away and sat down while Breck circled her, sniffing gently and curiously.

  As Justina watched, the two dogs seemed to reach an understanding. All at once Muffin started frisking around Breck and the huge hound settled to the ground so that their heads were on the same level.

  Lord Castleton grinned at Justina.

  “I think we can say they are now friends.”

  “Shall we take them both back to my cabin?” she asked hopefully.

  He laughed.

  “Come, Miss Mansell, you are too intelligent to expect me to agree to that.”

  He looked at the two dogs, now lying head to head, the hound taking up most of the landing space.

  “Let’s get them put in adjacent kennels so they can be company for each other.”

  Justina looked up at him distractedly. She had meant to insist on taking Muffin back with her, whether he could smooth things over with the Stewards or not. But now she was not so sure.

  Would little Muffin really be happy, though, in that draughty kennel?

  “Are you sure they will be all right?”

  His eyes as he looked at her were kind and she felt something inside her melt.

  “Quite, quite sure.”

  Justina suddenly had an idea.

  “Wait
here. I’ll be back in a minute.”

  It took her rather more time than a minute to return, but Lord Castleton was still on the landing with the dogs playing happily together.

  He smiled as she came up the companionway.

  “Got what you went for?”

  “Yes!” She waved a wrap at him. “If we put this in Muffin’s kennel, it will keep her warm.”

  “You have a very good heart. Giving up your wardrobe to a dog that isn’t even your own.”

  “Pooh. I don’t care about clothes nearly as much as animals.”

  “Looking at you last night, I would never have believed it!”

  “Please, let us not mention that ever again, I felt humiliated.”

  She looked up at him shyly.

  “And thank you for rescuing me.”

  “I did nothing. Everybody would have forgiven you for not knowing the form.”

  Lord Castleton was so grand and yet so approachable. She felt she could trust him in any situation.

  It was a very different feeling from the one Sir Thomas inspired in her, much more comfortable and yet, in its own way, also unsettling.

  Justina enveloped Muffin in the warm wrap and straightened up with the little dog in her arms. Lord Castleton looked at her with a humour and companionship that made her feel they were friends.

  Lord Castleton spoke to the Steward and Muffin’s kennel was moved so it was next to Breck’s and the two dogs could see each other.

  Justina organised the wrap inside and arranged Muffin in its folds. She took time to talk to her, saying that she was going to be all right, that Breck would keep an eye on her and that she would come back to see how she was.

  The little dog looked up at her trustingly and did not seem at all distressed at having the door closed on her.

  Justina stood up and apologised for taking so long.

  “Not to worry. If we’ve made Muffin happier with her lot, it’s time well spent.”

  Then he pulled out his watch.

  “We can just catch lunch.”

  *

  Lord Castleton led the way into the Saloon. He headed for his small table at the back of the large room, waving off Merton, who had hurried forward.

  Then he realised that Justina had stopped at the long table.

  He was surprised to see her talking with another passenger, an elderly man with gold-rimmed glasses. He smiled as he saw the comfortable way she chatted to him.