Renee stood waiting for Mr. William Winters to dismiss her. With others in the room, she didn't dare make eye contact with him. Instead she glanced coyly through her lashes, her head bowed, as required by someone of her station. He smiled and gave her a subtle wink, and she nodded, her cheeks blushing as she hurried away to his cabin to clean.
Will, as he preferred to be called, watched her as they parted ways. He had more than a passing thought about the shape of her rump, it clouded his mind. How would he ever make it through the poker match if all he could think of, was the evening ahead?
"I still think you've lost all reason," mumbled Carlton, his friend and the only person who knew the real reason he was on this voyage. The truth was, he had fallen for his maidservant, and no one in London would ever understand, should he follow his heart. And Will was all heart.
In America, he could pursue any dream he wanted. He certainly had the money, and in New York, no one would question Renee's station. He had an entire new wardrobe packed away in his own trunks for her so that she would appear every bit a woman of society, and aside from the intimate sessions they shared in secret, he had been coaching her on how to handle herself as a lady. She would be his wife as soon as they docked, and they would make a life together in the United States.
It had only seemed fitting that, when embarking on a new life to a new world, he purchase tickets for the RMS Titanic as she sailed her maiden voyage. None had seen a ship like it, and she lived up to every bit of her reputation in luxury and glamour. Renee had been so thrilled at the prospect of starting over, especially when he'd proposed marriage, that she had cried. She didn't hate being a maid, she'd told him, but she hated hiding how much she loved him.
Placing a new bowler hat on his head and nodding in approval at his reflection, Will turned to face his friend with a smile. "Dearest Carlton, I appreciate your concern, but it is yours and not mine. I've never been one to live by the rules, and when I set my mind to something, there is no changing it. Renee is everything I've ever wanted in a woman, and I fully intend to make her my wife."
Carlton scoffed. "You think you're the only bloke who's stuck her? Come on, man, she's certainly spread those bloody legs of hers for some peasant boy or other."
Anger flooded Will's vision, and before he knew what he was doing, he had Carlton pressed against a wall, his face inches away. "Now, you listen to me, good man. Don't you ever speak of her that way. When I took her, she was a virgin still, and she has been with no other man. You will not taint our love with your jealousy simply because you have allowed your family to rope you into an arranged marriage with a cold fish. Do I make myself clear?"
With a swift, adamant nod, Carlton earned his release and set about straightening his suit and tie as he followed Will toward the parlor where they would join a healthy game of poker and, more than likely, clean out the pockets of every other gamer at the table. It was Will's specialty.
Back in the cabin, Renee waited impatiently, with little to do. Will was such a neat man, making no real messes for her to clean up after. He often left clothes draped in random places, but this was his only real downfall in cleanliness, and she could easily collect those and have them laundered in only a few hours. Now, she picked up the shirt he'd discarded last night and held the collar to her nose, inhaling the scent of his aftershave that she loved so. She couldn't believe she'd made it this far, never having dreamed of a prince rescuing her from a life of servitude. And to actually be in love was incredible!
In just a few days, she would practically be an American princess. Married to a rich, handsome man who adored her, and whom she loved with all her heart. They would embark on a journey together, much the way they had come onto the ship. She would make him proud, be the perfect wife, and in time, they would have a family and a home and all the things she'd never even dared to dream.
Dropping the last shirt into the bag to be taken below deck for washing, she sighed sadly. She would be lonely tonight. After all, she wasn't to be mixing with the rest of the staff on board any longer, for fear she would get a bad reputation, and she wasn't yet ready to be presented as a societal lady, on Will's arm. That would wait until the day they pulled into port, when she was able to open that trunk full of beautiful clothing Will had commissioned for her.
Heaving a deep sigh, she hoisted the laundry bag and headed down to drop the load with the cleaners. She took her time getting back to the room, not knowing how long Will would be in his game; he was a renowned poker player at home and had won a great many amateur tournaments. For all she knew, he could be gone all night, in which case, she might as well go to her own sad quarters.
So, when she opened the door to Will's cabin and he was there, she gasped, her heart in her throat as she jumped in fright. "Will! What are you doing here? What about your game?"
He pulled her away from the door, closing it firmly behind her and locking it before drawing her against him for a deep, sensuous kiss that had her heart fluttering and her stomach churning in anticipation. When he released her, leaving her gasping for breath, he shook his head. "I couldn't even concentrate on the cards in my own hand, much less everyone else's. All I could think about was coming to you, about how close we are to our prize. Oh, Renee, I want you desperately. I need you!"
He kissed her neck and brushed his fingertips over her shoulder, pushing her white shirt aside so it tugged on her already swollen breasts. Renee panted, her body in turmoil. That he would leave behind what could potentially be such a large winning pool to spend the entire evening with her was beyond her imagination, more than she would have expected from anyone. "I need you, too," she told him, her voice strained.
