Page 22 of Too Far To Sea
Dana gauged the distance to be less than the length of the cruise ship. “Sure, let’s go.”
On the way down, they ran into Chandler and his minions. They dressed more alike than the women, each man duplicating Chandler’s style.
“Where is Cheyanne?” asked Chandler.
Lindie nodded to the Waterford building. “I wouldn’t go there. Her mother is trying to get her to buy this set of crystal she doesn’t want.”
“She doesn’t need any. My mum has three sets. I told your mum this three times.” He hurried up the hill.
“No offense, Dana, but your mom is kind of a mess.” Amy-Kate grimaced. “I thought Cheyanne exaggerated all these years, about how controlling she could be, but not so much.”
Dana had only met Amy-Kate a handful of times. Her ginger hair made her easy to remember. “Not offended.”
“She’s been pretty awful to you this trip. I was secretly cheering for you when you ended up at the captain’s table. And sitting next to that hot guy. I am a sucker for a man in uniform.” Lindie hummed her appreciation. “Are you going to try to see him again?”
“Officer Worth works security. I’m sure we will all see him from time to time, especially when we board the ship.” Dana watched her feet to not put her crutches in one of the many cracks between the cobblestones.
Lindie threw up her hands. “That isn’t what I meant and you know it.”
“He’s got to be thirty, just the right age for you.” Erin’s comment could have been taken as an insult, but Dana ignored it. Oh to be twenty again.
“In case you missed it in all your information from the cruise, crew members are not to be involved with passengers.” Amy-Kate’s voice held a note of superiority which poked Dana the wrong way.
“I’m not sure it would stop me.” Erin tossed her obviously dyed red hair over her shoulder. “I’m with Lindie, I love me a man in uniform.”
“It does me.” Dana hoped to end the speculation. “If I liked Officer Worth, I wouldn’t want to jeopardize his job.”
“If?” said Lindie with a grin. “Only an ‘if?’”
They reached the bottom of the hill where an ancient tower built by the Vikings stood. Dana changed the subject. “That door seems awfully short. I always thought the Vikings were tall.”
Erin pointed to a model of a ship on the far side of the tower. “I thought their ships were bigger, too.”
“There has got to be some information around here to read.” Dana’s search for a sign took her a few steps from the other women. As she read, they were joined by Cheyanne and Renee. The poor maid of honor looked exasperated. Dana wished she could help, but her interference in the shop would have made things worse. It seemed Chandler charging into the shop had ended the standoff. After a few minutes of looking around the Viking tower, the group returned to the visitors centre to await their ride. When the van returned they all slowly piled in.
To Dana’s relief, no one mentioned Officer Worth again. The last thing she needed was Lindie and her friends deciding to make sure she saw more of him.
Excited passengers returned from their first at shore day. Most were too excited to complain about long lines or the need to return early. As usual, a few passengers ignored the regulations on food and other prohibited items. McKay stood between the check in scanner and the X-ray machine, ready to intervene if necessary. Over the years, he’d learned that most of those who tried to bring fruits, meat, or dairy products on board were fully aware they shouldn’t and a stern glare with his arms crossed would keep them from arguing with the security staff. The few passengers that purchased souvenirs in the form of Irish Whisky or other drinks registered their purchases to be held until the end of the cruise.
A blue-haired lady and her friend stopped in front of him. She held up a candy bar. “Sir, we purchased chocolate. Do you need to confiscate it?”
“No, ma’am. Chocolate is not prohibited. You may bring as much as you wish.”
She turned to her friend. “I told you chocolate isn’t food.”
“Chocolate is food. And no one needs as much as you pur-
chased.”
The pair continued to the x-ray station.
McKay hid his smile as he glanced at the monitor and saw what looked to be five or more pounds of chocolate in blue-hair’s purse.
The next tinder boat arrived, and a crew member ran a pair of crutches up to the top of the stairs. Unless someone injured themselves at port, there was only one passenger on the ship who could be coming his way soon. He paid more attention to the boarding passengers than he did the ones having theirbelongings scanned. The fiancé, the bride-to-be, the mother, and several other bridesmaids came up the ladder. Was that the same redhead from last night? Or was it that one? He’d already counted a half dozen ginger haired possibilities.
Dana was the last one up the stairs. Of course, she would have voluntarily come last.
“Miss Knight, how was your ashore day?”
