The middle of March found me stealing from my husband. I pawed through his drawers, ransacked his wardrobes and pilfered his pockets. I dug through his jewelry boxes, snapping up cuff links and a pocket watch. I even swiped one of his bowlers, stuffing it on top of everything else before snapping the valise shut. My hair had been pulled up, pinned within an inch of its life into my scalp.
Samuel had sniffed at it this morning, "Anastasia, ye look like a boy. Can ye not let yer hair loose? It's much more becoming."
Will had winced. "Da, I don't need you to call my wife becoming."
"Will, next thing ye know she's going tae be wearin' trousers." Samuel hadn't noticed how Will had blushed, nor how I had grinned. A pair of Will's trousers were folded in the bottom of the valise, waiting for me to step into them. I clutched the valise close as I stepped into the carriage, trying to contain my excitement. After Will's birthday party, it had been nothing but teasing comments from Samuel. If he walked in on Will or I when we had been alone briefly he joked that he didn't mean to interrupt the conception of his grandchild. He teased us constantly about it, and he received nothing but encouragement from Mother.
Every time he had gone over to her house, accompanied by Will or I, he had returned with even more remarks or knowing looks. I had expected Mother to commiserate with him over losing their spouses, and perhaps they had. I hardly knew everything that went on when I was there and she invited him to speak to her privately. Sometimes Samuel would come out with tear tracks on his face and ride home silently, other times he and Mother would be laughing and he would do nothing but tease Will when we got home.
Samuel at least was kind enough to not tease us when my monthly had come on, and I had been forced to stay in the bed and the bath for a few days. Apparently Will had told him how hard I took it, for he was kind when I showed up at breakfast once I felt better and didn't ask why I hadn't been down for some time. But that had passed, and now I was needed down at the offices.
I looked up to Lewis when I stepped out, giving him a smile. "You can head home, I'll call when I need you." He tipped his cap, swinging the carriage around and clattering off. The offices were bustling with clerks, porters, officers, captain and any number of other men carrying out their business. Well, I smirked as I climbed up to my office, they were carrying out my business.
Business was the furthest thing from my mind at the moment.
When I stepped into my office, I sat down at my desk and began to sort through the papers that had been left for me. It seemed they always piled up no matter how many times I came down to deal with them. I spent a good ten minutes reading a report from Mr. Keller about Mother's latest idea and how it could affect the business. She had had him research what the effect would be if the company invested in various aspects that fed into our business. Mr. Keller had written a comment in the margins of her letter, She wants to own the iron mines, the rail to take it to a mill, the mill to refine it to steel and the shipyard to build it.
He'd left a report for me to take to her, he advised that it was doable but it would be better for us to invest in each aspect initially in a small amount. That amount could grow over the years until we had a controlling stake, furthering the company's reach. I set the report aside with a shrug, for it wasn't a bad idea. Father had always encouraged diversification in the business, hence our widespread offices across the globe, she was simply carrying it on.
I stood, pouring myself a finger of whiskey as I moved to the window. Quite a few ships were in, including several of the ones Oscar had gifted us. The Gareth and the Charles to be exact, currently in the process of being handed over to two of Ezekiel's brothers. Ezekiel had been spending far too much time at my house while Samuel and Will ran him through the questions for his exam over and over.
Which meant I had heard far too much sailor talk of late, including the fact that his brothers were insisting on cats onboard their ships. According to them it was a bit of extra good luck, especially since the ships had had their names changed which was unlucky regardless of how much Oscar had reassured them he had done it correctly. I had laughed when he had even showed up with a priest one day to bless the ships just to give them some extra reassurance.
But it wasn't those ships that I was interested in, it was my namesake,
She was sitting pleasantly at her berth, being loaded with cargo and coal for her trip across in a few days. Samuel had told us at dinner the other night that he intended to accompany her. He'd nodded to me, "Thank ye fer yer hospitality, Anastasia, but 'tis time fer me to be home."
"Are you sure, Samuel?" I couldn't help the concern in my voice. He'd gotten better, although it wasn't as if I confronted him about Jeanie. But he'd been smiling more, and I was hopeful that when Will gave him the pocket watch he could at least see her without crying.
Samuel had waved away my concerns, "I am, and I am needed at home. 'Twill be nice to sail home with William, though, tae see if he's ready fer a command of his own soon."
"Oh, I assure you here is." I had chuckled, seeing Will blush slightly. In fact, looking down at the docks I could see Will talking to a porter right now. With a snort, I flicked the the curtains closed over both those windows and the ones to the offices. Even with the curtains closed and the door locked, I still retreated to a corner to unbutton my dress and fold it. I shook out Will's clothes as I pulled them out, glad that they hadn't wrinkled while they'd been tucked away.
Wearing suspenders did feel a bit odd, and I had to roll up the cuffs of his trousers to keep them from dragging on the floor. I hadn't bothered with one of his long ties, instead opting for a bowtie and ensuring that the collar was straight. I didn't have a mirror to check how I looked, but I was confident that with the bowler on my head, and if I kept my face down, no one would recognize me.
Except for Mr. Keller, when I stepped into his office. "Could you have William meet me on the Anastasia in a short while?"
His lips were pursed as he took in my attire, "Ma'am?"
"I'm playing a trick on him, that's all." I gave Mr. Keller a wink as a I stepped out. I kept my gaze down, joining the throngs of men on the docks and slowly working my way to the Anastasia. So many others were attending to her, clambering up gangplanks and directing cargo that no one noticed a slim man in a suit and bowler step aboard and head inside. I may not have been able to find my way through the ship in dark, but I knew well enough where I was headed.
I had just slipped into the bridge when a hand clamped down onto my shoulder, spinning me around. "What the hell do you think you're doing, boy? This isn't where you belong." William looked furious as he considered me for a moment, but his eyes grew wide after he took me in. He reached up and flipped the hat off my head, his lips pursed. "Anastasia, what the are you doing?"
It took all I had to not stamp my foot, "I was going to surprise you, but you ruined it!" He was in his uniform, his own tie knotted perfectly around his throat and his cap on his head. A smile was growing on his face though, his eyes bright.
"Surprise me, like this?" He stepped back, looking me up and down. "That's my suit, isn't it."
"And your hat." I leaned down to pick it up, putting it back on my head. "So don't knock it off again."
"Ana, I'm working." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It's not that I'm not glad to see you."
I stepped forward, kissing his cheek and whispering into his ear. "So finish your work and come find me."
His hands moved to my waist to hold me there, "And where might you be hiding?"
"Well, I do remember a certain bribe that I had agree to." I giggled, stepping away. "So finish your work Officer Murdoch, and then come looking for your wife." I backed up, finding the doorknob to the officer's quarters and giving him a grin. "If you can even focus on your work, that is." I knew which door was Will's, and I closed it softly behind me. The fact that I couldn't lock it scared me though, and it wasn't as if I could move Will's desk to block it. Not unless I could unscrew the bolts holding it in place.
So I leaned against the door as I shed my disguise, pulled the pins from my hair and shook it loose. I distracted myself by folding the clothes and setting them just so in his chair, topping them with the hat. Will's bed sank under me, and I did my best to arrange myself on it. Doubt crept in though, for I wasn't quite sure how best to surprise him. Should I stretch myself out to my whole length, rest my head on my hand and give him a smile? Or maybe he'd like to see my backside? All I knew for sure was I should be above the blankets, regardless of how cold the cabin was.
I was considering getting off the bed to turn the electric heater on the floor on when I heard footsteps outside the door. My eyes went to the doorknob, anticipating a turn, but the steps continued on. I darted off the bed, flipped on the heater, and did my best to cover myself with my hair. I could still hear whoever it was outside, more than likely a steward tending to the officer's quarters. I tried to keep myself from panicking, but my eyes stayed locked on the door.
As soon as the knob twitched, I gasped. "Don't come in!"
A grunt came from outside, "Officers and their damn girls." But the footsteps faded away completely, and I continued my waiting. The next time the doorknob moved I barely looked up.
Barely.
"Ana," Will breathed, and I caught his gaze. "My God." His hands were already moving to his clothes when I got to my knees and batted at his chest. He started, taking a step back. "What was that for?"
"A steward almost came in!" I swatted him again, "I had to tell him not to!"
Will chuckled, "You'd have given him a shock."
"I'm of a mind to give you one!" I shot back as I pulled back for another swat.
Will caught my hands, tugging me forward and kissing me. I sighed through my nose, leaning into his touch as he came closer to the bed. As much as I wanted to sock him a good one for not coming quicker, my husband was entirely too enticing at the moment. He leaned me back over it, knees spreading my legs to allow him a place to settle. I groaned a bit at that, pulling my hands from where he held them to start working his jacket off. Will took care of his shoes, although he stopped me when I went for his tie. "Ana, just a moment."
He chuckled as he swiped the cap onto the floor, loosening his tie and pulling it over his head. I rolled my eyes as I moved to his shirt buttons, "Here I thought you tied that every morning."
"Sometimes Reggie does." Will laughed, shrugging his suspenders off and tugging his trousers down. I worked his shirt off, and he bent back over to kiss me again. I smiled into it as he flicked his tongue against mine, tracing my lips. "Do you know how hard it was to not rush over here?"
I let my hand drop down his body, "I can feel something that's hard."
"Christ, Ana." His eyes closed as I twisted my hand around his length, fingers teasing him to readiness. He always enjoyed when I rubbed my fingers in circles over his tip, and I squeezed my hand tighter around him. I sighed in happiness as he dropped his lips back to mine, kissing along my jaw and onto my throat. When I sped up my stroking though he sat back, his head thrown back and eyes closed.
Which meant that he couldn't see as I sat up in kind, kissing his shoulder and nibbling at it. Will cursed at that, thrusting into my hand. I squealed as he suddenly surged forward, pressing me back into the mattress and his fingers slipping between my thighs. I whimpered as he teased that little bud of nerves, my hips twitching as he found a rhythm that had me panting quick enough.
Will was panting as well, and he drew away. "Just a moment, it's so hot." He leaned over to the porthole, cracking it open and admitting a stream of cold air. "There, that's better." He lowered himself over me, and smirked as I cocked my legs up around his waist. "Always so eager."
I leaned up, kissing him briefly. "You've spoiled me."
"And I always will." He came down and surged forward at the same time, making me clutch my arms around his shoulders as he slowly began to thrust. I always loved when he started slow, letting me adjust my body around him. I hitched my knees a bit high, letting him slide deeper into me.
My back slowly bowed up as he sped his pace up a bit, and I couldn't help but curse. "God damn, Will."
"Hush." He leaned over, kissing me again. "That window is still open." I smirked, we were making enough noise that anyone walking by the porthole would notice, let alone anyone in the wardroom. I could smell the musk of sex as he plowed into me again and again, our bodies sweating and sticking together in places. But then Will pressed one leg of mine higher, my knee almost touching my ear, and I came apart with a gasp. The pleasure was exquisite as he continued thrusting, not even slowing but drawing me on and on.
When he collapsed against my shoulder with a groan, I clutched him close and buried my nose in his hair. He chuckled, a rumble in his chest that I could feel. "Ah, Ana, I fear I would do quite a bit to have this happen again."
I smiled, curling up against him when he rolled off. "Next time you can tell the stewards to stay away." He gave a grunt at that, pulling me closer. It took some wiggling, but eventually we drew the blankets up and I rested my head on his chest. "And next time I'll bring another pillow."
Will's hand traced its way along my waist. "But then I can't do this." I sighed, settling against him even further. With the slight cold breeze blowing in, Will underneath me and my body utterly sated, my eyes drifted shut. I was already thinking about Will coming back and all the ways we could distract ourselves from the upcoming anniversary. Two years, but we had already planned for him to be back in. Of course, Lights was actually going to be in town and we had extended an invitation for him to spend his time here with us.
I'd also told Peggy to buy a good deal of whiskey to see us through the night.
When Will had approached James about staying with us, he had declined. The Vanderbilts had offered their house, but with the strict understanding that some servants would be standing guard outside Liz's rooms all night. I bit back a remark that Liz would be the one to slip into his rooms, and I hoped she would. It would keep James from lingering on what happened.
I lingered in that doze for some time, content to be pillowed on my husband and stretched out in his bunk. It was quiet, Will's cabin was facing the other ship tied up at the dock and the sounds of my namesake being loaded were faint, just enough to remind one that there was a world outside. But what was that world when compared with this? Being held, being cherished and holding and cherishing the other in return.
I had a smile on my face, although it was dislodged when Will surged up beneath me. "Christ, we fell asleep!"
"And?" I pouted, upset to lose my pillow.
"It's almost dark," Will snapped, reaching over and pulling the porthole closed. "I don't suppose you brought your other clothes with you, or did you come down to the office in my trousers?"
I snorted, "I'm not that brave, my dress is in my office."
"So how are we to do this?" He sat on the bed beside me. "Because I doubt the carriage is here either."
"It's not." I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. "I can go get my clothes out of the office."
Will shook his head. "Your hair is a mess and I cannot pin it well enough to get that bowler back on you. I'll go get it, and come back."
"Will you call for the carriage?"
"A cab, it will get us home quicker." He stood, pulling his clothes on and look at me before he headed out. "And Ana, I'm expecting you to be clothed when I come back." I threw a sock at his back, earning myself a chuckle from him before the door closed. I turned the heater down before getting dressed, only bothering with the shirt and trousers. Will almost threw my dress over my head, and he grumbled as he buttoned it. "Honestly Ana, it was a wonderful surprise but you need to plan better. Bring the valise with you next time, and tell the carriage to be back at a certain time."
I twisted my hair into something of a style, speaking around a mouthful of pins. "So you want to do this again?"
He came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. "Obviously." The cabbie didn't say anything as we got in, although that couldn't be said when we got home. Will held out an arm as Rigel came thundering into the foyer, dancing around us. "Down, down!"
But Rigel was adamant about staying around us, and was quickly joined by his latest friend. Samuel was smiling far too much for my liking, "Was that a cab I saw pullin' away?"
"Yes, we just wanted to get home quick." Will tried to dislodge Rigel from where he was trying to get at the valise in my hands, "So we just called one to the office."
"And yet ye have a staff." Samuel snorted, "And ye don't mind botherin' them when ye need to."
"Yes, well, Rigel!" Will snapped as Rigel thrust his entire head into the barely open valise, dislodging it from my hands. Will's bowler came rolling out, and Rigel dug through his shirt and trousers before triumphantly emerging with a sock and trotting off to play with it. Will's face was red as he looked up, "Ana, go get my sock, please."
"Yes, Anastasia." Samuel chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Go save yer husband's sock and maybe we can figure out why exactly ye were bringing him clothes when he's in his uniform."
I blanched. "Samuel, Will just needed a change of clothes."
"Fer what? I doubt he was workin' on the engines." He glanced at me, "It also seems ye've lost yer hairstyle from this mornin'."
Will stepped in front of me, "A seagull blessed her from above, we had to take it out to scrub her hair clean."
"Well it's a good thing ye had some extra clothes then," Samuel was clearly enjoying this. "Fer if she was hit by a seagull, surely it got on her dress. And yet, I do nae see wet hair, nor a wet dress."
I kept my eyes on the floor as I edged towards the stairs. "I'm just going to go clean up."
"I'll join you." Will was beet red, although he stopped when Samuel caught his arm.
"Nae, ye ca stay here. Dinner's already late enough." Samuel's voice was light, "Although Anastasia can go change into trousers if she'd like."
Will almost jerked his arm away, "Da, if ye keep actin' like this then ye willnae be gettin' yer present when ye leave."
"I've already got me present." Samuel turned back to the parlor for a moment, coming back with a photo frame. "From Ruth, apparently 'tis somethin' she likes tae do." I moved forward, looking down at it. The picture was from the day we'd taken the wedding portrait, when the photographer had insisted on Will's parents and Mother joining us. But there was another figure beside me, Father in a dinner suit and with a wide smile on his face. I knew where he had come from, there was a picture of him and Abraham at a dinner after a ship launching. Mother must have cut him out of a copy of the picture and pasted him in, and I felt my eyes water for a moment. Samuel must have noticed, "She said, just because they aren't beside us anymore, doesnae mean they aren't by our side."
I sniffed, wiping away what had gathered in my eyes. "That's very true."
Will passed over a handkerchief, and I gratefully mopped my eyes. He looked down at the picture, a ghost of a smile on his face. "That was a good day."
"Aye, it was." Samuel wrapped his fingers a bit tighter around the frame, "Now, the both of ye go clean yerselves up. I'm hungry, and I intend to eat as much of this good food as I can before we shove off in a couple days." Will and I hustled upstairs, trailed by Rigel who was still carrying his sock. Dinner that night included more jibes at our expense, although we held up as well as we could.
We did wind up laughing about it in bed that night.
But the days wore on, trunks were packed and soon enough Samuel was giving Rigel one last ear scratch before he headed out. Will, in his uniform, was next to him and he gave me a smile when I came up with a velvet bag. I held it out, "Here, Will and I thought you might like it."
Samuel tugged open the bag, the emerald studded watch spilling out into his palm. His eyes grew wide, "'Tis too much."
"Open it, Da." Will smiled, "Then you can decide."
Samuel popped the latch, and he sighed when he saw the picture of Jeanie under a glass frame opposite the watch face. "What am tae do with ye two?"
"You say thank you." I teased, and stepped forward to kiss his cheek. "I'm glad this helped, Samuel. And you're welcome back at any time."
He tucked the watch into his pocket, shaking his head. "If'n I do, nae more of this. Can't have everyone back home saying I'm puttin' on airs after me time in New York."
"When you come back," Will gently bumped his father's shoulder, "We'll pamper you even worse."
Samuel rolled his eyes at that, leaning down to embrace me and kiss my cheek. "Thank ye, fer everythin'. 'Twas much needed." He then knelt down before Rigel, "And thanks to ye as well, mutt." Will and I shared a grin at that, and I send him off with a kiss.
Well, I did whisper into his ear. "I cannot wait to not have to sneak around when you come back."
"Unless I ask for it."