Chapter 24
July 1907
A whirlwind blew through the design department, as they started on the first drafts of the Olympic-class ships. Every man was drawing something, working meticulously from Lord Pirrie’s initial draft. Tom was deep in a discussion with four of his team members when Ham tapped his shoulder.
“Fellow to see you, sir.” Ham indicated Tom’s office with his head. “He doesn’t have an appointment, but he said it was important. Riley’s, his name.”
“Riley?” Tom thought for a moment, as the men waited. “Give him some tea and tell him I’ll be about five minutes.”
Ham nodded and disappeared. Tom went back to his discussion but remained distracted. Riley coming to him was an interesting development. Maybe he’s also thinking he can negotiate through me.
Entering his office a few minutes later, Tom looked the man over. Ham had placed Dr. Riley in the comfortable chair that was part of Tom’s informal meeting space in a corner of the room: a sofa, two chairs and low table between them. A cup of tea lay steaming on the table, as Riley looked through a copy of Shipbuilder Magazine that Tom kept in the office. Dressed in simple business clothes, a neatly trimmed mustache, and a briefcase at his feet, Riley looked harmless enough. Tom stayed on his guard.
“Dr. Riley, how nice to see you again.” Keep it friendly, Tom thought as Riley stood to shake his hand.
“Good of you to see me without an appointment, Mr. Andrews. I’m willing to set up a time to come by if this is inconvenient.”
Tom waved it off. “It’s all much the same. Work seldom slows down around here.” He sat in the other chair and steepled his fingers. “I was planning on going to see you, anyway. Since you’re here, why don’t you start? What can I do for you?”
Riley regarded him with diffident seriousness. “Mr. Andrews, I want to assure you that I am not a person who usually meddles. You and I are strangers; I have no right to interfere in your life. But I could not sleep nights, if I thought you were in danger, and I had the means to warn you of it, but did not.”
“We must make sure you sleep, sir.” Tom hoped he didn’t sound sarcastic. “What must you warn me about?”
“Your fiancée, sir.”
Tom held up a hand. “No, sir. We will not play this game. You have nothing to say to me regarding Miss Wilson.”
Riley straightened his back, sitting stiffly. “You misunderstand me, Mr. Andrews. I have nothing but admiration and respect for the young lady. If anything, my meddling is as much for her sake as for yours.”
That confused him and Tom once again steepled his fingers. “All right. You’ll have to explain.”
“I learned enough the other night to know that Miss Wilson has been through a difficult time. I am, perhaps, responsible for that to a certain degree, and I deeply regret it if my actions caused her hurt.”
Tom knew his face showed his astonishment, but Riley continued without pausing. “She may have told you that they came to me for assistance when they first…arrived…in Belfast. I’m afraid I was not as helpful as I should have been. I realize that, now.” Riley’s face contorted in sorrow. “I wasn’t thinking clearly. It did not occur to me that she might have been in danger, or was at the mercy of Altair. But I should have thought of that.”
“What?” Tom gave a short bark of laughter. “What on earth do you mean?”
“Lord Dunmore introduced him as her guardian, sir, but I assure you, he is no such thing.”
“Dr. Riley…”
“Please sir, let me finish.” Riley held out a hand, all appearances that of a man torn with guilt. “I sent them away and then I left town. She had no protection, no one to turn to. If he’s not deliberately malicious, then Sam Altair is insane. I don’t know how he’s used her…”
Tom stood, fist clenched in fury. “Shut up, Dr. Riley. I’m warning you, shut up, now.”
Riley gaped at him, then snapped his mouth closed, eyes on Tom’s face. Tom pointed a shaking finger at him. “You know nothing of what has happened to them. You know nothing about them. They tried to tell you, they asked for your help. Oh, you’re right about that. You let them down in the worst way. You’re right, you sent Miss Wilson out with no help, no protection except what Sam Altair was able to give her. At least, he tried. He never deserted her. He certainly never used her, in any way.” Tom put his hand down, eyes narrowed. “What are you trying to accomplish, Dr. Riley? What is it you want?”
Riley swallowed, clearly unsettled, his voice thready and uncertain. “Merely to help Miss Wilson, I assure you. And yourself.” He held up both hands. “Please Mr. Andrews. You are correct. I don’t know what has been happening to them, other than what I heard at dinner. I’ve had only the one conversation with them a year-and-a-half ago, and the time since then to ruminate on it. If you knew what was said that day, you would understand why my only conclusion can be that he is insane. Or a charlatan of the worst kind.”
“You have decided that, Dr. Riley. You have no proof of anything. Indeed, you have no reason at all to even think it, except that it makes you more at ease. You are a coward, sir.”
“I beg your pardon…”
“Yes. A coward. You were too afraid to try to understand, so you just sent them away.”
“Of course, I was afraid. If you knew what was said…”
“I know what was said. Do you think they’ve tried to deceive me? That they’ve lied to me?”
Riley stood, his expression alarmed. “Mr. Andrews! If they told you the same story… I don’t know if they did, but if they did… I would not expect you to have the scientific knowledge to understand how ludicrous it is. There is no shame in being fooled by them; their story was very convincing. I believed them myself for a while.”
Tom felt tired, as if all his strength were draining away. He turned and moved behind his desk, sitting in his chair, needing some distance between them. Riley moved over to the chair in front of the desk, but didn’t sit. He leaned toward Tom.
“If you love that girl, Mr. Andrews, get her away from him. He’s not her guardian. I can promise you there are no legal documents in place regarding that.”
Tom hesitated. Whatever Riley’s motives, he was right in this assessment. Sam was not Casey’s legal guardian. Tom felt the untruth was harmless, and he had willingly complied with propagating it, even to his own family. But society’s disapproval would be ferocious, if the truth were known, and it would not matter that Sam truly cared for Casey as a daughter. Appearances were everything.
He felt the beginnings of fear.
“Sit down, Dr. Riley.” His fear made him angry and he used that anger in his voice. Riley blinked once, standing as if he would resist, but then he sat, once again the picture of reasonableness. Tom regarded him a moment, trying to calm himself. But when he spoke, his anger was still evident.
“I will not have Miss Wilson’s reputation offended in any way. Surely, you understand that your comments are bordering on threats. I will ask you again: what are you trying to accomplish? What exactly are your plans regarding Miss Wilson and Dr. Altair?”