Chapter 7: Stuart

Prue had never spent a month on a ship before.

It was an interesting experience. Captain Stuart Sandie helped make it very enjoyable. They took a fancy to each other about two seconds after their eyes met. She recognised the interesting look and returned it.

He gave her his slow, crooked smile, flashing his white teeth and kinked his dark, thick curly eyebrow. The look made her wet. She was surprised by her own reaction. But then again it had been nearly five months since she had shared her body with a man.

Apparently, it was more than ready, even if her heart wasn’t sure. She decided Stuart had about ten years on her, but he was in superb physical condition and definitely sexy. She had a feeling he would be happy to scratch her itch.

Prue also found she was separated from the rest of the passengers. When they dined that evening, she found that there were only four other women aboard. Two of them were married, and the other two were their companions.

The ladies didn’t approve that Prue didn’t have a companion, widow or not. They all had twenty plus years on her and she had nothing in common with any of them. She was amused that they thought that she was from Paulartica.

Prue had to smile when she found her cabin was beside Stuarts. Prue was also amused that you had to go around a corner created by the bathing room to access their doors so any movement between them would go unseen. It would be hard to tell who came out of which cabin.

The other closest rooms were a storeroom and the back of the kitchen. She thought it a strange set-up for a ship, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it. She also found the other women were on the fore end of the ship. She and the Captain were aft. The crew was in between.

She was also given access to the aft deck. The other women had to walk the full length of the ship to get to her deck and vice-versa. Stuart said she had this cabin because she had asked for a cabin with sufficient room to have a desk so she could work. He explained the cabin she was in had been the easiest to modify for her needs. He was also worried by her being alone.

She noticed that there was a bunk missing where her desktop had been bolted in. She had paid the extra, so she got it. The cabin would fit her needs. She had a lot of notes to peruse and findings to write up. She had found little bits of information, but she still felt there was a lot more for her to learn.

She met the other passengers at dinner and wasn’t surprised to find her permanent seat was at the Captain’s table. The ship had twenty other passengers and she guessed as time went on she would get to know them. She enjoyed dinner and found she had a good appetite.

With so few women, nightly entertainment tended to be cards, other games like Kings and the occasional musical. Prue found she enjoyed Stuart’s company. The other officers at the table made dinners interesting as well.

“Mrs Smithers did I hear correctly that you are a scientist?” said the first mate who had told her to call him Tod.

Prue smiled, “Yes, I am afraid I am one of the very strange women who uses her brains for pursuits other than husband finding.”

“But you are a widow?” The doctor who said to call him Doc asked.

“Yes, my husband was also a scientist, but he had gone hunting with friends a couple of months after we married and died when his firearm was accidentally discharged.”

“You must miss him?” Tod said.

“No,” said Prue to their surprise. “We weren’t a love match. It was a more financial arrangement. I had money and he needed it.”

Stuart looked at her and said, “What did you get from the arrangement?”

Prue flattened the dress over her tummy. Her visible baby belly was outlined. She smiled at the men. Tod looked at her and said, “I hope you weren’t holding the firearm?”

Prue laughed, “No. I can assure you that I was many klicks away from him at the time of his death. And no, I didn’t arrange it, in case you were wondering. I didn’t hate my husband. We were old friends and rubbed along well enough.”

Tod looked relieved, and Stuart had to smile. He gave her a side-glance, wondering what his chances were of getting her into bed. Prue glanced at him and winked. Stuart had to hide his smile and the growing appreciation in his nether region. Well, at least one thing he didn’t have to worry about was getting her pregnant.

Prue excused herself early and headed back to her cabin. The disapproval from the other women annoyed her, and she didn’t want their company. She’d been at the Academe long enough to become more comfortable with the company of men. She didn’t think the lack of the women’s company would worry her.

She had left her door open as a nice breeze circulated in the room if she did. She got out her notes and noticed the desk had a wire strung about a third of the way down across the top. Two other wires about the same distance ran down the sides.

She soon worked out that they were there for holding her papers and soon put them to good use. John had given her a set of pens that had special cartridges you could refill, and a sponge controlled the delivery of the ink to the split nib.

She loved them and had a feeling on the ship that they were going to be invaluable. She could also clip them under the wires to stop them rolling off the desk. The fact she didn’t have to worry about spilt ink was also handy.

She had noticed the ship was rocking side to side and found it very soothing as she went to work.

She looked up at a knock on her door.

She had been working for about an hour when the Captain popped his head in. “Mrs Smithers, how are you fairing?” he asked.

Prue smiled at him, “Please use Sue, when we are not in company, and I’m well, thank you.”

“No queasiness?” he asked.

Prue stopped and thought, “No, I haven’t suffered morning sickness, and so far the sea hasn’t bothered me either.”

He grinned and came in and sat on her bed. “Well, one out of five isn’t too bad. Doc has already had to see to the other four ladies and five of the male passengers.”

She nodded in understanding as many people suffered from sea-sickness. “So Sue, what are we going to do to entertain ourselves this evening?” he asked her.

Prue guessed this was where she was to play the seduction game and eventually give in. Or she could try the direct path and enjoy him for the whole trip. She stood up and turned around and then shut and locked the door.

“I can’t be bothered with silly games. I’m horny, and apparently you are willing and available,” Prue said and turned her chair around and sat so he could stand in front of her. “Let’s see what we have to play with Captain.”

He looked at her hard. She smiled at him, and he realised she was perfectly serious. He slid off the bed and stood in front of her. She folded her hands in her lap. “Well, get it off man, I like to watch a man undress.”

The Captain was surprised to find he was a bit out of his depth. He had never had a woman sitting in front of him for the sole purpose to watch him undress for her. He grinned at her and started disrobing watching her as she watched him.

He shrugged off his coat and dropped it on the end of her bed. He then undid his cuffs and the three buttons down the front of his shirt. He put his hands on his collar near the shoulders, gripped the shirt and lifted it up and over his head.

Prue happily watched as his tight-ridged abdomen was exposed and her eyes followed the thin line of dark hair up to his chest where it fanned out in a light sprinkle around his nipples. His well-defined pectoral muscles were now on show.

As the shirt came free of his arms, she was able to see his distinctly muscular arms and shoulders. His skin was toned similar to the dye she was covered in, and his black curly hair was positively inviting to her fingers. The desire in his dark brown eyes was also easy to see. He dropped his arms and watched her face as she wandered her eyes over him with an appreciative look.

He found his pants were getting very tight as her eyes feasted on him. “Turn for me,” she said. The Captain put his hands on his hips and turned slowly until he stopped in front of her again grinning.

She looked down, flicked her eyes up to his face then back down to his crotch again. He got the message. He undid the belt and slipped it out of the keepers, placing on the table beside her. She watched as he bent and moved. He ended up on a slight angle as he proceeded to unbutton his trousers.

As the pants gaped open, the tip of his cock peeped out at her. He hooked his fingers into the waistband and slid his pants down over his fine arse cheeks. He slid them down far enough to let his relieved cock free, so it stood proud and erect. He looked down into Pru’s face and saw her lick her lips.

He felt his balls tighten up and his cock waved a big ‘hi,’ to her. She giggled, and he found he was ripping his boots off and getting the pants all the way off in a hurry. He stepped up to her and went to bend to kiss her, but she forestalled him by reaching out to his cock.