Chapter 11: Senator Ellsworth, Yvonne, and Judith

Senator Ellsworth stared out the stateroom window. During rough weather, the spray and even waves sometimes reached the lower decks, but here on B deck there was no need for portholes. The sea was calm below a cloudless sky but, neither it nor the cruise was on his mind. The album with the nude photographs of the captive women and girls located two decks below lay on the sofa behind him. The photos of the buxom blonde excited him.

I must have her.

When Ellsworth wanted a woman, it was only a question of time before he had her. Sometimes there were obstacles of course, often a husband. Those weren't deterrents to the Senator. On the contrary, they were condiments. They enhanced his enjoyment of her. As for ethical considerations, Ellsworth never weighed such trivia. In fact, applying coercive means to bring a woman into his bed increased his enjoyment of her. When the woman was married, he found that having her husband aware of her dalliance was quite as effective as any aphrodisiac could possibly be with regard to his performance with her.

Just a few minutes before, Ellsworth had dismissed Yvonne's steward from his stateroom. He had told the man that he would keep the album. "I'll return it to the Captain myself," he had told Pierre.

His thoughts returned to the brunette who sat behind him. Judith was reading in the armchair. She was unaware of the true status of the girls and women on deck D and thought that the three girls whose photographs he had shown her were hired. He had been careful to show her just those three. Ellsworth was aware that the Captain's album was a damning history of the island's captives. He was cautious about allowing anyone other than himself to see its contents.

Doubtless it wouldn't surprise Judith if he had one of the three females brought up to his stateroom. He had told her, with relish, the ways in which he had used the girl whom the Captain had provided the clients with on their cruise to the island the previous summer. Judith may--perhaps--have disapproved of his actions but, if she had, she hadn't said so. She was eminently practical. Her goals were much like his had been at her age. When they interfered with advancing her career, Judith had few compunctions.

She complied with his whims in bed. Of course, he hadn't yet obliged her to perform with another female. It would be interesting to see her reaction to that. If necessary, he would coerce her. Yvonne would provide him with a crewman to help in the effort if he found it necessary.

Actually, he doubted that it would come to that. In the past, even when Judith hadn't concealed her distaste for one of Ellsworth's whims, she suppressed her personal feelings. Sensibly, she always sacrificed them to enhance her standing with him and, of course, advance her career.

Over the years, she's been of enormous benefit to my standing in the party and my influence in Washington. A pity that has to end.

Strange that their relationship had come to this. For her first few years with him she had pleased him, both from efforts on his staff and in his bed. Ellsworth even felt a bit nostalgic thinking of his plans for her.

How different her life is going to be after we dock and I take her to Crane.

He heard the sound of her closing her book and placing it on the end table and then the creak of the chair as she stood up.

"I want to take a shower, Senator," Judith said. "Will you be taking a nap?"

"Soon," he told her. Her query slightly annoyed him. It implied that he was no longer virile enough to do without a nap following lunch. Now that his decision about her was made, many of her offhand remarks irritated him. He'd have to watch himself if his plans for her were to proceed without his showing his hand too soon.

"I'm going on the bridge to find the Captain. I intend to see this blonde girl."

"Sheila? Are you going to accept Yvonne's proposal?"

"I don't intend to share the blonde with others. I'll be back down after I discuss it with her."

Shit! That was a flub. Judith looks puzzled; it's no wonder. Yvonne and I term the females on Deck D 'party girls', and other clients try to do the same. It keeps the temporary ship's staff--the chef and kitchen help that never step on the island--ignorant of the true status of the girls. As far as they--and Judith-- know, the island is another Aruba. I can guess what she's thinking: why should I care if others share a party girl?

Now that we're heading directly to the island, it's probably too late for her to do anything about her situation. But, she's ingenious. I'll be cautious. Unless it interferes with my enjoyment. Nothing will impede that.

"Mmm. Yvonne won't like that," Judith said.

"What? Oh, you think Yvonne will object to my keeping the blonde to myself? That's her problem, Judith, not mine."

On the bridge, Yvonne was examining the CRT display of their ship's location. At their current speed they should arrive at Lecoliere Island in a bit more than thirty hours. The nearest other ship was at the edge of the radar screen, headed north. This close to the island she normally would cautiously slow down, waiting until the other vessel was farther away. But the other ship would be off-screen soon, anyway.

The bridge was entirely enclosed in Plexiglass. Yvonne saw the Senator before he reached the doorway.

Her contacts with Ellsworth had never been pleasant. She hoped his appearance on her bridge didn't auger another problem for her. Ellsworth was a master at manipulation. He hardly ever visited her, either on the bridge or in her stateroom, without trying to pressure her. She heard the door open.

"Good afternoon, Senator," she said, not looking up.

"Yvonne," Ellsworth told her, "I appreciate your sending your steward to me before having him take this album to the other clients. That was wise."

"Oh? In what way?" She looked at him. "What is it you have to tell me, Prescott?"

Yvonne was well aware that Ellsworth hated to be called by his given name. He relished his title. It gave her a little pleasure to aggravate him in this way. She had so few other options.

He carried the album under his arm. He must have intimidated Pierre. Her steward knew very well that he shouldn't relinquish possession of the book.

"I'm interested in this blonde exclusively for myself, Yvonne. I intend to buy her in the auction. If necessary, I'll persuade Crane to accept a bogus high bid from me. I'm not going to share her with other clients. Certainly not here on your ship. Perhaps on the island, after I break her. Then it might be interesting. I might share her just to see how she submits to a large number of clients, of both sexes."

Yvonne raised her eyebrows. She felt anger grip her.

The bastard. Wants to cut me off from the cash we'll get from renting her. He loves to swing his weight around!

"Prescott; it isn't your choice to make," she objected. "I'm Captain of this ship. The crew take orders from me. Sheila will be in my stateroom tonight, and the clients who paid to rent her will be there. Now, get off my bridge. If you force me to, I'll call Security."

"Now, now, Yvonne," he replied mildly.

I know his technique. When he speaks softly, he has something nasty in mind.

"We know how much your livelihood depends on your accreditation as Captain, and on the seaworthiness of this vessel."

He gave her a thin smile, but she saw the steely glint of his eyes. There was no humor in his look.

"I'm sure you're aware, Yvonne, that I have influence with the authorities who provide your accreditation. And also those who oversee inspection of your ship. Simply because you aren't registered in the States doesn't protect you.

"Besides that, my Dear, there is the little matter of the cargo you carry. Illegal in most of the countries that this ship makes port in."

When Ellsworth had pressured Yvonne in the past, in her aggravation she imagined that her knowledge of his visits to the island could be a means of retaliation against him.