She shrugged. “It was what it was. It’s the past.”
“And you’re moving on to better things now,” Cedric said, strolling up beside us. His hands were in the pockets of the scarlet greatcoat, reminding me of that night I’d found him in the Alanzan ritual. In this clothing, he looked like a proper merchant or scholar, but the wind wreaking havoc on his hair gave him an untamed edge, reminding me of when he’d spoken of letting his passions run wild. I shivered.
“I hope so,” said Mira. “What kind of room do you have?”
“I suppose you’re staying in a luxury stateroom,” I teased.
“That would be my father. I’m in a cabin like yours, bunking with other passengers.” He nodded toward a group of men on the other side of the deck, their clothing and manners displaying a wide variety of backgrounds.
“Who are they?” I asked, curious as to who else was going to the New World. One man, with black hair whipping in the wind, was studying me. If he’d shaved and put on unwrinkled clothes this morning, he might have been dashing. When he saw I’d noticed him, he gave a polite nod and looked away.
“Mostly merchants. A few adventurers. The ones I’m rooming with are nice enough—terribly curious about you girls, as one might imagine.”
“Any potential suitors?” I asked. “Should I be putting on the charm?”
“I didn’t know it ever went away.” Cedric studied the men a few moments and shook his head. “Well, I don’t think they’re that successful yet. None of them could afford any of you.”
A few girls standing nearby overheard his words and turned speculative gazes to the cluster of men. Maybe this group wasn’t wildly successful, but some of them looked like they were doing well enough with their lives. I could guess my peers’ thoughts. For most of them, coming from impoverished backgrounds, any of these gentlemen would be a great step up in the world. What was in store if the men in Adoria surpassed this?
After the thrill of our departure wore off, most of the girls retired to their rooms. Not long into our journey, some returned above deck once seasickness set in. I felt a little queasy now and then but soon overcame it. Mira never went through it at all.
Miss Bradley preferred we stay down below but didn’t discourage our strolls, so long as we did them in groups. Her biggest concern seemed to be that we apply daily moisturizers to our faces, lest the salt water roughen our skin before we got to Adoria. Mira was particularly restless and hated being cooped up. I accompanied her as often as I could, though I knew she sneaked up on her own sometimes.
“What do you think Tamsin’s doing?” I asked one day. Mira and I stood at the rail, watching the Gray Gull. It was never out of our sight, and I squinted, hoping to catch sight of red hair.
“Making plans,” said Mira. “Sizing up the other girls and figuring out how to best them.”
I smiled at the thought, knowing she was right. “Her rivals are there, aren’t they? The girls who tied her?”
Mira nodded. “Maybe this was all a ruse so that she could spy on the competition.”
“I wish it was.” There was always an ache in my chest when I studied the other ship. It was amazing how much I missed Tamsin’s calculating ways, and the rift between us seemed to overshadow any pleasure I might have taken from this journey.
Mira, brave as ever, walked right up to the railing and peered down at the water. It made me shiver. I had a constant fear of her being pulled over the edge. Averting my eyes from her, I studied the far reaches of the bluish-gray sea. Not unlike Cedric’s eyes, I supposed.
“So beautiful,” I murmured.
“Your first voyage?”
I turned and saw the man who’d been watching me that first day, the one who either needed to shave or just grow a proper beard. In fact, the more I studied him, the more I just wanted to . . . well, neaten him up. His rumpled clothing was respectable enough but, as Cedric had pointed out, hardly in the class of someone who could afford us.
“I’m sorry,” he said, smiling. “We’re not supposed to talk without a formal introduction, right?”
“Well, these aren’t very formal settings,” I said as Mira came to stand beside me again. “I’m Adelaide Bailey, and this is Mira Viana.”
“Grant Elliott,” he replied. “I’d take my hat off if I had one, but I learned long ago that it’s not even worth wearing one out in this wind.”
“You’ve been to Adoria before?” Mira asked.
“Last year. I have a stake in a store that outfits people for exploration and wilderness survival. My partner ran it over the winter, and now I’m coming back.”
Mira’s eyes lit up. “Have you done much exploring yourself, Mister Elliott?”
“Here and there,” he replied, turning from her and focusing back on me. “Nothing you’d find interesting. Now, help me understand how your organization works. You’re ranked by gemstone, right? And you’re the top one?”
“The diamond,” I affirmed. “And Mira’s a garnet.”