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it?”
     
    “Yes dear, my men wondered why that trunk seemed so
much heavier when they toted it back out of the office though.  I told them I’d
added a few vases and trinkets and statuettes from the Orient, that you’d set
your heart on.”
     
    “Well, it was your quick thinking, Uncle, in having
your men bring in my trunk in the first place, I hadn’t thought of it.  We
really did have to do some cramming to get him into it though, didn’t we?”
     
    “Well, whoever the bloke is, let’s hope that he
recovers, and starts a new life somewhere, not to be sold into bondage again.” 
Claude then turned to leave, telling Olivia, “I’ll return in about an hour, let
me know if there is any change.  I’m sorry that he has to stay in here, but as
I said, I don’t have the extra room, also many of the ship’s crew stop by my
stateroom for some reason or the other, even our very attentive captain.  So it
would be risky to have him in there.  I have given strict orders that no one
but your personal maid, Maria, shall be allowed to bother you in your
quarters.  Except for Maria’s husband Ricardo.  And those orders, of course, are
much to our amorous captain’s great sorrow. 
     
    “However,” he continued, “with Maria and Ricardo
staying the night in the sitting room here; you are perfectly safe should the
young man awaken. I’m so sorry, dear niece, you had to leave so much of your
clothing in the closet of my office back at the warehouse, so we could make
room for a perfect stranger to be ‘stuffed’ into the trunk.  Believe me; you
shall be outfitted with a whole new wardrobe when we reach the new land.” 
     
    “Heavens, Uncle, you act as if I’m some spoiled little
debutante!  You should know me better than that.  I care naught for a lot of
frills, only my books, of which I did put a few into my carpetbag then.  Well,
we couldn’t just let the poor fool be taken back, after I had gotten over my
initial shock anyway.  It was really a fright having him fall at my feet like
that, but when I saw that the poor man was injured, my own fright fled in a
hurry.  Those bruises have been there awhile, and that awful head injury was
recent though.  What a pitiful state for any living creature to be in.”
     
    Claude agreed, and then asked, “You are going to watch
over him now?”
     
    “Of course, and it really does beat walking the deck
with our ‘amorous’ captain.”  She laughed.
     
    “Oh yes,” Claude turned back to her, shaking his head,
“what to do about our captain.  The poor bloke is quite taken with you now
isn’t he?  Well, just don’t try to keep up with your brother’s record, breaking
hearts, my dear.”  He laughed.
     
    “Oh mercy, Uncle Claude, perish the thought, and
anyway that would be undoubtedly very hard to do, besides I seriously doubt the
nice captain is in love with me, probably more with your wealth.”
     
    “No, Ollie, do not underrate your charms and looks.  You
know you are quite lovely, and one of these days the proper young man will
capture your heart.”  He chuckled.
     
    “Certainly, Uncle, and pigs fly too.”  She laughed.
     
    “Well, Niece, I can see that I got you away from the
influence of your maid Amelia just in time.  That woman is a terrible influence
on your language.  That humor of hers will get her in trouble some day.”
     
    Olivia laughed, and waved him away, “Go rest.  I’m
going to check on our patient.”
     
    Claude left, and Olivia clicked the lock on the door.
     
    They had had the large steamer trunk delivered to
Olivia’s suite, as it would be safer there for the poor sick stranger who
they’d hoped wouldn’t smother with a few pieces of clothing tucked around him,
as he lay stuffed and crammed into the trunk.  He was still breathing though,
as Claude with the assistance of Ricardo Cortez, a long time employee of the
lines, and now working on the Silver Princess, had pulled him out of there and
bedded