Around the World in 100 Days by Gary Blackwood Page A

upon. I wouldn’t have expected you to be guilty of it yourself.”
    â€œI’m not looking down upon anyone.”
    â€œYes, you are. Because I’m in steerage, you act as though—”
    â€œSteerage? I thought you were in first class!”
    Elizabeth laughed. “And how did you imagine I’d afford that ?”
    â€œWhen you said your family name was a familiar one, I naturally assumed—”
    â€œYou assumed they were rich and influential.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWell, they’re not, I assure you.” There was a bitter edge to her words, as though she sorely resented the fact. For a minute or so she stood drumming her fingers thoughtfully on the wooden rail. When she spoke again, it was in that soft, melodious voice Harry had come to enjoy. “You like me, don’t you?”
    For once, Harry was cautious; he wasn’t ready to admit just how much he liked her. “You said yourself, everyone likes you. Even Johnny.”
    Elizabeth gave a gratified smile. “Does he?”
    â€œI actually managed to lure him to the dining room with the promise that you’d be there.”
    â€œI’m sorry. They don’t allow steerage passengers to dine in second class.”
    â€œI’m surprised they let you on this deck at all. They’re not supposed to, are they?”
    â€œNo. But I’m something of a special case.”
    â€œIn what way?”
    She hesitated so long that Harry wasn’t sure she would answer at all. Finally she reached into her reticule, drew out a business card, and handed it to him. Harry moved close to one of the deck lights to read it:
    PRESS PASS
    LONDON Daily Graphic
    Annie Laurie
    CORRESPONDENT
    â€œThis is . . . this is you?”
    â€œIt’s not my real name, of course. It’s a nom de plume,like Nellie Bly or Bessie Bramble. Perhaps you’ve seen my newspaper stories.”
    â€œI don’t read the Daily Graphic .”
    â€œWell, it’s rather a new rag. We’re working hard to increase our circulation.”
    Harry nodded grimly; at last he understood what her game was. “And you thought that a personal interview with the intrepid young motorists would be just the thing.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œOr, even better, a personal conversation with the son of the famous Phileas Fogg. I expect you knew all along who my father was.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œThen why not just ask me for an interview? Why go to all the bother of pretending that we were friends?”
    Elizabeth showed no sign of shame. She unflinchingly returned his gaze. “Because. I wanted more than just a single news story. I want to chronicle your entire journey.” She reached out and placed a hand on his. “I want to come with you,” she said.

ELEVEN In which
    HARRY LOSES AN ARGUMENT AND THE FLASH GAINS A PASSENGER
    H arry thrust the press pass into her hand. “I’m afraid not. I don’t like it when people lie to me. It makes me distrust them.”
    â€œI don’t make a regular habit of lying, you know.”
    â€œOnly when it suits your purpose.”
    â€œOh, and you never say anything that isn’t perfectly true, I suppose?”
    â€œI try to avoid it.”
    â€œYou didn’t, for example, tell anyone that Johnny was Thomas Edison, Junior?”
    Harry shifted uncomfortably and scratched his head. “How did you hear about that?”
    â€œIt’s all over the ship,” she said. “You should have told someone who was more discreet.”
    â€œIt was meant as a joke. I wasn’t deliberately trying to deceive anyone, the way you have been.”
    â€œTell me this, then: If I had asked you, on the first day we met, whether I could accompany you and your friends around the world, what would you have said?”
    â€œI’d have said no, of course.”
    â€œThere you are.”
    â€œYes, well, I’m saying it now, in any case. So all