Around the World in 100 Days by Gary Blackwood Page B

your deception, all your—your fake friendship didn’t accomplish a thing, did it?”
    â€œOh, yes, it did,” said Elizabeth acidly. “It made me realize what a prude and a hypocrite you are, and how intolerable it would be to spend even a few days in your company, let alone several months!” She turned on her heel and strode off across the deck. For once, Harry did not offer to escort her to her cabin.
    Over the course of the next two days, Harry wished a hundred times that he had had the foresight to bring along an interesting book. It might have distracted him, kept him from replaying over and over every conversation he’d had with Elizabeth—if that was, in fact, her name—and wondering how he could have been so naive. He should have realized all along that, if she was so fascinated by him and by the Flash , there must be some good reason.
    This was hardly the first time he had been betrayed or disappointed. No one makes it through childhood and school without the pain of having a playmate or a classmate suddenly turn against him. Harry had had more than his share of such experiences. Sometimes a friendship soured because he had carelessly revealed his Indian heritage; other times friends grew resentful when Harry outshone them at sports. In spite of it all, he had gone on trusting people too much, believing the best of them. Well, if he expected to make it around the world without losing his money or his motorcar, or worse, that would have to change. Somehow he would have to learn to be more cautious, less trusting.
    The Aurania was scheduled to reach New York on the fifteenth of August. On that morning, as Harry was having breakfast, Charles Hardiman unexpectedly appeared at his table. “May I?” said Charles, gesturing at a chair.
    Harry grinned wryly. “If you’re sure you can bear such a cramped and dreary dining room.”
    Charles brushed something from the seat of the chair and lowered himself onto it carefully. “I need to talk to you,” he said solemnly.
    â€œHaving second thoughts about the trip?”
    â€œNo, not at all. It’s about Annie Laurie, actually.”
    â€œAha. So, she’s risen all the way up to first class, eh?”
    â€œYes. I first made her acquaintance two days ago, and we’ve spoken at length several times since then.”
    â€œI see. And what sort of lies has she been telling you?”
    Charles scowled. “See here, Fogg, it’s not good form to insult a lady.”
    â€œShe’s not a lady. She’s a reporter.”
    â€œI know that.”
    â€œOh? What else did she tell you?”
    â€œThat she asked to accompany us on the trip, and that you refused her.”
    â€œI did.” Harry set his scone aside; the marmalade on it suddenly tasted bitter to him.
    â€œDid she tell you why she was so anxious to come with us?”
    â€œNot in so many words. But isn’t it obvious? If she did a series of exclusive reports on our heroic efforts, it would increase her paper’s circulation—and, of course, make her reputation in the bargain.”
    Charles waved his words aside. “No, no, you don’t understand. There’s more at stake than that. The Daily Graphic didn’t give her this assignment, you know. In fact, the editor didn’t believe she could handle it. She had to practically beg him to give her a chance. And she’s had to pay her own way. She gets no salary at all from the paper until she begins sending in stories. If we don’t even let her aboard the Flash , she’s going to look a fool; it’ll badly damage her career, if not ruin it altogether. You should have seen her, Fogg, when she was telling me all this. She was practically in tears.”
    Harry wanted to scoff, to say that it was undoubtedly all a show, designed to win Charles over. But he couldn’t bring himself to believe that Elizabeth was really that cold and conniving.