He stepped away from the cannons and motioned her over to the railing. “What is it? A problem with the captain?”
Alexis frowned. What did this man know? “No. Nothing like that. Just the opposite in fact. Hasn’t Captain Cloud spoken to you?”
He shook his head and leaned back on the railing.
“He said I was to have some regular clothes like the rest of the crew wears. He said I should come to you and you would be able to get me what I need.”
Landis eyed her figure critically, scratching his head behind his ear. “You’re kind of tiny,” he said finally. “But you’re taller than most women. I’ll see what I can find for you. You look to be about Frank Springer’s size. That’s the lanky young man over there.” He pointed to the forecastle.
Alexis turned and saw the fair-haired man grin at her. She smiled back, assessing his lean, wiry frame. “I think something of his would fit,” she said to Landis. “Will he mind?”
“I doubt it. I’ll put what he can give you in your cabin later.”
“Thank you, Mr. Landis.”
“I thought it was John.”
“But I’m one of the crew now.”
He smiled. “That you are. Well, save John for private. Was the captain very rough on you this afternoon?”
“He let me know I was wrong.”
“And do you think you were wrong?” he asked, pulling at his silver beard.
“For going up? No. But for not coming down when he told me to, yes, that was wrong.”
Landis dropped his hands to his side. “Did he ask you how you came by that skill?”
“No, he didn’t,” she said slowly, considering that fact for the first time. “You didn’t tell him, did you?”
“No, and Forrest didn’t either if that’s what you’re thinking. That cantankerous old fool doesn’t have two words to say to anybody.”
She had to laugh. The cook was no fool and he was the same age as Landis. Cantankerous she could agree to. “Why did you bring this up? Are you saying the captain thought I could do the work all along?”
“Not exactly,” Landis explained. “This morning after he gave you the job he thought you would fail, but he wanted you to try anyway. He told me about the tour he gave you and that you asked intelligent questions. He said perhaps your father had taught you something after all. I think that’s when he began pulling for you.”
“I did not get that impression from his actions this afternoon.”
“That is because you couldn’t see his face down here. He was angry with you for going up there, but not because he didn’t think you could do it. He was angry because you could have hurt yourself by trying it in a dress. Then you compounded everything by refusing to come down.”
“I don’t understand, Mr. Landis. What made the captain believe I knew what I was doing in the first place? I thought I had to prove it to him.”
He laughed briefly. “You’re not giving yourself or him much credit. One does not have to know you very long to know that you do not say things you don’t mean, that you do not attempt things without giving consideration to the aftermath, and that you do not allow others to determine what is best for you.”
“But if he knows all that, then why—”
“No. Let me ask the question. Why do you think he brought you along?”
“For those reasons?” she asked haltingly.
Landis nodded. “He will tell you sooner or later himself. He knew it the afternoon he took you. He brought you for the very reasons I asked him to leave you behind.”
“You asked him not to take me?”
“I did, but he was already determined to do as he wanted. You and he are similar in that way.”
“Why are you telling me this, Mr. Landis?”
