The Vaudeville Star

“Yes. I can see that.”

“So? Why do have to be such a killjoy? Let me enjoy myself.”

“After this dance, be a good girl and say good night. Then I’ll take you back to your cabin and tuck you in.”

“Will you?” Ruby said saucily.

Ford ignored her, and when the dance ended, she bid good night to everyone, though a new song had started and no one seemed to notice her absence.

“Ruby, come along,” Ford said, pulling her along the passage.

“It seems such a long way, and my feet hurt,” she said, leaning against him.

“Ruby.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and stopped at his cabin since it was much closer than hers. He unlocked his door as Ruby sank against him.

He laid her on his bed and removed his jacket.

“I can’t breathe,” she said softly. “And the room is spinning. Why is it doing that, Ford?”

She lay on the bed with her arms outstretched as For

d threw his jacket across a chair.

“Nothing is spinning except you.”

He watched her breathe heavily and complain again about not being able to breathe.

“Help me. My laces,” she said weakly.

Ford went to sit beside her. She sat up and leaned over his lap as he undid the laces at the back of her dress.

“Better?” he asked.

She fell back against the bed and sighed happily. “Yes.” Her hands fell above her head, and she suddenly pulled out a long pin from her hair and threw it across the room.

“What the hell?” Ford exclaimed.

“It was hurting my head,” she whimpered.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Another pin followed it, and Ford cursed under his breath. “Ruby, stop it!”

She giggled. “Make me!”

Ford made a quick movement, and suddenly he was on top of her, holding her hands above her head.

“Get off me!” she said weakly.

In a quick series of movements, Ford combed through her hair and removed all the pins, placing them out of her reach.

“No fair.”

“Go to sleep, Ruby.”

“I will. But you have to give me a good night kiss.”