Shaking his head, Jamie takes a step back and appraises my outfit. “If you sold those togs, you could buy a ticket back to London, maybe two.”

I work off my coat and set it, along with my toque, on Jamie’s bunk. “I was thinking more a ticket to the Ringling Brothers Circus.”

Jamie frowns as he runs a finger over the vanilla cashmere. I dust his fingers away, my annoyance at him making it hard to think. We could bicker for hours but come no nearer a solution.

“They look more like twins now,” Olly whispers to Wink.

The door opens and Bo walks in, bringing with him the scent of the ocean and the heat of the sun. His eyes graze me, and he shuts the door behind him. “Found a job. Enough work for two.”

Jamie runs his fingers distractedly through his hair. “What’s the job?”

“Some deck chairs need fixing. Ship’s carpenter has influenza. Good money, but we must keep quiet, because it is against White Star rules to hire us. But since I found the job, I win the bet, and you can do my washing.”

I snort. Jamie loves his wagers. Hold the train. Maybe there’s an opportunity here. I may not have persuaded him to perform for Mr. Stewart, but when has he turned down an opportunity to show me up? An idea stamps a bold foot in front of me.

“I have a wager for you,” I say, hurrying my thoughts along to keep up with my mouth. My pinky finger, the weakest but cheekiest of the lot, wiggles at Jamie’s nose. “I bet I can make more money than you before the lights-out bugle.”

Bo makes a skeptical noise behind me, and my pinky circles around to include him. “Both of you, combined. If I win, Jamie will . . .” For a moment, even the room holds steady. “Jamie will perform with me in front of Mr. Stewart.” I cannot overplay my hand. Jamie will never agree outright to go to New York. But when you’re onstage, you’re both the magician and his hat of tricks. You have the power to cast spells that people will remember for the rest of their lives. I have to rekindle the wonder in Jamie. Once he remembers how it feels to perform, to fly, maybe he’ll have a change of heart.

Bo’s eyebrows drawbridge up, and Jamie’s mouth goes crooked. “I can’t wait to hear what I’ll win if you lose.”

Olly and Wink, now each wearing one white slipper and one black, watch Jamie and me as if we were playing a tennis match.

“If I lose, we go our separate ways.” I stand perfectly balanced, though the room starts swaying around us.

Most of our wagers were for bragging rights or who got the bigger drumstick. Never for something so, well, titanic.