instead , she oversaw the loading of the mountain of luggage with an iron fist , distributed cleaning cloths to the captain and percy , rescued and returned the feather to its rightful owner , sent a steward to ivy 's room with restorative tea , insisted tunstell comfort the hysterical understudy , distracted the wardrobe mistress and set designer with questions , corralled her daughter with one arm and her frantic husband with the other , and all before the steamer tooted its departure horn and lurched ponderously out into a dark and choppy sea .