“That would be an absolute tragedy.I love the way you dress, Domingo,” I stated.
Despite an initial distaste for the attractive young man when we’d initially met—I’d assumed him hired for the night by Dinesh for a one-on-one amorous encounter, when what had transpired was more of a two-on-one situation of which I still had fond recollections—Domingo and I had grown close in a platonic way.
“Thank you, Simon,” Domingo said, leaning back and lifting his mug to his lips.
“I see all you blokes are having a right nice time,” said Mr Guthrie, ship’s cook, as he came out of the back room, putting his apron over his clothes and giving us a kindly look.
“Won’t you join us, Guthrie?Or are you too busy?”Dinesh asked.
“I’ll join you for a moment, Dinesh.Domingo, fetch some of the cheese and bread and we’ll have a bit of breakfast.”
“Yes, Mr Guthrie.I was about to do that,” Domingo said, getting up from the bench and giving me a wink.
Mr Guthrie poured himself some coffee and sat across from Dinesh and I.
“Almost there, I hear?”Guthrie asked Dinesh, eyebrows raised.
“Yes, we should be getting close.Hillier’s supposed to meet me on deck in—” Captain Martin retrieved his gold watch from his pocket and flipped the lid.“—ten minutes.I’ll have to eat and run, I’m afraid.”
He tucked the timepiece away.
“Not a worry.Domingo and I have to get to work on dinner preparations.”Guthrie looked at me.“And what are you up to today, Simon?”
I frowned as I recalled what I’d promised Captain Martin, and rested my chin in my hand.“I have an appointment with a large mop stick in the captain’s chambers.”
Dinesh laughed.“You make that sound like an assignation.I’m almost jealous.”
“Har har.Very amusing.However, if I were to stick any sort of household item up my arse, it wouldn’t be the mop stick.”I shot him a look of disbelief.“Good God, man, think of the splinters!”
Captain Martin almost choked on his coffee, and Guthrie grinned with amusement.
“Never a dull moment with you aboard, young Simon.”
“I should think not.I’d like to imagine I bring some levity to you lot.I recall how dull the place was upon my arrival.”
This was not exactly the truth.However, I believed I had added a certain joviality and lightness to theArrowand her crew, once I’d gotten comfortable in my position as captain’s houseboy-slash-right-hand man-slash-lover.
Domingo returned to the table with a plate holding a large loaf of brown bread and several pieces of cheese.
“Here we are.I scraped the mould off and everything,” he said, picking up a square of cheese and popping the morsel into his mouth.
“Lies.All lies.There’s no mould in my galley.”Guthrie said with a sidelined glance at Domingo, who covered his mouth as he chewed.
“Oh, I forgot, I’m not supposed to mention the mould.”
Guthrie laughed as Domingo nudged him with a shoulder.The two had become fast friends, which was a good thing, seeing as they shared the galley and the room behind.Domingo had initially complained about having to share a sleeping space with Mr Guthrie, but after being shown the crew quarters—a great room in the hull with hammocks hung all about, a few bunks, and absolutely no privacy, he’d decided the situation would do.At least he had a bed to himself, three meals a day, and no requirement to sell his body for wages.
Working in theArrow’s galley was a step up and Domingo knew that.
Captain Martin finished his coffee, tore a piece of bread from the loaf and scooped up some cheese.“I’m off, then.Rooster, I may have some time after lunch if you’d like to—” He glanced at the others, then returned his gaze to me as his cheeks reddened.“—ah, meet me in our rooms for a…debrief.”
I nodded.“A debrief.Of course.I’m always available for ship’s business.”
“Excellent.”
He touched his forehead in a salute to the others.“Good day.”
“Good day, Captain,” Guthrie said.
