A secret thrill shot through her. She loved to read. She took the books and placed them in the cabinet.The Taming of the Shrew,The History of Tom Jones, andSense and Sensibility. She had to admit, the man had made excellent choices.
“What’s that?” She pointed at the tangled rope.
“This is a hammock. I thought I’d try to string it up to sleep on it.”
Disappointment shot through Marianne’s chest. Apparently, he’d been thinking about the size of the bunk too, and had made arrangements to avoid it.
They both looked around the tiny cabin for a few moments.
“There doesn’t seem much of a place to string it,” Marianne pointed out.
Beau winced. “I was afraid that might be the case.”
“It’s all right,” Marianne replied. “The wind is picking up. If we share the bunk, we can share heat.”
Beau arched a brow. “If you insist.” His grin was unrepentant.
“Not forthatreason,” she said, her cheeks burning.
“Very well, but you need only say the word,” he replied.
Marianne couldn’t help the rush of heat that spread through her limbs at his words. She shouldn’t be looking forward to sharing the tiny bunk with him, so why was she?
Beau stashed the useless hammock in the wardrobe as a knock sounded at the door. “Who is it?” he said in an accent he’d affected.
“It’s dinner, Mr. Baxter, sir,” a voice called back.
Beau nodded at Marianne before moving past her to open the door. A cabin boy shuffled in with a tray on his shoulder. Leaning down, he placed the tray on the desk, then turned around and doffed his cap. “The captain says if there be anything else ye need, just let me know,” the boy said, pointing a thumb at his chest.
Beau flipped the lad a coin and he shuffled back out of the room as quickly as he’d come.
Marianne nearly jumped from the bed to examine the meal. “I’m starving,” she announced before removing the lid from one of the platters to reveal a healthy portion of stew, a biscuit, and some peas.
“It looks delicious,” she said, her stomach growling.
“Leave it to Worth to have a decent meal on a ship,” Beau replied.
“Perhaps that why Baron Winfield chose it,” Marianne said with a laugh.
Beau took his platter and sat on the bed to eat, leaving the desk and chair for Marianne.
* * *
An hour later,they had consumed the meal and the dishes had been removed by the cabin boy, who’d reappeared at precisely the right time; and Marianne had imbibed a bit more brandy.
Beau blew out his breath gave her an apprehensive look. “Well.” He gestured toward the bunk. “Shall we?”
Marianne tossed back the rest of her second glass of brandy. She wasn’t jug-bitten, but she was certainly less anxious than she had been before she’d imbibed. “Yes,” she said with a resolute nod.
“I can wait in the corridor while you—” He gestured toward the wardrobe.
“No, need,” she replied. “If you’ll just…turn your back.”
“Of course,” he said, spinning on his heel in a flash.
Marianne had to squelch her laugh. It was a bit ridiculous after all, considering the man had seen her entirely in the nude already on more than one occasion. At the moment, however, they were nothing but colleagues, and colleagues needed to turn their backs when changing clothes and sharing bedchambers.
She pulled her nightrail from the wardrobe and quickly divested herself of her gown. She was dressed and under the covers before she announced, “I’m decent.”
