Extra Darling

Chapter 22: A Cordial Invitation

I sleepily cracked an eye open and was bombarded by the sun's strong rays beaming on my face. The light poured in from the porthole and I could see the white spray of the ocean, feel it gently rocking me. I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut, angrily rubbing my fingers against them to swipe away last night's dreams. I sprawled my arms out on either side and rolled onto my back, the heavy covers of the bed twisting with me, and yawned soundlessly.

When I was finally content with waking up, I curled my fingers into my hair and opened my eyes, looking to my left. I was a little alarmed to see nothing but an empty bed. The sheets were ruffled and the pillow dented but it was otherwise unoccupied.

I sat up and put my hand on the pillow, racking my brain for a reason that it felt so empty.

And then I remembered Arthur.

Oh, how could I forget!

He was a true gentleman last night and didn't make me feel uncomfortable in any way. I shook my head and smiled at the memory of sharing a bed with him last night.

At one point, when the room was all but dark save for the sole candle by my side, I awoke to find my head on Arthur's chest. One of his arms was draped on my shoulders and the other was sprawled to his left. His face was peaceful. So very different from the way it was during the day. All the familiar lines and etches of his sea-worn face were smoothed out, much like a rock found upon the shore. His dark eyelashes fluttered calmly on his cheek bones, lost in some delicious dream and giving him time to escape the reality of this world. He looked younger, more vulnerable, and I reveled in the unexplainably intimate discovery.

I couldn't find the words to describe what it felt like to be curled up with him. I guess the best one would be perfect. It was a perfect fit. I slept more soundly than I had in months. So... where had he gone?

Footsteps above my head reminded me that we were not alone on this ship. Already I could tell that it was bustling with activity, and that I was no doubt its latest riser. I could hear the muffled rumble of men's voices as they worked, and the clatter of items hitting the deck. For a ship that constantly stayed in one place, it had a busy crew. I had my explanation of where Arthur had gone. To run his ship, of course.

I stretched my arms over my legs once more and tossed the covers aside, swinging my feet out and planting them firmly on the floor. The wood was cold on my feet and I desperately wished for shoes, but no to avail. This ship definitely did not have any shoes for women. When I stood up and steadied myself against the constant swaying of the ship, I realized that it was not only my feet that were cold. The temperature within the cabin and dropped considerably and I found myself chilled to the bone.

I pulled down on the fringes of my beautiful, torn, blue dress but it offered little relief from the cold. I remembered a time when this dress brushed against the lower part of my ankles, and now it was all but destroyed. It was smudged with dirt and coated in little burrs that locked themselves in the fabric. I could hardly imagine what I mess I seemed. Father would be appalled.

Crossing my arms over my chest in an attempt to conserve warmth, I shuffled my way over to Arthur's closet in hopes of finding something warm. To my pleasant surprise I found a simple blue cloak and I quickly tied it around my shoulders. The garment trailed on the floor as I rearranged it to cover myself and tucked my arms beneath it.

Why was it suddenly so cold? It was warm enough last night when we arrived in the room, and throughout the night it was the perfect setting. Now it felt like someone had left the icebox open and it frosted the entire room.

The cloak was fast relief and I soon found myself back at a comfortable temperature. As I turned and surveyed the room, I saw a small wooden cup on a table by the bed. Seeing the cup made me imagine the promise of water, and I discovered that my mouth was rather parched. I rushed over to it and threw the liquid down my throat.