Now what was she going to do?
‘Can’t find a storage place, can you?’ Lord Domac asked when she came back up on deck. The two crates were sitting exactly where they’d set them down near the gangplank. They couldn’t remain there. It was too wet, and the crates would slide.
‘I don’t know what to do. I wasn’t thinking.’
‘There is a place. At least I think they will fit.’
‘Where?’
‘My berth.’
His room was tinier than the one she shared with her sister. ‘I don’t think they will fit in the door.’
‘They’ll fit. One atop the other.’
‘But you won’t.’
He shrugged. ‘I can sleep with the crew. It’s what I’d been planning anyway.’
‘But why? Why would you give up your bed?’ He didn’t have a stake in the bargain. He put up no money and would not make any profit. And yet, he would give up his berth for it? It made no sense.
His smile was slow as it spread over his face. A sweet curve of the lips that lit his eyes and warmed her heart. ‘I’d do it for a price.’
Ice slid into her veins, and she took a step back. She’d thought he was different. And while she was still reeling from that, his eyes widened with horror.
‘No, no!’ He held his hands up as if in surrender. ‘Nothing like that.’
‘Then what?’
He gave a charming shrug. ‘A percentage of the profit when you sell. Do you think your father will agree?’
She nodded. ‘He will, but I won’t.’
‘Why not? Where else would you store them?’
‘I’ll pay you a set fee. Same as if it were in the hold.’
He leaned back against the side of the ship. ‘But it’s not in the hold. It’ll be in my bed.’
‘Maybe it will fit beside your bed.’
‘Maybe it won’t.’
They set about bargaining. And though the stakes were tiny, the pleasure was the same as it had been that morning. He was a strong opponent in this, happy to negotiate, but secure in the knowledge that he had the upper hand. After all, she had no other options. But he didn’t exploit her, and he was going to be very uncomfortable for several months.
Once they agreed upon a price, she ended up feeling very grateful to him. And because of that gratitude, she helped him move the crates to his cabin. The ship was not busy, but most of the crew had gone into port on their own business. Her father had retired to rest and even her sister was nowhere around.
Fortunately, Lucy didn’t mind. She had done manual labour before. And though she wasn’t nearly as strong as he was, she wasn’t useless either. Together, they got the first crate shoved through his door. And, after a few resting minutes, they shoved in the second.
She had to squeeze in first and pull. He was the stronger, lifting the second crate atop the first and putting all his weight into it. The result was a room that had two badly stacked crates taking up all the space while his narrow cot was shoved against the side and currently held all his belongings on it. The only way in or out now was by walking on the bed and squeezing out the door in the few inches there.
‘Not too bad,’ he said as he climbed in, effectively trapping her in the tiny space. She was on her knees, leaning against the second crate.
‘If the top crate slides, it will crush you.’ She frowned.
‘I’ll tie it down. There are ropes that will make it secure. And my things can go underneath.’ As he spoke, he grabbed his bagand awkwardly shoved it underneath his bed. Then he didn’t say anything as he faced her. His gaze roved over her and his expression intensified. ‘You were amazing this morning.’
She smiled, feeling a rush of heat throughout her body. ‘I’d forgotten how much I love bargaining.’