This one, the Stargazer Suite, as well as having one fully transparent wall, which is common to many of the best suites, also has a glass ceiling so you can lie in bed and look at the stars on clear nights. The ceiling and wall turn opaque at the touch of a button or, somewhat alarmingly, into mirrors at a second touch. Stuart loves that feature, loves to be able to watch himself in bed, whereas I prefer to leave the glass clear. No one can see in, but it feels like they might be able to, and I like that.

Afterwards, I am lying on my back looking at the stars when I become aware that Stuart has propped himself up on his elbow and is looking at me.

‘What?’ I ask, suddenly self-conscious, pulling up the sheet so it covers me.

‘I was just thinking that apart from what you look like naked, I don’t know much about you,’ he says.

Stuart and I get together like this fairly often. Neither of us has much to do on board, we’re a little bit older than most of the rest of the crew, and it just kind of worked out like that. He’s pretty fit and very eager to please in bed. But that’s all there is to our relationship, such that it is – we don’t chat much, and that suits me fine right now.

I sit up, turn away from him, and start putting on my clothes. ‘Not much to tell,’ I say airily. ‘Part of the reason I took this job was to escape all the kitchen gossip and be somewhere different. It’s kind of nice to start with a clean slate.’

He trails his fingers along my back. ‘Sounds to me like you’re running from something.’

‘No I’m not,’ I say, more tetchily than I mean to, standing up to get away from his touch. Why can’t he leave it? Soul sharing wasn’t part of the deal here as far as I’m concerned. ‘I could say the same about you. Why are you here?’

His face falls. ‘There was … something at home I wanted to distance myself from.’ Hmm. You and me both, I think, but I don’t say anything.

He swings himself up out of bed, pads over to the kitchen area and opens the American-style fridge which guests rarely use to keep anything more than their champagne cold – or fresh milk for their tea if they’re Brits. ‘I think you’re right – let’s not talk about our pasts. Better to live for the present, isn’t that what they say? Carpe diem and all that. Want a beer before you go?’

11

Antonio

15 January 2022, 01:00

The Caribbean