Lucius’s appreciation of ‘Darling’ grew every hour they spent on board. She was elegant, intelligent and exuberant. She laughed, each time as though it would be her last, and she enjoyed every benefit that their free passage had to offer. Clearly, her idea of being clandestine was to be seen and heard by everyone.

And she pulled Lucius along with her, hands all over him in public, praising him to every couple they met. He felt her attention hatching him from his malaise. The heartache that had embarked with him now receded as surely the dockside had done. Even the lascivious glances Darling lathered on the other females aboard could not dispel her mesmeric charms.

Most of all Lucius eagerly awaited each surreptitious meeting, alone in her quarters, always accompanied by champagne, paid for by The Benefactors, of course. She explained her equipment – sonar she called it – and demonstrated it while he followed her eyes or lips, or even yearned at the sight of her delicate, intimate garments that lay scattered on every surface. Not all of them were hers, he surmised sourly.

‘How long until we make the search zone?’

She lay on her front across the burgundy bed throw, her feet kicking seductively back and forth above her. Lucius watched the pressing curves the silk nightdress revealed, wishing gravity would treble.

‘Day after tomorrow,’ he managed.

‘We’ll head down into the hull tomorrow then, to begin the readings.’

He felt affronted. ‘Why? Don’t you trust my accuracy?’

‘Don’t be silly, Angel, of course I do. Better to try a dry run first though, don’t you think?’

Just as well, Lucius begrudgingly thought as the two of them descended the spider’s web of ladders through the hold. He enjoyed going first, her trim form above him, encased in tight britches, the oversized camera box containing the sonar machine bumping against the perfect arch of her back. Lucius struggled with the battery.

‘Almost there,’ she breathed above the distant engine noise.

There was a clank above them. The bulkhead door they had just passed through swung open and a stoker came through, vest blotched with sweat. Lucius froze.

Then hewas in her embrace, her lips pressed against his, arms tight around his neck, her legs launched around his waist. It took a moment for his mind to adjust. And then he was lost in the sensation her flesh and heat. She moved his hand to her thigh as the footsteps became louder and he cursed the stubborn fabric that shielded the downy thighs he had fantasised about for the past three nights.

She moaned loudly and Lucius’s head swam, all his blood heading south. He did not hear the stoker’s brash curse and retreating footsteps. ‘Bloody newly-weds,’ the man choked before slamming the door.

Lucius's hand was travelling inward when Darling dropped to the gangway and thrust him backwards onto the railing.

‘That’s enough, Angel. Time to get back to work.’ And she was at the next ladder, leaving him panting, dizzy and frustrated.

Much to his disappointment, after the ship entered the search zone, they were not disturbed again. Two days in the bowels of the vessel soiled Lucius’s temper once again, as Darling remained business-like and clinical as she saw to her devices. They took it in turn with the headsets and changing the paper rolls in the recorder.

‘We’ll be leaving the zone in less than half a day,’ Lucius growled toward the end of day three, tired and resentful from the lack of any action, either above or below the waterline. ‘The Benefactors won’t be pleased. Especially with the champagne bill added to a no sho …’

Darling gripped his arm, scarlet nails threatening to cut the blood supply – it was unnerving what a power she had over his blood flow.

‘I have something.’ Her eyes were frozen, concentrated. Her immaculate brows rose and Lucius thought they would never stop. Her mouth fell open; she turned to him. It was the first time he had seen that exquisite face etched with doubt, even fear.

‘What is it?’

‘It’s huge,’ she answered aghast. ‘There is something down there and it’s as big and as complex as a city, bigger, and there’s …’ she faltered.

‘There’s what?’ She was scaring him.

‘A noise. Right below us, something colossal, and …’

‘And what?’ Lucius held her shoulders. Her face was pale in the glow of their instruments. She stuttered.

‘… it has a heartbeat.’

Uncharted 2

Beebles

A Matter of Taste

Absurd

A Gift