“You knew I was safe on board,” she said.
For some reason, the assumption that he was thinking only of her caused the blood to tingle in Warden’s veins.
“That is the nicest thing you could have said,” he agreed, and she in turn felt her heart racing.
“Of course you are very well aware that I did not imagine you might not be differently occupied,” she protested.
“Let us not quarrel about meanings. You were delightfully right. It is the simple fact that before you were many minutes in the Sans Souci’s cabin—by the way, where were you?”
“In Mrs. Baumgartner’s state–room.”
“Ah. Well—to continue—I was nearly coming to take you away, vi et armis.”
“But why?”
“You have no idea whom Mr. Baumgartner was entertaining?”
“None.”