The Captain, perched at the desk in the master captain, kept trying to set up the ship in a bottle for Jonathan's birthday the next morning. The thumping noise coming from the closet where Carolyn Muir had removed herself kept catching his attention, and prompted him to call out, "M'dear? Surely I might prevail upon you to secure some peace or at least privacy for now?" Stepping out of the closet in her favorite yellow negligee, while she tied the satin bow at her throat, she looked up at him slyly. "So which is it you most desire Captain, privacy or peace?" Smiling, he slowly walked toward her. "Well, if you intend to ask the question, attired as you are, in a floating whisp of yellow fluff, privacy would indeed be preferred, if only one option is allowed."
Returning the smile, she nodded quietly, "Yet, if we pursue privacy, how will you ever complete the ship in a bottle for Jonathan's birthday tomorrow?"
"Indeed Mrs. Muir," he grinned back at her, "I might allow a small delay, if you can promise privacy might follow the completion of my task?"
"Oh, I can indeed promise that my Captain," she nearly purred, "I believe, I can promise that any delay would and could be entirely compensated for in a complete, and immense fashion. Would that suit your request?"
"That it would, Mrs. Muir," he offered with a raised, suggestive eyebrow.
"Glad to hear that," she responded. She stepped toward him, but he stopped and held up his work in progress. "Madam, let me adjourn to another spot in the house, as I cannot guarantee that I can focus on the effort at hand in a timely fashion."
She watched him disappear, shipwork and bottle in hand. "Oh, he'll be back, sooner or later." She smiled. And tucking herself under the covers of her bed, she let herself rest, knowing he'd return there, with her, soon enough.