The Woman in Cabin 10

The engine in the boat stops again. Without access to a window, Lo has no idea where they have landed, but she imagines them deep in the fjords, the water so deep that no amount of dredging would recover her body. Carrie returns to Lo's room with food. She apologizes for bringing a small amount, but says that since the guests and staff left, the cook has become more suspicious of her stolen portions. Lo asks where the staff went, and Carrie tells Lo that Richard has taken them for a retreat on shore. Lo wonders if part of Carrie's change in attitude might be attributed to space from Richard.

Carrie lingers, and Lo asks against her better judgment what happened. She asks desperately, as if yearning Carrie to explain. Carrie finally acquiesces. She explains that she and Richard fell madly in love when she was working as a waitress at the Magellan, hoping to become an actress. She knew from the start that Richard had a wife, but Richard didn't love Anne: he said that since it began, their marriage had been a cold and loveless one, but because Anne was dying of cancer, Richard didn't have the heart to divorce her.

As their love continued in secret, Carrie yearned for the chance to have a normal relationship with Richard. Then, one day, Richard proposed that Carrie dress in one of Anne's silk kimonos and appear with him at the movies. Anne would be in London, and Carrie watched a video to learn how to mirror Anne's mannerisms. They succeeded, and experimented with the ruse a few more times. This led to Richard asking her to sneak on board the Aurora for its maiden voyage. He explained that Anne would leave after the first night, and she could impersonate her afterward. They could enjoy a vacation together, in public, on his luxurious boat. But something went wrong. That first night, after being smuggled onto the ship, Richard came to her room early. He was frantic. He said that Anne had discovered the affair and become violent. Richard had pushed her away to protect himself, and she had fallen and hit her head. When he ran to check on her, he realized she was dead.

Richard begged Carrie to help him get rid of the body; with her on board, he argued, no one would believe the real story. She agreed, and Richard brought her Anne's body in a suitcase, which he asked her to throw overboard. But the suitcase was heavy, and when it hit the veranda door it burst open, revealing Anne inside. Carrie thought she saw Anne's eyelid flutter. When she saw Anne's bloody face, she screamed. She touched Anne, and her blood was cold; Carrie assumed that meant Anne was in fact dead, and threw her overboard. The suitcase came unlatched again in the water, and Carrie watched Anne's body disappear into the sea.

After hearing this story, Lo consoles Carrie. She tries to persuade her that Richard would try to kill them both to cover up Anne's death and save himself. Carrie insists that Richard loves her, and gets up to leave, but seems hesitant. She sees Lo's copy of Winnie the Pooh, which Carrie had delivered earlier that day, and reveals that she loved Pooh as a child, as well. The women bond. Carrie leaves, promising to return with dinner if she can. But only a few hours later, Carrie returns. She is frantic, and has no food with her. She tells Lo that Richard is returning earlier than expected.

The section ends with a brief news bulletin. It reveals that another body was discovered in Norway, related to Lo’s case.

Carrie informs Lo that she needs to escape before Richard returns, as it is the only hope for either of them. She tells Lo that Richard is returning in half an hour, and the boat is docking to prepare for his arrival. She begins to shed her clothes, and as Lo looks at her with confusion, she explains that Lo will be taking her place. She hands Lo her passport, and explains: Lo will leave the ship dressed as Anne, and leave the country disguised as Carrie. Lo refuses, hesitant to leave Carrie behind, but Carrie assures her it’s the only way. She puts on Lo's dirty clothes, and demands that Lo hit her over the head. She tells Lo that her only hope is to convince Richard that Lo attacked her; that way, Carrie can’t be implicated in Lo's disappearance. She tells Lo to avoid the Norwegian police, if possible, because Richard has friends in high places. Lo tries to hit Carrie, but can only manage a weak slap. Carrie scoffs, and smacks her own head against the metal bed. She begins to ooze blood from the wound, and her face turns gray and pale. Lo is terrified to leave Carrie. Carrie demands two things: first, that Lo wait twenty-four hours to tell the police, and, second, that she leave now, while she still can. Lo complies, still concerned, and makes her way up the many flights of steep, narrow stairs toward the ship's deck.