As he pushed open the lavish oak door to Suite 003, a dry scent of timber mingled with lavender greeted him.
The suite was quite large. Its outer sitting room was considerably more spacious than Renato had expected, with thick, dark brown floorboards polished to an even sheen by years of cleaning.
The first thing he saw was a broad leather sofa, its deep ocher surface gleaming softly with wax. A dining table stood beside it, with nuts and dried fruit in a wooden dish for guests to help themselves.
A set of low, dark walnut cabinets and shelves stood against the wall. There were few ornaments on the cabinet tops, only a ceramic jar holding scented sachets, supposedly meant to remove fishy odors from the air while absorbing moisture.
Several ocean-themed prints hung on the walls, their bold lines depicting sailing ships making their way through wind and waves.
Beyond a metal door fitted with multiple locks lay the furnishings of the inner room.
A large canopied bed occupied the center of the room. Four posts rose from its corners, joined at the top by dark red drapes that were currently gathered to either side.
An oak desk stood by the window, its surface bare except for an unlit oil lamp. Two old books with faded covers were stacked on a shelf.
Beside the inner room's window was a narrow glass-paneled door, which opened onto a partially enclosed balcony.
Standing at the edge of the balcony, he could look out over the entire bay at night. Lights already shone aboard the ships of all sizes anchored there, twinkling like stars on the dark water and gently swaying with the natural rise and fall of the tide.
No wonder the High Tide inn had such a good reputation. Two silver