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‘Beat that!’ Melissa smiled as she stepped off the stage and bumped into Dicky.

‘I’ll have them standing on their seats, begging for more and clawing to get at me,’ Dicky flashed a smile.

‘Not with that stink you’re wearing…’ Melissa wrinkled her cute little nose.

‘Watch me…’

‘Is that my concealer on your eye bags?’ Melissa jerked her head to study Dicky’s face. But Peter was announcing Dicky’s act, and as the band struck up an introduction, Dicky escaped. He blew Melissa a kiss and stepped out into the lights.

‘Ladies and gentlemen, let’s hear a big round of applause for our number one cruise ship entertainer. Here’s Dicky Delaney!’

* * *

After dinner, guests were invited onto the decks as theDiamond Stargently eased out of the dock, and they gazed out at the inky star-studded sky. On the quayside, a steel band began to play a medley of festive songs to serenade the ship away from Bridgetown.

‘I thought that the calypso Christmas songs were lovely,’ Anne said as they headed to the Neptune Lounge for the evening’s cabaret and settled on a banquette at the front of the auditorium. ‘I’d almost forgotten that Christmas is only six days away.’ She wore a pretty peach-coloured dress that sat just above her knees, and crossed her legs as she looked around to see if she had any admirers.

‘What a relief not to be decorating the house with all my old Christmas decorations,’ Kath said. ‘Jim would never let me buy anything new, and I lived in fear of the ancient fairy lights fusing the whole house on Christmas morning.’ She shook her head. ‘Nor am I stuck in the kitchen for days cooking and baking; this is the first Christmas since my childhood where I’ll be waited on.’

‘Do the family always come to you for Christmas?’ Anne asked.

‘Always. Hugo, Henry, their wives, and offspring. Plus Jim’s ancient relatives.’

‘I’m surprised that you never put your foot down and refused to cater each year.’

‘I couldn’t argue with Jim, it was easier to just get on with things.’

They ordered drinks and noticed that the lounge had filled with guests who, like the three friends, were also looking forward to the entertainment.

‘The swim this afternoon was so good,’ Anne said. ‘It was such a beautiful little bay that Errol took us to, we’d never have found it ourselves.’

‘We only had to ask for Shark’s Hole Bay.’ Jane folded her arms. ‘Thank goodness Errol didn’t tell us what it was called until we were back in the car. I would never have entered the water.’

‘At least there were no sharks while we were swimming.’ Kath said with a frown.

‘But fancy,’ Jane said, ‘Bridgette is a naturist!’

‘How do you know that?’ Anne and Kath were wide-eyed.

‘Selwyn told me over dinner. Apparently she has her own private area on the top deck where she sunbathes.’

‘Crikey, tomorrow is a day at sea and I’m going to listen to her talk. I wonder if she’ll mention it?’ Anne raised her eyebrows. ‘Or invite us to join her?’

‘No chance,’ Jane said, ‘I’m not stripping off.’

‘And I’m not stepping out of my swimsuit for anyone.’ Kath touched her ear lobes and frowned. She’d forgotten to put her earrings on again. ‘But, tomorrow, we have the whole day at sea.’ She brightened. ‘I loved the sail-away; the steel band was wonderful and the perfect way to leave Barbados.’ She stretched out her legs and admired a pair of yellow leather sandals. Bought for her eldest son’s marriage ceremony, little knowing they’d get their next airing onboard a luxury cruise ship.

‘I like those sandals,’ Anne commented. Their drinks arrived, and she sipped a coconut-flavoured liqueur.

‘Jim hated them,’ Kath replied, ‘he made me change into sensible flats on Hugh’s wedding day, saying the sandals were too modern for the mother of the groom.’

‘What a misery, I hope you told him where to go,’ Anne said.

‘I never stood up to him, he always dictated my wardrobe, and I always wore boring pumps. I felt like an old maid as the years progressed.’

Anne and Jane exchanged glances. They’d discussed the stages of grief following Jim’s death, and it seemed that Kath was going through anger, but they’d never heard her disparage or criticise her husband. On this holiday, however, it was as though she was letting go.

‘Just look at you now.’ Jane grinned. ‘We are like two colourful peacocks in our new dresses.’