Page 30

‘I hope the Captain and Bridgette are okay,’ Kath spoke up. ‘They certainly ended the Marley Men’s performance with a bang.’

‘I’d hardly call the Captain’s wheelchair colliding into Harold a “bang”,’ Jane said, ‘they almost crippled him. He’s lucky he doesn’t need surgery.’

‘It’s my understanding that Harold suffers with his back,’ Kath replied.

‘He’ll certainly be suffering today. I thought Peter was going to have a fit when Harold managed to stumble back to his feet and lead the conga line out of the Neptune Lounge and into the bar.’

‘Especially when passengers having a nightcap all joined in.’ Anne giggled.

Kath turned to Jane. ‘Have you seen Bridgette or the Captain today?’

‘No, but the Captain rarely gets off the ship and Bridgette has probably been privately promenading in the buff, up on the top deck all day. He’s probably with her. They seem to be good friends.’

‘Bridgette knows the Captain from previous cruises.’ Kath smiled. ‘Good luck to them, but more importantly, I want to know what happened with Dicky last night.’ She turned to Anne. ‘You haven’t told us where you went, after Jane and I went to bed.’

Anne was sipping tea and reached out to top up her cup. ‘I had a wonderful time,’ she said.

‘Well, what happened?’ Kath sat forward.

‘We went to the casino, and I told Dicky what to do with his chips.’

‘Add plenty of salt and vinegar.’ Jane giggled.

‘I gave him my lucky numbers.’

‘That was risky.’ Kath shook her head.

‘On the contrary, he won on every single one.’

‘Goodness, I hope he shared his winnings with you?’

‘I couldn’t ask him to do that.’ Anne frowned. ‘He used his own money as stakes.’

Jane rolled her eyes, and Kath shook her head.

‘Did you stay in the casino?’ Jane asked.

‘No, we went to the disco and danced until the last song played.’ Anne had a dreamy expression as she remembered moving around the dance floor. It was years since she’d had so much fun.

‘I hope Dicky didn’t make any improper moves on you?’ Kath lowered her voice. ‘Men like Dicky can have quite a reputation.’

‘Oh, really, you read too many silly novels,’ Anne said. ‘Dicky was the perfect gentleman and walked me back to Hibiscus.’

‘Only a matter of time.’ Jane grinned. ‘He’ll soon be asking if you’d like to do the dance with no pants in his cabin.’

‘For someone who is determined to stay celibate all her life, you have a very racy imagination.’

‘I’m a realist. Dicky Delaney spells danger to me.’ Jane tugged on her top, settling the fabric over her stomach. ‘It’s not that I don’t want you to have a great time and husband-hunt to your heart’s content, but I have a feeling that he might give you grief, that’s all.’

‘Well, it’s up to Anne what she does.’ Kath gripped her bag and stood up. ‘If neither of you mind, I’m going to go to Hibiscus to have a bath before dinner. My feet are aching, and a soak would be lovely.’

‘I think I’m going to have a glass of wine,’ Anne said as she watched Kath walk away. ‘Fancy joining me?’ She turned to Jane, who, having placed a stool under her feet, had eased back into her chair.

‘That would be marvellous,’ Jane replied, closing her eyes. ‘I’m getting used to being on holiday.’

Anne ordered and, while she waited, sighed happily and watched the sun slowly descend into a flame-coloured sky. The horizon seemed endless, dark, and inviting as the ship sailed through the infinite blue sea. ‘Me too,’ Anne whispered.

ChapterFourteen