Page 11 of Midnight

‘No, it’s not for Pendle. Aaron asked me to take a look over his accounts.’

‘Is that a good idea?’ asked Tricia. ‘It’s almost exam time and you always go kind of mental …’

‘I’ll be fine,’ said Olivia, feeling bruised by her friend’s lack of faith. ‘I can handle it. I’m just helping Aaron out a little.’

‘You should put that on your Instagram.It’s not all cocktails at Annabel’s and first-class tickets to Geneva. I have to look at spreadsheets too.’ Tricia flicked her hair.

Olivia threw a chocolate at her, which she caught with annoying dexterity.

‘I just worry about you,’ said Tricia, suddenly serious.

‘I got this,’ said Olivia.

Hindsight was twenty-twenty. Tricia had been exactly right. She’d taken on too much, her workload piling on top of her until she was buried by it. ‘No’ just wasn’t in her vocabulary when it came to work. Her best friend had been the first one to see the signs, but she’d ignored her.

But it wasn’t Aaron’s fault. She’d only wanted to impress him.

She looked at him now, standing at the reception desk of the MSVigil. This was his moment. She rubbed her hand along his back, and he jumped a mile, scrunching the piece of paper with the cabin list in his fist. His complexion had gone grey. He stepped back from the desk – and her touch – swearing under his breath.

‘Everything OK?’ Olivia asked, alarmed by his change in demeanour.

‘Just had a message from London. There’s been a crisis with Bertrand. I need a decent internet connection so I’m going ashore.’

‘What, right now?’

‘There’s no time to waste. I’ll head to the Pioneer office. I can video-call Jules at the gallery from there.’

‘I’ll come with you.’ Bertrand was the next artist Aaron was wooing, and she knew he had been stressed about it. She gathered up her handbag, pulling it on to her shoulder.

‘Don’t be silly, Livi. I won’t be long.’

She scanned his face. He was pale, a shimmer of sweat on his forehead. She hadn’t seen him like this before. ‘If it’s an emergency, you might need help. I should be with you.’

‘I’ll be fine. Look, I mentioned your … discomfort with being on board to Elisabet and she’s arranged for you to speak with the captain on the bridge before we set sail. He’ll put your mind at ease. I’ll be back before you know it. I’ve arranged a special delivery to our room so we can toast to a new start. For both of us.’

‘If you’re sure …’

‘I have two hours until all aboard.’ He kissed her on the cheek. ‘Try to enjoy yourself. I mean, look around. Does it get much better than this?’

She drew in a breath, holding it in, pushing down the rush of words that bubbled to the surface – how she could imagine a lot better than this, many places that she’d rather be. Before they could come out, Aaron took her hesitation as acceptance. He rushed back up thestairs to the next level, where the gangway led to the dock, dropping the cabin list as he ran. ‘Wait, Aaron!’ She kneeled down to pick it up, but when she stood back up, he was gone.

She flattened the piece of paper against her thigh, scanning the names. Apart from the people she’d met last night, only one other name seemed to ring a distant bell.M. Sadler. She was sure she’d heard Aaron mention that name before, during one of her visits to the gallery. But that was a common enough surname. It was probably a coincidence.

‘Miss Campbell?’ Elisabet called out to her from reception. Olivia hesitated. But the moment passed, and she turned back to the cruise director, shoving the paper into her handbag.

‘Yes?’

‘I need your signature on a few forms and I can give you your cabin key. Then I will take you up to the bridge.’

Olivia nodded, crossing the few steps to the desk and signing the forms allowing their credit card to be used for incidentals.

A woman rushed up to the desk, knocking her into the polished walnut countertop. ‘Hey!’ Olivia cried out.

‘I am so sorry,’ said the woman, her voice breathless. A man jogged up next to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. Apology out of the way, she turned her attention to Elisabet. ‘Please, we’re really hoping you can help us. My name is Christa, and this is my husband, Jay. The woman at the Pioneer office got us these tickets at the last minute but in separate bunks in single-sex cabins. She said to ask on board for any potential upgrades? We’re on our honeymoon and we’d really love to be together.’

‘First of all, congratulations.’ Somehow, even in the face of the woman’s flustered monologue, Elisabet kept her cool. Olivia was impressed – but then Elisabet probably juggled a million customer service nightmares every day. ‘I’m very sorry, but we don’t have any double cabins left. The ship is completely full for this expedition. But my assistant Maria Elena can help you I’m sure.’ A young woman with dark hair appeared from the small office behind the reception, summoned by a button on Elisabet’s radio. ‘Maybe some complimentary champagne for you to enjoy in our Panorama lounge?’

‘Please, come with me,’ said Maria Elena, gesturing for the two to follow.

---