Page 56 of Boomerville at Ballymegille

Eight pairs of legs kicked in unison as Audrey’s Babes flipped upside down and performed a handstand routine. Audrey, standing nearby on the wooden jetty, clapped her hands.

‘Marvellous, girls!’ she cried. ‘You’ve finally got it.’

Whatever it was that the girls had got, Hattie hoped that it didn’t include hyperthermia. She stared at the mottled flesh and purple thighs that disappeared into the water. Moments later a floral display moved along the surface, in a figure of eight, as the Babes emerged, their flowered rubber headgear held high.

‘Very nice,’ Hattie said as she joined Audrey on the jetty.

‘We’ll make an interesting contribution to the entertainment tomorrow.’ Audrey gestured to the Babes and they swam towards her.

‘Er, yes, that sound fabulous; does Jo know?’

‘Not yet, but I thought that she might include synchronised swimming as a course.’

Hattie thought that Jo would sooner include bungee jumping off the top of the Friary, rather than risk her boomers’ lives in the freezing cold, muddy depths of the murky old lake.

‘Aye, good idea, stick it in the suggestion box.’

They watched the Babes help each other as they scrambled out, their shivering bodies brushing against reeds and grasses on the edge of the lake. Audrey handed out towels and began to pour hot tea and brandy from a flask.

‘Did you sleep well?’ Hattie asked as the Babes stripped off and climbed into matching tracksuits.

‘Like logs,’ Audrey said. ‘It’s a fine little cottage you found for us.’

‘As long as you’re cosy.’ Hattie turned to leave. ‘There’s breakfast for you all if you make your way to the manor.’

‘Splendid!’ Audrey slapped Hattie on the back. ‘Come on, girls!’

Hattie steadied herself and as the Babes trooped past, made a mental note to add to her shopping list that day. She’d need to find somewhere that sold lifebelts and must ensure that St John’s Ambulance, Ireland had a defibrillator on hand tomorrow.

In the meantime, with taster classes to prepare, she’d go and find Jo.

* * *

On the first floor,in a bedroom named the Peacock Room, floral curtains were drawn back to reveal a view of the lake. In the distance, Audrey and her Babes could be heard splashing about in the water as birds circled overhead. As the sun rose and streamed through the latticed window, it cast honeycomb shadows on the blue-gold carpet. Fingers of light splayed out, embracing the solitary figure of Melissa, who sat on a chair by the rosewood dressing table, staring into the bevelled mirror. The face that stared back was pale, eyes wide and startled.

Melissa looked as though she’d seen a ghost.

She closed her eyes and, gently rocking, bit her lower lip as her fingers twisted around a silver bracelet on her wrist. Melissa was lost in thought and as her mind wandered, the years melted away.

At twenty-two, Melissa was talented and pretty, with a love of the entertainment industry. Her parents’ hotel had given her the first taste of performing and her job as a dancer fulfilled all of her dreams as she travelled the world on luxury liners. Now, far from the stage at the tired seaside hotel in Newquay, where her parents had spurred Melissa on, she had an opportunity to rise up from the ranks of dancer, in the troupe who performed each night in the Starlight Room on board the Crystal Royal. The female vocalist, who headlined the show, had a throat infection and was confined. That afternoon, the cruise director had been holding auditions for anyone who wanted to step in and take the vocalist’s place. Melissa knew every word of the act and sensing a chance to break out of the faceless ranks, took her chance.

She stood on the stage and sang the poignant words of a popular song that was in the charts and part of the evening entertainment. ‘Tell me, how am I supposed to live without you?’

The cruise director and casting coach had both smiled. She’d nailed the words of the song and to her delight,Melissa was successful.

A few hours later she whirled onto the stage in a dazzling silver gown and stood alongside the cruise line’s resident entertainer. They sang her audition song together, then, as they moved through the numbers, their footsteps and harmonies in perfect time, passengers gave them a standing ovation and it was an elated Melissa who took four curtain calls before leaving the stage.

Later that night, it was an elated Mel, as she was known on the ship, who lay in the narrow bed in the cabin of the resident entertainer and stared into his fiery green eyes. Magical eyes, flecked with gold, they twinkled in the dim light and captivated her, as the ship sailed through the tranquil Caribbean Sea.

The relationship lasted for two weeks.

During that time, the cruise visited many beautiful islands and travelled as far as South America, before heading back to Barbados where she would disembark at the end of her contract, to fly home. The entertainer had three more months at sea when they said goodbye, on a scorching hot day, as the ship docked in Bridgetown.

‘Here’s lookin’ at you, beautiful Mel,’ he’d called out as she climbed into a taxi.

Melissa knew that she’d never see him again. Life at sea was fickle - a different destination every day. New passengers, fresh crew. The chance of ever meeting again was doubtful. They made no promises, arranged no further contact. Both were young, with the world at their feet.

Until Melissa got home and realised she was pregnant.

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